Driving without insurance is illegal in almost every state of the United States. There are people who either to save some bucks or to feel an adrenaline rush, still don’t go for insurance.
The situation becomes worse when they are at fault for causing an accident without any insurance.
Getting hit by an uninsured driver will bring a lot of challenges. You will remain unsure if you would get compensation for your damages or should you hire a personal injury attorney for it? Your confusion is justified. You should be asking yourself “what options do I have when an uninsured driver hits me.”
Since insurance is legally necessary, then what are the chances of you getting hit by an uninsured driver. Well, unfortunately, the stats say that in the US, around 13% of motorists are not insured, unfortunately. Although they use their vehicles for daily commute. There can be reasons behind not carrying insurance. These reasons may include an increase in expenses, allowing policies to lapse, or they have an illegal vehicle. An uninsured driver behind the wheels can be a part of a great problem for everyone involved once they have an accident.
If you or your car is hit by an uninsured driver, then read further to know what should be your next step.
Things to be done when uninsured driver hit me
After an accident, if you are conscious enough, make sure everyone around is safe. Otherwise, call 911 for help. Now it is the time to look for information about:
- The name, address, and driving license information of the driver at fault
- License plate number
- Take pictures to record the damage to the vehicles involved
- The time and the location where the accident took place.
There may be a lot of other information to gather and things to do. This would involve notifying your insurance company about the accident (if you are not the uninsured driver). So they would send their representative lawyers to inspect and make the report.
If you find other drivers non-cooperative, avoid being rude and wait for the police to arrive and interfere.
The process of generating a Police Report
From the accident spot, the police will analyze the accident, take witness’s statements, interview the drivers, and gather all the information. They will create an initial accident report, to determine the driver at-fault along with recording evidence and documenting witness statements. This report can be obtained from a local Police office.
But what if you get lingering injuries after getting hit by an uninsured driver? Who will be paying your medical bills? This is another big concern that would surely arise.
Claiming compensation after an accident
After a car accident, victims with injuries like traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord damages have to worry about their medical bills as well. The story doesn’t end here. The injuries they get may also prevent them from returning to their work, to generate income and pay those bills.
How can you claim compensation against your injuries? Well, you have various options to look upon.
PIP – Personal Injury Protection Insurance
States like New York and New Jersey regulate no-fault-law regarding auto accidents. In other words, no matter who caused the accident, both the drivers involved have to bear their own expenses of medical bills according to their PIP limits. Depending on the minor accident, this coverage will pay your expenses. But if your damages are serious and the expenses exceed your PIP policy coverage, you have to look for other options.
Uninsured Motor Coverage
If you were hit by an uninsured driver, uninsured motorist coverage will protect you if the at-fault driver is not insured. It is not mandatory in all states but New Jersey drivers have to carry an uninsured motorist coverage of $15,000 on their vehicles.
But what if you get injuries with your vehicle damage as well? You may need to turn to your health insurance company to cover the loss.
Health Insurance
If your medical bills and health expenses exceed PIP policy limits, then you have to turn to your medical health insurance. Ask your personal injury attorney to run an application to your health insurance provider and inform them about your health injuries so that they can provide coverage for your medical bills.
Personal Injury Lawsuit
Another option that you can avail of to get compensated for your damages, is filing a lawsuit against the uninsured driver. You must keep in mind that uninsured drivers may not be in a financial state to compensate you for your damages and injuries even if they are responsible. So, on filing a personal injury lawsuit against them, you may not get the compensation amount you are expecting.
What you can do is file a compensation claim against any other party who was involved in the accident. A personal injury attorney will help you find the clues and investigate the case from this angle. Expectations are there that you would receive maximum compensation against your claim.
Working with a trusted attorney will always help you in winning the case. This is why it is crucial to know everything about the factors involved in hiring a personal injury lawyer. With this, your rights would be better protected in every phase of a lawsuit.
Recent Posts
Similac lawsuit: What was wrong with the baby Similac food formula?
Today’s post is about the Similac lawsuit – Similac baby formula, which claims that the
How often do credit card frauds get caught and how can you prevent such acts?
The world is moving toward digitalization at a very fast pace. Many have completely turned
Claim your share from the $1.5 million welch food settlement against misleading labeling
The food industry has seen yet another lawsuit settlement against misleading labeling. Welch Food Inc.
Do you think you need a construction accident lawyer to attain financial compensation?
Construction workers usually work in challenging conditions on construction sites that often are dangerous. This
What does DWAI mean? How is it different from DUI?
Not sure what does DWAI mean? Or looking for the difference between DWAI and DUI?