Many people in East Point go without car insurance, even though Georgia law requires it. Across the state, as many as 12 percent of cars aren’t insured, and many more carry only the minimum amount of insurance. After an accident, victims may learn that there is no insurance to pay for their injuries, or they may find out the maximum insurance payment won’t begin to cover their costs.
If you have been in an accident with an uninsured or under-insured driver, you still have a right to recover all your costs. But you will need help from a good East Point uninsured motorist accident lawyer.
At John Foy & Associates, we’ve been recovering money in uninsured motorist cases for more than 20 years. Our practice is devoted solely to helping people who have been injured, and we have helped many people get money even where there was no insurance. You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s bad decision.
Let us give you a free consultation to discuss your case and explain your options. Call us at 404-400-4000 and get your free consultation today.
What Costs Are Covered By in an Uninsured Motorist Claim?
In car accident cases, Georgia is known as a “fault state.” This means that the driver who is at fault in the accident must pay for all the injuries and damage. This rule is the same regardless of whether the driver had insurance or not.
In the City of East Point, you can recover all your costs from a motorist who was uninsured or under-insured. You may also be entitled to additional large cash awards. In a typical case, you might recover money for:
- Medical bills
- Prescription drugs
- Physical therapy
- Car repairs or the cost of replacing a totaled car
- Lost wages, if you missed time from work because of the accident
You may also be eligible for money for pain and suffering or a long-term disability. Of course, money cannot begin to make up for the life-changing effects of a serious accident. But it can help you stay afloat financially and continue receiving good care while learning to adapt to life after the accident.
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What Should I Do If I Am in an Accident With an Uninsured Driver in East Point?
First, call for emergency medical care if anyone needs it. If you can manage it, there are a few other things you can do to protect your rights. This can be especially important when the other driver doesn’t have insurance. Uninsured drivers may do whatever they can to try to avoid responsibility. Steps to take include:
- Call the police. Don’t let the other driver talk you out of it. In Georgia, you are required to report an accident if anyone is injured or if there is significant vehicle damage. By calling the police, you’re doing your legal duty. The police report is an important way of showing what happened.
- Keep calm. No matter what the other driver says or does, do your best to stay calm. Don’t argue or explain yourself—you may say things in the heat of the moment that you will regret later. Never apologize or suggest that the accident was your fault.
- Take pictures. Take photos of the accident scene, the damage to the vehicles, and your injuries. Photos can be much more powerful evidence than words alone.
- Talk to witnesses. Bystanders or people who stopped to help may have seen the accident. Find out what they saw and get their contact information so you can follow up later.
- Go to the doctor. Even if you think your injuries are minor and will heal up on their own, have a doctor check you out. Many car accident injures get worse as the days go by, and the sooner you get started on treatment, the shorter your recovery time is likely to be.
In addition, it is important to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible. It is hard to recover money from an uninsured motorist unless you have a lawyer’s help.
If There’s No Insurance, How Can I Get Money?
There are several ways to recover money from an uninsured or under-insured driver. The strategy we use depends on the circumstances of your case. First, you should understand that vehicle owners in East Point are required to carry a minimum amount of insurance:
- $25,000 in bodily injury insurance per victim
- $50,000 of total bodily injury insurance
- $25,000 of property insurance
After an accident, the insurance company will pay for injuries and damage, but only up to the limits of the insurance policy. If your injuries will cost more than these limits, we say that the driver who caused the accident was “under-insured.” The local courts regularly see both uninsured and under-insured motorist cases, and they have various ways to order the money to be paid. Your lawyer may use one of several tactics, including:
- Making a claim on the uninsured or under-insured motorist coverage on your insurance policy
- Making a claim against another insurance policy that applies to the accident
- Asking the court to order the other driver to pay you out of pocket
- Putting a lien on the other driver’s assets such as a house, car or boat
To give yourself the best chance at a full financial recovery, it is important to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible. A lawyer can pursue the best approach for your case, while taking stress off you and freeing you to concentrate on your recovery.
It’s especially important to pursue financial compensation if you’ve been involved in a more severe accident. Our team specializes in all manor of motor vehicle collisions, so if you need an experienced T-bone, rollover or rear-end collision lawyer, our legal team is here to help.
Talk to an East Point Uninsured Motorist Accident Lawyer for Free
At John Foy & Associates, we don’t think it’s fair to charge you out of pocket for legal help after an accident. That’s why we won’t ask you to pay a thing unless we win money for you. Let us give you a free consultation to explain how we can help you get money from the uninsured driver who caused your accident.
Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right and get your FREE consultation today.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form