Accident victims who were hit by an uninsured driver in Connecticut can still sue
New London, CT – One problem that some drivers in Connecticut may face is being involved in a motor vehicle accident with an uninsured driver. This means that the person will not have any coverage to pay for losses such as vehicle repair or hospitalization, even if they are liable for the collision. There are some specific steps that accident victims in this situation should take, and they can still file a civil lawsuit against the driver at fault, even if the responsible party lacks coverage.
State insurance requirements
All drivers in Connecticut are required to have some kind of auto insurance policy in place if they want to drive on the state’s roads. There are liability amounts built into any commercial policy that a driver purchases. These include $25,000 worth of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 for total bodily injury coverage caused by the driver if multiple people are involved, and $25,000 worth of property damage coverage. Coverage for accidents with uninsured or underinsured motorists is also required as a part of any insurance plan in Connecticut. This is meant to essentially pay for the other uninsured driver’s coverage in the event of an accident. However, this type of coverage also causes policy costs to go up for everyone as well.
Penalties for no insurance or insufficient insurance
When someone is driving without insurance, they may be stopped by a police officer and issued a citation. Some drivers may even be arrested if they attempt to provide fraudulent proof of insurance. A vehicle’s registration is also usually suspended until the driver gets insurance coverage.
Filing a civil lawsuit against a driver who did not have insurance coverage at the time of the accident
The decision to sue an uninsured driver may depend on the specifics of the collision. Some drivers may have little in terms of personal assets to satisfy a judgement against them. However, if the accident victim sustains serious losses, they may want to try to recover whatever they can from the person responsible to cover these costs. Even the state’s mandatory coverage for uninsured motorists only covers up to $50,000 per accident. This means that serious collisions will still require additional money to cover all of the costs associated with things like medical treatment, lost wages, and property damage. Healthcare costs are notoriously expensive, and they can easily exceed $50,000 for things like hospital stays and continuing treatment for months or years after the collision.
Getting more information from local lawyers
Anyone who is interested in learning more about accidents involving uninsured drivers can schedule a meeting with a local firm in the New London area. Holth and Kollman is an experienced firm that focuses on all kinds of accident cases.
Firm contact info:
58 Huntington Street, New London, CT 06320
860-447-0331
