Nearly 1.35 million drivers die each year in automobile accidents, while an additional 20-50 million suffer from accident-related injuries. It is shocking that, given these statistics, 1 in 8 drivers on the road have no insurance. If you are involved in a car or truck accident with an uninsured driver, at first it may feel like your options for receiving proper compensation are limited, but that is far from the case.
If you are wondering what to do if the person who caused an accident has no insurance, here are some of your options:
1. Are You In A No-Fault State?
If you were hit by a driver in a no-fault state, your insurance company will be responsible for paying up to $20,000 of your medical bills and up to $20,000 of non-medical bills pertaining to the accident. However, even despite no-fault insurance coverage, insurance companies may try to avoid large payouts, which is why obtaining an experienced personal injury attorney is important when navigating the post-accident processes.
2. Go Through Your Own Insurance
Even if the at-fault driver is uninsured, you may have options through your own insurance company. Insurance companies have coverage policies for such situations. Uninsured or underinsured driver insurance covers the difference between your losses and the at-fault driver’s coverage. Collision insurance covers damages to your vehicle and is paid only when the other driver does not have insurance coverage. Talk with your auto insurance company about obtaining uninsured/underinsured driver and collision coverage so you are prepared in advance should you find yourself in this type of situation.
3. Don’t Accept Their Money
Sometimes when an uninsured person is in an accident and they are at fault, they will attempt to pay off the driver they hit in order to avoid more damages to their own financial and legal situation. While the uninsured at-fault driver might mean well, filing a proper personal injury claim through your insurance company and consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney or car accident lawyer is the way to go in order to ensure you received your proper payout. If you accept cash or other bribes from the at-fault driver, this could complicate matters down the road.
Work With Nelson Personal Injury
The personal injury attorneys at Nelson Personal Injury work hard to make sure you feel heard, and that you get the proper compensation to help you on the road to recovery. If you have been involved in an accident where the person who caused the accident has no insurance, and are in need of an experienced car accident lawyer, contact us to find out more about how we can help you with your next steps: nelsonpersonalinjury.com.