Like all of Georgia, Acworth has more than its fair share of uninsured drivers. Some of these drivers can’t afford insurance, some simply refuse to pay, and others don’t even understand the law—but all of them put innocent people at risk when there’s an accident.
If you or your family member were in an accident with an uninsured driver, you DO still have a right to recover money, and there are ways to enforce it. Don’t miss out. You need to talk to an Acworth uninsured motorist accident lawyer.
Call John Foy & Associates. For over 20 years, our law firm has helped people in Acworth and across Georgia when dealing with uninsured drivers. We understand how quickly the pain of your accident can become anger when you find out that the person who hit you was uninsured.
We don’t believe that their irresponsible action is any excuse. Let us help you get the money you deserve. Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to the right to get a free consultation today.
Reach out to our Acworth car accident lawyer to learn more about your legal options.
What’s the Difference Between Being Hit By Someone with Insurance, and Someone Without Insurance?
Legally, your rights are very much the same. Practically speaking, however, the way we pursue your claim is going to be very different.
Georgia is a fault state. That means that whichever driver is primarily at fault for the accident is the one liable for the costs involved. That’s true whether they have insurance or not. But the reason the state of Georgia requires people to carry auto insurance is that most motorists are unable to pay steep accident costs out of pocket—at least, not very easily. So, the insurance of the at-fault party usually picks up the bill.
When there is no insurance, it doesn’t change the fact that the at-fault driver is liable for your costs. But it changes how you end up getting paid.
There are four main places we can turn to in order to get you money:
- There’s a chance that your own auto insurance will pay some or all of the costs of the accident, at no penalty to you. This is known as “uninsured motorist insurance” and you may have it even if you don’t know it.
- Likewise, the driver who hit you may have some insurance, but not enough to pay for all the costs. This is known as being “under-insured.” Their policy can still pay at least part of the cost of the accident.
- Your own health insurance, if any, may also help relieve you of some of the costs of your injuries.
- Finally, the uninsured driver themselves may have to pay. They almost certainly cannot pay all of your costs at once, but over the course of months or years, it is possible to make you whole on all of your costs.
We can pursue ALL of these avenues, not just one. Ultimately, even if no one source of funds has enough to cover all the damages, all of them together will often end up covering your costs.
This means that, for you as the victim, there are only two main differences between an uninsured accident and a normal car accident:
It Will Likely Take You Longer to Get the Full Amount of Money
Pursuing the different avenues takes time, and the uninsured driver will likely have to pay in installments.
There Is a Much Higher Chance You Will Have to Go to Court
Insurance companies usually want to settle without a courtroom trial, but individual drivers often need a formal order from the county court before they will start to pay.
How Much Money Can I Recover in an Accident Claim Against an Uninsured Motorist?
The total amount you can recover is the same whether the at-fault driver is insured or not—it just may take longer to get it. That means your accident claim can include all of the following:
- All of your medical bills
- The cost of any expected ongoing or future treatment
- All of the costs related to repairing or replacing your vehicle
- Any wages you missed because you couldn’t go to work due to the accident
- Most other expenses related to the accident (if any)
Altogether, that means 100% of your costs should be covered—you walk away with no debt from the accident.
Normally, that total amount may then be multiplied to determine your final financial settlement. Multiplying it is a way of providing extra money to offset the pain, suffering, and long-term effects of your injuries. The multiplier may be big or small depending on how severely the accident impacted your quality of life.
In a claim against an uninsured motorist, this may not be realistic. The exact damages for pain and suffering—the “multiplier”—are normally negotiated between your lawyer and the insurance company. The insurer’s team understand how these numbers work and how much is normal for different kinds of injuries. Individual drivers do not have this knowledge, nor do they necessarily care about your pain and suffering.
Ultimately, in an uninsured motorist case, it will be up to the court to decide how much pain and suffering to include. Courts are generally sympathetic to injury victims, but may be less inclined to include pain and suffering when they know it will be paid out of pocket by an individual.
So what should you expect? Generally, you can assume you will be awarded more than just your out-of-pocket costs, but less than you might have gotten from an insurance settlement.
A good Acworth car accident lawyer can help you get an accurate idea of the amount to expect in your specific case.
Talk to an Acworth Uninsured Motorist Accident Lawyer for Free
No one should be left with bills just because some other driver was uninsured. Let us help you. Our team has been winning cases against uninsured drivers for more than 20 years—and making sure the victim gets paid. We charge you NOTHING if we don’t get money for you.
Let us give you a free consultation. Call us at 404-400-4000 or fill out the form to the right to set up your FREE consultation right away.
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