Taking 700 East home into Salt Lake City after a long day can feel like a scene from “The Fast and the Furious,” especially on a Friday night. As you’re doing your best to avoid an auto accident, you brake for a red light only to be rear-ended.
If this wasn’t enough, you come to find out that the other driver has no car insurance. Accidents happen, but this has just gotten exponentially more complex than it was. Now you’re stressed and wondering if you’re going to be footing the bill or if it’s worth contacting your lawyer.
Uninsured Motorists: the Breakdown
When money gets tight, drivers are more likely to test the law by driving without insurance. It’s estimated that a whopping one in eight drivers on the road are uninsured. That’s a nightmare statistic for any auto accident lawyer to hear.
Consequences for this risk depend on your state’s insurance laws. In Utah we have “No fault” or “tort” laws which direct you to your own insurance for coverage after the accident with an uninsured driver.
How to Handle the Situation
As with any auto accident, you’re going to want to call the police before you call your lawyer. By having the police on the scene, you have an official there to file an accident report, which will be necessary when filing your claim to pay for your car and medical bills.
After you have the other driver’s information and you’ve taken care of your health, contact your own insurance provider. They will determine how much they can cover for you, and will make the claim against the other driver. Since they don’t have insurance, it will be coming out of their pocket.
Keep calm and keep moving. If you’ve got the proper insurance, your car and your medical bills should be taken care of.