Not having enough accident insurance can present quite a problem. That is especially true if you are the one who caused the car accident (OBX lawyers call that “at fault” or “legal liability”) and are subject to claims for negligence in North Carolina.

While North Carolina requires insurance for vehicles on the roadways, mandating certain minimum levels of NC insurance coverage, there are times that level of protection just isn’t enough.

What happens then? What happens if there isn’t enough accident insurance after an OBX wreck? Who pays for your injuries?

It can get a bit confusing, but if you seek legal representation by an Outer Banks lawyer or Googled “Car Accident lawyers near me OBX,” our law firm may be able to help.

Personal injury cases can be a complicated when accident insurance becomes an issue. We may be able to find other insurance policies, levels of coverage, or even additional sources (or assets) from which to collect.” Danny Glover, OBX accident lawyer

What does “personally liable” mean? Does my accident insurance pay for my injuries or damages after a car wreck?

Normally, the person who caused the accident, whether it is a car accident, motorcycle accident, or even an OBX semi truck accident, is legally responsible for your losses. Those may include things like medical bills, lost wages, permanent injuries, and property damage to your vehicle.

READ MORE: 4 Ways Auto Insurance Can Increase

If the other person who caused the wreck bought the cheapest insurance out there, that may mean they have what experienced OBX personal injury lawyers call “minimum coverage.”

When found to be at fault (legally liable), and damages exceed the amount of available coverage, the insurance carrier may offer to “pay the policy limits.”

If your damages after a car accident exceed the policy limits (the amount of insurance they have), then the person who is at fault for the car accident and legally responsible for the resulting personal injury, may also personally liable for any amount over the policy limits.

Put simply, if someone doesn’t have enough insurance after a North Carolina accident, whether if they are from out-of-state and you live on the Outer Banks NC, they could be required to pay you back out of their own pocket.

That’s true too if you were the one visiting Nags Head, Manteo, or Kill Devil Hills on vacation and were injured in a car accident by someone who lives in OBX NC.

In the instance where there is not enough insurance, that may also trigger something on your insurance policy called UIM which stands for Under Insurance Motorist protection. Experienced OBX lawyers are used to working with UM / UIM insurance and accident claims in North Carolina.

UM accident insurance refers to cases where the “at fault” driver had no insurance at all. UM stands for UN-insured motorist accident insurance in NC.

That does NOT mean the at fault driver is not still personally liable for the car accident. Just like before, if someone else caused the accident and is found to be legally negligent and therefore liable, they could owe the entire amount for your injuries and damages.

The big question then becomes: Do they have the money to pay for your losses after an OBX car accident?

READ MORE: What Insurance Should You Use?

While it’s possible someone may have simply forgotten to pay their car accident insurance policy, resulting in a lapse and therefore no coverage (UM claims), all-too-often the reason the car insurance lapses is because they didn’t have money in the first place.

Sometimes it’s true: “You can’t bet blood from a stone.” Obtaining a judgment for money damages after an OBX accident lawsuit is not the same as collecting on those damages. That’s when UM or UIM insurance in North Carolina can be so incredibly valuable. . .and important to your long-term well being after an NC accident.

The potentially good news is that your auto insurance policy on your vehicle may be an avenue for money damages after an accident. You may be able to make a claim under either your UM or UIM policy when the “at fault driver” either did not have insurance or did not have enough car accident insurance.

If you have questions about all this, OBX lawyer Danny Glover is available for consultation. With more than 26 years helping people on the Outer Banks in places like Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head NC, Manteo, Buxton, and Ocracoke, North Carolina, our OBX law firm is here to serve you.

Now is the time to call our Danny Glover OBX attorney.

We provide free consultation to people hurt in OBX car accidents. We’re used to dealing with accident insurance legal issues with people who may be visitors to the Outer Banks hurt in accidents. Danny Glover, Car Accident Lawyer

What do I pay after an accident? What does my accident insurance cover? What if I caused the accident?

Your insurance does not determine how much you owe somebody.

Your insurance coverage amounts simply tell you how much of that amount your insurance company is going to pay, so when you owe someone more money than your insurance coverage, that’s called an access judgment, and you are personally responsible for the amount that you owe after your insurance pays its limits.

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If you were injured due to the criminal negligence due to DUI OBX or drunk driving in North Carolina or DWI charges Outer Banks NC, we’re here to help.

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Last month I began telling you about some very important things that you need to do (and NOT do) immediately at the scene of the wreck. They were:

• Stay calm and breathe! If you have been injured, do not move – call 911 (if possible) and wait for EMS and then go to the hospital.
• Once all people involved in the wreck are accounted for and that situation is stable, have someone gather all of the information possible at the scene, including the names, addresses, phone numbers and license plate numbers of any and all witnesses and other drivers involved in the wreck, and take photographs of everything. Do not rely on law enforcement to do this for you.
• Do not move any vehicles until law enforcement arrives.
• Do not admit fault.

Once you leave the scene, there are still some other important things that you need to do.

First, file all of your medical bills with your health insurance company. Even if the wreck was caused by someone else, your medical bills are your responsibility.

Non-payment or late payment of those medical bills will hurt your credit and lead to late fees, etc. If the wreck was not your fault, you may eventually recover a settlement that includes reimbursement for your medical bills, but injury settlements take time, and it is important that you utilize all available health insurance to pay the bills as soon as possible.

Some health insurance companies are entitled to repayment from your eventual settlement, and some are not.

An experienced injury attorney can assist you in figuring that out as part of your case.

Second, if you are injured, do not speak to any automobile insurance company until you have spoken to an experienced, local injury attorney.

Insurance companies will be trying to take your statement as soon possible, and they will typically then try to use that statement against you later to deny the claim or to try to lowball you on your settlement.

A good injury attorney can make sure that you do everything necessary to make sure that you eventually obtain a complete settlement according to the law and can help you avoid making mistakes that can cost you money.

SEE MORE: What To Do If You’ve Been In A Wreck

Third, if you were given a ticket, do not pay it off. Instead, speak to an experienced, local traffic attorney. Oftentimes an attorney can get your ticket reduced or dismissed and save you DMV points and possibly insurance premium increases.

Fourth, report the collision to your automobile insurance company – hopefully only after you have spoken to an attorney about your injuries or your ticket.

Here’s to hoping that you never need to use this advice!!