There are numerous laws in Ohio that regulate the behavior of drivers. People have to obtain a driver’s license. They have to obey traffic laws. They must also register the vehicles they intend to drive and carry liability insurance. In theory, those rules help reduce the risk involved in traveling in motor vehicles. In practice, some people still decide to violate the law.
Quite a few people cancel their policies or stop making payments to save a few hundred dollars. They may then have no active policy with which to compensate other people if they cause a collision. How, therefore, can someone cover their losses caused by a crash where an uninsured driver is at fault?
Litigation is often necessary
The primary purpose of liability insurance coverage is to protect someone from financial devastation if they are to blame for a crash. Without insurance coverage, drivers have personal responsibility for the expenses created in a collision.
Simply put, a driver without insurance has direct responsibility for the financial costs generated in a wreck they cause. The other people involved in the crash could file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver at fault. They ask the Ohio civil courts to award them compensation for the injuries they sustained. Current and future medical bills and also lost wages could add up to tens of thousands of dollars or even more.
Although some drivers do carry uninsured motorist coverage, making a claim against their own policy could cost them money. A claim against uninsured motorist coverage is likely to increase someone’s premium costs for multiple years afterward. The choice to take the other driver to court can help someone who isn’t to blame for a crash avoid immediate and ongoing financial consequences.
In many cases, a lawsuit against an uninsured driver is the best way to mitigate personal losses after a serious collision. Discussing the circumstances of a recent car crash with a skilled legal professional can help people determine whether they have the necessary grounds to take legal action against an uninsured driver. Reaching out to the team at Phillips & Mille Co., L.P.A. can help people review their options.
