Not all states require car insurance, so drivers may get a bit mixed up as they travel from one state to the next across the U.S. While it wise to have this insurance as long as you plan to operate a vehicle, there may be many reasons preventing you from doing so. Still, regardless of state requirements, once you find yourself in a car accident, you’ll have quite a difficult time paying for the damages without the support of an insurer. 

Things could get much worse if you are the negligent party in such a case. If you do not have car insurance and have recently experienced an accident, read on to understand just how necessary legal guidance is to get you out of this conundrum. 

Legal Protection as the Victim of a Car Accident

Firstly, it is critical that you are protected by insurance when operating your vehicle on any public road or highway. Although it is not required in every state, this is the only way to ensure that you are adequately protected in the event of a collision. Why is that? If you were to incur damages (e.g., injuries, property damages, etc.) as the victim of a car accident, you need to be able to secure compensation by filing a claim with your insurance company. 

Your insurer, along with a lawyer, will assist you in holding the negligent driver accountable for their role in the accident, and help you to secure the compensation needed for a full recovery. Insurance coverage is especially important in cases where the negligent driver is uninsured, however. If they do not have the protection of an insurance policy, this means that they do not have the means to provide the necessary payout. In this case, the burden of financial coverage would then fall on you. 

At this point, if the damages exceed your policy limits, you would surely need the assistance of a lawyer to recover the necessary funds. Your lawyer will build a case for you that demonstrates the fault of the other driver and your subsequent need for compensation. If the defendant does not have an insurance policy, your lawyer will sue and secure another method of payment for you. 

Legal Protection as the Negligent Party

As the guilty driver in a car accident, the best-case scenario would be to have insurance coverage. Two elements of an insurance policy that can save you in such circumstances would be:

  • Duty to defend: Your insurer will secure a lawyer to protect you against the claims of the victim(s).
  • Duty to indemnify: Your insurer will provide the funds for all losses and damages.

If you do not have such protection, the plaintiff can legally seek compensation in the form of foreclosure, garnishment, or several other types of collections measures. As an uninsured driver, the only way to protect yourself from such circumstances is by having the protection of a lawyer. Though you will still have to provide a payout to the victim(s), the extent of the financial consequences can be severely reduced with a lawyer’s help. Get in touch with an experienced car accident lawyer today to learn about your options for financial security.