Insurance for Accidents & Personal Injury

- Liability:

This type of insurance protects you from claims made against you. If an accident is your fault and you have caused damage or injury to others, your liability insurance is available to compensate the injured parties. Automobile liability insurance generally includes coverage for both bodily injury and property damage. There are usually separate limits stated for these two categories of coverage. These coverages are mandatory under Hawaii law. That means, if you are required to purchase auto insurance, you must buy liability coverage for both bodily injury and property damage.

- PIP Benefits:

Since January 1, 1998, under Hawaii law, Personal Injury Protection (sometimes known as "No Fault" or "PIP") has become a basic no-fault type of medical insurance. The minimum coverage required by Hawaii law is $10,000.00. (This does not apply to motorcycles, however.) Regardless of who is at fault for an accident, the PIP insurer is responsible to pay the reasonable and necessary medical bills of an owner or occupant of an automobile - or an injured pedestrian or bycyclist - who is in need of treatment (with certain exceptions). If you exhaust your PIP limit of coverage, then any excess medical bills can be submitted to your health insurance. PIP is mandatory coverage in Hawaii.

- Collision:

This coverage pays you for any damage done to your vehicle. It typically is purchased with a deductible. This means that you must pay up to the amount of your deductible and then your insurance will cover the excess to repair your car. If the accident was not your fault, your insurance company should demand your deductible back from the responsible party and then return the deductible to you. Many carriers have failed to return deductibles in the past. Collision insurance carriers may also be responsible for the reduction in the resale value (even after repairs) of a car which has been involved in an accident. This coverage is optional under Hawaii law.

- Comprehensive:

This coverage provides protection if your vehicle is stolen or damaged in a variety of ways other than in an accident with another vehicle. It may have a deductible. This coverage is optional under Hawaii law.

- Uninsured Motorist (UM):

This coverage protects you in case you are injured by a uninsured driver. In Hawaii there are a large number of uninsured drivers on the road. You should purchase this coverage in the largest limits available. This coverage is cheap and - when purchased with UIM coverage in the same limits - it provides you with an umbrella protection for injuries due to someone else's negligence while operating a motor vehicle. This is not a good place to skimp.

UM coverage can generally be purchased in amounts up to the limits of your liability coverage. You should purchase at least $100,000.00/$300,000.00 limits. If you are injured by an uninsured driver, this may be the only recovery available to you (beyond your PIP medical benefits). The difference in price for larger UM limits is usually not very much. The additional protection is well worth the price. Do not waive this coverage.

- Underinsured Motorist (UIM):

This coverage protects you in case you are injured by a underinsured driver. This is a driver whose liability insurance is inadequate to satisfy your total claim arising out of an accident. In Hawaii there are many accidents in which the party at fault is underinsured.

You also should purchase UIM coverage in the largest limits available. UIM coverage is cheap - just like UM coverage - and - when purchased with UM coverage in the same limits - they will together provide you with umbrella protection for injuries which you may suffer due to someone else's negligence while operating a motor vehicle.

UIM coverage can generally be purchased in amounts up to the limits of your liability coverage. You should once again purchase at least $100,000.00/$300,000.00 limits. If you are injured by an underinsured driver, this may provide critical protection to assist you in putting the pieces of your life back together. The difference in price for larger UIM limits is usually quite small. The additional protection is well worth the price. Do not waive this coverage.

- Insurance Claim Lawyer Hawaii

William H. Lawson and Amy L. Woodward, Personal Injury Lawyers in Hawaii, are experienced attorneys who have provided superior legal counsel in the State of Hawaii for their clients for over 35 years. Although our main office is in Honolulu, Hawaii, we have provided trial representation in court for clients on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. Similarly, we have represented clients from many other states in the U.S. and from many other countries of the world and have handled their legal matters in the State of Hawaii. With an emphasis in personal injury law, we primarily handle cases involving insurance, such as auto accidents, products liability, maritime and boating, construction accidents, recreational injuries, premises liability and falls, wrongful death, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and car, truck, motorcycle, moped, pedestrian and other motor vehicle accidents. Mr. Lawson handles claims against many of the common types of insurance, including liability insurance, BI, uninsured motorist coverage, UM, underinsured motorist coverage, UIM, maritime casualty insurance and other types of insurance. For excellent and highly qualified representation, please contact Personal Injury Lawyer Hawaii, now on the New Client Hotline at 808-524-5300 or on the regular office line at 808-528-2525. We handle most cases on a contingency fee - so there is NO FEE IF NO RECOVERY, in other words no charge for attorneys' fees in the event that the efforts to obtain a recovery are unsuccessful. Whether you are a local Kama'aina, a business visitor or a tourist, we have the right attorneys to help you. "Legal Help When You Need It Most"

- Our office charges on a CONTINGENCY FEE basis in accident cases which we accept. There is NO CHARGE for an initial consultation to evaluate your case. E-mail us or call us at (808) 524-5300 or (808) 528-2525 if you have any more questions.

- If you believe that you may have a valid claim, please take a few moments to contact us to outline the nature of your claim. - Contact Us. Thank you!

LEGAL HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST