A car accident in Florida ruins your day and causes serious injuries, medical complications, and severe financial losses. To top it all off, you discover that the at-fault party doesn’t even have car insurance.
It may seem hopeless. How else will you be able to seek compensation for your damages if there’s not an insurance company to file a claim against? The cost of medical bills, lost earnings, and pain and suffering can quickly add up.
Fortunately, with the help of an experienced Florida car accident lawyer at Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath, you can pursue other options to receive the compensation you need to cover your financial expenses.
Recovering Damages After an Accident with an Uninsured Driver
If the negligent driver who caused your car crash does not carry a car insurance policy, you can still seek compensation through other options such as:
- Filing a personal injury protection (PIP) claim
- Filing a collision policy claim
- Filing an uninsured motorist claim
To find out what happens if other driver is not insured, contact a skilled Florida car accident lawyer. They can help you weigh the pros and cons of each option and move forward with the necessary next steps.
Filing a PIP Claim
According to Florida Statute Chapter 627 § 736, every Florida driver must carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance with a minimum coverage amount of $10,000. After a car crash that results in bodily injury, your first step will be to file a PIP claim with your own insurance company – regardless of which driver was at fault for the accident.
Once your insurance company has compensated you up to the limit of your PIP coverage, you can pursue bodily injury damages from the other driver and their insurance company. However, if your damages were minor, the compensation you receive from your PIP claim may be enough to cover your expenses.
Filing a Collision Policy Claim
Collision insurance covers repairs or replacement costs for your vehicle if you are involved in an accident.
A collision policy claim differs from a liability policy claim, which pays if you are at fault for an accident that damaged another driver’s vehicle. It is also separate from comprehensive coverage, which covers losses that aren’t necessarily related to driving the vehicle (hail, theft, etc.). We may be able to help you file a collision policy claim to cover the costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle.
Filing an Uninsured Motorist Claim
Uninsured motorist coverage provides the policyholder with coverage for damages caused by a negligent driver if other driver is not insured. Uninsured motorist coverage handles losses if the at-fault driver is not able to pay for all or enough of the damages they caused.
Although uninsured motorist coverage is optional, it’s recommended that Florida drivers carry this type of insurance. Florida is a no-fault insurance state, meaning insurance companies cover their own policyholders in accidents.
As you can see, even if the at-fault driver does not carry insurance or inadequate insurance, you still have different options to pursue the compensation needed to cover your damages and other financial losses.
Contact a Skilled Florida Car Accident Lawyer
If the at-fault driver that caused your accident does not hold a car insurance policy but has assets, our office can potentially assist you with suing them personally. This is another way to reclaim damages that you are entitled to and need to recover.
Contact our office today to schedule a risk-free case evaluation. Remember, you don’t pay a dime in legal fees unless we win compensation for you. Call us today at 561-655-1990 or send us a message online. We look forward to speaking with you about your case.
