There you were, just driving home from work like usual when another motorist ran a red light and slammed into your car. As you exchange information, you discover the devastating truth—they don’t have insurance. Now you're facing mounting medical bills and lost wages, wondering how you'll ever recover financially from this crash that wasn't your fault.
At Beck & Beck, we understand the stress and uncertainty you're experiencing after being hit by an uninsured driver. Our Nebraska car accident attorneys have helped numerous clients handle these complex situations and pursue the compensation they deserve through alternate coverage options.
Steps to Take After an Uninsured Driver Collision
Your immediate actions after this type of accident significantly impact your ability to recover compensation for critical injuries and losses. With proper documentation and evidence, proving your case becomes much more manageable, giving you more opportunity to settle this personal injury claim through your insurance coverage or other legal channels. Here’s what we recommend:
- Call the police and ensure they file an official accident report.
- Take photos of all vehicle damage and the scene from multiple angles.
- Get contact information from any witnesses.
- Seek prompt medical attention and keep all records.
- Don’t accept any cash offers from the uninsured driver.
- Contact your insurance company right away.
- Consult with an experienced car accident attorney. At Beck & Beck, we offer a no-obligation free consultation to help assess what your case needs.
Document everything related to the crash and your injuries, including medical bills and treatment records, pay stubs showing lost wages, and correspondence with insurance companies. Photos of your injuries and how they affect your daily activities can also be helpful.
Taking these steps immediately after your accident helps protect your right to compensation and strengthens your legal claim.
Understanding Your Insurance Coverage Options
Your auto insurance policy likely includes uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, which is required in Nebraska. This coverage protects you when an uninsured driver hits you or you're involved in a hit-and-run accident.
Nebraska's minimum required UM coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury. UM coverage can help pay for medical bills and ongoing treatment costs, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering damages, rehabilitation, and other losses.
While these minimums provide essential protection, they might not be sufficient in serious situations. UM coverage above minimum requirements can be invaluable if you're severely injured by an uninsured driver.
Additional Sources of Compensation
Beyond your UM coverage, other potential sources of compensation may include:
- Your personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, which can provide immediate coverage for medical expenses and lost wages
- Health insurance coverage for medical treatment
- Other liable parties who may have contributed to the accident, such as vehicle manufacturers or maintenance providers
- Your collision coverage for vehicle damage repairs
- Umbrella insurance policies that may provide additional coverage
Our Nebraska car accident attorneys, John Beck and Paul Beck, will thoroughly investigate possible sources of compensation.
Legal Options for Pursuing Compensation from an Uninsured Driver
An uninsured driver can still be personally liable for damages through several legal mechanisms. For example, you can file a lawsuit against them to recover economic and non-economic losses related to the crash. If successful, the court may order wage garnishment from their paycheck, place liens on their property, and seize bank accounts.
The uninsured driver's assets might also be used to pay damages. Those damages include real estate, vehicles or high-value items, investment accounts, future earnings, and business interests.
However, collecting from uninsured drivers can be challenging if they have limited assets or income, so having uninsured motorist coverage is crucial. Our skilled car accident attorneys at Beck & Beck will evaluate whether pursuing the uninsured driver would be worthwhile based on their assets and income.
Why You Need an Experienced Attorney for an Uninsured Driver Claim
As you can see, these cases are complicated and require extensive documentation and negotiation with insurance companies. Additionally, insurance adjusters may try to minimize your claim or deny coverage altogether. Our firm only handles auto accident cases, so when you partner with us, we’ll jump right in to:
- Investigate all potential sources of coverage and liability.
- Handle all communication with insurance companies.
- Document and calculate your current and future damages.
- Negotiate for maximum compensation from all available sources.
- Pursue legal action against the uninsured driver if necessary.
- Ensure your rights are protected throughout the process.
- Help you understand the full value of your claim.
We can also outline how Nebraska's modified comparative negligence law might affect your claim and ensure that any settlement adequately compensates you for current and future expenses related to your injuries.