WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE HIT BY AN UNINSURED DRIVER

Getting hit by an uninsured driver is one of the most frustrating kinds of cases to encounter. A lot could go wrong very quickly. Every driver and the car owner is expected to have insurance. However, a good percentage go without. And whenever an accident occurs, it becomes more challenging to handle. There are some very important things a person who had been involved in a crash with an uninsured driver should immediately do.

Remain Calm and Don’t Give in To Emotions.

Crash sites are typically emotional scenes. Every emotion from anger, sadness, fear, and frustration find expression. In the heat of the moment, actions can be made and things can be said that could put the victim at a disadvantage. The first thing a victim needs to understand is to remain calm. Do not explode in anger or sadness. Either of these emotions can be used to manipulate the victim. Uninsured drivers, knowing they are wrong, will attempt to endear themselves to the victim by provoking violent reactions or pulling at their heartstrings with sob stories about how sorry they are. Stay calm and remain focused.

Call The Police and File A Report.

Tying this to the first point, an uninsured driver will attempt to convince the victim not to call the police. While the victim may genuinely feel sorry for the offender, it would be foolish not to proceed with involving law enforcement. To begin with, failing to report the accident will hinder the victim from getting compensation from both their insurance company and other contributory parties. Also, there are legal consequences to leaving the scene of an accident without reporting it. Call the police, let them come in, assess the situation, and gather the necessary information they need to firmly establish who is at fault in their final report. It will come in handy in the next steps to be taken.

Call An Experienced Attorney.

At some point in their career, most experienced personal injury attorneys have received calls from their clients saying ‘I was hit by an uninsured driver’. That one statement spurs them into action to protect the interest of their clients. The victim’s attorney will provide them with the necessary information on how the matter should be handled. The attorney will negotiate with the victim’s insurance company, put together a claim, file the claim and pursue it to its successful conclusion.  

Don’t Accept Any Fault or Offer of Money.

While awaiting the arrival of the police to the scene, avoid unnecessary conversations with the offending driver as much as possible. There is a high possibility they will attempt to offer money in exchange for silence. Do not accept it. It may seem like a good deal but more often than not, it isn’t. it will not cover most of the damages and injuries the victim will sustain after a proper assessment has been conducted. it also implicates the victim who can be charged with attempting to cover up a crime and protect a road offender. Also, importantly, the victim should never accept any fault as this would mean they are liable and will have to pay for some of the damages.

Conclusion.

Getting hit by an uninsured driver can be a major worry as the thoughts of how compensation will come about will persist. However, the right legal practitioners will know what to do and how to handle the situation in the victim’s favor.