Underinsured Motorist Attorney

Car accidents always cause a stressful situation. You may be left with serious injuries and a vehicle that doesn’t operate anymore. That means you may not be able to work, and bills may begin piling up. Sure, your no-fault insurance will cover part of your medical bills and other out-of-pocket expenses, but if you have a serious injury or car damage, the other driver’s insurance policy is supposed to cover it.

underinsured motorist

What happens when the other driver doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance? Worse yet, what if the other driver flees the scene before you can take down their information? That’s where Uninsured or Supplemental Underinsured Motorist coverage (UM/SUM) comes into play. 

UM/SUM insurance is required under New York State law, minimally of $25,000/$50,000. If your insurance company refuses to pay you the compensation you deserve, you have legal options. At TonaLaw, our uninsured/underinsured motorist accident lawyers will fight for your full rights. We will attempt to negotiate a fair settlement out of court so you get paid quickly. But if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we’ll litigate against them to make them pay up.

Give us a call today at 1-833-TONALAW or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.

What Is UM/SUM?

UM/SUM stands for Uninsured or Supplemental Underinsured Motorist coverage, and you need it to protect yourself against other drivers who carry minimum or insufficient liability insurance coverage. UM/SUM provides a possible source of recovery for anyone injured in a motor vehicle accident who suffers damages greater than the liability policy limits of the other driver. 

UM/SUM coverage also applies when an insured person is involved in a crash with a hit-and-run driver or uninsured motor vehicle. At TonaLaw, we utilize every nuance of the law to win clients UM/SUM compensation rightfully owed under the law.

An Uninsured Motorist’s Legal Obligation

Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage is mandatory in New York for all individuals who purchase an auto insurance policy. When the negligence of an uninsured motorist causes an accident, UM coverage provides compensation for bodily injuries suffered by those involved in the motor vehicle accident. 

Whether you are a pedestrian or someone riding in another person’s vehicle, a UM policy provides coverage for injuries sustained when an uninsured motorist is legally responsible for harming you.

How to Make a UM/SUM Claim

In order to seek compensation through your UM coverage, you first must prove that the other driver doesn’t have insurance. This is typically easy to do. When you ask the other driver to exchange information at the site of the accident, and they can’t provide insurance information, it’s likely don’t have coverage. Your Long Island uninsured motorist accident attorney can verify this fact.

If you are involved in a hit-and-run accident, you simply need to show the damage your car sustained in order to take advantage of your own UM coverage. At least, that’s how it should work. Your insurance company may not accept your claim. In those cases, it’s important to have an experienced lawyer on your side.

If your accident is with an underinsured motorist (that is, a driver who doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your injuries and property damage), your supplemental coverage will come into effect once the other driver’s insurance coverage has been used up. While this should be a simple, easy process, the fact is that you may need an attorney to fight for the full compensation you deserve.

So what happens to the uninsured motorist in an accident? Essentially, they are on their own if they were at fault for the accident. They will have to use their other insurance policies, such as health insurance, to cover their medical bills, and pay out-of-pocket for other expenses.

Typical Injuries After a Car Wreck with an Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist

Just like in any car accident, there are injuries that are common when you are in a wreck with an uninsured or underinsured motorist. These include:

If your injuries are considered “serious” under New York State law, you are able to seek greater compensation for pain and suffering. Serious injuries include:

  • Death
  • Disfigurement
  • Dismemberment
  • Loss of a fetus
  • Permanent loss or limitation of use of a body member, organ, system or function
  • Permanent disability

In addition, if your basic economic losses (medical bills, property damage, etc.) exceed $50,000, you may file a lawsuit to recover damages above that monetary threshold. 

Who We Serve

Our track record of uncompromising ethics instills confidence and trust with all of our clients. The attorneys and support staff at TonaLaw concentrate on efficiency, attention to detail, and nuance of the law to provide superior legal services for all uninsured or underinsured motorist claims. 

For personal injury clients in the Long Island, New York City, and New York State area, we take a global approach to the practice of law. We consider the whole client and not just one specific aspect of an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim. 

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The TonaLaw Advantage

At TonaLaw, we use our extensive legal experience and prestigious business acumen to represent personal injury clients. We know what it takes to take on the insurance company to get you the compensation you deserve. 

TonaLaw is a no-fee law firm – We get paid when we win your case!

If you are suffering from a supplemental uninsured or underinsured motorist claim, call us today at 631-780-5355 or toll-free at 1-833-TONALAW and receive your FREE initial consultation. You can also contact us online at any time.

What Our Clients Are Saying

Excellent5.0 Based on 381 reviews from review us onJennifer CaceresJennifer Caceres ★★★★★ I highly recommend using tonalaw. Lauren and Jada are amazing. Any questions or concerns I had they answered. I am happy I choose tonalaw .Response from the ownerThank you so much for your review Jennifer! We are so glad to hear that you were pleased with our responsiveness and thoroughness in addressing your questions and concerns. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to providing our clients with the best possible legal representation. Thank you again for your kind words. We are honored to have you as a client. Carlos UmanaCarlos Umana ★★★★★ Excelente atención buena comunicación contestan mis preguntas con sinceridadResponse from the ownerThank you so much for your review Carlos! Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we will continue to strive to provide you and all of our customers with the outstanding service you deserve. Yanira Del ValleYanira Del Valle ★★★★★ Mr. Tona is such a wonderful human and attorney. So helpful, without a second thought, he shares his knowledge and experience. He helps makes this Plaintiff community a better one. Thank you!!!Response from the ownerThank you Yanira! It was so great meeting you. Marvin SortoMarvin Sorto ★★★★★ TonaLaw is a very reputable firm. Ana is such a great asset to the firm. She is also bilingual with many years of experienceResponse from the ownerThank you for your kind words Marvin! gary gundersengary gundersen ★★★★★ I’ve been to tona law several times already and I’ve had the pleasure to deal with Ana both time and she was amazing. Made sure all paperwork was in order and is super thorough with everything. Highly recommendedResponse from the ownerThank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience with us at Tona Law. We are so glad to hear that you were pleased with the services provided by Ana. We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality legal representation, and we are always striving to exceed expectations. Jennifer PorterJennifer Porter ★★★★★ Tom Tona puts so much emphasis and effort into developing a fantastic law firm, delivering excellent results for their clients and also staying at the forefront of law firm management skills. I am super impressed by my conversation and interaction with Tom and am happy to recommend him!Response from the ownerJennifer, thank you so much for this wonderful review. We are delighted to hear that you were impressed with your conversation and interaction with Tom. We strive to provide a positive and supportive experience for all of our clients, and we are so glad to hear you had such a positive interaction with Mr. Tona. Thank you again for your kind words. Janet SowinskiJanet Sowinski ★★★★★ Lauren, one of the paralegals at Tona Law is very knowledgeable, compassionate and very professional. She genuinely cares for her clients and is always willing to go the extra mile to help. Having known her for several years, i can confidently recommend both Lauren and Tona Law to anyone seeking great assistance.Carmen SandovalCarmen Sandoval ★★★★★ Quiero darles las gracias por haberme representado en mi caso, felizmente estos abogados lograron ganar ni caso, y estoy muy satisfecha por su gran trabajo, hablan español y la señorita Ana es muy atenta y cordial y amable con sus clientes, muchisinas gracias x sus servicios ademas de ser rapidos, nos ayudan mucho especialmente a las personas qué sólo hablamos español, les recomiendo este servicio de abogados muy honestos. Muchas gracias👌😘Miguel MenaMiguel Mena ★★★★★ Ana is extremely knowledgeable and a great asset to your firm! Definitely will be coming back.Sandie RivasSandie Rivas ★★★★★ Ana is amazing! Working with her was extremely enjoyable. She is a great asset to Tonalaw and always eager to help!Darwin RomeroDarwin Romero ★★★★★ Ana was an absolute pleasure. She was incredibly knowledgeable and thoughtful throughout the entire process. Highly recommend!Emma SortoEmma Sorto ★★★★★ Ana is a wonderful personal. She is very talented and very hardworking. Best thing is that she is bilingual! Always willing to help anyone who is in need of a hand! You are in great hands at Tona Law!nicole garcianicole garcia ★★★★★ Couldn’t recommend Lauren more!!! I’ve known Lauren for years, she is a dedicated, hard worker and is so professional when it comes to her job. She really cares about her clients and doing the best for them.Dolceprincipessa xoDolceprincipessa xo ★★★★★ I highly recommend Will Ramos as a lawyer. He is a true professional. He explained my options with me and was very accessible & kept me updated! I also had the pleasure of working with Jayden. She was great as well. They assisted with my case and helped me tremendously! Highly recommend :)yessenia lopez ramosyessenia lopez ramos ★★★★★ I have know Attorney Will Ramos for many years. He is very detail oriented, a great advocate, and an empathetic individual.I have referred a few clients during their time of need over to Will and the friendly staff at Tona Law. He is willing to go above and beyond for others.CARLOS RODRIGUEZCARLOS RODRIGUEZ ★★★★★ I have known Will Ramos for 15 plus years and can attest to his character in placing the needs for others above his own. He is an asset to any organization and a team player with positive attitude.Jessica MalaveJessica Malave ★★★★★ I’ve known attorney Will Ramos for 16 years he always places the needs of others above his own. He is a caring man and super understanding and has a big heart.Bianca RamosBianca Ramos ★★★★★ Attorney Will Ramos is awesome the law firm is lucky to have someone like him part of their team. He genuinely cares for others and is always willing to lend a helping hand.Response from the ownerBianca, thank you for leaving a wonderful review for our firm. We are lucky to have Will Ramos as part of our team! Arianna RamosArianna Ramos ★★★★★ Attorney Will Ramos is nothing short of dedicated and hard working. Each case he works on demonstrates his passion for law and his care for his clients.Response from the ownerThank you for your review, Arianna! Will Ramos has been a wonderful asset to our team. JenneferJennefer ★★★★★ I've had the pleasure of knowing Lauren for quite a while now, and I must say, her dedication to her clients is truly remarkable. She takes immense pride in her work as a professional she seamlessly balances her role at Tona Law, where she's involved in legal matters. Having seen her commitment and skill firsthand, I can confidently recommend both Lauren and Tona Law to anyone seeking top-notch assistance.Celine Aubry-DumandCeline Aubry-Dumand ★★★★★ I had a great experience working with TonaLaw.The team was really friendly and helpful throughout the entire process.Response from the ownerCeline, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review for our firm. We are so grateful we were able to help you and provide you with a great experience. Thank you! Adam OmallyAdam Omally ★★★★★ I have known Lauren one of the paralegals at Tona law for many years and she is dedicated to her profession and helping her clients. Wonderful person.Alexandra DevineAlexandra Devine ★★★★★ Lauren at TonaLaw was extremely helpful! She was so nice and professional. I highly recommend asking for her!Margaret CaschettaMargaret Caschetta ★★★★★ I have known Lauren for a long time and she’s always been dedicated to her job! Excellent at anything she’s ever done.NICOLE GUASTONICOLE GUASTO ★★★★★ Lauren’s great- reliable empathetic the whole package - years of knowing her I wouldn’t ask for anyone elsejs_loader