Even if no one has been hurt, you may also want to call the police if the cars are really damaged so you can get a police report. If you are found at fault, you'll likely be personally on the financial hook for any injuries and vehicle damage resulting from the crash (since you don't have an insurance policy in place to cover those losses). There can be other implications for drivers too, depending on your state and local car insurance laws. The information provided on this Website does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every driver in Washington is required to carry liability insurance with limits of at least $10,000 for property damage and another $25,000 for bodily injury. Driving uninsured is a terrible idea, as most states in America require to have some sort of auto insurance to be safe while driving. If you can. Its an excellent idea to carry PIP, but its not required by law. Sometimes the fine costs more than a policy! CALL THE POLICE. If the case goes to trial and the other driver obtains a judgment against you, they have a number of options available to try to get some or all of that judgment satisfied, including garnishing your wages in some cases. Even if the at-fault driver of a car accident denies . This is critical if youve sustained a serious injury such as whiplash. If you are caught driving without car insurance in Washington, then you are subject to a fine of around $500. If someone is injured, its also common courtesy to ensure they receive the proper medical attention before leaving the scene. File a lawsuit against the other driver. No, Washington state is not a no-fault state. Website. You can use the tools on this page to connect with a nearby lawyer. If possible, find affordable insurance to . This means there are more legal hurdles to jump over, and a longer waiting period before fault is decided and a driver can be reimbursed. In some states, however, there are No Pay/No Play rules. If you have an accident and neither party involved has insurance that covers damage to their vehicle, then neither party will be able to make an insurance claim. Well go into the details of car insurance you should carry later in the guide. You are able to collect damages in proportion to your fault in the accident, The statue of limitation in Washington state is 3 years. For a free case consultation, call us at (817) 476-1797. In a situation like this, the best thing to do is call a traffic attorney. In contrast, an accident in Rhode Island only increases rates by 26%. Avvo Rating: 8.3. Whether or not a car accident is your fault, you should: Call 911 if anybody involved in the accident has been injured. If a lawsuit is filed against you, because you do not have insurance you will be looking at paying any damages to the injured person out of your own pocket. Youre entitled to be compensated for emotional anguish related to the accident. If you were injured in a car accident caused by the other driver, there may still be certain restrictions on what (if anything) you can recover against that driver, if you did not have your own car insurance. If you are in a car accident with no insurance but are not at fault, you may be able to recover compensation from the other drivers insurance. The doctors report will be additional evidence for your case. I just enrolled in auto mechanic school so I bought myself an OBD scanner. Each person at fault is assigned a portion of the blame and is responsible for paying a proportionate share of the damages. While Washington works on a pure comparative negligence policy, where shared fault reduces the percentage of compensation a party can claim in an accident, you may still face . If you are caught driving without insurance and your state requires it, you could face serious legal penalties. Exchange insurance information with the driver. Although 32,106 resulted in no injuries, 325 were fatal and 973 resulted in serious injuries. In New York, for example, if your vehicle is uninsured and is involved in an accident: Get more details on penalties for driving without insurance (from DrivingLaws.org). Keep your original quote and a copy of the letter," they advise. Christy Bieber is a personal finance and legal writer with more than a decade of experience. Typically, you have the following options to recover your lost wages in a car accident case: Make a request to your insurance company, if your policy includes that coverage. An experienced attorney can consider the specific circumstances of your situation and explain your options. However, if no police attend the scene and you fail to report an accident, your license may be suspended. Get Your Free Consultation From a Lawyer Near You. Previous versions of her include vet tech, research assistant, and venomous lizard wrangler. To do this, send the driver or their insurance company a letter of demand asking for the cost of repairs, towing and storage. Today, only 12 of those states remain, with many considering going back to a tort system. If youve been in a bad accident, you need to focus on recovery, not handling the legal matters involved with your claim. You must have physical proof of your insurance when driving. Good luck - and get your license. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service. Its not compulsory in Washington State, but can offer added peace of mind should the worst happen. A full explanation of the accident is conducted before assigning fault. updated Sep 13, 2022 Driving without insurance in Washington State can result in serious penalties, depending on the circumstance. If the other driver was at fault but has no insurance, your uninsured . A no-fault-based system means that fault does not bear significance in seeking compensation; injured parties are required to seek compensation through their own personal insurance. Who Pays the Bills? If the at-fault driver doesn't have auto liability insurance, they must pay for all the damages and injuries they caused. Keep in mind, too, that you are legally required to call the police if the accident caused injuries or deaths. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Make sure you and anyone else involved is uninjured, and call 9-1-1 and/or give first aid as needed. So, if you live in a no-fault state and you don't have insurance, even if you're at fault for the accident, the other driver probably can't name you as a defendant in a lawsuit and seek compensation directly from you. Washington State law requires all drivers to have auto insurance to protect others from accidents and injuries. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. But if it does happen, heres what you need to know. $50,000 per person if more than one person is injured. Calling the police after your crash is essential if you are seeking a rental car. In those states, if you cause a car accident and another person is injured, they can sue you for all damages resulting from the car accident. Although in most American states, everyone must have liability insurance to be allowed to drive, there are two states in which drivers can choose not to hire an insurance company. We are fully committed to assisting our clients to receive fair compensation for their injuries. For instance, one driver could be 30% responsible for the accident, meanwhile the other driver is 70% responsible. It truly helped me! Marcus F. My husband and I got the lowest rate (much lower than the rates I was finding online through my own searches), Find insurance savings it's 100% free, Compare Free Quotes (& Save Hundreds per Year! If you are insured, you can claim on your insurance. and the other driver is insured, you can file a claim with their insurance company for any medical bills or vehicle damage that you have, even though youre uninsured. Call for a free consultation at 727-937-1400 or visit us on the Web at www.serviceandjustice.com. No fees, ever. In other words, Alabama is not a no-fault state. Washington drivers have the option of carrying PIP or Personal Injury Protection insurance. You can use the tools on this page to connect with a nearby lawyer. If you were hurt in an accident, call our Dallas car accident attorneys at The Queenan Law Firm today. you are not at fault for the accident; the damage is less than $15,000; the other driver has made a claim on their insurance; What happens if neither party in a car accident has insurance? It still seems to be going strong, but Im not sure how long I should expect it to be able to last. In those states, if you did not have valid automobile insurance in place at the time of the accident, you're limited in the types of compensation you can receive for your injuries, and in a few states (like New Jersey) you can't recover anything at all against the at-fault driver. Depending on the severity of the collision, your license can be suspended for up to three years and youll need to pay a $75 reinstatement fee. Essentially, it is the opposite of an at-fault claim where you are liable for any damage. Please try again later. Exchange all required information with the other driver, and get as much documentation of the accident as possible. The Washington State Department of Transportation Crash Data Portal shows the main causes of accidents were teen drivers, distracted drivers, and drunk drivers. For example, you might be able to pursue a claim only if the other driver was drunk or fled the crash scene, or you may only be allowed to obtain partial compensation for losses. When you are not-at-fault. License suspension. If you believe the other driver was at fault, Legal Aid recommends you write a letter of demand, asking them to pay for your car and other costs. Like uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, PIP must be declined in writing., How important is it to have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in Washington? Every client is entitled to a free consultation, so give us a call at 1-800-404-9000 or contact . Weve already mentioned. That means when an accident occurs, fault is assigned to one or both drivers. . Read more on the steps you should take after being in an auto accident. In addition, the Department of Motor Vehicles in most states will also impose penalties that include the suspension or revocation of your driver's license, usually for a period from a few months to one year. , though, helped me find affordable insurance. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. In a no-fault state, if a person is injured in a car accident, they're generally required to seek compensation for economic (out of pocket) losses directly from their own car insurance company. However, if an uninsured driver gets in an accident, they must know how to deal with it without facing hard penalties. Get Your Free Consultation From a Top Lawyer. Furthermore, you can sue or be sued over a car accident without a police report. 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