There are plenty of complications that occur after a collision caused by an 
uninsured driver. People injured in a car accident don’t often think about how much insurance the at-fault driver has purchased. The importance of this becomes quite clear for those in the unfortunate situation where the other driver is uninsured or under-insured. Obtaining fair compensation for the injuries and losses you incur in the car accident becomes a very different type of problem. Understanding your situation and options if you find yourself in a motor vehicle accident with an uninsured driver, is something we can help you with.
Steps to Take if Injured In A Collision Caused By An Uninsured Driver
As with any auto accident there are some basic things you should do. First, check your injuries and take immediate steps to take care of yourself and any other injured person. Contact first responders to get an ambulance if necessary and the police to investigate. The law requires the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident to make a report of the crash if it resulted in injury to or death of any person, or damage to the property of any one person in excess of $1,500.
Once you are safe, find out the facts. One things is to try to learn about the other drivers insurance– not just the name of the company but the actual insurance amounts. This can help you determine if the driver is is uninsured or under-insured. Uninsured drivers sometimes want to negotiate for cash at the scene or later to avoid having to file police reports. If this is the case, try to keep the driver around until the police arrive to document the car accident.
To keep the other driver around until law enforcement responds, you should maintain your calm at all times. Make a point of not being aggressive and speaking softly so that the driver doesn’t get rattled. You should also be taking a mental note of your surroundings will help with the investigation. Use your cellphone and take pictures. Try to remember (or write down) the details such as the other driver’s car make and model, their license plate number and their physical description. Use a note taking function on your phone to dictate things that might be relevant
Get In Touch With Quality Accident Attorneys
Once you have taken stock of your circumstances and commit them to memory, you will definitely want to contact an accident attorney . The attorneys of Hepworth Holzer have substantial experience in pursuing claims for recovery involving uninsured and under-insured drivers. You may even have a claim against your own insurance company, but you won’t know until you talk to a lawyer, so contact the team at Hepworth Holzer for a free case review at (208) 328-6998 or use our online contact form.
John W. Kluksdal has established himself as one of Idaho’s top personal injury litigators. He represents people injured by the negligence and recklessness of others. His current emphases is on motor vehicle accident and medical negligence claims.
Mr. Kluksdal began his legal career working in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and then honed his appellate skills by working for two years for Chief Judge Darrel Perry of the Idaho Court of Appeals. Prior to joining the firm that is now Hepworth Holzer, LLP, Mr. Kluksdal was an attorney for a large Idaho insurance defense firm.
Mr. Kluksdal has been a principal attorney for the firm representing a variety clients. Among his successes are obtaining a $5,000,000.00 judgement for the death of our adult clients’ mother. In addition he was one of the leads in trial for and obtained a $2.2 million judgment for an employee based on breach of a severance agreement contract. In other cases he obtained in $2.93 million judgment in a medical malpractice case where the negligence resulted in a partial spinal cord injury, a $1.85 million judgment in a wrongful death case, a $1.123 million judgment for medical malpractice resulting in a serious infection, and a $1 million settlement in a medical malpractice wrongful death case. Mr. Kluksdal has of course represented many other clients in smaller cases, and has participated in many of the firm’s other significant results. He is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review rated by his peers in Martindale Hubbell.
Mr. Kluksdal is a member of the Idaho State Bar and is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Idaho, as well as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Federal Court of Claims. His other professional associations included the American Inn of Court No. 130 and the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Kluksdal was chosen as a Rising Star by Mountain States Superlawyers from 2008-2012, and as a SuperLawyer from 2015-2019. Mr. Kluksdal is very involved with his undergraduate Alma Mater, the College of Idaho, and has served on the College of Idaho National Alumni Board. He has in the past served on the Board of Directors for the Idaho Rush Soccer Club.
Mr. Kluksdal graduated magna cum laude from the University of Idaho, College of Law in 1997. During law school, he worked in the University’s Legal Aid Clinic, was a tutor for first-year law students, was a member of the Board of Student Advocates, and was President of Delta Theta Phi. Mr. Kluksdal received his undergraduate degree in History from the College of Idaho, cum laude with a minor in Sociology/Anthropology. He received his State of Idaho Secondary Teaching Certificate and was Captain of the Varsity Baseball team.
Mr. Kluksdal is happily married to another attorney, and together they do their best to keep up with three children. In an effort to win the battle of the bulge, he has played city league sports and participates in a variety of other outdoor activities. Mr. Kluksdal has coached youth baseball, basketball and soccer because he enjoys the challenge of herding cats.
