Why You Should Avoid Driving an Uninsured Car in Michigan

Why You Should Avoid Driving an Uninsured Car in Michigan

With the state of Michigan’s economic outlook becoming bleaker, buying auto insurance is becoming a pricey matter. This drives some people to consider driving on the roads with uninsured cars. However, this couldn’t be more wrong. The thing is, the amount of money that you have to pay in order to buy No-Fault insurance is minuscule compared to the amount of money you’ll be required to pay from your pocket just because you didn’t have auto insurance in the event of an accident. If you or a loved one was in an auto accident with an uninsured driver, a Michigan auto accident lawyer will guide you on how to recover your No-Fault benefits and other benefits that may arise. Here is why you shouldn’t be driving an uninsured car in Michigan:

Pain and suffering benefits

If you sustain serious injuries from an auto accident in Michigan but you were in an uninsured car, you will not be able to sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering, even if they were entirely at-fault and you played no part in it. This is because the Michigan No-Fault law does not allow for uninsured drivers to assess pain and suffering benefits. A Detroit car accident lawyer at our firm can help you file a Michigan car accident claim and uncover what type of Michigan auto accident you were injured in to better assist you with your pain and suffering.

Paying your medical bills

For insured drivers, they have the comfort of having their medical bills paid by their auto insurance provider. This is especially helpful when they sustain serious injuries which could have cost them a fortune. Also, this benefit is payable for life. On the other hand, uninsured drivers have to pay for their own medical bills on any accident-related bills because they are not eligible for Michigan No-Fault benefits.

Lost wages

If you cease to work because of serious injuries you sustained in an auto accident, and the car you were driving was not insured, then you will not have your lost wages reimbursed to you. This is because you will not be eligible for wage loss benefits. In order to receive these benefits under the No-Fault Law, you must be carrying personal protection insurance. This covers you when you lose wages following the accident. However, if you were uninsured, you lose the right to recover lost wages. A Michigan car accident lawyer can help you recover lost wages and understand your Michigan auto accident compensation.

Vehicle damage

If you are involved in an accident and you were driving an uninsured car and it sustained serious damages, you will be fully responsible for all the required repairs. In the past, uninsured drivers who were not at-fault were able to recover the cost of repairing their car under the Mini Tort law up to $1000. However, this ceased to be available to uninsured drivers from October 1, 2012.

You may have to pay for pain and suffering damages

If you caused an auto accident with your uninsured car and you were at fault, and the accident caused another person, say, driver-pedestrian or passenger, to sustain a ‘serious impairment of a body function,’ you can be taken to court and be compelled to cater for their pain and suffering cost as the jury or judge determines. In Michigan, having a residual liability insurance exempts you from having to pay for someone’s pain and suffering from your own pocket. Since an uninsured driver does not have this coverage, then they have to pay for all the pain and suffering damages that resulted from the car accident that they caused. Even if you were injured in a truck accident in Michigan, we have a Michigan truck accident lawyer standing by to help you immediately.

You may be liable for a victim’s lost wages and medical bills

If you cause an accident when uninsured with another vehicle, the auto insurance provider of the driver can sue you for their client’s lost wages and medical bills. It doesn’t matter if the other driver was entirely at fault. And the downside is that if you fail to pay in the next 30 days after judgment, your license and vehicle registration will be revoked or suspended.

You may be liable for the victim’s vehicle damage

If you are at-fault in an accident with another vehicle and your vehicle was uninsured, you can be sued for the damages on the other person’s vehicle and you will be liable for the whole amount that caters for the vehicle damage.

Jail time and fines

Driving an uninsured car or being the owner of one makes you ‘guilty of a misdemeanor‘. The penalties that await you include jail time of not more than 1 year, a $200-$500 fine or both.

Driving an uninsured car is a costly affair. On the other hand, if you have the basic Michigan PIP insurance required in Michigan, you will be reimbursed for all your medical fees, lost wages and services if you are in an auto accident. You will save a load of money in the long end.

If you or a loved one was in an auto accident in Michigan, our Michigan car accident lawyers at Elia & Ponto will guide you in filing a Michigan car accident insurance claim.