Every auto insurance policy will have limits that are set for both liability and property damage. If you are injured by another driver, it is the liability portion of the policy that will pay for your medical expenses, missed work, as well as pain and suffering. However, what happens when the compensation needed for the accident exceeds the limits of the driver's insurance policy? The following are a few ways an auto accident lawyer may be able to get you more money.

You can file a civil suit

Sometimes a driver has personal assets that can be targeted in a lawsuit by a personal injury attorney. Generally speaking, wealthier people will have higher limits on their auto insurance policy to prevent this, but this is not always true. Wealthy people are often underinsured. But even people of more moderate means may have assets that can be liquidated to pay compensation for your injuries. Also, there may be two targets of a lawsuit: the car owner and the driver. It is possible that the driver simply borrowed the car. The insurance policy was paid by the car owner. In this case, it may be possible to sue the car owner, as well as the driver.

You may be able to collect on an umbrella policy

An umbrella policy is an insurance policy that covers additional liabilities over and beyond what specific polices cover. For a person, this may be above what car insurance and homeowners insurance policies contain for liability. This type of policy is common for people who are affluent. But it is also something seen with businesses, so if the vehicle is owned by a business, an umbrella policy may exist.

There may be other parties that can be sued

The first possibility is other drivers. You may be focused on the car that hit you without realizing that there may have been other cars that contributed to the accident. A car accident attorney will be able to determine exactly who may be partially responsible, along with the primary party responsible for the accident. There may also be mechanical issues with the car that hit you, and this opens up the possibility of a lawsuit against an auto shop. If the car or truck was owned by a business, they too can be sued.

With the cost of health care today, it is easy for an insurance policy to be insufficient to cover your medical bills. On top of that, if your injuries are serious enough that you cannot work for several months, you will need money to live on. A good auto accident attorney can look at the specifics of your case and explore the options for further compensation.