Danville Uninsured Driver Accident Lawyer
Illinois has one of the highest percentages of uninsured motorists in the country. At the same time, the Prairie State has one of the lowest auto insurance minimum requirements in the country. Therefore, many drivers are either uninsured or underinsured. These motorists often drive recklessly, since they believe they are immune from legal actions. Therefore, the chances of getting into an accident with an underinsured or uninsured motorist are high.
The compassionate Danville uninsured driver accident lawyers at Patel Law understand the intense pain and suffering these accidents cause. As they recover from their physical injuries, these victims are afraid they will be financially responsible for staggering medical bills and they will receive nothing to compensate them for their emotional distress. So, we build a strong, evidence-based foundation in these cases. Then, once the matter goes to court, we never stop fighting for you.
Third-Party Liability
Individual drivers are legally and morally responsible for damages in car wreck cases, at least in most cases. Frequently, a third party is financially responsible for these damages, especially in lack-of-insurance wrecks. Some examples include:
-
Employer Liability: Ridesharing operators are often uninsured operators. Generally, personal auto insurance policies don’t cover commercial losses. The respondeat superior doctrine usually applies in these cases. Employers, like ridesharing companies, are vicariously liable for damage if their drivers or other employees are negligent during the course and scope of their employment.
-
Alcohol Provider Liability: Underinsurance is usually the biggest issue in these cases. The fatality rate is unusually high in alcohol-related wrecks. Many individuals don’t have enough insurance coverage to pay fair compensation in these cases. Fortunately, Illinois has a very broad dram shop law. This law holds commercial providers vicariously liable for car crash damages if they sold alcohol to a person who causes a car crash.
-
Owner Liability: Vehicle owners could be vicariously liable for damages if they knowingly allow incompetent persons to drive their vehicles, and that person causes a crash. Evidence of incompetence includes no valid drivers’ license, a poor driving record that includes recent at-fault collisions, and driving in violation of a driver’s license restriction (e.g. no nighttime driving).
Owners, alcohol providers, and employers can stop car accidents before they start. That’s why the law imposes vicarious liability in these cases.
Other Options
Driver error causes about 95 percent of car accidents in Illinois. Defective products and defective roadways cause most of the rest.
Defective tires are the most common crash-causing defective products. Generally, manufacturers are strictly liable for the injuries their defective products cause. The individual driver’s financial responsibility is irrelevant. Manufacturers, like employers, usually have deep pockets. So, it’s easier for a Danville uninsured driver accident lawyer to obtain maximum compensation in these cases.
Claims against manufacturers are quite complex. Large companies have gangs of lawyers who fight these claims tooth and nail. Claims against the county or other government entity that negligently designed a roadway are equally complex. Frequently, the sovereign immunity doctrine applies in these cases.
Additionally, many victims can file claims with their own insurance companies in these situations. Because the uninsured/underinsured population is so high in Illinois, many Illini have UM/UIM coverage. Underinsured and uninsured motorist policies usually have low premiums and high coverage limits.
Basically, UM/UIM claims usually pay the damages the responsible party cannot afford to pay. These matters usually settle quickly and on victim-friendly terms. The company wants to keep its paying customer happy.
Reach Out to an Energetic Vermilion County Lawyer
Injury victims are often entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced distracted driver accident attorney in Danville, contact Patel Law, P.C. Virtual, home, and hospital visits are available.