In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The Washington State Department of Transportation reports that 111,599 car accidentstook place in 2019. Exchange all required information with the other driver, and get as much documentation of the accident as possible. The majority of states use a tort system, but 12 states and Puerto Rico have a true no-fault insurance system in place that restricts the right to sue. If an uninsured driver gets in an accident, they mustn't make the huge mistake of running away. If you're caught driving without insurance, you may face: Tickets and fees for failing to provide proof of insurance. There is no way of calculating the average settlement in Washington State since each accident is totally different. If you would like to learn more, we have written about The 6 Most Common Damages From Personal Injury Claims. For example, if a driver is found 99% responsible for a case worth $100,000 in damages . What to do if youre in a car accident without insurance in Washington and not at fault, Penalties for driving without insurance in Washington, How to find cheap car insurance in Washington, The consequences associated with being in a car accident when you dont have car insurance are pretty harsh in Washington state. The first settlement offer from insurance companies is almost always lower than they are willing to pay. Economic damages cover the monetary costs including: In very serious auto accidents, its not uncommon for medical bills to exceed $100,000. If you do not have an automobile liability insurance policy, you are personally responsible for paying these damages to the injured person. To make any CTP claim you'll need the . For the vast majority of cases, this system works fairly seamlessly, but when an accident occurs in which one driver suffers extensive injuries or even dies, then insurance companies become much more difficult to deal with. Fill in all the required information and pay the fee. Once paid, youll be able to print your driving record or send a copy to your email to save it digitally. The state of Washington's mandatory auto insurance law requires anyone driving a motor vehicle in the state to do one of the following: 1. In Washington, youre only required to carry, $50,000 of bodily injury liability per accident, . If you are in a car accident and found to be driving without valid insurance, every state will impose a fine of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. You are not required to obtain liability insurance in New Hampshire or Virginia. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may also be used to help pay for damage and injury caused by a hit-and-run accident or a phantom vehicle. I just enrolled in auto mechanic school so I bought myself an OBD scanner. If the police officers take a report, you dont need to submit any further reports. Washington operates under a tort system for processing auto accident complaints. Therefore, they may blame the other driver, even if their clients were at fault. You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. But sometimes life happens, and if you find yourself in a car accident while uninsured in Washington, there are a few things you need to know! You may have a claim for personal injuries if you were hurt, but the owner of the car you were driving will be the one that will deal directly with the at-fault insurance company for the property damage to the car. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. At that point, your only other option is to sue the at-fault driver for the remainder of the damages. Driving without insurance has different penalties depending on where you live, who caused the accident and how much damage was done. Their first offer will be a portion of your property damage and medical expenses. If the at-fault driver doesn't have auto liability insurance, they must pay for all the damages and injuries they caused. In a car accident/no insurance situation, things can become very complicated. In the United States, fault-based insurance laws are much more common compared to no-fault laws. You could file a third party claim with their insurer to collect damages for all losses you incurred. If youve been in a bad accident, you need to focus on recovery, not handling the legal matters involved with your claim. We are devoted to handling any disputes that might arise from your case to ensure you are receiving the best possible settlement. Washington State law requires all drivers to have auto insurance to protect others from accidents and injuries. Call us at 212-68-2535 to schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers to review your case. If you have suffered a personal injury in a car accident, get in touch today and let us handle the case for you. Its not compulsory in Washington State, but can offer added peace of mind should the worst happen. If a driver doesn't have car insurance, the state may penalize them for it. These situations involve spending considerable money on medical bills, lost wages, and legal fees, so being insured would take a massive weight off the driver's shoulders. Home; About. Some of these penalties are: When the at-fault party is the one without auto insurance coverage, they automatically have the entire financial responsibility for the damages caused by the accident and any other legal fees. What if You're in a Car Accident With an Uninsured Driver? What Happens if I'm in a Car Accident with No Insurance? If nothing is removed, youll need to follow up with the DMV and put in another request for the infraction to be removed. If you get into a car accident, whether the other person has insurance or not, it's always a good idea to call the police. You are able to collect damages in proportion to your fault in the accident, The statue of limitation in Washington state is 3 years. Because Washington is a pure comparative negligence state, youll be, of the other drivers damages, and that driver can file a lawsuit against you to recover these damages if you are without insurance., drivers license will be suspended for three years, if you are found to be uninsured after an accident.. Whats the difference between Washington and some other states? Website. Be careful what you say at the car accident scene, "significant" under the state's threshold definition, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. If the other driver was to blame for the accident, you could still face legal consequences for driving with no insurance. Tort insurance for Washington State drivers: When you are injured, the last thing you want to worry about are insurance claims, medical bills, and property damage. Attach a copy of the quote you . If multiple people share fault, the damages recovered will reflect this by being proportionately reduced. If you get into a car accident with no insurance, you could be held personally responsible for the other drivers losses if you were at fault for the crash. 2. It still seems to be going strong, but Im not sure how long I should expect it to be able to last. This is one of the reasons that its vital to keep your current, The penalties for using fake proof of insurance, Minimum required car insurance in Washington, So how much insurance do you need to avoid all this unpleasantness? This means that, after a car accident, the person who caused the accident is responsible for compensating the injured party. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Did the owner of the car you were driving have insurance on the vehicle? If you did not cause the accident, never say anything which could be construed as admitting fault. Additionally, unlike in no-fault states, drivers in Mississippi can file lawsuits to seek compensation for even basic . If thats only $25,000, then thats all youre going to get from the insurance company. How To Find The Cheapest Travel Insurance. Otherwise, they may face legal repercussions, and in that case, they may have to also pay for legal fees and representation in court. If you cause a car accident and are the at-fault driver, you will be financially responsible for any damage you cause if you don't have insurance. 2023 Forbes Media LLC. Repeat offenders who are caught multiple times driving without insurance can face harsher penalties. If the case goes to trial and the other driver obtains a judgment against you, they have a number of options available to try to get some or all of that judgment satisfied, including garnishing your wages in some cases. The answer here depends on whether you live in a no-fault car insurance state, or a state that follows traditional fault (or "tort") principles when it comes to car insurance. They should also document as much as they can through pictures and video. Being involved in a car accident is a stressful and often traumatizing time. Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use, Supplemental Terms, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Its always best to consult a lawyer before accepting any settlement offer to ensure youre getting the best deal possible. When you've been the victim of a motor vehicle crash, give Craig Swapp & Associates a call. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. Contact us online or call (509) 866-4166 and well ensure that you get a fair settlement. The damage to your car is less than $15,000 (or you're okay with $15,000 as a . If you do either of these, remember to request your driving history 60 days after to ensure the changes requested have been made. A lump sum is paid out if you find yourself unable to work due to an accident, or if you die and your family is left struggling financially. In a no-fault state, all drivers are required to carry PIP coverage (in . To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. This makes uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage an exceedingly smart choice to make., If you are caught driving without car insurance in Washington, then you are subject to a fine of around, . Members save $872/year. Insurance companies dont want to insure drivers they deem as a risk, so its wise to get your driving record cleared if possible. The at-fault driver is still responsible for the damage they cause in an accident, even if it's more than their car insurance coverage limits. Make sure you and anyone else involved is uninjured, and call 9-1-1 and/or give first aid as needed. If the uninsured driver was at fault, youll have to take the lawsuit route to recover any of your damages, and that can be tedious, time-consuming, and possibly expensive., However, you can avoid this unsavory scenario by having, . The specifics will depend on where you live: Normally, your insurance company would pay your legal bills and cover damages the other driver sustained, up to policy limits. Depending on the severity of the collision, your license can be suspended for up to three years and youll need to pay a $75 reinstatement fee. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Each person at fault is assigned a portion of the blame and is responsible for paying a proportionate share of the damages. Do you need to report a car accident in Washington?, no injury or death and less than $1,000 worth of property damage, , you dont need to report it, but you do still need to stay at the scene or risk a hit-and-run charge., If the accident caused more than $1,000 of damage and someone was injured or killed, you are, . Here to keep you safe and fully informed is, that you can depend on. and the other driver is insured, you can file a claim with their insurance company for any medical bills or vehicle damage that you have, even though youre uninsured. Updated July 28, 2022. However, its important to take photos of the scene to provide as evidence later on. Here are more steps to take: Get more tips on what to do after a car accident. In states like California, you can't recover "non-economic" damages like compensation for pain and suffering, but you can still get reimbursed for your medical bills. This compensation comes from two main sources. Only under very limited circumstances can the injured person step outside of the no-fault system and file a lawsuit. The driver should ask witnesses for their contact information. If you're not carrying the appropriate levels of liability insurance and you choose to drive anyway, you are subject to a fine up to $450. In a no-fault state, if a person is injured in a car accident, they're generally required to seek compensation for economic (out of pocket) losses directly from their own car insurance company. If you've been involved in a traffic accident, you must give the police any information that will help identify: the vehicle's owner. This may happen if the mandatory time the infraction remains on your record has passed but it has not been removed. 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