Winter Hazards
Although we rejoice in the beauty of the winter snow we should be mindful of the treacherous conditions that the snow often masks. The perils of ice and the slippery ground surfaces often lay quietly beneath the snowy surface. Winter brings special hazards which often result in slip and falls, and auto accidents.
In Georgia there is no requirement that an insurance company pay anyone any money regardless of fault. It is up to the insurer if and when they want to pay a claim. If an insurance company will not pay a claim, a persons only redress is to file suit against the person who hit them. The insurance company will then defend the person accused of being at fault. The defendant in the lawsuit will not be the insurance company but the individual or company who caused the accident.
As a personal injury attorney I advise my clients to purchase adequate insurance coverages which can protect themselves and their loved ones if they suffer an automobile accident. In today's world I advise people to buy medical payments coverage to pay for medical bills regardless of who is at fault. Medical payments coverage protects those who ride in your car . It also covers medical bills for those in your family should they be riding in another persons vehicle as well as your own. This valuable coverage is important because it pays for all medical bills (up to the defined policy limit) regardless of whether a person has health insurance or not. For those without health insurance it is a must. Medical pay often times can avert a crisis as it keeps medical bill collectors away.
This coverage is also essential for those receiving Medicare or Medicaid or those with employer self funded health insurance plans. This is because those covered under those types of plans may have to reimburse the plan or the government for their coverage. Oftentimes medical pay coverage can be used to pay the government or employer pay plans back. This effectively allows you to settle your case without worry on how you are to pay them back.
I also advise people to carry add on underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage. This coverage provides for an additional layer of protection for each covered person. What this means is if you are involved in an automobile accident add on coverage adds an additional amount you can collect if the person who hits and injures you doesn't have adequate coverage to compensate you for your injuries. This coverage normally extends to those riding in the car with you. I always recommend that your coverage should always be equal to what you carry in case you hit someone.
Many insurers provide disability coverage and or lost wages coverages. I know that in these times people who get injured can't afford to be off work. Thus if your insurer has lost wage protection you should look into it. There is nothing worse than to be hurt, out of work and poor. Adequate coverage can at least keep you afloat.
As auto insurance is required for all owners of vehicles - people who are injured have some level of protection when involved in an accident. The same can not be said of premises liability. When someone is injured on another's property the results can be devastating. Generally people who are injured on someone else's property do not have any protections. Unless the land owner had purchased medical payments coverage for those injured regardless of fault, most people can not not get any funds without the assistance of a lawyer. I advise people who have been injured on someone else's property not to speak to the land owners insurance company without talking to a me first. This is because there are many ways that the insurance company can avoid payment to those injured on their insured property. Premises liability law is complicated.
Because of the many perils out there, I advise my clients to purchase any employer offered plan covering disability. Oftentimes employers provide a minimum level of disability and workers compensation which can be supplemented by purchasing additional insurance. When a person is out of work without any other source of income everything can be lost. Every business owner should specifically include themselves under workers compensation. This coverage is extremely inexpensive in the context of being included in an existing plan and provides essential medical coverages when injured on the job.
Getting a qualified attorney to help you is an important safeguard of your rights. With complicated medical payback issues, an attorneys help is necessary. Additionally some insurance company's will attempt to trick you into settling your case by sending a letter and a check. If you cash the check without reading the language on the check there will be issues on whether you settled your claim no matter how badly you were hurt. An experienced lawyer can help guide you to a better conclusion than by going it alone.