When Auto Insurance Fails To Meet Your Needs
After an accident that was the other driver's fault, you might automatically assume that the other driver's insurance will pay your medical expenses, lost wages, and more. Unfortunately, not all drivers have policies that cover a victim's needs and some drivers have no insurance at all. If you have been involved in an accident with an uninsured or under-insured driver, read below and find out what you can do.
Covering Basic Needs
Many states have uninsured driver coverage. That means that other drivers in the state pay a bit extra on their policies so that victims are not left with no coverage when an uninsured driver causes the wreck. Even if you get in a wreck in one of these states, the coverage may disappoint you. As with almost all automobile insurance policies, the coverage provides victims with only the most basic of benefits. That may include coverage of your medical bills and your wrecked car. Unfortunately, accident damages go well beyond those basic benefits.
What Insurance Won't Cover
When you depend on the other driver's insurance, you had better be ready to overlook your lost wages, pain and suffering, vehicles with no gap coverage, and more. You deserve payment for all time missed from work. Pain and suffering is payment for the mental effects of dealing with the pain, discomfort, and annoyance of dealing with injury pain from the accident. If you owe money on your vehicle, it may be worth less than the balance owed. If so, you won't get paid for that unless you take things to the next level. That means speaking to a personal injury lawyer for help in taking legal action against the other driver.
When No Insurance Exists
If the driver who hit you is either uninsured or underinsured, you won't be able to get anything from the driver — or can you? This is when speaking to a car accident lawyer is important. While some drivers may appear to have little to no money to pay your damages, you might not be looking in the right place. Your lawyer will do a deep dive into the finances and assets of the other driver to determine what may be in play if you file a lawsuit. There are a few ways to get paid from at at-fault driver:
- Seizure of bank accounts – once a suit is filed, your lawyer can make a motion to freeze all financial accounts of the driver and that includes savings, checking, investments, and more. If you win a judgment, that money can be ordered paid from those accounts.
- Wage garnishments – Wages from a job can be garnished to help pay a judgment.
- Seizure of assets – other assets that may be taken from the at-fault driver include real estate, artwork, vehicles, and more.
Speak to a car accident attorney to find out more.