Auto Accident Lawyer in Des Moines, IA
What to Do If You’ve Been Hit by an Uninsured Driver
According to the Insurance Information Institute, approximately 13% of drivers nationwide fail to carry auto insurance, even though all states require it. This puts you at substantial risk of being injured in an auto accident caused by an uninsured driver.
PIP Coverage
Some states, including New York and New Jersey, have no-fault insurance laws under which each driver must pay for his or her own medical bills resulting from an accident, regardless of who caused it. If you live in one of these states, your initial claim must be under your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance. Keep in mind, however, that your medical bills and other expenses may well exceed your PIP policy limits.
Other Options
You have additional options as well for getting the compensation you deserve, including the following:
- Your uninsured motorist insurance
- Your collision insurance
- Your health insurance
Your best strategy, however, is to contact an experienced local car accident lawyer. He or she can not only answer all your questions and provide you with the information you need regarding your state’s laws, but also can determine if you can file a lawsuit against one or more of the following:
- The person whose negligence caused the accident.
- One or more other drivers who contributed to the accident.
- The manufacturer of any vehicle involved if a mechanical defect contributed to the accident.
- The owner of any vehicle involved if he or she allowed an uninsured driver to drive it.
- The employer of any vehicle involved if its driver was engaged in a work or work-related capacity.
Immediate Post-Accident Steps
While your first thought after an accident likely will not be, “Who’s going to pay for this?”, it’s nevertheless true that what you do immediately after the accident may well make the difference between receiving adequate compensation for your losses and having to absorb those losses yourself.
Consequently, make sure you do the following:
- Call 911 and request police and medical help
- Make a police accident report
- Say nothing to either the police or any other drivers that indicates you think you may have been partially or completely to blame for the accident
- Go to the emergency room to get checked out and evaluated, even if you don’t think you were injured.
- Report the accident to your auto insurance company, but again, say nothing about your own possible liability
- Contact a car accident lawyer
Unfortunately, car crashes and their resulting insurance claims and lawsuits can become very complicated very quickly. If you think you need the advice, consider contacting an auto accident lawyer in Des Moines, IA from Des Moines Injury Law, LLP.
