Winnetka Uninsured Motorist Accident Lawyer

When you’re injured in a car accident with an uninsured driver, the usual post-accident protocol goes out the window. You may be wondering how your car will get repaired and your medical bills paid without being able to file a claim through their auto insurance company. At times like these, it helps to have the experienced uninsured motorist lawyers at the Walch Law Group in your corner to navigate your insurance claim, investigate your case, litigate your case in court if necessary, and work to get you the compensation you need and closure you deserve. Robert and Gary have spent over 45 years representing victims and delivering our clients in over 98% of their cases, so we know how to get results in any situation. Contact us to learn about the process and see how we can help you get justice.

By law, all drivers in California must have car insurance. The law provides minimum coverage amounts each driver is required to carry. Failure to do so can mean fines, penalties, and even drivers license suspension by the DMV. The current fines for no insurance are:

• $100-200 first offense
• $200-$500 second offense

These fines quickly become expensive when you consider a $100 fine can cost nearly $450 after fees and penalties are added. Your car may also be towed and impounded; to get it back you’ll have to pay towing fees and storage fees as well as obtain and show proof of insurance. Most seriously, if you happen to get in an accident with no insurance – even if you’re not at-fault – you could be looking at a license suspension of up to 4 years.

Despite all this, nearly 1 in 8 drivers – almost 13% - took the risk and drove without insurance in 2017! These drivers are all around you on the road, but you can’t identify them until it’s too late. Even the best driver can have a momentary distraction and cause an accident, so it’s no stretch to imagine an uninsured driver could also cause an accident and cause you endless headaches.

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you if you’re involved in an accident with an at-fault driver who does not carry car insurance. If this happens, your insurance company pays for your damages. Uninsured motorist coverage may even cover damages you incur if you’re unable to determine whether a driver who hit you has insurance because they fled the scene and have not been located.

Currently, you are not required to have uninsured motorist coverage in California. Despite this, insurers are required to give you an option to include this coverage when you are purchasing an insurance policy. Drivers declining the coverage must sign a waiver indicating it was offered. In the event of an accident with an uninsured driver, the coverage will pay:

• You and your passengers’ medical expenses
• Up to $3,500 worth of property damage that your own policy’s collision coverage won’t

Though most drivers do abide by California law and carry current auto insurance policies, the level of coverage carried is often woefully inadequate for covering damages resulting from a car accident.

Consider this. California’s mandatory minimum insurance coverage requirements are currently:

• $15,000 for bodily injury
• $30,000 total for death or injury in a single accident.

In contrast, most insurance experts recommend carrying:

• $100,000 bodily injury coverage per person
• $300,000 bodily injury coverage per accident
• $100,000 property damage coverage

Even a simple fender-bender can result in thousands of dollars in damage. The California minimum coverage requirements are nowhere adequate to cover the hundreds of thousands in damage that can result from a serious accident where catastrophic injuries or permanent disabilities result.

Underinsured motorists can leave you struggling to pay expenses and damages not covered by their insurance policy – especially if they are not financially solvent and don’t have enough money to pay your damages even if you sued them and won a judgment against them. Thankfully, many clauses protecting you from uninsured motorists also cover underinsured motorists; this means your insurance company will pay some or all of the damages that exceed the limits of the underinsured motorist’s auto insurance policy.

Being injured in a car accident is stressful enough without adding in the worry of covering expenses an adequately insured driver’s insurance would normally have covered. These added financial burden might make you believe you can’t afford an attorney. Rest easy, because the experienced Winnetka uninsured motorist lawyers at Walch Law take every case on a contingency basis. We believe everyone is entitled to seek compensation from an at-fault party, so you don’t pay us until you get paid. We’ll work hard from the moment we’re hired and use our knowledge, skill, and resources to pursue the check you need and the closure you deserve. Contact us today to learn more and start down the road to recovery.