A motorcycle accident can be very serious. If the other driver doesn’t have insurance, it can increase your stress. Here are some ways you may be able to receive compensation for your injuries.
Check Your Own Insurance
Depending on your insurance, you may be able to get your company to cover your medical bills and damages. If you have uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, this insurance picks up the bills if you are hit by a vehicle without insurance. UM/UIM is optional coverage. Normally, your insurance company can offer it to you, but you have to choose it. In some places, you have to opt out. Check with your insurance company for more information. In some states, with no-fault insurance, you may file a claim through your insurance company for medical bills regardless who was at fault for the accident.
Use Your Health Insurance
You may have to use your own personal health insurance policy to pay your medical bills following an accident with an uninsured driver. It’s not ideal, but it can help you from going even deeper into a financial hole. Your insurance company may file a lien against any lawsuits that come from the accident. This is normal, and it would only apply if you do receive some kind of compensation from the other driver or other liable parties.
File a Lawsuit Against the Other Driver
If you know who the other driver was, you may be able to file a lawsuit to get them to pay for your medical bills and damages from their assets. Keep in mind that many drivers who don’t have insurance may not have many assets. Even if you do get a judgment, you may not ever see any money from them.
Find Out Whether There Are Other Liable Parties
Some accidents may have other people involved that can be sued for liability. For example, if a bar served a person too many drinks, let them drive home, and if that driver got in an accident, the bar may be partly responsible for the accident. If the other driver was working for a company, such as Uber or another commercial business, you may be able to go after the business for damages. You may have to get experts involved to find out this information, but it can be worth your time.
Talk to a motorcycle accident lawyer, like a motorcycle accident lawyer in Rochester, MN, about your case to take the next steps to protect your rights and find the right outcome.
Thanks to Johnston Martineau, PLLP for their insight into getting compensation in a motorcycle accident if the other driver is uninsured.