Help! I was Hit by an Uninsured Driver
Posted Friday, April 8, 2022 by Chris Thayer
If you have been involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, it may feel like the worst case scenario. However, there are still options available to you, which we will review here. It is easy to feel like you are completely stuck between a rock and a hard place after an accident, particularly if you suffered serious injuries, but unfortunately, Washington State is full of uninsured drivers. In fact, it is estimated that 15% of all drivers in Washington State are driving without insurance. This means that there is a good chance that any accident in Washington state will involve at least one driver who does not have car insurance. Luckily, this does not mean that you will be entirely without support for your injuries and damages. An experienced personal injury attorney can advocate for you and help you to navigate the process of recovering damages for an uninsured motorist accident.
*Options if You Were Hit by an Uninsured Motorist * You have a number of options, through both legal means and your own personal insurance to get financial support for your injuries and damages after an accident.
- PIP Insurance. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance is required in Washington state. This is insurance that you personally carry, and that applies regardless of who is at fault. This means that even if the person who hit you had no insurance, you will still have coverage from your own PIP insurance. The only thing to note is that PIP insurance only covers up to $10,000. If you suffered serious injuries in the crash, your expenses and damages are certain to exceed that amount, which will require utilizing other options for recovery, as well.
- Underinsured or Uninsured Motorist Insurance. If you have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, this is exactly the kind of situation for which you need it. You can file a claim and they will offer a settlement amount. In some cases, this coverage will also not be enough to cover the full amount of expenses incurred.
- Bring a Personal Injury Lawsuit. Provided you know the identity of the person who hit you, bringing a personal injury lawsuit against them is generally the best way to recover the damages that you are owed. You can also use this method in combination with the previously mentioned ones. If you are concerned that the uninsured driver who hit you will have insufficient funds to cover your damages, your lawyer can assess the accident circumstances to determine whether any additional parties also contributed to causing the accident. If so, they can also be joined as parties and you can financially recover from them.
*Contact the Pivotal Law Group in Seattle Washington * If you have been seriously injured in an accident with an uninsured motorist that was not your fault in Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, or Issaquah, the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Pivotal Law Group in Seattle, Washington, are ready to help. Contact the Pivotal Law Group today to schedule your consultation and find out how much your claim is worth and how we can help you get it.