Struck By An Uninsured Driver In Florida?

The most recent available data states that over 20 percent of Florida drivers are uninsured. There are many different reasons why this might be the case, but regardless, accidents involving uninsured drivers are far too frequent in Florida, and when they happen, they cause headaches for the drivers with insurance. If this has happened to you, you are no doubt concerned about getting your medical bills paid and your expenses paid – and you may still have options to recover damages.

Harms Insured Drivers

Florida has a no-fault system for auto insurance, which means that every Florida driver is required to carry a certain amount of personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) coverage – as of this writing, $10,000 each is the minimum. In theory, this is then used to pay for minor injuries and medical bills, but if a person turns out to be injured beyond their insurance limit, they are then generally permitted to file suit against the person who allegedly caused their injuries.

However, a problem arises when the at-fault driver in an accident does not have the required insurance: in theory, the injured plaintiff will not be able to recover monetarily for their own damages unless they are carrying enough coverage to absorb it all (and most drivers do not). In this case, the two main options for an injured plaintiff once their own insurance coverage is exhausted are using uninsured motorist coverage (UMC), if one has any, or suing the at-fault driver.

Filing Suit

The best option for most plaintiffs in this position is to file suit against the at-fault driver, but this comes with its own pitfalls. For example, it is not uncommon for uninsured drivers to lack coverage because of poverty, meaning that even if the plaintiff files suit and is successful, there may not be much forthcoming from the driver allegedly at fault. Other times, a negligent driver may be difficult to locate, depending on the length of time after a crash.

Going through this situation is never easy, but sometimes, an experienced attorney can help – they may know where to look to find extra coverage in your policy, or how to determine if any other parties might have played a role in your accident. Also, though it may not help in the moment, an attorney can advise you and yours about obtaining uninsured motorist coverage, so hopefully this will not happen again.

Call An Orlando Auto Accident Attorney

Being involved in an auto accident in Florida can sometimes carry an extra layer of anxiety because of the state’s no-fault system. An Orlando auto accident attorney from the Hornsby Law Group can help minimize the stress on you and yours, while you focus on physical recovery. Contact our office today at (407) 499-8887 to schedule a consultation.

Source:

usnews.com/insurance/auto/uninsured-driver-crisis-milestone