Louisville Juvenile Steals Vehicle and Causes Accident Injuring 2
On day March 15, 2023, at approximately 3:30 am, a BMW was stolen at gunpoint in Kenton County Kentucky and the vehicle made its way to Louisville out racing several police officers until it attempted to exit the Gene Snyder Expressway at Brownsboro Road where it crashed into two different vehicles. A female juvenile was arrested and there was an indication that another stolen vehicle may have been involved. Three people were taken to the hospital with injuries, including the juvenile in the stolen BMW. The BMW caught fire as a result of the accident.
What kind of personal injury claims can be made in a car, truck or motorcycle accident caused by a vehicle used in a crime?
Many people may not realize that if their vehicle is being used as a part of a crime and there is an accident, the insurance coverages on that vehicle is void. Every car, truck or motorcycle policy I have seen in more than 36 years of practice has an exclusion in the policy for criminal activity and intentional acts. In the accident described above, the insurance on the BMW, if there is any, will not be paying the victims in this accident any compensation for property damage or personal injury because the vehicle was stolen and used in the commission of a crime. The only way the victims will be compensated for their damages in this accident is through the insurance coverage they purchased on their own policies.
What coverages do you need to help you if you are involved in an accident with a vehicle while a crime is being committed? In order to make a claim for property damage, the victim will need to have purchased collision coverage, which pays for property damage even if you are at fault. In order to make a personal injury claim for pain and suffering and other damages, you will need uninsured motorist coverage. By law, insurance companies are required to offer you uninsured motorist coverage. You will have to sign a rejection form not to have this coverage. This coverage is relatively cheap and I would recommend buying a significant amount. Although it is unlikely for you to be involved in an accident while a crime is being committed, it is not unlikely that you will be in an accident where the other vehicle does not have insurance. Many people do not have insurance on their vehicle and they cause a disproportionate amount of the accidents.
If you have “Full Coverage,” do you have all the coverages available for an auto, truck or motorcycle?
Many times over the years of being an auto accident attorney, I have asked clients if they believe they have a certain insurance coverage on their vehicle and they say to me, “yes I have full coverage.” Unfortunately, most people misunderstand the phrase – “full coverage.” They think “full coverage” means they have all the available coverages when it really means that they have collision coverage to pay for damage to their vehicle when they are at fault in an accident. They may not have uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist coverages, but, yet, believe they have “full coverage.”
Similarly, many people misunderstand the phrase – “liability only” to mean they only have liability coverage. In fact, they still have no-fault coverage and likely have uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage.
Contact Louisville Car Accident Lawyer
These circumstances will require the services of an experienced Louisville car accident attorney to investigate the cause of the accident and maximize all benefits available to the victims in this auto accident. Matthew Troutman, a Louisville car accident lawyer, of the Troutman Law Office has been handling auto accident claims, almost exclusively, since 1986 and has the experience and talent to obtain the best result for the victims in the above car accident.
If you need legal assistance due to a motor vehicle accident, contact Louisville car accident attorney Matthew Troutman directly at 859-696-0001 or 502-648-9507 and he will meet with you in the hospital, your home or wherever is convenient for you. He will give you direct access through his cell phone and guide you through the difficult process necessary to obtain the best result possible for you in your car accident claim. To learn more about Lexington car accident attorney Matthew Troutman and the Troutman Law Office, click here.