Although the law requires all motorists to have insurance, many people don’t have car insurance even though they’re regular drivers. Most of them avoid getting insurance due to the cost of getting one. Because of such, some leave their policies to lapse or drive cars that they’re not legally allowed to drive.
Finding yourself in a car accident with a motorist who has no insurance cover can leave you with a lot of queries on how you’d be compensated for injuries sustained. You may even wonder what steps you need to take following the crash and whether it’s worth hiring a personal injury lawyer to help you with the settlement process.
If you happen to get injured by an uninsured driver, here are five options you can consider:
- File A Claim On The Uninsured Motorist Policy
Uninsured motorist insurance policies cover drivers who find themselves in car crashes involving uninsured drivers. In many states, insurance firms are required by law to provide their clients with uninsured motorist coverage. However, people have the option to decline the cover in writing.
If you have an active uninsured motorist policy, work with a personal injury lawyer to claim its benefits. Such benefits can compensate for your injuries sustained from an accident involving an uninsured driver. However, this is not a no-fault cover like the personal injury protection cover. You can only get compensation for economic losses if the other driver is proven to have caused the accident.
- Leverage Benefits From Personal Injury Protection Cover
One way to manage costs relating to a car accident caused by an uninsured driver is to utilize personal injury protection benefits. The no-fault insurance coverage can compensate for the different expenses you may have incurred, including medical costs, lost wages, funeral expenses, and lost services if you need help with household chores.
The main advantage of personal injury protection insurance is it’s a no-fault cover. This means you can get the benefits even in cases where you’re responsible for causing the crash. Insurance firms often offer this kind of cover to victims of personal injury. However, people are not obliged to take it and can always decline.
Once you’re involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver, contact your insurer to see whether you qualify for personal injury protection. If you’re not covered, check whether you have a relative in your home whose policy may include you.
- Make Use Of Your Health Insurance Coverage
Another option to consider when you get injured by an uninsured driver is to use health insurance. If you have insurance cover from your workplace or got yourself one, contact the insurer to see whether your policy can cover the medical care you need to recover from the injuries.
While this option would not compensate for your other losses like those related to income, particularly if you’re unable to work after the accident, it can help reduce the costs associated with recovering from the accident.
- File A Legal Suit Against The Uninsured Driver
Even though the driver who caused the accident that led to your injuries may be uninsured, he’s legally responsible for the accident. This provides an opportunity for you to file a legal suit against him.
A legal suit can allow you to register the assets of the uninsured driver to a bid to get compensation. In some states, victims of accidents caused by uninsured drivers can foreclose the responsible driver’s property. This means they can place a lien on such property and request law enforcers to put it up for sale and have the proceeds spent on implementing a court judgment.
The challenge with this option is that most uninsured drivers lack sufficient assets to compensate victims for injuries sustained. Those that do have assets usually get liability insurance to protect their properties. Also, most plaintiffs don’t have time to look for the defendants’ properties to place a lien on them.
- Get Your Vehicle Repaired Using Collision Cover
Another option you could consider after getting injured in a car accident with an uninsured driver is to leverage your collision coverage to get your car repaired. Although this option isn’t necessarily helpful in taking care of medical costs, it can still alleviate the cost of repairing your damaged car.
Final Thoughts
Car accidents can be a stressful ordeal. The situation is worse when the driver who caused the accident that injured you is uninsured. If you’re in a car crash with an uninsured driver, consider the five options discussed above and leverage them to cover costs such as treatment and vehicle repair.
