Pennsylvania Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Several forms of auto insurance are optional in Pennsylvania, including coverage for accidents with uninsured and underinsured motorists.

2012-10-26

October 26, 2012 (Press-News.org) In Pennsylvania, you are required to purchase several forms of auto insurance before you can legally get behind the wheel. There are also several optional types of insurance -- including uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, or UM/UIM -- that may or may not be in your policy. UM and UIM can provide protection against those drivers who fail to purchase the auto insurance required by Pennsylvania law.

Uninsured and Underinsured Drivers

If an uninsured motorist caused your accident and you still need to make up for your accident-related losses even after obtaining benefits through your own policy, having UM coverage can greatly benefit you, your passengers and your family members. Even if the liable driver has some auto insurance, their coverage might not be sufficient to cover the full extent of your damages; this is where UIM coverage can help out.

You might have UM/UIM coverage and not know about it: In Pennsylvania, your policy includes UM/UIM coverage unless you reject it in writing and complete a required rejection form. A recent Pennsylvania appeals court decision illustrates the technical requirements of the required rejection procedures, which can make a significant difference in whether you are compensated for accident-related injuries.

Specific Requirements for Opting Out

In the court of appeals case, a driver injured in a motor vehicle accident requested UIM benefits through her insurer even though she attempted to reject UM/UIM coverage when she purchased her policy. The appeals court found that the insurer's rejection form, which the woman used, was different from the form required by state law. As a result, the case was sent back to the lower court, and the driver might be able to get UIM benefits after all, depending on that court's decision.

You might be able to fully recover for the damages caused by another driver's negligence whether or not you have UM/UIM coverage. Injured drivers should contact an experienced personal injury attorney to help pursue all available compensation.

Article provided by Purcell, Krug & Haller
Visit us at http://www.pkh.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Mattel Appeals $310 Million Award to Maker of Bratz Dolls

2012-10-26

Bratz dolls took the toy-making world by storm in 2001, replacing the formerly wildly popular Barbie doll as the top-selling fashion doll by 2006. Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie Dolls, alleged that MGA, the manufacturer of Bratz dolls, stole the idea for the dolls from Mattel. Mattel sued MGA, setting off a lengthy court battle over copyright infringement allegations. In 2011, a jury found that Mattel, not MGA, stole trade secrets and awarded MGA damages. Mattel has announced plans to appeal the copyright infringement finding. Eight-Year Ordeal Mattel originally ...

An Explanation of Wrongful Death Lawsuits in Illinois

2012-10-26

A wrongful death lawsuit is a legal claim that arises when someone dies as a result of another party's negligence or wrongdoing. A wrongful death may be caused by a negligent act such as a car crash or medical malpractice, or by a deliberately harmful act such as physical assault. Individuals as well as corporations and other entities can be held liable in an Illinois wrongful death lawsuit, as can their insurance companies. The Purpose of the Wrongful Death Statute The purpose of a wrongful death lawsuit is to provide financial compensation to the people who have ...

IRS Determinations of Responsibility for Unpaid Payroll Taxes

2012-10-26

One of the more difficult parts of being a business owner is dealing with tax issues. The tax laws in the U.S. can be complicated, and those who own or run business can easily make mistakes in payroll taxes. When the IRS believes that a business has not paid all of the payroll taxes it owes, it may pursue payment from not just the business owners, but any person whom it deems a responsible party. People should understand how the IRS determines who is a responsible party, what constitutes willful failure to pay taxes and the potential penalties a person faces for willful ...

Police Retaliation? 71-Year-Old New Yorker Facing Weapons Charges

2012-10-26

A 71-year-old New York man is currently facing charges of possessing dangerous weapons. The weapons at issue are not dangerous semi-automatic guns. In fact, the weapons in question are not even guns, switchblade knives, or brass knuckles. Instead, according to the Huffington Post, the man received the weapons charges because a penknife and commemorative, miniature baseball bat were found within his vehicle. The man facing these weapons charges, Joseph "Jazz" Hayden, has a reputation in his community as a civil rights advocate. Many members of this community ...

New Ignition Interlock Standard for Virginia

2012-10-26

Virginia drivers who are convicted of a first-time drunk driving offense now must install and use an ignition interlock system on their vehicles as a condition of receiving a restricted permit. The requirement took effect July 1, 2012. Previously, Virginia law required ignition interlock only for repeat offenders or for first-time offenders with very high blood alcohol levels, at 0.15 and above. How Ignition Interlock Works An ignition interlock system uses an analyzing device attached to the vehicle's ignition. In order to start the car, the driver must provide a ...

How Does a Parent Modify an Arizona Child Support Order?

2012-10-26

Parents have an obligation to support their children financially. When parents divorce, or when parents who were never married split up, one of the ways that a parent fulfills this obligation is by paying child support. In some cases, a parent's circumstances will change after the court enters a child support order and he or she will need to have the order modified. Arizona parents should be aware of what a child support modification is, when a parent may seek a modification and why a parent should use the court to modify child support. When Can a Parent Seek Modification? A ...

Protecting a Small Business in an Arizona Divorce

2012-10-26

Divorce is a difficult thing for most people to endure and the pain of divorce can increase exponentially for those small-business owners if they end up losing part of their business in a divorce property settlement. Arizona is a "community property" state, which means that the court splits a couple's marital assets evenly in the event of a divorce. Arizona business owners can take steps to prevent the court from viewing their businesses as marital property, and also to ensure that the court treats the businesses fairly in an asset division in the event that the ...

Chinese Court Takes a Bite Out of Apple

2012-10-26

Apple, Inc. is renowned for being the maker of wildly popular electronic devices such as the iPod, the iPad and the Macbook. The company is trying to expand its sales into China, and has opened four Apple Stores in the country. However, Apple has run into some legal issues regarding the use of the name "iPad." A Chinese company, Proview Technology, owns the trademark to the name in China and the two companies have been battling over the rights to the name since 2006. A December 2011 Chinese court decision rejected Apple's claim that Proview was infringing on Apple's ...

Improving Credit Scores After Bankruptcy

2012-10-26

While there is no quick fix to improving a bad credit score, there are steps that savvy consumers can take to improve their credit scores after filing bankruptcy. The first step is to review a copy of the credit report and make sure that any debts previously paid off or discharged in the bankruptcy are correctly indicated as such on the credit report. Otherwise, the amounts will continue to show up as delinquent, keeping the credit score down. Consumers should also try to establish new credit. At first, it may not be easy to get a traditional credit card, but obtaining ...

San Francisco Bay Area Discrimination Lawsuit Gains National Attention

2012-10-26

A lawsuit filed by Kleiner Partner Ellen Pao is continuing to draw attention to discrimination allegations within technology businesses located in Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley, popular for its innovations in the technology industry, is facing heat as the lawsuit fuels a debate on the presence of sexism throughout the technology industry, according to Reuters. Kleiner, a venture capital firm, is known for backing big names including Amazon.com and browser company Netscape. The firm not only denies the presence of discrimination within the company but also claims that ...