The crash happens in the blink of an eye… You are driving and minding your own business when another vehicle slams into yours. You’re shaken, not sure if you’ve been injured, wondering about the other party and hoping everything will be ok. Then you learn the other driver isn’t insured. This is the last thing you want to hear after a crash and it’s more common than ever in California. While this isn’t what you wanted to hear these are the facts you’re presented with and now you need to figure out what to do. This is a situation when having a very experienced injury attorney on your side can be critical.
California, like every other state, has minimum driver insurance requirements. The law says you must have car insurance but not everyone obeys the law. Nationally about 12.5% of drivers are uninsured and that number rises to almost 18% in California! This creates a major headache for those who follow the law. Car insurance is meant to cover expenses like medical bills, property damage, and lost wages after an accident. When the at-fault driver is uninsured, you could be in a very tough spot. Without insurance to tap into, you’re left wondering who’s going to cover your costs. Make no mistake, those costs can add up fast. The financial strain can feel overwhelming between hospital visits, missed time from work, and car repairs. This is exactly why legal assistance is so important.
Legal Options After A Crash With An Uninsured Driver – Here’s is some potential good news. You may have other options to pursue compensation, even if the other driver doesn’t have insurance. Here are a few potential options to consider.
Use Your Insurance Coverage – Having sufficient uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage as part of your auto policy means a claim can be filed with your insurance company. Insurance companies are mandated to offer this option, however not everyone is willing to pay for this upgrade. Uninsured and underinsured coverage may cover your medical expenses, lost wages, damages to your vehicle and other losses caused by the uninsured driver. It is worth remembering that dealing with any insurance company – even your own – is seldom easy. This is where having an attorney step in can help.
File A Lawsuit Against The At Fault Driver – You may instead file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. Victims do this in an attempt to recover compensation directly from them. This isn’t an ideal option because someone without insurance will also lack the financial assets to pay a settlement or court judgment. Filing a lawsuit may open up additional legal avenues to recover your damages.
Exploring Other Insurance Options – Even though the other driver doesn’t have their own insurance, other policies may apply. For example, if you were driving someone else’s car, the car owner’s insurance might step in. Or if the accident occurred while the driver was working, their employer’s insurance might cover the damages. Carefully reviewing these possibilities requires experience and an eye for detail and embedded language. Having a competent and experienced attorney review your case is valuable.
Navigating a personal injury case is challenging and when you add an uninsured driver to the mix the complexity level rises dramatically. Your attorney will work your insurance provider and determine if a third-party policy applies because insurance companies push back. An experienced personal injury attorney knows what to look for. They will investigate the accident, identify additional sources of compensation and uncover evidence to strengthen your case. After a crash your effort should be directed toward healing and not stressing over legal processes, deadlines, and paperwork. Your attorney will handle all communications, negotiations and work on your behalf to get you the compensation you deserve.
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when insurance companies fail to offer full compensation. We help with serious injuries that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth, LLP. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of experience specializing in only representing injured people. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com
