Ask a Houston Car Accident Lawyer: What If the Other Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?

Do you know what to do if you are in a car accident? What about an accident where the other driver isn’t insured? There are some important things that your Houston car accident lawyer wants you to know when handling a situation like this.

Ask a Houston Car Accident Lawyer: What If the Other Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?

Know If You Have Uninsured Motorist Coverage

In some states, it’s legally required for drivers to have uninsured motorist coverage along with their regular coverage. This is not required in Texas, but it’s something you should consider getting if you don’t already have it.

Uninsured motorist coverage will cover the damages you’ve incurred even if the other driver is uninsured. Make sure you check with your insurance provider to see what exactly your plan covers. Some uninsured motorist coverage plans can even help cover the cost of medical treatment you may need.

Don’t Accept Any Money from the Other Driver

The other driver involved in your accident might realize quickly that they could be in a lot of trouble for not driving with insurance. To avoid this trouble, the driver may offer you some money.

You should not accept this money—even if it seems like a lot! If you accept any money now, then you could be forfeiting your right to seek out the compensation that you actually deserve for what you’ve been through.

Exchange Your Information

When you’re in any kind of vehicular accident, including one with an uninsured driver, you are going to need to exchange information with the other driver. The only difference here is that you won’t be taking their insurance information. Do make sure that you get their contact information, as you’ll need to get in touch with them later.

If any witnesses saw your accident, then you should take this time to gather their information as well. They can offer important testimony that will affect the outcome of your settlement and strengthen your claim.

Call a Lawyer

When you’re going through any type of legal process, the number one thing you must do is contact a qualified lawyer. When you work with the top car accident attorney in Houston, you can trust that you’re getting expert legal advice and guidance. This will be particularly important in more complicated cases like when a driver is uninsured.

You may be considering choosing to represent yourself in your legal battle, but this is rarely a good idea. You likely don’t have the same kind of expertise and training that your lawyer does, which puts you at a huge disadvantage. Your lawyer will protect your rights and help you get compensated for your injuries and damages.

What If It Was a Hit-and-Run?

If the driver who hit you was uninsured, then they may not have wanted to stick around the scene of the accident. When a driver is involved in a collision and flees the scene, this is a hit-and-run. 

These can be notoriously difficult cases. If you’ve been in a hit-and-run, once you’ve checked for injuries and gotten yourself safe, try to write down as many details about the other driver that you remember. This includes the make, model, and color of the car, as well as the license plate if you manage to see it. This will help the police in their search for the driver. 

How Will a Lawyer Help Me?

Help You Find Evidence

As the plaintiff, it’s your job to gather the right evidence to prove that you were injured and that your injuries were caused by the car accident you were involved in.

Your lawyer will help you determine what pieces of evidence will be most helpful for your case and they’ll help you gather them too. This includes things like medical bills, photos and videos of the scene, and the police report.

Know What to File and When

If you are seeking compensation for your injuries and damages, then there are several pieces of paperwork that you’ll need to follow. For your claim to be taken seriously, you will need to make sure that all of this paperwork is filed on time.

But it can be hard to keep track of everything when you’re dealing with injuries from your accident. This is another area where your lawyer can help you. Your lawyer will know exactly what paperwork needs to be filled out, and they’ll make sure it gets to where it needs to go.

Car accidents are frightening and stressful. These feelings can be exacerbated if you’re in an accident with a driver who is uninsured. You should always make sure you have a qualified lawyer on your side in any legal battle, especially ones like this. Your lawyer will help you get the compensation you need.