Making a UIM Claim in Oregon or Washington
The purpose of uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance coverage (called UM or UIM insurance) is to protect ourselves in the event of an accident caused by a person who carries little or no car insurance. In the aftermath of an accident with an uninsured motorist, you must make a UIM claim with your own car insurance company.
As with any other type of insurance claim, it is extremely important to seek legal advice from an experienced personal injury lawyer before signing any UIM claim agreement or settlement with your insurance company.
The insurance company’s goal is to minimize its expenses, which is opposite to your goal of getting complete and fair compensation based on your UIM claim for your injuries following an accident involving an uninsured motorist.
A Successful Personal Injury Law Firm
The Harlan Law Firm is located in Vancouver, Washington, just 10 minutes from downtown Portland, Oregon. Our law firm focuses its practice on representing personal injury clients in claims for injury and wrongful death.
Our offices are led by attorney Beau Harlan, who has built a successful personal injury practice as a skilled trial lawyer. Most personal injury cases — including cases involving UIM claims — are resolved through settlement negotiations or arbitration. Mr. Harlan is known in the local legal community as a personal injury lawyer with substantial trial experience — this reputation helps him negotiate the best possible settlements on behalf of his clients, through settlement negotiations or jury trial because he is known as an attorney with trial experience who is prepared to end settlement negotiations in favor of a jury trial if that is the best strategy for his client’s circumstances.
A Personal Injury Case May Become an Insurance Bad Faith Case
It is not uncommon in UIM cases for the injured person’s insurance company to refuse to pay out on a UIM claim. Or, if the insurance company offers a payout, the amount may initially be much less than the claimant deserves based on medical records and other evidence.
In such cases, the UIM claim may become an insurance bad faith claim. If your insurance company refuses to deal fairly with you while processing your claim, an experienced attorney may be able to bring a successful bad faith claim against the insurance company. Bad faith on the part of an insurance company may include actions like refusing to pay a reasonable claim, refusing to pay a claim in a timely fashion, and offering a low-ball settlement.
For accident survivors, it can add insult to injury if their own insurance company refuses to pay a UIM claim, especially when the uninsured motorist insurance is the only source of funds to pay medical bills and lost wages.
Contact the Harlan Law Firm
As a personal injury law firm, we handle all cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that our clients pay no fees unless and until we obtain a settlement or jury verdict.
If you or a family member has been injured by an uninsured or underinsured motorist, get a successful and strong advocate on your side to help with your UIM claim. To make an appointment with attorney Beau Harlan, call 360.735.8200 or send us an e-mail.
