Uninsured Car Accident Lawyer in West Plains

According to the Missouri Department of Revenue, Missourians were involved in more than 6,000 accidents involving uninsured motorists from July 2010 until July 2011. Many of these accidents resulted in catastrophic personal injury and death by irresponsible motorists who could not be held financially accountable to the victims and the families of the victims they had injured or killed.

According to reports of the Missouri Highway Patrol, it issued more than 22,000 citations to drivers in 2010 who could not provide proof of automobile insurance which is required by law. Some believe that as many as one in every four drivers may either be uninsured or not adequately insured. Unfortunately, uninsured motorists often times are not only the least responsible but also the least careful drivers on our highways.

In Missouri, because uninsured motorist coverage is mandatory and must be included on every policy forcing every policyholder to purchase that coverage, uninsured motorist coverage in Missouri can be stacked. Lynn has had a special interest in uninsured motorist cases having had the privilege of conducting the research and helping draft the briefs while working his way through law school for a case which went to the Supreme Court of Missouri and stands as a landmark decision allowing for the stacking of uninsured motorist coverage in this state.

What Is Stacked Insurance?  

Under the concept of stacking, if you have more than one vehicle insured, you are entitled to benefits under each of those policies. For example, if you or a member of your household is seriously injured or killed and you have $100,000 in uninsured motorist coverage on 3 vehicles, you would be entitled to submit a claim to your insurance carrier in the amount of $300,000.

There is a statute of limitations or a time period in which to bring any civil action which must be met or your suit will be barred. The statute of limitations is different for a personal injury action than it is for a wrongful death case. Missouri law allows ten years to bring suit for bodily injuries against the insurance company on an uninsured motorist claim. Therefore, if you or a family member has been injured in an automobile collision involving an insured motorist and that accident took place less than ten years ago, you may still bring suit but may need to contact an attorney right away.

If your claim involves a loss of life or the death of a family member, the Missouri law allows you only three years to file to that wrongful death case. In other words, you do not have the ten years you would have to bring a personal injury suit, but only three years which runs from the date of death. If you have lost a family member within the last three years please note that if you intend to file suit against the insurance company for uninsured motorist benefits for your loss, the suit must be filed within 3 years from the date of death or be forever barred.

Contact a West Plains car accident lawyerfrom our office to learn more during a free evaluation. Put 80+ years of collective experience to work for you! Call (800) 526-1949!