It’s a comforting thought that if you are hit by another motorist and the accident isn’t your fault, you may be able to obtain compensation through the other driver’s insurance company. It’s not an easy process, but the process is still there to be used. Compensation obtained through a personal injury claim can help pay for expensive medical bills, replace lost earnings, pay for the repair of any damage to your own car and compensate for the pain and suffering experienced.

One in Five Tennessee drivers are uninsured

It may then come as a bit of a shock to learn that an estimated 20% of all Tennessee drivers do not have any insurance at all, or if they do, they do not have sufficient insurance to cover a claim. In fact, the uninsured driver ratio in this state is one of the worst in the whole country. The only consolation is that it is not the absolute worst. Florida, Mississippi, New Mexico and Michigan all have higher percentages of uninsured drivers than Tennessee. It’s safer driving in the North East of the U.S., though. Maine, New York, Massachusetts and Vermont each have less than 7 percent uninsured drivers each. The U.S. average is around 12 to13 percent.

Of course, it’s illegal to drive without insurance in Tennessee and in any other state, but that doesn’t really help you when you are lying on a stretcher waiting for surgery, counting the potential cost of a collision with an uninsured motorist. So, what can you do if this has been your fate?

The best advice is to arrange a consultation with a car accident attorney right here in Nashville to discuss the situation and your legal options.

The first step will be to check your insurance policy very carefully. Many people have uninsured /underinsured motorist insurance without realizing it. If you do have this insurance cove, it means that failing all else, you should be able to make a claim with your own insurance provider. If you haven’t actually had an accident yet and are just curious about what you would do if you were hit by such a motorist, the fact that one in five drivers in this state do not have insurance should send you scurrying down to your insurance provider’s office to request uninsured motorist insurance!

Does the uninsured driver have other assets?

If you do not have appropriate insurance cover and you were injured and your car damaged by an uninsured motorist, then your own other realistic chance is if the motorist has assets which can be sold or used to pay for your claim against him or her. This may be a bit of a long shot because if police are called to the scene of the accident, it is likely that the motorist will face arrest on an uninsured driver charge. If the driver is convicted he or she will face time in prison and a fine at the very least. That might make you feel better, but it could easily make it more difficult trying to get the driver to use assets to pay compensation if you file a personal injury claim against him or her.

Each situation is unique. Even if the other driver has assets which can be used to provide compensation you will need experienced legal help to work your way through the complexities of a claim. The Keith Williams Law Group in Nashville has attorneys available to discuss your case and suggest solutions in the event that you have been involved in an accident through no fault of your own with an uninsured motorist. Contact the office today on (615) 444-2900.