500+ five star reviewsIf you were involved in a car accident in Chattanooga but were unable to collect adequate information from the other driver, you still have options. Unfortunately, in Chattanooga and other areas of TN and GA, many drivers are uninsured or underinsured.
It is not uncommon for drivers without minimum limits of auto insurance to leave the scene of an accident for fear of getting into legal trouble. Sometimes, uninsured or underinsured drivers will remain at the scene, but will refuse to provide important information, such as their insurance info.
The experienced car accident attorneys at Dennis & Winningham Law have helped countless crash victims obtain the compensation they deserve in a timely manner, even when the other driver was uninsured or underinsured. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.
What Happens If You Don’t Exchange Insurance After an Accident
Any motor vehicle accident can be stressful, but things can get particularly challenging when the accident is a hit-and-run. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, up to 13 percent of all crashes in this country involve a hit-and-run.
Tennessee drivers involved in a collision are legally obligated to pull over and stop in a safe location. In addition, they should check to make sure that everyone is safe and call 911 if there are any visible injuries or significant vehicle damage.
In TN, the legal consequences of leaving the scene of an accident depend largely on the circumstances of the accident. If, for example, someone was seriously injured, the penalties can be severe, and the hit-and-run driver could be facing felony charges and up to 15 years imprisonment.
If you have been involved in a hit-and-run accident, remain at the scene and call the police. If possible, get the vehicle’s plate number, or take a picture of the vehicle before it disappears from sight. Do not attempt to follow the other driver. For starters, you are required by law to remain at the scene of the accident. Plus, following the other driver is dangerous.
By calling 911 immediately, the possibility of locating the hit-and-run driver increases dramatically. Contact an experienced Chattanooga lawyer today to determine how to proceed.
What To Do If A Driver Refuses To Give You Insurance Details
On some occasions, the other driver will remain at the scene, but will refuse to exchange pertinent information. Although this may be frustrating, do your best to stay calm. Even when the other driver refuses to cooperate, you may still be able to obtain all the information you need through other means. Step one is to call the police.
In addition to ensuring that everyone is safe, calling 911 will result in the creation of an official police report, which can be invaluable to your injury claim or lawsuit, if you choose to bring one against the at-fault party. Plus, police will likely have a much easier time obtaining the required information from other involved parties. If the other driver or involved parties are being difficult, just keep a cool head and wait for the police to arrive and collect the necessary info for you. There is no point in getting into a heated argument; it is unsafe and could jeopardize a future injury claim or lawsuit.
Explain to the officers that you were unable to obtain the other driver’s insurance information and ask them to share it with you. Then call your auto accident attorney. With solid legal counsel, you may be able to obtain substantial compensation for any damages suffered as a result of another’s negligence. Contact a Chattanooga car wreck lawyer today.
What To Do If The At-Fault Driver Won’t Contact Their Insurance
Once you have made sure that everyone is safe, called 911, and spoken to your attorney, it is critical to report the accident to your insurance company. In a perfect world, the other driver would also contact their insurance company, and the two insurance companies could communicate.
But it’s not a perfect world, and the other driver is not legally obligated to cooperate with your insurance company. If your insurance company is unable to reach the other driver or their insurance company, what do you do?
If you happen to know the name of the other driver’s insurance company, you can share this information with your carrier. You may be able to obtain this information from the police report. But do not, under any circumstances, contact the other driver’s insurance company on your own.
If your insurance company cannot reach the other driver or their insurance company, you may have at least enough coverage on your own policy to pay for vehicle repair and medical bills. This is especially true if you purchased uninsured/underinsured coverage for situations such as this.
What To Do If The At-Fault Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance
Tennessee drivers are required by law to carry minimum liability insurance. The current minimums are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Despite this law, there are thousands of TN drivers behind the wheel without adequate coverage. In fact, nearly one-quarter of all TN drivers don’t have liability insurance.
But even if the other driver is uninsured or underinsured, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from unnecessary losses. If you carry uninsured motorist coverage, your own policy may cover what would normally be the responsibility of the at-fault driver’s policy. In order to obtain that compensation, however, the uninsured driver may have to sign a statement. As such, it is extremely important to exchange contact information with the other driver, even if they don’t have any insurance.
Once you have exchanged information, contact a TN car accident attorney to help you navigate this process in the quickest, most economical manner possible.
Contact a Qualified Car Accident Attorney Today
If you’ve been injured in a hit-and-run accident, or by an uninsured or underinsured driver, the skilled legal team at Dennis & Winningham Law can help. Our experienced auto accident attorneys have been protecting the rights of Chattanooga drivers for decades, and we have an impressive track record of obtaining substantial compensation for our clients. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.
