Car accidents take place every day of the year, and they can happen to anyone. If you were recently involved in a crash that was caused by someone else, you will need to determine how you will be compensated for your damages. Settlements for car accidents typically take place with the car insurance companies of the at-fault drivers, but what happens when the person who struck your car does not have insurance?  This can happen, and here are a few things you should know as you try to seek compensation for your injuries and damages.

How Car Accidents Are Typically Settled When An At-Fault Driver Has Insurance

When a car accident occurs, the first step is usually determining fault. The person who is at fault will then be responsible for paying the damages to the other party, and it is the person's car insurance company that usually pays the claim. This method seems to work extremely well when the at-fault party has car insurance.

The main problem that can exist if the at-fault party has car insurance is that the insurance coverage might not be enough. For example, if this person had the minimum amount of coverage required in the state, it might not offer enough coverage to pay the entire claim that you have.

The Steps You Should Take If The At-Fault Driver Doesn't Have Insurance

If the other driver does not have insurance, you will run into some issues. The main issue is how is this person going to pay for your damages? If the person is wealthy, he or she might be able to pay you out of his or her pocket. If the person did not have insurance, though, it is not likely that he or she has money or assets you could go after.

In this situation, the best option you have is to look into your own insurance policy. If you have uninsured motorist coverage on your policy, you can file a claim with your own insurance company, and this will help you receive some of the money you may be entitled to. The issue you are likely to find with this option is that the coverage might not be extremely high.

Uninsured motorist coverage is designed for cases like this, but the coverage amounts are not usually that high. For example, your policy might offer a maximum payout of $30,000. If your damages and medical bills cost $50,000, you would still be short even after tapping into your own policy.

Other Ways You Might Be Able To Collect Money For Your Damages

If you find out that your uninsured coverage policy will not cover all your damages and injuries, you have one other option. This option is to file a lawsuit against the person that caused the accident. Filing a lawsuit would require hiring a personal injury lawyer by visiting a site like http://www.hurth.com.

The goal of filing a lawsuit is to have the ability to collect the entire settlement amount that you are entitled to. The challenge of this is that the person you file the lawsuit against might not be able to pay the money the court awards to you. If this person does not have any money or assets, filing a lawsuit might not help you in any way.

Settling a car accident claim can take time, and it can also be confusing if you have never gone through this before. When the at-fault driver has no insurance, settling the case can be even more difficult. If you would like advice or help with your case, contact a personal injury lawyer today.