When You Have Been Injured By An Uninsured Driver

What happens when you have been injured in an accident involving another driver? If the other driver is at fault for your injuries, usually you will move forward with a claim and you will receive the recovery you deserve. But what happens in a case when the other driver has clearly injured you and they have no car insurance to help cover your injuries under their policy? Today we will take a look at how your case works in North Carolina, and how you can protect your rights from the very beginning.

North-Carolina: An At-Fault State

If you live in a no-fault car insurance state, such as Florida or Pennsylvania, you will find that you have to look at your own insurance policy when it comes to economic losses and recovery. This is the case even when the other driver is at fault for an accident. However, North Carolina does not work the same way; they are an at-fault state in a traditional sense, which means that the insurance policy of the other driver is supposed to cover your losses like medical expenses, lost wages, and more. What happens if the other driver is uninsured, though, and now you aren’t sure how you’re going to recover?

Luckily, your insurance offers you what is known as “uninsured motorist” coverage. This protects you from the risk of being injured in an accident with a driver who does not carry any type of insurance, which is something that thousands upon thousands of drivers get away with every year. However, it will only cover up to your policy, so if you have any more damages or non-economic damages, you will still have to make a claim against a driver. Non-economic damages can be pursued in a lawsuit for things like emotional suffering, anguish, loss of companionship, and lost quality of life.

Steps to Take After Your Accident

It is an unfortunate fact that, after an uninsured motorist hits you, they could try to flee the scene because they know that it will be a long and complicated process. You want to understand how to retain your rights after one of these accidents and protect yourself in your time of need.

Call the Police: No matter what, you should always call the police to the scene of the accident if you have been injured. This is most important, however, in the case of an uninsured driver. You want to make sure you do everything possible when it comes to having your expenses covered, so document what you can.

Information Exchange: You should always gain contact information from the other party. This is usually when you will find out that the other party does not have insurance, which is why it is important to get the contact info you can. You also want to collect information from any witnesses.  

Insurance Company: Your insurance company will let you know what you can and can’t do according to your policy. If you have uninsured motorist protection, you can find out more about how this works to protect you.

When it comes to your car accident, we can help you in every way possible. If the other driver was uninsured and you don’t have protections through your own policy, you could find yourself in a situation where you need legal assistance on your side. Luckily, we can help in your time of need. Call us as soon as possible to get started on your case at 855-636-9277.

Sources:

https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/personal-injury/auto-accidents/what-if-im-hit-by-an-uninsured-driver.html

http://blog.esurance.com/accident-with-uninsured-driver/

https://thenyelawgroup.com/