Driver in Fatal Hit-And-Run Remains at Large: Can Uninsured Motorist Coverage Help?

Marietta police are looking for a recreational vehicle (RV) that was involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident earlier this year.

Police state that the RV was travelling southbound on Interstate 75 near Delk Road, and attempting to change lanes, when the RV rear-ended a Camry. Due to the force of the collision, the Camry crossed traffic and collided with three other vehicles on the northbound side. One of these vehicles slammed into the median wall and flipped over. Forty-year-old Bradley Braland, of Winter Garden, Florida, was partially ejected from the car and later pronounced dead at the scene.

Several other victims were transported to area hospitals, but all were expected to survive. The RV, which had a Florida license plate and suffered damage to its right front quarter panel, immediately fled the scene.

Uninsured motorist coverage

If you are involved in a collision with a hit-and-run driver who is never caught, or a driver without any insurance, uninsured motorist (UM) coverage may be the only way you can obtain compensation for your injuries. Most individuals lack the financial means to pay for the damages they cause in an auto accident, meaning that the insurance company pays for the damages. The legislature recently changed the law, and there are now two forms of UM coverage available in Atlanta:

• Setoff: A setoff UM policy deducts the negligent driver’s insurance from the UM award. For example, if your damages are $75,000 but the responsible motorist carries only $25,000 in insurance, the UM payout is reduced – or offset – by $25,000. Most UM policies are setoff policies, because a setoff policy means a lower payout.
• Excess: There is no offset in an excess policy; the victim in the previous example would receive $50,000 in UM coverage, assuming that the victim had that much UM insurance.

UM coverage is one of the best things that a driver can get; in fact, it is usually a good idea to buy as much UM coverage as possible. Contact us for a free consultation with an attorney with an outstanding record of success.