Lithonia
Uninsured Motorist Accident Lawyer

In Georgia, when you get in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you usually file a claim with the other party’s insurance. However, when the person who caused your accident doesn’t have insurance, that can leave you without the normal route to get compensation. You aren’t out of options, though.

A car accident lawyer in Lithonia from John Foy & Associates can help you get paid for your damages. You don’t deserve to deal with the expensive aftermath of your crash if you weren’t at fault. An attorney will be able to walk you through every step of the process of getting the compensation you need.

What Happens If You Get Hit By Someone Without Insurance?

Georgia is what is known as an at-fault state, which means that, if a driver is at least 51% at fault for an accident, they are liable to pay for the damages that resulted from that accident. Usually, that payment is handled by the insurance company, who helps pay for medical bills, repairs, and other expenses that the victim has incurred.

However, when an uninsured driver is involved, Georgia’s at-fault policy actually makes it harder to get compensation than other, no-fault states. That’s because, since the other party has no auto insurance to pay for your damages and most likely cannot pay by themselves, you will probably need to turn to other sources for compensation.

Uninsured motorist accidents are complicated and hard to figure out. You still have plenty of options, though. First of all, your own insurance may have some coverage for you already, namely uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. That is an optional plan that you can get to cover an accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance.

What If I don’t Have Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

If you don’t have UM coverage or it doesn’t cost the full scope of your damages, you may have to file a lawsuit against the other driver. This is the other path to compensation, and while an experienced uninsured motorist attorney in Lithonia will be able to navigate the process, it will be a long ordeal.

If you’re not sure what your options are or whether it’s worth pursuing compensation, you can always talk to a lawyer from our firm. At your initial consultation, an attorney will assess your case and tell you what you can do to recover payment for your accident.

Auto Insurance Requirements in Georgia

As you may know, Georgia requires every licensed driver to have a base level of liability insurance, pursuant to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) § 40-6-10. Georgia’s liability insurance requirements are a 25/50/25 split, which means every driver has to have:

• $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person
• $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per crash
• $25,000 of property damage coverage per crash

Of course, sometimes, people don’t follow the law and do not carry the minimum insurance that they need to. That’s why Georgia law also requires insurance carriers to offer uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. There is no requirement to actually have that coverage on your plan, though, so drivers need to opt in before they are in an accident.

What to Do If You’re in an Accident With an Uninsured Driver

Any accident can be dangerous and harmful, so the first step you should take after your crash is to make sure you’re okay. That means pulling over to the side of the road and making sure you don’t have any injuries that need immediate attention. If you do, call an ambulance as soon as you can.

There are also steps you can take to make sure you can take to help your chances of getting full compensation for your damages. After an accident with an uninsured driver, you should:

• Call the police and get an accident report
• Get the other driver’s contact information and license plate number
• Call your own insurance company and inform them of the accident
• Go to the doctor, even if you feel like your injuries are minor
• Get in touch with a Lithonia uninsured motorist accident lawyer as soon as you can

You have a limited time to take action on your claim or lawsuit. During that time, a lawyer will be able to gather the evidence you need and guide you through the difficult claims process. Don’t miss out on the compensation that you may need to recover from your accident.

Talk to an Uninsured Motorist Accident Attorney Today

If the other party’s insurance can’t pay for your damages, it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve compensation. A crash involving someone without insurance can make it harder to recover, but it’s not impossible. You deserve a lawyer who knows what it takes to get you results.

The Lithonia uninsured motorist accident lawyers at John Foy & Associates want to make sure you get a fair shot at compensation. Someone else’s oversight—whether it’s the failure to get liability insurance or the failure to keep you safe on the road—shouldn’t mean you have no assistance in your recovery process.

Contact us online or call our offices today to get your FREE initial consultation.