Choosing a Lawyer for an Uninsured Motorist Claim
An uninsured or underinsured motorist consultation should begin with the actual policy and the insurer’s written position. A declaration page is a useful starting point, but it may omit endorsements, exclusions or a procedural requirement. Ask a candidate what must be verified about the other driver, how any third-party settlement affects the claim, and who will track notice, arbitration or filing steps. Do not assume a label such as UM or UIM determines the result.
Hurt Advice editorial guide. Source review: . This guide does not state that the attorney authored, reviewed or approved it. Visit the profile for public licensing and background records.
Review the attorney’s public background, then confirm experience and availability directly.
Raffi Naljian
Founder, Civil Litigation, Personal Injury & Criminal Defense Attorney
Raffi Garabed Naljian is the founder of Naljian Law Offices and an active California attorney under State Bar #238919. A Los Angeles Times profile says he founded the firm in 2008 after beginning his legal career in 1997, and the State Bar lists personal injury, litigation, criminal law, and business law among his self-reported practice areas.
View Raffi Naljian's full verified profilePrimary identity record
Learn more about Raffi Naljian
This is a focused supporting page. Use Raffi Naljian's full sourced attorney profile as the primary identity record for biography, role, languages, office information, and public-record links. Review that profile alongside the issue-specific preparation and public sources below.
The State Bar record lists Raffi Garabed Naljian as an active California attorney, State Bar #238919. Hurt Advice is a separate referral and legal information service, not the attorney's law firm.
How to Evaluate Attorney Fit for This Issue
California Insurance Code section 11580.2 governs important UM and UIM rules; the policy and facts control how a particular claim proceeds. Look for a lawyer who will read the complete policy, distinguish a no-insurance issue from an insufficient-limits issue and explain the insurer’s written disagreement. Ask whether the proposed representation includes arbitration or related litigation, who would do that work and how costs are handled.
Consultation worksheet
Uninsured-motorist counsel comparison
Write down the policy section or source document behind each answer. Mark unverified coverage claims as open questions.
There is no submit or save action. Copy your notes before leaving this page.
Which complete policies, endorsements or rejection records are missing, and who will obtain them?
What document establishes no insurance or insufficient limits? What remains contested?
Would a proposed release or settlement require a coverage-specific review before it is signed?
Which notice, arbitration or court step may apply, and who tracks the actual date?
Does the agreement cover insurer negotiation, arbitration and litigation? Who pays and approves expenses?
Sources for this guide
- State Bar of California: Before selecting an attorney
Explains how consumers can check a lawyer’s standing and compare candidates before choosing representation.
- State Bar of California: Fees and billing
Supports asking about the fee arrangement, case expenses, billing and the written scope of work.
- California Insurance Code section 11580.2
California uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage statute, including coverage and procedural provisions that require policy- and fact-specific review.
- California Department of Insurance: Automobile Insurance
Current consumer guide to California auto insurance, claims and coverage questions; specific policies and facts still require review.
- California Courts: Deadlines to sue someone
Explains why the cause of action, defendant and exceptions matter when identifying an actual filing deadline.
Compare Counsel Step by Step
- 1Request the complete applicable policy, including declarations, endorsements and any written UM or UIM rejection or selection record.
- 2List what is known about the other driver’s insurance and identify the document supporting that conclusion.
- 3Verify candidate licenses and compare how each would address coverage, liability, damages and the actual dispute procedure.
- 4Before signing, compare written scope, costs and the person responsible for a demand, arbitration or lawsuit if one becomes necessary.
Records for Comparing Candidates
- Complete policy set and claim number, plus dated notices and coverage letters
- Other driver’s insurer response, policy-limits information if supplied, collision report and liability evidence
- Existing injury and wage records, any demand or proposed third-party release
- Candidate notes on which section or policy term needs review, the responsible lawyer and dispute costs
Keep your unanswered questions handy when comparing the attorney’s public profile with your needs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating the declarations page as the complete coverage contract
- Assuming UIM benefits simply equal the gap between the other driver’s limit and estimated losses
- Settling with another insurer before asking how the settlement could affect UIM rights
- Assuming a claim notice, arbitration demand and civil filing all follow the same deadline
How the Process Typically Works
Find the controlling text
Collect the full policy, written insurer position and dates of all notices.
Compare counsel’s analysis
Ask how each candidate would confirm other-driver coverage and distinguish coverage, liability and value disagreements.
Assign the next action
Confirm who sends any required notice or demand and how the written agreement covers arbitration or litigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is uninsured-motorist coverage automatic?
Do not assume it applies without reading the issued policy and the relevant selection or rejection record. Section 11580.2 and the actual contract govern; ask a candidate which document resolves the question.
Is UIM just a second payment after the other insurer pays?
No fixed second payment follows from the label. Available limits, payments and statutory and policy rules matter. Ask counsel to show the calculation and the source for each input before relying on an estimate.
What if my own insurer disputes fault or injury?
Separate the insurer’s liability, medical and coverage positions. A candidate should identify the record needed for each dispute and explain whether negotiation, arbitration or another process applies.
Use the attorney’s public background as a starting point for a direct conversation about fit.
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Important Disclosures
Attorney Advertising. Hurt Advice is a lawyer-referral and legal-information service, not a law firm. This website provides general information, not legal advice. Viewing a page or submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Independent participating attorneys decide whether to accept a matter, and representation begins only under a separate written agreement. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome; results depend on the facts and circumstances of each matter.