Did You Get Hit By An Uninsured Driver?
No one ever wants to get into a car accident, but such an incident can be especially demoralizing if you find out after it happens that the person that hit you was not carrying auto insurance at the time of the accident. While this is an obvious reason for concern, there still might be a way to get a financial payout, especially if you have a good attorney on your side. Here are some tips to keep in mind after getting hit by an uninsured driver.
See What Your Own Insurance Policy Covers First
While typically the at-fault driver's insurance would pay for the damages, this is obviously not the case here. Still, your own insurance policy might offer coverage in exactly this scenario. Most insurance policies have elective coverage that will protect the policy holder if they are struck by someone who is uninsured. Check your insurance policy to see if you are covered. Another opportunity for a payout is if you have collision coverage, although this could result in you paying a deductible. Figure out what your own insurance will and will not cover, and then you can go from there.
See If There Is Someone Else Besides the Uninsured Driver Who Can Pay
So the person who hit you was not insured. That's not ideal, but it might not be the end of the world. For example, if the person was out on business for a company at the time that they hit you, you might be able to hold the company liable, even if the driver was using a personal vehicle. Other scenarios might include holding the parents responsible for a minor driver or going after the actual owner of the car if that person was not behind the wheel.
Collect Evidence Just Like You Normally Would, Then Hire an Attorney
Don't give up and move on just because the driver was not insured. You should still collect visual evidence of the wreck and file a police report, just like you would after a "normal" accident. Then, reach out to an auto accident attorney to discuss your situation. He or she might be able to figure out a way to get you some money, either by going after another individual as described above or by suing the driver directly.
You might not get a payout right away following a car accident if the driver that hit you was not insured. But with a little due diligence, it might be possible to get compensation in the end. Talk to a lawyer from a firm like Salerno Terrence Law Office for more information.