In Montana, an at fault driver is responsible for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Fortunately, under Montana law, you may be entitled to these payments immediately instead of having to wait until completing all treatment.
Additionally, Montana law requires that every motor vehicle carry liability insurance. Montana Code Annotated § 61-6-103. By law, the following minimum amount of liability coverage is required:
$25,000 because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident and subject to the limit for one person;
$50,000 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident; and
$20,000 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.
The good news regarding this requirement is that if you are hit by a Montana driver they should, by law, have liability insurance. You then have the ability, as the injured party, to bring a third-party claim against their insurance company.
Even though it is required, by law, for motor vehicles to be covered by liability insurance, not all are. In those situations, your own insurance could kick in to help pay the damages. This type of insurance is referred to as uninsured motorist coverage.
If the driver who hit you does have insurance, but it isn’t enough to cover your damages, your own insurance also may kick in to help pay the damages. This type of insurance is referred to as underinsured motorist coverage.
Lastly, the individual at fault for the accident may be liable for other damages you have that are not covered by insurance.
At Paul Ryan & Associates, it is our priority to help you receive fair compensation for the damages you suffered due to an accident. Call our office to set up a free consultation and we would be happy to guide you through your claim.