Uninsured Driver Rear-End Crash on I-90 — $20,000 Arbitration Award in Chicago
Key Takeaways
- The at-fault driver did not provide insurance information, and no applicable liability coverage could be identified.
- Our client incurred $17,899.82 in medical expenses following the collision.
- Our client’s insurer initially offered $11,500.00 to resolve the uninsured motorist claim.
- We took the claim to arbitration and obtained a $20,000.00 award, increasing the recovery by $8,500.00.
What Happened
Our client was driving on I-90 in Chicago when traffic began to slow. She slowed with the flow of traffic, but the driver behind her failed to stop and struck the rear of her vehicle. The force of the collision pushed our client’s vehicle into another vehicle that had stopped ahead of her.
Our client had not stopped suddenly or slowed at an unusual rate. The rear driver failed to keep a safe distance and respond to the traffic conditions.
The Injury
The collision caused our client to be thrown back and forth in her seat. She experienced pain in her head, neck, back, and left side. She went to the emergency room on the day of the crash and then completed nearly four months of chiropractic treatment. Her doctors also ordered an MRI while she was treating. Her medical expenses totaled $17,899.82.
The Insurance Company's First Offer
Unique Insurance offered $11,500.00 to resolve our client’s uninsured motorist claim.
Why That Offer Was Too Low
The $11,500.00 offer was more than $6,000.00 below our client’s medical expenses alone. It did not fairly account for those expenses, pain she experienced, or the months she spent receiving treatment. Because the insurer would not make a fair offer, we recommended taking the claim to arbitration.
Damages Breakdown
| Past Medical Expenses | $17,899.82 |
|---|---|
| Final Settlement | $20,000.00 |
What We Did
Our firm reviewed the crash report and investigated the at-fault driver’s available insurance coverage. When no applicable liability coverage could be identified, we pursued an uninsured motorist claim through our client’s own insurance policy.
We collected and reviewed the medical records and bills and submitted a demand to Unique Insurance. After the insurer offered $11,500.00, we requested arbitration. We presented the circumstances of the collision, our client’s treatment, her nearly $18,000.00 in medical expenses, and the other losses caused by the crash. The arbitrator awarded our client $20,000.00.
Timeline
- Accident occurred May 7, 2023
- Uninsured motorist claim opened May 9, 2023
- Key treatment began May 10, 2023
- Treatment completed / maximum medical improvement reached September 1, 2023
- Firm was hired November 17, 2023
- Arbitration award entered February 19, 2024
Total duration: 9 months
Why This Case Matters
This case shows why uninsured motorist coverage can be important after a crash. When an at-fault driver has no applicable insurance coverage, an injured person may still be able to pursue compensation through the uninsured motorist coverage included in their own policy.
That does not mean the injured person’s insurance company will automatically make a fair offer. Here, our client had nearly $18,000.00 in medical expenses, but her insurer initially offered only $11,500.00. We did not recommend accepting an offer that failed to fairly account for her medical expenses, lost wages, pain, and treatment.
By taking the claim to arbitration, we increased the recovery by $8,500.00 and obtained a $20,000.00 award without filing a lawsuit.
The Final Result
$20,000.00
The arbitrator awarded our client $20,000.00, which was $8,500.00 more than the insurance company’s initial offer. Arbitration allowed us to present the full value of the uninsured motorist claim to a neutral decision-maker without filing a lawsuit. The claim was resolved approximately nine months after the collision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Uninsured motorist coverage protects people who are injured by drivers who do not have applicable liability insurance. Instead of seeking payment from the at-fault driver’s insurance company, the injured person submits a claim through their own policy. The injured person must still prove who caused the crash, the injuries caused by it, and the value of the resulting damages.
Uninsured motorist arbitration is a process used to resolve a dispute between an injured person and their insurance company. Each side presents evidence about the crash, the injuries, the medical treatment, and the value of the claim. A neutral arbitrator or panel then decides the disputed issues and the amount of the award. In this case, arbitration increased our client’s recovery from an $11,500.00 offer to a $20,000.00 award.
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