If you are involved in a car accident, you might know the general steps you should take – but those steps generally involve a party who has insurance. What if you are hit by a driver who is uninsured? One option is to contact a personal injury attorney who can offer a free legal consultation by calling The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000. You can also keep reading to get the basics.
Report the Accident to the Police
Generally speaking, if you are involved in a car accident in California in which there is any injury – no matter how minor – or property damage of at least $950, then you are required by law to report the accident to the police. In cases of uninsured drivers, you should always report the accident to the police, even if it does not meet these criteria, because the driver was driving illegally.
Inform Your Own Insurance Company
If you have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, then you might be able to make a claim against your own policy. In fact, this type of coverage exists for this exact situation: when you are hit by someone who has no insurance at all, or who lacks sufficient insurance to cover your injuries and/or damages.
Seek Medical Care
As you should after any accident, you should follow an accident with an uninsured motorist with a visit to the hospital, urgent care, or your doctor. Do this even if you do not think you are injured. Some injuries, such as whiplash, do not start to hurt until hours or even days after the accident.
Do Not Admit Fault
This is true of any car accident you are in, whether you are at fault or not: do not admit fault. This can be used against you. While you might think it is obvious that you were at fault, the law may not agree. It is best to let an attorney look at your case to determine if you truly were at fault and how to handle it if you were.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Before Talking to the Insurance Company
The insurance party of the other side is going to try and get you to record a statement about the accident. Do not agree to this. It might seem simple enough but you would be surprised how they can take your words out of context or otherwise use a tiny inconsistency against you. If they ask to take a recorded statement, let them know that you need to talk to your attorney first.
Then contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000. We will start with a free legal consultation and if your case has merit and we decide to take it, we will do so on a contingency basis that leaves you with no risk.
