Hit by an Uninsured Driver? This Is What You Need to Do

Were you aware that 20-50 million people suffer injuries in auto accidents each year?

Auto accidents happen all the time, but many people don’t know what to do when they’ve been hit by an uninsured driver. Because of this, they end up paying for medical bills and maintenance fees when they don’t need to.

When someone else causes an accident, you can seek compensation from them. To do this, you’ll need to go through a variety of steps to show that you were a victim. To save you some time, we’ll cover the main things you must do after a car accident.

Keep on reading to find out what you should do after you’ve been hit by an uninsured driver!

Get Medical Attention

When you’re hit by an uninsured driver, the first thing you must do is get medical attention. This is something that many people overlook, but it’ll ensure that you establish a timeline of the accident. In later steps, having an established timeline will give you credibility when proving your case.

A doctor will examine you to determine if you’ve received any injuries from the accident. Even if you aren’t injured, you’ll get documents that show you’ve been to a doctor on the day of the accident.

Those that do get injured receive extra documentation outlining the treatments used, which can help you get more compensation.

Contact the Police

After getting medical attention, the next thing you should do is contact the police. When contacting them, explain the entire situation without explicitly blaming anyone. The more relaxed you are throughout the process, the easier it’ll be for them to get appropriate information.

The police will question both you and the uninsured driver. Simply because they’re uninsured, they’ll get in trouble for driving. However, the police won’t determine who was at fault for the car accident. Instead, you’ll resolve this with the uninsured driver by negotiating or going to court.

Similar to getting medical attention, contacting the police will further help you establish a timeline. If you need to go to court later, this will prevent the judge from claiming that you weren’t concerned with the accident.

Contact Your Insurance Provider

After a car accident, it’s best to contact your insurance and explain the situation to them. Depending on the type of insurance you have, you may be eligible to temporarily drive another car until your case is resolved. You may also get compensation to repair or replace your vehicle.

Contacting your insurance provider will make it much easier to make medical claims after the accident. If you were injured but never contacted your insurance, a judge may think that you’re lying just to get more money.

Hire a Car Accident Lawyer

No matter what the damages are like after a car accident, you should hire a car accident lawyer as soon as possible. A car accident lawyer will provide you with a plethora of services throughout the entire process to make things easier for you.

When contacting a car accident attorney, you’ll need to explain the situation so they can determine if they can help you. Their job is to ensure you get as much compensation as possible, so they’ll do everything they can to win your case.

If you look at a firm like the Lawler Brown Law Firm, you’ll find more information about the services that a car accident attorney can provide you.

The best part about hiring one is that you won’t have to worry about paying them unless you win the case, providing they work on a contingency basis. You can find out if a car accident lawyer does by talking to them.

Seek Compensation

With your lawyer, you’ll attempt to negotiate with the uninsured driver to get compensation for the accident. This is common because it prevents you from having to pay court fees and it gives the other driver a chance to save money. However, many drivers fight the charge, which may require you to go to court.

When seeking compensation, your car accident lawyer will tell you how much they think you can get. Auto accidents cause a lot of damage, so you can expect to get enough to fix whatever’s broken or replace the vehicle. If you’ve been injured, you’ll also receive money to cover medical expenses.

Go to Court if Needed

If the other driver isn’t budging, you can file a lawsuit and take the case to a courtroom. When this happens, the other driver will most likely lawyer up and claim that they didn’t cause the accident. However, your lawyer will have gathered evidence that shows they did.

Aside from gathered evidence from your lawyer, your established timeline will reinforce your claim. Providing everything goes right, you’ll walk away from the case with more money than you would’ve gotten if the defendant agreed to pay. The only difference is that you’ll pay for court fees and lawyer fees.

Follow These Steps if You’re Hit By an Uninsured Driver

Now that you have a better idea of what happens after an accident, you shouldn’t have a problem getting compensation if you’re hit by an uninsured driver. Not only will they get in trouble for driving illegally, but they’ll also have to pay you for any damages and injuries they’ve caused.

If you’ve recently been in a car accident, we encourage you to contact a lawyer now. The longer you wait to take action, the less likely you’ll be to receive compensation.

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