KC Uninsured Driver

Kansas City Uninsured Driver Accident Lawyers

Helping car accident victims in MO and KS obtain the compensation they deserve

All car owners in both Missouri and Kansas are required to have liability insurance to pay damages if their car is involved in an accident. The owners must have the state minimums that cover bodily injury and property damages. Generally, owners of vehicles should have more than the state minimum because, in most accident cases, the bare minimum isn’t enough to pay for all the damages a Kansas City accident victim suffers.

At Kanas City Accident Injury Attorneys, our car accident lawyers are respected by former clients, insurance companies, and defense lawyers for our ability to prove that negligent drivers caused your injuries and losses. Once liability is established, we itemize all your damages. We seek to recover the damages from the defendant’s insurance companies. If the defendants who injured you or killed a loved one don’t have coverage or don’t have enough coverage, we explain when and how you can use your own uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) policy. In most car accident cases, if the insurance companies for the defendants don’t pay some or all your claim, your UM/UIM carrier will pay your claim up to the amount of the UM/UIM policy.

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What are the minimum auto insurance requirements in Missouri and Kansas?

All registered car owners and drivers in Missouri are required to have the following minimum liability insurance coverage (insurance that pays for the injuries the driver of the car causes):

  • $25,000 per person for bodily injury
  • $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
  • $25,000 per accident for property

The law also requires you to have uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 for bodily injury per person and $50,000 for bodily injury per accident.

Drivers who do not have the required minimum insurance may lose their driving privileges. They will personally be responsible for any damages they cause.

Kansas law mandates that every automobile insurance policy sold in the state must have these minimum coverages:

Liability coverage

  • $25,000/person for bodily injury
  • $50,000/accident for bodily injury
  • $25,000/accident for property damage

Personal injury protection (PIP or No-Fault)

  • Minimum amount required by law:
  • $4,500/person for medical expenses
  • $900/month for one year for disability/loss of income
  • $25/day for in-home services
  • $2,000 for funeral, burial, or cremation expenses
  • $4,500 for rehabilitation expense
  • Survivor Benefits: Disability/loss of income up to $900/month for one year
  • In-home services up to $25/day for one year

Uninsured/Underinsured

  • $25,000/person
  • $50,000/accident

Bodily injury coverage pays for the car accident victim’s medical bills, including surgeries, doctor visits, and rehabilitation. It also pays wrongful death damages. Property damage coverage generally pays for the cost to fix the other driver’s car or pays the cash value of that car.

Generally, you should buy as much car accident insurance as you can afford. Just one night in a hospital can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Victims who have catastrophic injuries such as brain trauma or spinal cord damage, permanent injuries, or injuries that require extensive treatment often have cases worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

In a Kansas accident, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance pays the medical expenses, funeral bills, lost wages, and the cost of in-home care for the owner of the vehicle and any passengers in the vehicle who are injured. In Missouri, you can obtain Med Pay coverage, but it is optional. In Kansas, PIP insurance is mandatory up to preset amounts. There is no need to prove fault to obtain PIP benefits. PIP benefits are usually paid at the start to help ensure victims are receiving medical help and lost pay while they tend to their injuries.

Owners of trucks, Lyft and Uber operators, and other vehicle operators also have specific liability insurance requirements they must meet.

What is uninsured motorist coverage in Kansas and Missouri?

Both Missouri and Kansas also provide for UM/UIM insurance. Normally, the amount of the UM/UIM coverage is the same as the amount of liability insurance that the car owner buys. UM/UIM insurance is used in the following types of cases, among others:

  • When the defendant(s) do not have the state minimum coverage. Many drivers operate their vehicles without insurance, even though state law requires that they have liability insurance.
  • When the defendant(s) insurance coverage is not enough to pay for all your damages. For example, if your case is worth $500,000, even if the negligent driver has $100,000 in coverage and a third driver who also caused your injuries has $50,000 in coverage, you’re still $350,000 short of what your claim is worth. You can seek up to $350,000 or your UM/UIM policy limits from your own UM/UIM carrier, whichever is lower.
  • When the driver who caused the accident was a hit and run. You may be able to use your UM/UIM insurance to cover your property damage and your medical bills, based on how much coverage you have and other factors.

How much is my Kansas City car accident claim worth?

The value of your accident claim is based on the following damages:

  • All your medical bills
  • All your lost income and lost benefits
  • Your daily physical and emotional suffering
  • Any scarring and disfigurement
  • The loss of consortium (enjoyment of relationships)
  • Property damage
  • All other economic and personal damages

Generally, in Kansas City and other parts of Missouri, anyone who is injured in a car accident can file a personal injury claim against the responsible defendants.

Kansas, however, limits personal injury lawsuits to victims who have serious injuries which are defined as:

  • Medical expenses that are more than $2,000
  • Permanent injuries or permanent loss of a body function
  • Permanent disfigurement
  • Certain types of fractures
  • Death

Who can claim UM/UIM benefits?

Determining which victims can claim UM/UIM benefits is complicated. Generally, the following people can claim UM/UIM:

  • The owner of the car who bought the UM/UIM policy
  • Any passengers who were in the covered car at the time of the accident

Our Kansas City UM/UIM lawyers will explain if you can receive UM/UIM benefits if you were injured by another driver while you were in a car other than the car you owned or someone in your family owned.

What other insurance coverages protect car accident victims in Kansas City?

In addition to liability, UM/UIM, and PIP insurance; car owners should purchase the following types of insurance coverage:

  • Collision insurance. This coverage pays the cost to fix or replace your car if your car is damaged – regardless of fault.
  • This coverage pays for damage to your car due to theft, fire, and destructive weather events.

Victims of personal injury accidents may also be able to seek damages through the Missouri Tort Victims’ Compensation Fund – if the liable parties were uninsured or underinsured.

Do you have a uninsured motorist accident lawyer near me?

At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, our lawyers meet clients at our main office located at 510 Walnut, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO, in the River Market area. Our Kansas City car accident lawyers offer free consultations for all injury clients. We see clients away from the office when necessary. We also speak with clients through our video chat service by appointment.

We also maintain offices in Lee’s Summit, Parkville, and St. Joseph, Missouri, as well as in, Olathe, Overland Park, and the other Kansas City, KS.

Speak with our Kansas City UM/UIM lawyers today

At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, we fight to help clients get the medical and financial help they need to start over after an accident. Our attorneys work to obtain insurance coverage from the responsible drivers and your own UM/UIM policy if the defendants are uninsured or underinsured. Call our office at 816-471-5111 or fill out our contact form to schedule your free consultation.

Kansas City Accident Lawyers