Your own insurance contains uninsured motorist protection and applies if the at-fault driver has no liability insurance. In Texas, uninsured motorist protection is mandatory unless you reject that coverage in writing. Uninsured motorist coverage also applies if the accident is a hit and run. In Texas, there must be contact with the uninsured vehicle for the uninsured motorist protection to apply.

To file a claim against the at fault driver, it is best to have a copy of the accident report, photos of the vehicles involved, the accident scene and any of your visible injuries, your own automobile insurance information, and a list of all of the medical providers who have treated you for your injuries. You are not required to give the other driver’s insurance a medical authorization or agree to a recorded statement.

These are the elements of damages that the negligent driver is required to pay if he or she causes an accident: all reasonable medical bills (past and future), lost wages and the lost ability to earn wages in the future, loss of household services, pain and suffering, mental anguish, permanent impairment and disfigurement. A reasonable settlement offer should include all of your medical bills, lost wages and a significant sum for pain and suffering and your other harms and losses.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations govern big commercial trucks like 18-Wheelers. These laws are designed to protect the motoring public from negligent truck drivers. These federal safety laws are also designed to ensure that trucking companies who hire negligent drivers are also accountable when their drivers ignore the safety rules of the road.