What If the Other Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?

Discovering that the driver who hit you carries no insurance creates immediate financial anxiety about how you’ll pay your medical bills and repair your vehicle.

Washington law requires all drivers to carry liability coverage. Yet, thousands of motorists operate vehicles illegally without any protection, leaving innocent victims to face mounting expenses after crashes they didn’t cause.

Our car accident lawyers at Dean Standish Perkins & Associates understand the financial fear and frustration that accompany these circumstances. We provide free consultations to determine how to recover compensation on your behalf.

Washington’s Insurance Requirements

RCW 46.29.090 mandates that all Washington drivers maintain minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for multiple injuries, and $10,000 for property damage.

Despite these clear legal requirements, approximately 20% of Washington drivers lack insurance coverage.

When uninsured motorists cause accidents, victims must pursue alternative means of compensation to recover damages for their injuries and losses.

Your Insurance Policy May Provide Coverage

Your own auto insurance policy likely contains provisions that protect you when uninsured or underinsured drivers cause your injuries. At Dean Standish Perkins & Associates, we scrutinize your policy to identify all available coverage options that apply to your situation:

• Uninsured motorist coverage: compensates you for injuries caused by drivers with no insurance.
• Underinsured motorist coverage: provides additional compensation when at-fault drivers carry insufficient coverage.
• Personal injury protection (PIP): covers medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault.
• Collision coverage: pays for vehicle repairs even when the other driver has no insurance.
• Medical payments coverage: addresses immediate medical expenses without determining fault.

Our car accident attorneys negotiate with your own insurance company to ensure they honor their contractual obligations. Insurance carriers are not your friend and typically dispute uninsured motorist claims or offer inadequate settlements, hoping you’ll accept less than your policy entitles you to receive.

Legal Action Against Uninsured Drivers

We can help you evaluate whether filing a lawsuit directly against the uninsured driver makes sense in your situation. However, collecting a judgment often proves challenging. We evaluate the at-fault driver’s assets, employment situation, and potential future earnings to determine whether pursuing litigation makes financial sense:

• Wage garnishment
• Property liens
• Bank account levies
• Payment plans

RCW 4.16.080 gives you three years from the date of the accident to file a car accident lawsuit against the uninsured driver. Missing this statute-of-limitations deadline typically prevents you from recovering any compensation through the court system.

How We Maximize Your Recovery

Our car accident attorneys use comprehensive strategies to secure compensation, even when the responsible driver has no insurance. At Dean Standish Perkins & Associates, we investigate every available option to ensure you are fairly compensated for your injuries:

• Policy review
• Asset investigation
• Claim negotiation
• Third-party liability
• Settlement structuring

We understand the frustration you feel when someone else’s illegal conduct, like driving without insurance, compounds the harm they’ve already caused through negligent driving. Our firm holds uninsured motorists accountable while simultaneously pursuing every available avenue for your financial recovery.

Don’t let an uninsured driver’s irresponsibility prevent you from obtaining the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses. Contact Dean Standish Perkins & Associates at (206) 467-0701 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Seattle car accident attorney today.