Someone Hit Me, and They Do Not Have Insurance – What Should I Do?

Being injured by another driver’s negligence puts you in a difficult position. If the motorist also fails to carry the liability insurance that every driver is required to purchase, it makes the situation that much more challenging. Fortunately, an experienced South Carolina car accident attorney can help.

Motorists Are Required to Carry Liability Coverage

In South Carolina, car owners are required by the state to carry a specific minimum in liability insurance coverage, and if they fail to live up to the duty of care they owe others on the road, the injured party can seek compensation through this coverage.

Unfortunately, not all drivers live up to this responsibility. If you’ve been injured by a speeding or otherwise negligent driver who doesn’t carry the required insurance, your ability to recover compensation for your legal damages isn’t lost – you can seek compensation through your own policy, and a dedicated car accident attorney can help.

Your Own Uninsured Motorist Coverage

If you own a car in South Carolina, you’re required to purchase uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance (UIM), which offers more limited coverage than a personal injury claim would – but will compensate you for the following:

• The property damage to your vehicle and to anything in your vehicle
• Those medical expenses that are considered necessary

Additionally, UIM coverage in South Carolina can be stacked if you have more than one vehicle on the policy or can be stacked across policies if you have more than one that covers you for your household. Ultimately, this means that the amounts can be added together to increase the total coverage for the accident in question.

Personal Injury Protection

Another form of insurance that can help if you’ve been injured by an uninsured motorist is your personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. While you’re not required to carry PIP, the insurance company you purchased your policy from was required to offer it – and the only way to opt out is in writing. In other words, there is a very good chance that you carry PIP coverage.

Your PIP offers more comprehensive compensation that includes each of the following:

• Property damage to your car and to anything that was damaged inside it
• Your medical expenses, including any long-term healthcare needs you experience
• Your lost income, including any decrease in your ability to earn
• Your physical and emotional pain and suffering

While your own PIP coverage relates directly to you, you can expect the insurance company to employ the same tactics it would have used if it were the at-fault driver’s liability provider. In other words, you need a determined car accident attorney backing you up.

Reach Out to an Experienced South Carolina Car Accident Attorney Today

The practiced South Carolina car accident attorneys at Bradley and Perkins Attorneys at Law harness the full force of our impressive experience every time we take on a claim, and we’ll spare no effort in our focused pursuit of the compensation to which you’re entitled. For more information about what we can do to help you, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at 864-401-8770 today.