Dealing with a car wreck in Augusta, GA is tough enough. You have to worry about injuries that you suffered and receiving the right medical care. You need to worry that no one else was injured in the accident. And you have to take time to talk with the police who want to file a report about the incident. It is also important to talk with your insurance company about the incident as well to ensure that you are covered after the accident. A car accident can be made even more complicated if the other driver is an uninsured driver.
Uninsured Driver or Underinsured Driver in Augusta, GA
If the other driver is the one who is responsible for the car wreck in Augusta, GA, then they are the ones who will need to pay for your medical bills and anything with your property damage. But what happens if the other driver is an uninsured driver or underinsured driver.
In most states, you are required to have at least liability insurance before driving your vehicle. Despite these rules, many drivers are able to get around the law and they may be uninsured driver on the road and this could be bad for you. Some people will purchase insurance just long enough to get their vehicle registered with the state, and then they will go and cancel the policy. And the worse the economy, the higher the number of people who will try to go without liability insurance.
According to a 2011 study by the Insurance Research Council, in 2009 it was estimated that about one out of every seven drivers were uninsured or underinsured motorists. This means that about 14 percent of the people behind the wheel do not have the right type of insurance if they are in a car accident in Augusta, GA.
What Happens if the Other Driver is Uninsured in Augusta, GA?
This is going to depend on the laws of your state. If you live in a state that follows traditional tort laws, the insurance of whoever is at fault for the car wreck in Augusta, GA will be at fault. So, if you are the one at fault, then your insurance will pay the damages. However, if the other driver is an uninsured driver, they don’t have any insurance to pick up the bill and it is unlikely that they have the resources to help you out. Working with a lawyer can help you get some compensation, but it is likely that you won’t recover all the damages.
One way to protect yourself from underinsured motorists or uninsured motorists in this scenario is to pay some more to have coverage added to your policy to pay the damages if the other driver can’t.
In other states, there are no-fault laws. With this, each driver and their own insurance will pay for the damages and injuries, regardless of who is at fault. The no-fault laws will restrict your ability to sue, but if you have insurance, you will be covered regardless of whether the other driver is or not. Most of these states will still allow you to sue, along with the help of a car wreck attorney, the other party if you have some severe damages though. If you have added the uninsured motorist coverage to your own policy, this can help you to get more money from your own insurance, even if the motorist who caused the accident is not able to provide you with compensation.
How Can an Augusta Car Accident Lawyer Help?
In some cases of being in a car wreck in Augusta, GA, it is possible that an attorney will be able to help you. If your insurance is not going to provide the compensation that you need to deal with the injuries and other damages, an attorney can help you to file a claim against the person at fault for the accident. You may not be able to get very much compensation for the damages this way, but it is sometimes better than nothing. Your Augusta car accident attorney will be able to discuss your case with you and come up with a strategy to help you get the compensation that you need after being in an accident with an uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist.
If you have been in a car wreck and the other driver is uninsured or underinsured, you may be at a loss for what the next steps in the process should be. Make sure to contact our professionals at Ted A. Greve and Associates to get started on y our claim and to get you the compensation that you deserve.
