If someone has injuries after a Connecticut car crash, they will file an insurance claim. The at-fault driver’s insurance policy can pay for property damage, hospital bills and even lost wages that result from the collision.
You probably expect that the other driver’s insurance will cover everything, but many drivers learn too late that someone else’s policy may not have enough coverage, especially for severe injuries. Spinal cord injuries can cause permanent consequences to motor function and physical sensation for the entire body below the location of the injury.
Those with a spinal cord injury after a crash may quickly realize that car insurance won’t be enough.
How much coverage does the other driver have?
Connecticut law requires that every driver carry at least $25,000 worth of bodily injury liability protection and an equivalent amount of uninsured/underinsured motorist protection. When someone causes a wreck, their liability coverage pays for the medical bills and income losses suffered by people hurt in the collision. In crashes where two or more people get hurt, the minimum coverage amount increases to $50,000.
While that can certainly help, it will likely leave you with tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid medical bills. Even incomplete spinal cord injuries have huge lifelong price tags, with massive costs the first year and ongoing medical expenses for the rest of someone’s life. Even $50,000 worth of insurance coverage won’t come close to paying those bills.
Your policy could help as well
Thankfully, Connecticut also typically requires that drivers carry uninsured and underinsured motorist protection. This kind of coverage lets you make a claim against your insurance policy for uncovered losses even though you weren’t the one responsible for the crash.
Making a claim against your own policy could have financial repercussions as well, as it may increase what you pay for coverage in the future. Additionally, the insurance available to you probably won’t be able to fully compensate you for a lifetime of career consequences, including reduced earning potential and lost employment benefits.
When the injuries you suffered in a crash cost far more than the available insurance coverage, you may be able to bring a civil claim against the driver who caused the wreck. Recognizing the limitations of insurance after a motor vehicle collision can help you better protect yourself following a crash-related spinal cord injury.
