If you have suffered a catastrophic injury in a car accident caused by a negligent driver, you may be eligible to recover financial compensation to pay for past and future medical expenses, lost income and earning potential, as well as pain and suffering. However, you won’t receive any amount of monetary damages from the other party until your case is completely settled, so you must ensure your insurance coverage is sufficient enough to cover the costs.

In Connecticut, all registered vehicles are required to have insurance. Unfortunately, many people either drive with minimum insurance coverage or not whatsoever. Since Connecticut is a “fault” auto insurance state, you are responsible for paying medical costs and other injury-related expenses. By first filing a claim with your own insurance company, your insurer will likely later pursue a subrogation claim against the insurance company of the at-fault driver.

The following are the types of coverage included in your policy:

• Liability for body injury – When you are completely or partially at fault for an accident, this type of coverage will take effect. The minimum amounts in Connecticut are $25,000 per person and $50,000. Most experts recommend having a limit of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident.
• Liability for property damage – This type of coverage pays for the damage you cause. In Connecticut, the minimum is $25,000 per accident.
• Collision – Covers the costs of damage to your own vehicle in a collision. If you are driving a new vehicle, collision coverage is recommended.
• Comprehensive – This helps cover damages to your car which are not related to the trash, including theft-related losses.
• Medical payment coverage – This covers your medical expenses. If any of your passengers were injured, this type of coverage applies to them as well. The limit you decide is the maximum that will be paid for medical claims to each driver. For example, if your medical expense limit is $10,000, you and your passengers will each have up to $10,000 coverage for medical claims.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage – In the event you are involved in a collision with a driver with no insurance or little coverage, this cover the costs meant to be paid from the other driver’s insurance provider.
• Personal injury protection (PIP) – This also covers the medical costs of you and your passengers, including lost wages.

If your insurance policy is not enough to cover your medical expenses, many medical providers often treat accident victims under a “medical lien,” which means you won’t have to pay any upfront costs for medical treatment until you obtain your settlement. In order to ensure you recover the most favorable settlement possible, having an experienced personal injury attorney on your side can ensure you make the best recovery possible from injury.

For more information about insurance, contact our Connecticut personal injury lawyer at the Law Offices of James A. Welcome to discuss your case today.