Hit By An Uninsured Driver? Here’s What You Should Do

There's a lot of different things we worry about whenever we get behind the wheel, including the possibility of getting into an accident. But have you ever wondered about what you would do if you got into an accident with someone who doesn't have insurance?

That's why I decided to talk to Rich Barnes at The Barnes Firm - One of America’s Largest Injury Law Firms - right here in Buffalo. I asked him quite simply: what should you do if you get into an accident with an uninsured driver?

Under New York state law, a vehicle being operated on the roadways is required to have insurance. Unfortunately - we at the Barnes Firm have seen this more times than we'd like - there are often accidents caused by negligent drivers that don't have insurance, whether they let their insurance lapse unintentionally or sometimes they just didn't bother paying for it. But there are options for people to look into if that unfortunate situation arises: you can insurance yourself for this kind of problem by taking out what is called supplemental uninsured motorist coverage (SUM), which is something that you can talk to your insurance agency about if you don't already have it.

But what do you do if you're in a situation where you're hit by a driver that doesn't have insurance and you don't have SUM coverage? Here's what Rich says:

The state of New York, many years ago, created an entity that is designed for this called MVAIC. It's a state-backed entity that can help if you've been hit by an uninsured driver or involved in a hit and run and you don't know whether that person had insurance or not because they're gone. It's a little bit tricky, though. There are time limits on making the claims - my best advice for people would be to contact us at The Barnes Firm to help walk them through it. One of the most important things to remember is that you must report the accident to law enforcement. They will not investigate a claim unless there's been a police investigation and report. Also, there's a 90-day time limit to pursue that claim once the report is made if it's a hit and run. If it was an uninsured driver who did not leave the scene, you have 180 days.

The Barnes Firm is here to help you.

Visit TheBarnesFirm.com or call (800) 800-0000 and speak with an experienced injury attorney who can help answer your questions. You can trust that The Barnes Firm will help you get the best result possible.

Call their Buffalo office now!