If you have been injured in an accident caused by someone else, it is your legal right to pursue compensation for your damages from the party that caused the accident. Oftentimes, the compensation comes from the at-fault driver’s auto insurance carrier. What happens, however, if the at-fault driver does not have insurance? Finding out you have been injured by an uninsured motorist can be stressful, particularly considering the steep expenses, such as medical bills, that can pile up after an accident. Let’s take a look at what you should do in this case.
Steps to Take if You’ve Been Injured by an Uninsured Motorist
If you have been injured by anyone, you should contact your insurance company to notify them as soon as possible. This is very important and probably even more so in the case of being injured by an uninsured motorist. While you may be able to go after the personal assets of the uninsured motorist in order to pursue compensation from them, it is unlikely that an uninsured driver has sufficient assets to cover you. As such, pursuing a personal judgment against the uninsured driver will likely be a frustrating, lengthy, and unsuccessful endeavor.
So, what are your options? After being injured by an uninsured motorist, you should be sure to contact your own insurance carrier. This is not only a contractual obligation but will help ensure you have access to any available benefits under your own insurance. For instance, if you opted for no-fault insurance coverage, this would help cover things like your medical bills and lost wages. You may also have medical pay coverage to help with medical bills.
If you selected uninsured motorist coverage for your auto insurance policy, this is the time that you will be thankful you did so. Uninsured motorist coverage will help cover the damages you incurred in the accident caused by the uninsured motorist. To make sure you are fully and properly compensated under your uninsured motorist coverage, there are certain steps you are going to need to take to ensure that your claim is supported.
For instance, you will need proof that the accident was caused by an uninsured motorist. Pictures of the accident scene, the official accident report, and the other driver’s information will help with this. You will also need proof that you were injured in the accident and that you incurred compensable expenses as a result. The proof of this will largely come from your medical records and resulting medical bills. This means that, after you have been injured by an uninsured motorist, you need to get immediate medical treatment and comply with doctor-recommended follow-up care in a consistent manner. If your injuries are not properly documented in medical records, it is unlikely that you will be able to pursue compensation through your uninsured motorist carrier.
Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorneys
Whether you were hit by an insured motorist, an underinsured motorist, or an uninsured motorist, the personal injury team at Cooper, Schall & Levy is here for you! Contact us today.
