If you suffered injuries in a car accident where the other driver has no insurance, you might have concerns and questions about what to do next.
You may wonder whether you can recover compensation after a car accident with an uninsured driver when you were not at fault. The good news is that when a driver has no insurance, you still have options to recover compensation for your injuries.
Our Los Angeles car accident lawyers will explain.
California requires all drivers to obtain insurance for all vehicles operated or parked in the state. All drivers must carry a copy of their insurance card with them in their car at all times. Under California law, the minimum liability insurance requirements include the following:
If the California Department of Motor Vehicles fails to obtain proof of insurance for any vehicle, they will suspend the vehicle’s registration. At that point, the car may not be driven or parked on California roadways until proof of insurance is provided.
Unfortunately, many people fail to uphold this requirement and continue to drive their vehicle without insurance. Being involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver when you are not at fault creates complex insurance issues requiring the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2019, approximately 16.6% of California drivers were uninsured, making it one of the most uninsured states in the nation. But, if you were involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver and you were not at fault, don’t lose hope. You do have options.
California does not require drivers to carry uninsured motorist coverage. But it does require insurers to offer it, so there’s a good chance you have purchased it.
Uninsured motorist coverage acts as a safety net if you are in a car accident with a driver without insurance in California. There is also underinsured motorist insurance, which covers costs of bodily injury if you are in an accident with a driver who does not have enough insurance. You must file a claim against your own insurance company to receive coverage benefits.
When filing a claim against your own insurance company, it’s essential to understand your uninsured motorist coverage works. Your attorney can help to explain the extent of your uninsured motorist coverage as you proceed through the claim process.
After an accident with a driver without insurance where you are not at fault, California permits you to recover only up to your maximum liability coverage limits. For example, let’s say you suffer $80,000 in medical expenses after a car accident with an uninsured driver.
However, your uninsured motorist coverage provides for $30,000 in coverage. California law permits you to recover only the $30,000 included in your uninsured motorist coverage—unfortunately leaving you with $50,000 in unaccounted for compensation.
Uninsured motorist coverage is payable only if you were not at fault for your accident. Attempting to prove this on your own without the assistance of a personal injury attorney may fail to provide you the compensation you need.
An attorney works to carefully gather and collect the relevant evidence necessary to establish the uninsured driver’s fault so you can collect the compensation you need.
If you did not elect to obtain uninsured motorist coverage, you might wish to sue the uninsured driver directly. Discussing the possible outcomes of this option should be undertaken with your personal injury attorney.
But be aware that in many situations, the outcome may be less than ideal. For example, while you may win a lawsuit against an uninsured driver, the uninsured driver may not have any money or assets to pay you.
After a car accident involving a driver without insurance and you were not at fault, California provides you with options. You may feel lost without knowing what to do next.
Joshua Glotzer and Daniel Leib of Glotzer and Leib, LLP help victims in Southern California move forward after a car accident. We know what happens if someone hits you and doesn’t have insurance in California. Don’t try to move forward without our assistance.
With over 50 years of combined legal experience, our legal team empowers clients to get better as we do all we can to secure the compensation you need. Contact us today for a free consultation!
“Mr. Glotzer represented me after I was involved in a car accident. I was badly injured,but the insurance company refused to offer me a reasonable settlement. I decided to find an attorney and decided to hire Josh.
His law firm did a great job on my case. They were very responsive to all my questions and obtained a great resolution for me. I received way more money than was originally offered. I would recommend their firm to friends and family.”
“Mr. Josh Glotzer is a great attorney. Over the last 15 years he has helped me on a number of cases with professionalism, and more importantly a positive outcome in my favor. I have referred him to a number of friends and colleagues, all of which have been equally as happy with his legal representation. I trust him and confident in legal ability. I highly recommend his law firm.”
“Don’t try to deal with insurance companies on your own. They strung me along for almost two years before I gave the case to Glotzer & Leib. Josh and his team quickly obtained a settlement that netted me many times what the insurance company was offering. Thank You!”
“My wife was in a car accident last year and Josh did an amazing job representing her. It’s very refreshing to see someone in his profession that actually cares and puts his clients first. He’s the best in the business and I feel so fortunate that I was referred to him. Keep up the great work and thanks for everything you did for my family!”
“I was in a rear end car accident last year and hired Mr. Glotzer’s office. It wasn’t a big case but their office helped me with my property damage claim and did a good job resolving the injury portion of the case as well.”
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