If you have recently been in a car accident and the other driver was a minor driving without insurance or their insurance company has declined your claim, it can seem as if a disaster has occurred. However, there could be options that can help you to have your vehicle repaired, replaced, or paid off and to avoid or pay off any debts that related to injuries you may have sustained in the accident. As a result, it is a good idea to speak with an auto accident attorney as soon as possible regarding the options shared below in order to make the best out of a bad situation.

Parents Of Minor Drivers Are Often Held Responsible For The Damage Their Teenaged Drivers Inflict

It is generally common knowledge that teenaged drivers, due to their age and lack of experience, are expensive to insure. Unfortunately, many parents will erroneously think that if their son or daughter only drives the family car occasionally, it is not necessary to put them on the insurance policy. However, while an insurance company might pay a claim if an adult friend or family member who lives in another home borrowed and wrecked a vehicle, the situation changes when the driver in question lives in the home and is a minor. Given that recent estimates have been that in the United States one out of every seven drivers is uninsured and 20% of new drivers have an accident in the first year of driving, you are far from being the only person in this difficult position.    

In that instance, most states will hold custodial parents of a minor child responsible for the debts that their young driver accrues. The same is also true if a minor driver, with or without a license, was driving a car with no insurance and was involved in a car accident. That means that you may be able to seek legal against the parents for the full amount of damages, medical expense, pain and suffering and lost time at work. Your attorney can help you to file an appeal on an insurance claim and can also provide you with a reasonable expectation of what to expect through the process.  

Ask Your Attorney About Appealing The Declined Insurance Claim Or Filing With Your Own Insurance

If it has been determined that seeking legal action against the parents of a minor who was driving without insurance is not a viable option, your auto accident attorney can advise you about the possibility of filing with your own insurance company or filing an appeal for a declined claim. In this instance, you will usually need to produce extensive documentation about each aspect of your claim, including the original police report, estimates of the cost of repair and statements about the medical expenses that have accrued as the result of the car accident.

In addition, since many states and insurance companies require that the initial report of the accident must be filed within 24 hours of the event, it is a good idea to provide documentation of having done so. When dealing with something as important as a car insurance claim, a good rule of thumb is to keep notes on every conversation you have had with any lawyer, representative of an insurance company or health care provider, in order to protect your interests.

In addition, you should be sure to document the person's name, identifying information within the company they work for, their contact information and the date and time of each call, as that information can benefit you enormously in a few months when your memories have faded.     

In conclusion, being involved in a car accident with a driver under the age of 18 who lacked insurance on the vehicle they were driving or when the policy did not extend to their driving, can easily result in significant and ongoing problems for you. However, there could be options to address the situation that you are unaware of, and therefore, you should speak with an auto accident attorney as soon as possible. Contact a firm like Law Offices of Burton J. Hass to learn more.