In the United States, about one-fourth of all drivers are uninsured. This means that many of us are at risk of being injured by an uninsured driver who is at fault for causing a car accident.

There are many reasons why drivers may not have sufficient insurance, such as an affordable car that does not require much coverage or an accident with another driver who does not carry any insurance at all. The result is often devastating for victims of hit-and-run accidents or other types of car accidents caused by uninsured drivers.

In the event of an accident involving an uninsured motorist, it can be challenging to get compensation for your injuries because there may be no insurance coverage to pay for your medical bills and other damages.

Fortunately, there are ways you can protect yourself from uninsured/underinsured motorist accidents. Your personal injury lawyer can help this explain to you better, that’s why you need to have one. If you don’t, start searching for an auto accident attorney near me right away.

Below are some information that can help you out!

1. You’re not alone in facing this problem

According to the Insurance Research Council (IRC), about 12 million drivers are uninsured at any given time and another 25 million have liability insurance coverage but have insufficient limits for bodily injury liability claims ($100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident).

How does this happen?

Some states have laws requiring drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage on their cars; however, there are still millions of people who aren’t carrying enough insurance coverage on their cars. Other states don’t require drivers to carry bodily injury liability insurance at all! And if they do carry coverage, it probably won’t be enough to cover your medical bills. Millions of drivers face it every year, and many states have laws that help protect victims like you.

2. Medical bills can still be paid after an accident involving an uninsured motorist

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage protects you if you’re injured in an accident caused by someone who has no insurance or not enough to cover your medical costs. It also covers damage to your vehicle when hit by an uninsured motorist.

You can also get a Medical Payments Coverage.

If you have this coverage on your car insurance policy, it may help pay some of your medical bills after an accident with an uninsured/underinsured motorist. Medical payments coverage may only cover up to $1,000 per person and $5,000 total per incident though. If the other driver doesn’t have enough insurance coverage or any at all, this type of coverage may not be enough to cover all of your medical bills after a serious car crash involving an uninsured/underinsured motorist.

3. You may have more rights than you think if you’re hit by an uninsured driver.

You must know that if you’re injured in an accident caused by someone who doesn’t have enough insurance, you can still pursue compensation from their insurer — even if they don’t admit fault for causing the accident. This means that even if they say they were not at fault, or deny hitting your car, you can still sue them for damages.

In fact, if you win this kind of lawsuit against an uninsured driver (or one who was underinsured), then it’s possible that their insurance company will end up paying out more than they would have done otherwise — because it’s cheaper for them to pay out any settlement than to fight the case through trial and appeal.

Know your rights:

• You can sue the other driver’s insurance company for damages after an accident caused by someone who didn’t have insurance.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage pays for medical treatment after an accident caused by someone who didn’t have insurance — even if they’re at fault.
• You may be entitled to additional compensation if an underinsured driver is at fault for a crash that causes severe injuries or death
• There are state laws that protect you from being forced into arbitration with an underinsured driver.

4 . You’re not limited to the other driver’s policy limits.

If you were hurt in an accident caused by a negligent driver who had minimal insurance coverage, or no coverage at all, then you still may be able to recover money from the at-fault driver’s assets. This could include their home, bank account, and other property.

5. If you’ve been injured in a car accident with an underinsured or uninsured driver, talk to an attorney.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident with an underinsured or uninsured driver, talk to an attorney. You may be able to recover compensation for your medical bills and lost wages, as well as pain and suffering, by filing a claim under your own uninsured motorist coverage. In some states, this coverage is called “first party benefits” because it covers only you and other drivers who have similar policies. In other states, it’s called “third-party benefits” because it covers strangers like the person who hit you.

Your policy will cover all medical expenses up to your limits, but it won’t pay for pain and suffering unless it specifically lists this coverage. If your state doesn’t require UM coverage and yours doesn’t include pain and suffering damages, you’ll probably need to buy a separate personal injury protection (PIP) policy from the state or buy a whole new policy from another company.

The Right To Sue!

You have a right to sue for damages if another driver causes an accident that injures you or kills a family member. You do not have to wait until your case goes through the claim adjuster process before taking legal action.

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Story From Brett Sachs

Brett Sachs, partner & principal attorney at MVP Accident Attorneys, graduated from Michigan State University College of Law with Cum Laude Honors and worked for an insurance defense firm before starting his practice. Brett has evaluated thousands of personal injury cases and has helped his clients receive the justice they deserve.