Kirk Bernard Addresses the Aftermath of an Auto Accident with an Uninsured or Underinsured Driver
Kirk Bernard
December 05, 2009
Nationally, around 14 percent of drivers on the road do not have the auto insurance that is required by nearly every state in the country. As a Seattle auto accident attorney, Kirk Bernard knows that considering the tens of thousands of auto accidents that occur every year in the United States, if you are in a car accident, the chances of being hit by an uninsured driver is around one chance in seven. If those odds aren´t sobering enough, in Washington, an estimated 18 percent of drivers do not have auto insurance, which raises the possibility of being in an accident with an uninsured driver to nearly one chance in five. This is in spite of the fact that all but two states have made auto insurance mandatory for years.
No doubt, a big part of Washington´s uninsured motorist problems stem from the fact that the state still does not require people to provide proof of insurance to register a vehicle, renew a registration, or receive a driver´s license. And while uninsured drivers are a huge problem for Washington motorists, a driver who has insurance but is underinsured can also present serious problems if they cause a car accident that injure another driver and the passengers. In such cases, the people injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver must contend with physical and financial hardship through no fault of their own. If you´ve been in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, here are some recommendations to protect yourself.
In Washington, the state´s at-fault statute requires that the person responsible for causing the accident is obligated to pay all costs related to the accident such as property damage, the costs of medical care, pain and suffering, and other costs. If you´ve been in an auto accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, after you or a witness has called 911 and checked on the safety of others, collect information from everyone who was involved in or witnessed the accident. Write down names, addresses, contact information, driver´s license numbers, insurance policy numbers (if possible or applicable), license plate numbers and any other information that seems pertinent.
Next, never admit that you were at fault for causing the accident, even if you were. Even if you think you may have caused the auto accident, let the police officers investigating the accident determine who or what was at fault for causing the accident. If you have a camera in your vehicle or a cell phone with a camera, take many pictures that document the accident scene. Photograph the vehicles involved in the crash, any property damage caused by the accident, road conditions if they might have been a factor, and make sure to take pictures of the intersection or roadway where the accident took place in all directions. Note stop signs, traffic signals and other nearby signage if applicable.
Before talking to or settling with your insurance company or the insurance companies of anyone else involved in the accident, talk to a qualified legal team of experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys. It´s important to remember that auto insurance companies—yours and other drivers—are for-profit enterprises and the less money they pay out, the more money they get to keep. If you were in an accident caused by an underinsured driver, your Washington personal injury lawyer can negotiate with the at-fault driver´s insurance company and the company that issued your underinsured motorists coverage. If an uninsured driver hit you, it´s even more important to have an experienced personal injury attorney to negotiate with your insurance company to ensure that someone else is looking out for you.
Some drivers feel an obligation to reach an accommodation with their insurance company without the assistance of a personal injury attorney because they just want to get it over with or don´t want to seem greedy. In this or any other case, it´s very important to remember that you have paid for uninsured or underinsured coverage in case you need it someday—probably for many years without a single claim—and now it´s the insurance company´s responsibility to honor their policy.
No doubt, a big part of Washington´s uninsured motorist problems stem from the fact that the state still does not require people to provide proof of insurance to register a vehicle, renew a registration, or receive a driver´s license. And while uninsured drivers are a huge problem for Washington motorists, a driver who has insurance but is underinsured can also present serious problems if they cause a car accident that injure another driver and the passengers. In such cases, the people injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver must contend with physical and financial hardship through no fault of their own. If you´ve been in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, here are some recommendations to protect yourself.
In Washington, the state´s at-fault statute requires that the person responsible for causing the accident is obligated to pay all costs related to the accident such as property damage, the costs of medical care, pain and suffering, and other costs. If you´ve been in an auto accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver, after you or a witness has called 911 and checked on the safety of others, collect information from everyone who was involved in or witnessed the accident. Write down names, addresses, contact information, driver´s license numbers, insurance policy numbers (if possible or applicable), license plate numbers and any other information that seems pertinent.
Next, never admit that you were at fault for causing the accident, even if you were. Even if you think you may have caused the auto accident, let the police officers investigating the accident determine who or what was at fault for causing the accident. If you have a camera in your vehicle or a cell phone with a camera, take many pictures that document the accident scene. Photograph the vehicles involved in the crash, any property damage caused by the accident, road conditions if they might have been a factor, and make sure to take pictures of the intersection or roadway where the accident took place in all directions. Note stop signs, traffic signals and other nearby signage if applicable.
Before talking to or settling with your insurance company or the insurance companies of anyone else involved in the accident, talk to a qualified legal team of experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys. It´s important to remember that auto insurance companies—yours and other drivers—are for-profit enterprises and the less money they pay out, the more money they get to keep. If you were in an accident caused by an underinsured driver, your Washington personal injury lawyer can negotiate with the at-fault driver´s insurance company and the company that issued your underinsured motorists coverage. If an uninsured driver hit you, it´s even more important to have an experienced personal injury attorney to negotiate with your insurance company to ensure that someone else is looking out for you.
Some drivers feel an obligation to reach an accommodation with their insurance company without the assistance of a personal injury attorney because they just want to get it over with or don´t want to seem greedy. In this or any other case, it´s very important to remember that you have paid for uninsured or underinsured coverage in case you need it someday—probably for many years without a single claim—and now it´s the insurance company´s responsibility to honor their policy.
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