What if I am Hit by an Uninsured Driver?

In Florida, all motorists are required to carry minimum liability auto insurance coverage. For instance, motorists in the state must have a policy that provides at least $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage and $10,000 in Property Damage Liability (PDL) coverage. Under state law, policyholders who are involved in accidents must first turn to their own insurers and policies to cover the cost of medical bills and other losses. The only time injured parties are able to step outside of these restrictions and file a claim against the other driver or that person’s insurer is when the limits of their policies do not cover their losses.

Unfortunately, many drivers fail to purchase coverage despite being required to do so by law, which can put injured parties at risk of not receiving compensation for their accident-related losses. To ensure that you have the best possible chance of recovering damages after your own collision with an uninsured driver, please contact a dedicated uninsured motorist attorney who is familiar with state law and can address your concerns.

What Will My Policy Cover After an Accident?

Under Florida law, drivers are required to carry a minimum of $10,000 in PIP coverage, which covers the cost of any physical injuries suffered in an accident, and $10,000 in PDL insurance.

Unfortunately, many drivers do not obtain this coverage, which can leave injured parties on the hook for the property damage sustained by their car in a collision. Similarly, drivers whose losses surpass the limits of their policy and who were injured by a driver with no coverage could find themselves thousands of dollars in debt for medical expenses.

For these reasons, Florida drivers are often encouraged to purchase Underinsured Motorist (UIM) and Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage, which helps pay for injuries caused by a driver who has no insurance or not enough insurance to pay for damages. Those who do not have UIM or UM coverage can seek compensation directly from the at-fault party by filing a claim against that person in court.

What to do After being Struck by an Uninsured Driver

If you were injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver, there are a few steps that you should take after ensuring your safety, including:

• Calling the police, as the responding officer will file an accident report that can be used for assessing liability at a later date;
• Exchanging information with the other driver, including contact information and vehicle details;
• Obtaining the contact information of any witnesses who saw the accident;
• Collecting evidence, which could include taking photos of the scene of the accident, writing down the make and model of the other car, as well as the location of the accident, and noting the name and badge number of the officer; and
• Refraining from accepting compensation directly from the at-fault driver.

Please contact our legal team today for help recovering compensation after your own collision with an uninsured driver.

Call Today to Speak With an Experienced Uninsured Motorist Lawyer

If you were injured in an accident with an uninsured driver, please call 954-566-9919 to schedule a free case evaluation with one of the dedicated Fort Lauderdale uninsured motorist attorneys at Boone & Davis.

Resource:

flhsmv.gov/ddl/frfaqgen.html#1