Examining data from the Insurance Information Institute (III) shows us that approximately 12.4% of all Georgia drivers are uninsured. This is a significant problem for drivers in this state. However, what can you do if you get into an accident with an uninsured driver? There are various steps that you can take to help protect yourself, and we strongly encourage you to consider carrying uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
What You Can do After a Crash With an Uninsured Driver in GA
There are various steps that you can take to help ensure that you are adequately taken care of after a crash with an uninsured driver. This includes incidents that occur with drivers with no insurance, as well as hit-and-run incidents.
We hope that you are reading this article before an accident has even occurred. We always ask individuals to check their auto insurance policy to see if they carry uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. These two types of coverage are not required in the state of Georgia, but we strongly recommend that every person consider adding this additional coverage.
Uninsured motorist coverage is designed to help individuals in these exact instances. If you carry uninsured motorist coverage and are struck by an uninsured motorist, your coverage will kick in to pay for damages up to the limits of your policy. You can purchase uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage and uninsured motorist property damage coverage. We suggest both.
If you do have this type of coverage and have been involved in an accident with an uninsured or hit-and-run driver, you need to report the incident to your insurance carrier so they can begin the claims process.
However, even if you are relying on your own insurance carrier for coverage, we suggest that you contact a skilled personal injury lawyer who can help you through this process. Insurance carriers are notorious for lowballing settlement offers in an attempt to save money on their end. Your attorney will help examine the facts of the case, adequately calculate total expected losses, and work to negotiate a fair settlement.
If you do not have uninsured motorist coverage, your options for recovering compensation are a bit more limited. If the driver does not flee the scene, it is very likely that they will receive a citation for having no insurance. You may need to work with your attorney to file a civil personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver to go after the compensation that is rightfully owed to you. However, drivers who do not pay for insurance will likely not have the assets necessary to cover your total expected losses.
Seek Medical Care
One mistake that individuals make if they are involved in accidents with uninsured drivers is skipping medical treatment. Even if you do not think you will be able to recover compensation from the other party, you still need to go to the doctor for a full evaluation. Not only does this help ensure your well-being, but it also establishes that the injuries were caused by the accident so that you can recover compensation at a later date in a claim against the at-fault party.