Can A Lawyer Car Accident No Insurance Still Help If Both Drivers Lack Insurance In A Car Accident?
If you or your loved one gets into a car accident without insurance and the other driver is also uninsured, things get complicated. In certain cases, neither driver will be carrying insurance during the crash. If both drivers are uninsured, the legal aspects, liability, and compensation become much more difficult. Fortunately, you have the choice of hiring a professional lawyer car accident no insurance to deal with such crucial cases.
California law allows a person to get compensation from the other person who is responsible for the collision. Getting the relevant help for claiming a deserved amount starts with seeking support from a leading uninsured car accident lawyer.
Understand the legal complications in California for uninsured drivers
Carrying insurance is mandatory in California. It insists on having a certain insurance amount to cover losses that are related to accidents.
- $15,000 for injury/death to a single individual
- $30,000 for injury or death caused to over one individuals
- $5,000 for property damage
These minimum values ensure that the drivers carry some level of legal protection during a crash. Also, California law mandates insurance providers to provide uninsured motorist coverage to their policyholders. This kind of insurance is highly helpful if anyone is involved in an accident with an uninsured/underinsured driver, thus getting protection for medical bills and other losses.
Legal complications to face when you are uninsured:
Driving on the road without minimum insurance leads to severe legal consequences.
Fines:
The first offence will attract penalties of up to $500, and subsequent cases may incur up to $1,000.
License suspension:
For first-time offenders, the driver’s license can be suspended for up to 4 years. In case it is a subsequent offence, the suspension can be for up to 6 years.
Vehicle Impoundment:
The first offence may lead to vehicle impoundment for up to 30 days, while the subsequent offender has to face the vehicle impoundment for up to 60 days.
Increased insurance premium amount:
If you are found to be without insurance in a car accident, the insurance premium amount will be increased considerably.
Why consider a lawyer car accident no insurance for your case?
The surging number of car accidents and deaths in the U.S. highlights the need to hire a car accident attorney for effective legal representation. When it comes to car accidents in California, especially if both parties involved are uninsured, the complexities increase, and it becomes a high-risk scenario.
Though both parties do not have insurance, they still have the right and possibility to defend and pursue compensation. The aftermath of an accident is overwhelming, and handling the difficulties alone is stressful. Considering a lawyer skilled in uninsured cases can help to receive the right compensation and justice that you deserve.
Let’s see some of the benefits of hiring an attorney for an uninsured car accident:
Proficiency in law:
Auto insurance laws and compensation procedures can be complicated, and it becomes much more complicated when both parties lack insurance. Hiring an attorney who specialises in applicable statutory requirements and regulations ensures a seamless process for claiming compensation.
Negotiation skills:
A no fault car accident lawyer is highly specialised in negotiating with the insurance provider and getting fair compensation for your losses. He/she is also an expert at negotiating a statement that would probably be important for any long-term disabilities or future medical expenses.
Personalised legal approach
By hiring a car accident attorney for uninsured, you can benefit from customised legal strategies that will address the unique aspects of your specific case, thus increasing the chances for a fair settlement.
Evidence-gathering and documentation
Car accident lawyers can help in collecting vital pieces of evidence and other documentation that can strongly support your claim. This includes statements of witnesses, police reports and medical bills. They are skilled at presenting the evidence and maintaining documentation in such a manner as to support your case to get the desired outcomes.
Skills in handling complex cases
Similar to the case that involves both parties being uninsured, multiple parties or disputed responsibility, attorneys have hands-on experience in managing complex aspects of a case. Attorneys are effective at establishing positive collaboration with insurance providers, resolving conflicts and getting you good claim coverage.
Expertise in dealing with insurance companies
Insurance companies are known for their tactics in lowering the claim amount. An experienced attorney will have in-depth knowledge of all the strategies and approaches adhered to by the insurance providers and save you from the hassle of the claim process.
Maximized compensation
A notable benefit of working with a skilled attorney is the potential to improve the chances of maximising compensation. Attorneys will have a detailed understanding of your injuries, medical bills, loss of wages and other related expenses. With a careful calculation on this, they ensure raising a fair settlement demand.
Who pays for losses or damage when both drivers are uninsured?
When you are involved in a collision and the other party also lacks insurance, it leads to a critical situation of who will pay for the accident-related losses and damage. If you find that the other person is responsible for the collision, you are authorised to sue the driver and claim compensation. However, if the at-fault driver doesn’t have the necessary funds to compensate your damages, it is difficult. This is where hiring a lawyer for car accident without insurance ensures making an informed decision.
Both of us are uninsured – Can a lawyer still help in this scenario?
Yes, certainly! In this case, insurance companies are not involved; it becomes very crucial to have the right legal representation.
Let’s see how an attorney helps here:
- Evaluate your insurance coverage:
The attorney will assess your coverage for an uninsured motorist policy and look for the possibilities of whether you can get a settlement from the insurance provider. He/she will get in touch with the insurance company and negotiate for a fair settlement. Since there are chances that the insurance companies can deny the claim, hiring an attorney proves your legal representation.
- Establishes the liability by investigating the accident
California is an at-fault state. This means at-fault parties are legally liable to pay for the compensation for the losses incurred by the other party. The lawyer will thoroughly investigate the accident and determine the at-fault party.
The steps taken by a lawyer at this stage cover:
- Investigate the accident
- Gather and analyse police reports
- Review the statement of witnesses, photos, videos and other footage or surveillance reports
- Examine the medical reports
- If it is required, the attorney will reconstruct the accident scene to know what exactly has happened and establish the liability
- Identifies the potential sources for claims
Although both drivers are uninsured, they may seem to have no possibility of recovering financially. But, not at fault car accident lawyers will explore other potential sources to recover the losses. This includes:
Uninsured Motorist Coverage or Uninsured Motorist Coverage:
Uninsured motorist coverage protects drivers in California involved in collisions with underinsured or uninsured drivers. Though this insurance is not mandatory, it is recommended.
Both uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage aims at safeguarding the policyholder involved in an accident and favours recovering damages in the scenario of a car accident the other party no insurance.
Med pay
Personal injury protection (PIP) coverage is not available in California. However, you can buy Med Pay as an alternative. But note that these policies are restricted to claiming only medical expenses and not to cover lost wages. Apart from covering drivers, this policy also covers other passengers, such as family members and spouses.
Even if both drivers are found to be uninsured, Med pay helps in:
- Claiming compensation without proving fault
- It covers medical expenses such as ambulance costs, emergency expenses and diagnostic tests.
- Negotiating with the insurance company
The attorney, after performing a detailed investigation of case details, reviewing medical reports and other information to know about the extent of medical injuries and other impacts on the person in leading a life after an accident, will negotiate with the insurance provider.
- The attorney will accentuate the liability of the insurance provider and your compensation
- Since the drivers lack insurance, attorneys prefer to negotiate a private settlement. This is also applicable in cases such as situations where both parties share the responsibility.
- File a lawsuit against the at-fault driver
If you have been involved in a collision with an uninsured driver, the attorney will help in filing a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. Taking this legal action helps in pursuing compensation, protecting you from financial losses and recovering your damages from what happened in the crash. Even though the other driver doesn’t have insurance, he still will have assets or sources to pay for your compensation that is legally pursued by the lawsuit.
Your compensation can be raised for:
- Vehicle repair or replacement expenses
- Medical bills, past and future
- Loss of wages or inability to earn in the future
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
If the at-fault driver is found to have insufficient funds, sources or lack assets to pay for compensation, it is regarded as ‘Judgement proof’. This means it becomes tough to get compensation even if you file a lawsuit. However, your chances for recovery increase if you hire the right no insurance lawyer.
How to find the right lawyer car accident no insurance?
Don’t face the struggle of navigating the claims alone; hire an attorney.
Ensure the attorney has the right expertise
Research the expertise of an attorney in navigating uninsured car accidents. Enquire him about how he has handled uninsured collisions. He should not only have experience in the settlement process, but also should be well-versed in courtroom handling.
Look at their past clients and cases
Ensure to have an eye on the results of past clients or cases. Ask a lot of questions to the lawyer that ensure you can get the best outcomes from the case.
Check the reputation
The attorney you hire for the uninsured accident case should be a trustworthy and credible person. So there are certain points to consider:
- Validate his license to practice in California
- Read reviews of past customers, eye on online reviews
- You can get feral from your circle, family members or friends
Consider responsiveness and communication with the attorney
It is essential to deal with the legal aspects effectively within the deadlines. The right expertise and communication skills are the key here. Look at the skills of the attorney, whether he is:
- Prompt to respond to emails or calls
- Clearly explains to you about the further proceedings
- Gives you honest and clear answers
- Deals with everything in an organised and professional way
When should to consider an attorney for a car accident?
Certain scenarios emphasise hiring an attorney to deal with the case.
- You are hit by an uninsured driver
- Though you are not at fault, if neither of you has insurance, it is good to deal with a case with an attorney.
- You are the cause of the accident, and you are being sued by the other driver
- If the other party sues you, the lawyer will help in negotiating the settlement. He will also help in avoiding the seizure of your assets.
- If both parties have shared responsibility for the accident
- If both drivers are found to have fault and share equal responsibility, then the attorney helps your side not to pay more than your share. He will handle all the paperwork and court proceedings.
Don’t lose hope, contact a lawyer car accident no insurance for professional help
Dealing with a collision is challenging, especially when both are uninsured. Hiring an attorney helps you to know your rights and coverage choices and get legal assistance for pursuing a claim.
If you have a skilled attorney at your side, you can have peace of mind. He will help in getting financial recovery even if both drivers are uninsured.