While the current economic slowdown has many negative consequences for Atlanta, GA residents, most people do not consider one of those to be a more negative outcome in a car accident. The reality is that the goal of proving the fault of another driver is only part of the process of succeeding in a personal injury claim or lawsuit involving a car accident.
It is often the case that the at-fault driver will be uninsured or underinsured, leaving an accident victim with insufficient financial resources to pay medical bills, cover lost income or compensate for pain and suffering. It is important to keep in mind that almost 14 percent of drivers nationally do not have insurance according to a recent insurance industry study conducted by the Insurance Research Council. Insurance industry analysts also predict that these numbers will increase with lingering high unemployment rates.
It only adds insult to injury that drivers without insurance have a higher probability of causing accidents by engaging in unsafe driving practices, or that their vehicles may not be properly maintained. Uninsured drivers are also at a higher risk of being involved in an Atlanta, GA auto accident because drivers with a history of accidents and traffic violations are more difficult to insure and face higher insurance premiums. This means that the drivers most likely to cause accidents also tend to be those who lack adequate car insurance or have no auto insurance at all. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners estimate that the fiscal cost of uninsured drivers to insured drivers involved in auto accidents is approximately $10.8 billion. This cost is predicted to rise because the number of uninsured drivers tends to track with unemployment rates.
If you are involved in an accident with a driver with no insurance or one that lacks adequate coverage, there are a number of options for an experienced Georgia auto accident lawyer. In some cases, there may be other entities that share liability for your accident including other motorists, public entities that design unsafe roads, automakers that produce defective vehicles or other negligent parties. An experienced Atlanta, GA auto accident lawyer will help you identify all potential responsible parties. Even if the driver who was substantially responsible for your accident lacks adequate insurance, your Georgia car accident attorney may try to recover from other parties who also engaged in careless or unsafe conduct that contributed to your auto collision.
Most commonly when there is no other negligent party that contributes to your car accident, an Atlanta, GA car accident lawyer may be able to help you file a claim for damages with your own insurance company, if you have uninsured motorist coverage or underinsured motorist coverage. This coverage can compensate you for losses where the at-fault driver lacks adequate insurance. Although uninsured motorist coverage is optional in Georgia, it is generally recommended that drivers purchase coverage, which at the very least is equivalent to their bodily injury liability limits, because 16 percent of Georgia drivers are uninsured.
If you or someone you love has been involved in an Atlanta, GA car accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, the committed and experienced Georgia car accident lawyers at Montlick and Associates may be able to assist you in pursuing a claim against another responsible party or your uninsured motorist coverage. Our Atlanta auto collision lawyers are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
