Washington State law also mandates driving insurance to protect others who may be injured in a car accident you are found at fault for. 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. Or they can limit your recovery or limit the circumstances when you can take legal action. The Washington State Department of Transportation Crash Data Portal shows the main causes of accidents were teen drivers, distracted drivers, and drunk drivers. Non-commercial auto accidents remain on your license for five years. License suspension. Our experienced automobile accident law team has helped hundreds of clients reach successful settlements in this kind of case. If you do either of these, remember to request your driving history 60 days after to ensure the changes requested have been made. If you are at fault for an accident, you may be required to provide compensation for any damages you caused. In New York, for example, if your vehicle is uninsured and is involved in an accident: Get more details on penalties for driving without insurance (from DrivingLaws.org). After a car accident, all drivers involved in the accident must stop and exchange their details. The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. Youre entitled to be compensated for not being able to enjoy the things you once enjoyed. Whether youve sustained physical injuries, loss of earnings, damage to your vehicle, or emotional suffering, you deserve to be compensated. Were you injured in an auto accident? Texas is one of 38 states plus the District of Columbia have a fault . In some states, however, there are No Pay/No Play rules. This may happen if the mandatory time the infraction remains on your record has passed but it has not been removed. Who decides fault in a car accident in Washington? No fees, ever. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. A fantastic way to do this is by calling the Powell Law Firm, the best law firm in Missouri with incredible lawyers who ensure an excellent attorney-client relationship and a high-quality service. But if for some reason they dont, you have four days to notify the Washington DMV., If the accident was your fault, then things are going to get pretty hairy. In those states, if you did not have valid automobile insurance in place at the time of the accident, you're limited in the types of compensation you can receive for your injuries, and in a few states (like New Jersey) you can't recover anything at all against the at-fault driver. Report the accident to police: If police aren't present, you are legally required to report the accident to the police if it caused an injury. If you are in a car accident and you do not have insurance coverage, the outcome of this situation will vary depending on many factors including the rules where you live as well as who was at fault for the collision. In Washington state, and other tort states, medical coverage will only pay out after fault has been determined. Go to License eXpress, which is the DOL website. Kapuza Lighty PLLC of Yakima, Washington has handled cases like this throughout Eastern Washington, including Grant County, Benton County, Kittitas County. This should remove traffic violations related to any accidents. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. The insurance company is only on the hook to pay the amount the at-fault driver is insured for. You could also try to pursue a claim against the motorist who caused the crash and recover from that drivers personal assets if you are involved in a collision with an uninsured motorist. If the accident is minor, its not a legal requirement to call the police. The fact of the matter is, the accident still happened, regardless of whether or not there's a police report. She earned her JD from UCLA School of Law and was an adjunct professor at the start of her career, teaching paralegal studies and related courses. These rules can prevent you from making a claim for non-economic damages (medical costs, pain and suffering, etc.) SR-22 requirements. Fill in all the required information and pay the fee. No one ever wants to be in a car accident, and most people do their best to keep their insurance up to date. There are consequences for driving without insurance, but those pale in comparison to the penalties that can result if you leave the scene of an accident (including criminal hit and run charges), especially if anyone is hurt in the crash. you'll need to pay the DMV a $750 civil penalty to restore your driver license. Your attorney will argue your case and explain any legal jargon that insurance companies may use to try and confuse you into taking a low-ball settlement. This means when an accident occurs, the person who was at-fault will pay for the injuries and damages caused. Following a car accident in Washington, state law requires that you take the following 3 steps: Stop your vehicle at the scene of the accident (or as close to the scene as possible), Provide your name, address, insurance company, insurance policy number, and vehicle license number to any person involved in the crash, and For example, dont apologize to the other driver if you were not at fault or if youre not certain who was at fault. The police report is useful to have, but you dont want to rely on it as the sole source of information about the accident. If the car accident is severe or blocks a road, you should call the police immediately. If you did not cause the accident, never say anything which could be construed as admitting fault. Something went wrong. But if you can swing it, it can save you a lot of headaches, hassles, and expenses if youre in an accident caused by an uninsured driver., coverage. What about the person whose hospital bills add up to $50,000? 3806 Tieton Drive Yakima, WA 98902 Get Directions. If you were injured in a car accident caused by the other driver, there may still be certain restrictions on what (if anything) you can recover against that driver, if you did not have your own car insurance. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. This varies by state and situation. Failure to pay the fine or set up a payment plan can result in the suspension of your driver's license. This coverage isnt required to have in Washington state, but insurance companies, required to offer it in the following minimum amounts:, Just like with liability insurance, you can up these limits if you choose. If you dont want uninsured/uninsured motorist coverage, youll need to decline it in writing. . Get Your Free Consultation From a Top Lawyer. This is critical if youve sustained a serious injury such as whiplash. We are fully committed to assisting our clients to receive fair compensation for their injuries. If you are at fault in an automobile collision and you do not have insurance, your driver license may be suspended if you do not pay for the resulting damages and/or injuries. So instead of making a claim against the driver, the injured person will make a claim against their own insurance policy who will pay regardless of fault. The police can issue citations and make a report about what caused the accident, but the, insurance companies are the ones who assign fault, This is why its crucial to get through. Washington operates under a tort system for processing auto accident complaints. But it might take a long time for you to be paid what youre owed if you get the money at all. If youd prefer a physical copy of your record sent by mail, complete the Driving Record Request Form. Once paid, youll be able to print your driving record or send a copy to your email to save it digitally. However, if the accident involves an alcohol-related conviction, it will remain on your record for life. While Washington works on a pure comparative negligence policy, where shared fault reduces the percentage of compensation a party can claim in an accident, you may still face . Essentially, it is the opposite of an at-fault claim where you are liable for any damage. How To Find The Cheapest Travel Insurance. If the other driver was to blame for the accident, you could still face legal consequences for driving with no insurance. 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. That means when an accident occurs, fault is assigned to one or both drivers. In a car accident/no insurance situation, things can become very complicated. In other words, you will have to pay them out of your own pocket. Make notes and talk to witnesses, take copious amounts of pictures, and gather as much evidence as you can. It will be at the discretion of the judge or jury to decide what multiple to apply to the economic damages to give the final pay-out figure. It offers another layer of protection to you and your family if you sustain serious injuries or die in an auto accident. These roads have the highest number of accidents per year. Message. A car accident, also referred to as a "traffic collision," or a "motor vehicle accident," occurs when a motor vehicle strikes or collides another vehicle, a stationary object, a pedestrian, or an animal. And your right to collect compensation from the other driver could be limited. If the other driver has insurance and you believe they were responsible for the damage caused to your car, you can make a complaint through Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). Today, only 12 of those states remain, with many considering going back to a tort system. Get the names and contact information of any witnesses who may have seen what happened. A no-fault state, unlike Washington, requires that drivers purchase an insurance policy that pays out regardless of who is at fault. By admitting fault to an insurance company, you may invalidate any claims made later, even if you are technically owed compensation. Visit our Careers page, Dealing with an Auto Accident in Washington State, Washington State Department of Transportation Crash Data Portal, steps you should take after being in an auto accident, The 6 Most Common Damages From Personal Injury Claims, Pain and suffering is classed as a non-economical cost. Being involved in a car accident is a stressful and often traumatizing time. Getting a free case evaluation is as easy as calling the number at the bottom of this page. Insurance companies will not offer you compensation for any of these damages. Whatever method you choose, youll pay a $13 fee. Therefore, the other driver's insurance company must pay for all the damages they caused, and the not-at-fault driver can even file a lawsuit and take them to court. PIP helps cover medical expenses for you and your passengers in the event of a car accident, regardless of fault. The worst case scenario, of course, is that youre in an accident in which your medical expenses exceed the other drivers insurance policy limits. No-fault insurance is intended to reduce the demands on the court system associated with car accident-related lawsuits. Vehicle impoundment. If you are caught driving without insurance and your state requires it, you could face serious legal penalties. This would pay out in the event that you are injured, regardless of whose fault the accident was. injury to any person. Its an excellent idea to carry PIP, but its not required by law. 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