What happens when an uninsured motorist hits someone?

DannyMay · Nov 25, 2003

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ATX:
I'm pretty sure the other party had full coverage. Any one familiar with Texas law? The accident occurred on private property (parking lot). Make any difference?

How does it all go down?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

ATX - This might not be what you want to hear, but dont think he is walking away from this scot free just because the other party had full coverage.

ATX · Nov 25, 2003

yeah, it was in a parking lot. How does that make it worse?

No one in the other car was hurt at all. I was told that the police officer didnt really seem like it was that big of a deal.

DannyMay · Nov 25, 2003

The only way he walks away scot free is if it is declared equal fault and they both have to cover their own.

If it was his fault, the other guys insurance company is covering it for him. They will pay the $4,000 as a service to their customer, but they will get that money back with interest no matter how long it takes. Even if he has to pay $50 a month.

However, if you want some good news I would say he definitly wont get time if this is the first time he has done it. First time is a license suspension until the bill is paid.

ATX · Nov 25, 2003

no drinking was involved which was good.

no police report was filed. seems odd.

they said more or less that it was a civil matter, and to contact each other later.

He wants to just pay for the damages, but the other party has already called the insurance company.

I've had other people tell me the same thing, when they were in a mall parking lot and someone damaged their vehicle it was more or less a civil matter and usually the insurance company paid and just dropped the whole thing. ?

RobFunk · Nov 25, 2003

no police report?! i dont think they can do s**t without that.

ATX · Nov 25, 2003

yeah, no police report. the officer gave them a business card to prove he was their. My buddy said that he had insurance but it was at his house, and the officer said that if things didnt work out between the parties that he could come back and write a ticket for driving without insurance. He pretty much said that since it was on private property he couldnt really do anything. It just seems odd to me, maybe my buddy is leaving something out, but the other people said pretty much the same.

I think he wonders more about the insurance side of things. I've never heard of anyone having an accident without insurance so I dont know what to tell him about what to expect. My friend admitted it was his fault. My car was totalled once, and it was from behind, totally not my fault, and the officer didnt write a ticket. He said he wasnt supposed to. Is this a Travis County "thing"? I thought it would be under state. I guess things overlap somewhat, but what the insurance company will do and when is a total mystery to me. On the other car they think the front and back door will have to be replaced, not really major damage on an inexpensive but relatively new car.

ATX · Nov 25, 2003

thanks for the responses.

GrandSlam+ · Nov 25, 2003

ATX, I'd have the friend pay off the damages ASAP. He got lucky after lying to the cops, but the insurance company (and likely the police) will come down hard on him once they find out.