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In a Car Accident with Uninsured Driver? Here’s What You Should Do



It’s illegal to drive without insurance policy in Los Angeles and all across California.
In the state, the law requires all drivers with California license plates to have a car insurance liability policy with any of the following coverages:
  • $15,000 for injury/death to one person;
  • $30,000 for injury/death to more than one person;
  • $5,000 for damage to property.
Despite the seemingly strict laws, many car drivers in California find ways to get around the law. In fact, estimations from the California Department of Transportation says that approximately one in seven car drivers in California is uninsured.
If you do the math, that’s more than 3.5 million uninsured car drivers on the streets of Los Angeles and all across California. What are the chances of getting into a car accident with such a driver?
Very high. Any car accident can be a huge pain in the bumper. But there can be a lot more headache if an uninsured car driver crashes into you or vice versa. In such an event, you may not get the desired compensation for your damages even if you are properly insured yourself.
We asked car accident attorneys at JML Law, a Los Angeles-based law firm that has handled hundreds of motor vehicle accidents over the past more than 35 years, to spell out what the law says about insured driver vs uninsured driver collisions.

What to do in car accident with uninsured driver?

JML Law attorneys have prepared a handy guide to getting compensated for all your injuries, damages and losses in car accidents with uninsured drivers:
  1. Call the police and let them prepare a police report that will document the fact that the other party is uninsured;
  2. Seek medical help in case you or anyone else involved in the car crash was injured;
  3. Get as much information about the other party as possible (name, address, telephone number) and write down their car info: license plate, car model, color, etc.;
  4. Take pictures of the scene of the car accident (vehicle damage, injuries, the location of the collision, skid marks and other details that could help courts determine liability);
  5. Call an experienced car accident attorney to consult about your particular case and find out your best strategy before calling your insurance company;
  6. After consulting the car accident attorney, call the insurance company and communicate with them as instructed by the lawyer;
  7. If you don’t have Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) in your insurance coverage policy, your only option may be to file a lawsuit against the uninsured car driver who’s liable for the crash.
Note: it’s unlikely that you will get much from an uninsured car driver who didn’t even have enough money to spend on car insurance in the first place.
Although UM coverage is not required in Los Angeles and California, it may be a good idea to purchase one. Basically, UM replaces the liability coverage the uninsured driver involved in the car accident with you should have had to cover your damages, injuries and losses.
If you choose to file a lawsuit against the uninsured car driver, seek the legal advice of a Los Angeles car accident attorney to assess your injuries, vehicle damage and other damages
Also, never agree to initial settlements from insurance companies before your attorney evaluates the full cost of damages in your case.
Call JML Law Los Angeles offices at 818-835-5735 or send an email for a free case evaluation. Always have a car accident attorney’s number in your phone in case you ever get in a car crash with an insured driver.

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Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

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