Hawaii is a no-fault state in regard to automotive insurance. Even if another driver caused an accident, an injured person’s own insurance pays the claim up to the maximum amount of the policy. Sometimes, hiring an auto accident attorney in Hawaii becomes necessary if the insurance adjusters refuse to pay a settlement that the policyholder believes is reasonable.
Why Hire a Lawyer?
Insurance adjusters know that individual policyholders trying to negotiate on their own are more likely to accept a lower settlement than those represented by an auto accident attorney in Hawaii. Lawyers are not easily intimidated, and they have professional knowledge about how much each case should be worth. They may want to gather more evidence on the accident and locate eyewitnesses. Essentially, their work helps level the playing field for people whose insurance companies are uncooperative.
Personal Injury Protection
The section of the policy that provides this coverage is known as personal injury protection, or PIP. It’s intended to pay for medical bills related to the accident, lost income while the person is unable to work, and any other relevant costs. For instance, a single parent may need to pay for childcare during recovery, and that amount should be covered by the insurance.
Property Damage
Another factor to consider in Hawaii is that state laws allow accident victims to file a small claims lawsuit against the at-fault driver for property damage. Typically, that means suing for the cost of repairs to the vehicle or full replacement value. First, the person should file a claim with that driver’s insurance company for the amount. Often, the insurer will simply pay the claim. However, the driver might not have been insured or might have only chosen a maximum liability amount that is lower than necessary in this situation.
Reasonable Settlements
A lawyer with a firm such as such as Yoshida & Associates can advise victims as to whether any settlement offer they have already received is reasonable. Many times, the settlement may not be quite as high as the person had hoped for but it is reasonable enough that accepting it makes sense. Visit Autoaccidentattorneyhonolulu.com to learn more about this particular organization.
