Tampa Uninsured Driver Accident Lawyer
Hit by an Uninsured Driver in Tampa
Getting hurt in a car accident is painful, distressing and expensive. At least in most cases you have your no-fault PIP insurance coverage, and if you are seriously injured, you can sue the at-fault driver for the damages caused by their negligence. But what if the other driver is uninsured? This is a very real problem in Florida, where about one-fourth of all drivers on the road fail to carry any liability insurance. At the Rinaldo Law Group, our Tampa uninsured driver lawyers will do everything we can to make this situation better for you and make sure you get the care and compensation you deserve when you are injured in a car accident.
Florida Car Insurance Facts and Laws
Florida law requires drivers to carry many different types of car insurance, including no-fault coverage, also known as Personal Injury Protection (PIP). Your no-fault policy should pay up to $10,000 of your expenses in a crash if you were treated for an emergency medical condition, or up to $2,500 for a non-emergency condition.
If your injuries are serious and meet the statutory requirements, Florida law allows you to sue the at-fault driver for the full extent of your damages, including all of your present and future medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc. Unfortunately, Florida does not require drivers to carry any Bodily Injury Liability insurance, which provided coverage for these damages. Consequently, Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured drivers in the nation, with about one in four drivers lacking liability coverage to pay for your injuries if they are at fault in an injury-causing crash. This leaves you with two options for recovering compensation for a serious injury over and above your PIP coverage:
Sue the at-fault driver personally – If the negligent driver has the financial ability to cover your losses, you may be able to negotiate a settlement. If a settlement cannot be reached, you can sue the driver in court, and if you can prove that the driver’s negligence caused your injuries, you can obtain a money judgment against the individual. Collecting on that judgment may be difficult, however. There are ways to collect on a judgment, such as placing a lien on the person’s property or garnishing their wages, but if they do not have a lot of assets or financial means, it can be difficult to actually collect your judgment.
File a claim under your Uninsured Motorist policy – Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage pays for your damages when you are hit by an uninsured driver, or if you are hurt by an insured driver but your damages exceed that driver’s liability coverage. Given the large percentage of uninsured drivers in Florida, it is wise to purchase UM/UIM coverage to protect yourself. UM/UIM can be added to your Bodily Injury Liability policy, usually for a relatively small additional fee.
Whether you are dealing with another individually or an insurance company, we can help make sure you are treated fairly and get the full value of your claim to the extent possible. We know what it takes to prepare and present a persuasive case that proves the other party’s liability for the entire amount of your damages. We hand-pick our team to make sure you get the quality of medical care and legal representation you need for a successful outcome when hit by an uninsured driver in Tampa.
Experienced and Successful Tampa Car Accident Lawyer for Injuries Caused by Uninsured Motorists
If you were injured in a Tampa car accident caused by an uninsured driver, call the Rinaldo Law Group at 913-831-9999 for a free consultation with a knowledgeable, skilled and experienced Tampa uninsured driver lawyer.
