When you are hit by another car in Miami, you expect their insurance to pay for the damage and your medical care.
Unfortunately, many people on the road either carry no insurance or the bare minimum, which does not come close to covering serious injuries.
If you are dealing withuninsured and underinsured driver car accidents in Miami, you are probably worried about how you will pay your bills and support your family while you heal.
The Law Offices of Wolf and Pravato represent injured people and families across Miami and South Florida.
The firm has over 75 years of combined experience and has recovered more than 200 million dollars in personal injury settlements and verdicts.
You do not have to guess how insurance works or handle this fight alone.
Understanding Uninsured and Underinsured Driver Car Accidents in Miami
What “Uninsured” and “Underinsured” Mean in Florida
In simple terms:
- Anuninsured driver has no bodily injury liability coverage, or they flee the scene in a hit-and-run and are never identified.
- Anunderinsured driver has some liability coverage, but the policy limits are too low to fully cover your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.
Florida requires most vehicle owners to carry certain coverages, such as Personal Injury Protection (PIP), but does not always require bodily injury liability coverage.
That creates a real problem when you are badly hurt inuninsured and underinsured driver car accidents in Miami.
Your “safety net” in these crashes often comes from your ownuninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, not from the other driver’s policy.
Common Uninsured and Underinsured Crash Scenarios in Miami
These cases show up in many different ways, especially on busy Miami roads like I-95, the Dolphin Expressway, and the Palmetto Expressway:
- You are rear-ended in stop-and-go traffic and later learn the other driver has no bodily injury coverage.
- A tourist in a rental car runs a red light in Brickell or Wynwood and carries only minimum coverage that barely touches your hospital bills.
- A driver leaving a club in Downtown Miami or Miami Beach causes a serious crash and then speeds away before anyone can get their plate number.
- You are hit by a driver who admits they have “just basic” insurance that will not cover your surgery and months of missed work.
In each of theseuninsured and underinsured driver car accidents in Miami, you may still have options through your own policy and possibly through other responsible parties.
A careful review of all available insurance is essential.
Florida Insurance Basics: PIP vs. UM/UIM
Most Florida drivers carryPersonal Injury Protection (PIP) under the state’s no-fault system.
UnderFlorida’s Personal Injury Protection law, Florida Statutes § 627.736, PIP generally pays a portion of your medical bills and some lost wages, up to $10,000, regardless of who caused the crash.
PIP can help with immediate bills, but it:
- Does not pay everything you owe providers.
- Does not cover many types of non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering.
- Often runs out quickly in severe injury cases.
That is whereuninsured/underinsured motorist coverage comes in.
Florida’s uninsured and underinsured motorist statute, Florida Statutes § 627.727, requires insurers to offer UM coverage with most bodily injury policies.
In plain English, UM/UIM coverage is designed to:
- Step in when the at-fault driver carries no bodily injury insurance.
- Add extra protection when the at-fault driver’s limits are too low.
- Help in many hit-and-run situations where the other driver is never identified.
Foruninsured and underinsured driver car accidents in Miami, UM/UIM coverage can be the main way you recover money for your injuries.
Comparative Fault and Why Insurers Try to Blame You
Even when the other driver is clearly uninsured or underinsured, insurance companies may still try to reduce what they pay by arguing that you were partly at fault.
Florida follows acomparative fault system under Florida Statutes § 768.81.
In general terms:
- Your percentage of fault can reduce your compensation
- In many negligence cases, if you are found to be more than 50% at fault, you may not be able to recover damages at all.
Afteruninsured and underinsured driver car accidents in Miami, insurers sometimes argue you were speeding, distracted, or “should have avoided” the crash.
A Miami accident attorney can gather evidence, work with crash reconstruction experts when needed, and push back against unfair fault arguments so you are not punished twice.
How a Miami Accident Attorney Fights for Coverage
Dealing withuninsured and underinsured driver car accidents in Miami usually means dealing with multiple insurance companies at once.
You could have:
- Your PIP carrier.
- The at-fault driver’s liability insurer (if any).
- Your own UM/UIM carrier.
- Sometimes, additional policies, such as an employer’s, a rental car company’s, or a relative’s policy, are involved.
A Miami accident attorney at Wolf and Pravato can help by:
- Review all auto policies in your household to find every possible source of coverage.
- Confirming whether UM/UIM coverage was properly offered or incorrectly waived.
- Investigating the crash with police reports, witness statements, photos, and sometimes video.
- Working with your doctors to document the full impact of your injuries and future care needs.
- Negotiating aggressively with insurers that try to deny or underpay your UM/UIM claim.
- Preparing a lawsuit and taking your case toward trial if the insurer refuses a fair settlement.
Wolf and Pravato is a trial-tested firm with more than 75 years of combined experience and over 200 million dollars recovered for injury victims, including multimillion-dollar results in serious auto, truck, and pedestrian cases.
Past results cannot guarantee what will happen in your case, but they show the firm knows how to handle complex insurance disputes.
What to Do Right After an Uninsured or Underinsured Driver Crash
The minutes and days after a crash can feel chaotic.
If you can do so safely, these steps may help protect your health and your claim:
- Call 911 and wait for the police.
Get medical help for anyone injured.
A police report is critical in hit-and-run and uninsured driver cases. - Get medical care right away.
Visit the ER, an urgent care clinic, or your doctor as soon as you can.
Prompt treatment also helps preserve your rights under PIP coverage. - Exchange information if possible.
Get the other driver’s name, contact information, and insurance details.
Take photos of their license plate and driver’s license if you can. - Document the scene.
Take photos and videos of damage, your injuries, the intersection or roadway, skid marks, and traffic signs or lights.
Look for nearby businesses or homes with security cameras. - Notify your insurance company.
Report the accident promptly, but keep your description short and factual.
Avoid guessing about fault or downplaying your pain. - Avoid signing anything or giving recorded statements too soon.
Insurers may seem friendly, but they are protecting their bottom line.
Talk with a Miami accident attorney before you agree to a recorded statement or accept a settlement. - Contact a Miami accident lawyer experienced with UM/UIM claims.
Early legal help can make a big difference in finding coverage and strengthening your case.
What Compensation Can You Pursue in These Cases?
Every case is different, and no lawyer can promise a specific result.
However, claims involvinguninsured and underinsured driver car accidents in Miami often seek compensation for:
- Emergency care and hospital bills.
- Follow-up doctor visits and specialist care.
- Physical therapy, chiropractic care, and other rehabilitation.
- Imaging and diagnostic tests, such as MRIs and CT scans.
- Prescription medications and medical equipment.
- Lost wages when you cannot work.
- Reduced future earning capacity if your injuries affect your long-term career.
- Pain and suffering and emotional distress.
- Loss of enjoyment of life and impact on your family relationships.
If a loved one dies in one of these crashes, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim.
Compensation may include funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the emotional loss of a spouse, parent, or child.
Inuninsured and underinsured driver car accidents in Miami, your lawyer will look first to PIP, then to any available bodily injury coverage from the at-fault driver, and then to UM/UIM coverage to fill the gaps.
Why Choosing the Right Miami Lawyer Matters
Uninsured and underinsured driver claims are often more complex than standard car accident cases.
You may be fighting your own insurer, dealing with confusing policy language, and facing pushback on the severity of your injuries.
Wolf and Pravato bring:
- Over 75 years of combined experience in personal injury law.
- More than 200 million dollars recovered for injured clients.
- Leadership from Board Certified Trial Attorney Richard Pravato.
- Deep familiarity with Miami courts, local accident patterns, and insurance company tactics.
- A client-focused approach that emphasizes clear communication, compassion, and steady guidance.
The firm prepares cases as if they may go to trial, which helps send a clear message to insurance companies that they must take your claim seriously.
Closing Call to Action: You Don’t Have to Fight the Insurance Battle Alone
If you or someone you love is dealing withuninsured and underinsured driver car accidents in Miami, you are probably juggling medical appointments, pain, and financial worries.
You should not have to argue with insurance companies about coverage and fault.
You can contact the Law Offices of Wolf and Pravato for afree case evaluation today.
There areno upfront fees, and you do not owe attorney’s fees unless the firm wins compensation for you.
Call the Miami office or fill out the online case evaluation form to learn how a Miami accident attorney can help protect your rights and fight for the coverage you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I still have a case if the other driver had no insurance at all?
You may. If you carry uninsured motorist coverage, your own policy can step in and act as if the at-fault driver had bodily injury insurance.
A Miami accident lawyer can review your policy and explain how much coverage may be available. - What happens if the other driver’s insurance is not enough to cover my injuries?
That is when underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage can help.
If your damages are more serious than the at-fault driver’s limits, a UIM claim may pursue additional compensation up to your UM/UIM limits under Florida Statutes § 627.727. - Can I use UM coverage in a hit-and-run accident?
Often, yes. Many UM policies apply when an unidentified driver causes your injuries, as long as certain conditions are met, such as promptly reporting the crash.
An attorney can help you understand how your specific policy treats hit-and-run collisions. - How does my own fault affect my UM/UIM claim?
Florida’s comparative fault statute, Florida Statutes § 768.81, allows insurers to reduce your compensation by your percentage of fault.
If they claim you were mostly at fault, your lawyer can challenge that with evidence from the scene and witness statements. - Who pays my medical bills while my case is pending?
Some bills may first be paid by your PIP benefits under Florida Statutes § 627.736 and by any health insurance you have.
Remaining amounts can be part of your claim against the at-fault driver’s policy and your UM/UIM coverage. - How much does it cost to hire Wolf and Pravato for an uninsured/underinsured driver case?
Wolf and Pravato handle these cases on a contingency fee basis.
You pay no upfront fees, and you do not owe attorney’s fees unless the firm recovers money for you.
