What If an Underinsured Driver Hits You?

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There’s nothing easy about a car accident.  Whether a car slid into the back of yours during a red light or skidded into your vehicle while on the interstate, a driver’s worst nightmare is to find out the other driver isn’t insured or is underinsured.  Many car owners feel lost and confused with their next steps in dealing with an uninsured or underinsured driver, but there’s no room for mistakes here.

Here’s what to do if an underinsured driver hits your car, and how you can still come out ahead.

Check For Injury Immediately

Even the smallest car accident can cause incredible damage to your vehicle and body.  Although it may seem like a simple fender bender when it happens, you might get home and wake up the next day unable to move your neck or with a terrible cramp in your shoulder.

Instead of waiting to see what happens, seek out medical attention immediately.  If there’s anything major, call for an ambulance to come straight to the crash site.

Gather Contact Information

Some people panic and call the cops or try to get an officer to help them in these cases, but that’s not always necessary.  Instead, gather the contact information of the person who hit you, and if they have insurance, collect that information, as well.  You can call your insurance while at the crash site, but if it’s dangerous to stay there, you can leave.

The most important things to gather are the other driver’s contact information, pictures of their insurance and licenses, photos of the vehicle damage, and their license plates’ images.  These will help set you up for success, even if they give you a false name or number.

Consider Where You Are

In the United States, some states have ‘no fault’ laws when it comes to car crashes.  These laws mean that everyone’s insurance covers their vehicle if anything happens to it.  This might sound idyllic since it means that you can ensure that every car accident is insured: but most states don’t run on this system.  For most states, ‘at fault’ insurance is the only option, where the person who caused the car crash pays for the damages that come out of it.  This option sounds fairer in the long run but doesn’t offer any safety precautions for those hit by the uninsured.

Contact Legal Help

If they don’t offer to pay out of pocket or offer you far too low of an amount, it’s time to talk to a lawyer.  Search for a personal injury lawyer in Wilkes-Barre, PA, who you can trust with your case.  Provide this attorney with any information you gathered at the scene, documentation of the physical symptoms and help you sought out, and any correspondence you’ve had with the person who hit your car.  Your lawyer will work with you to help win back the costs of medical care, vehicle damages, and any mental health needs to ensure you can move past this crash.