Even the most straightforward motor vehicle accident case is messy. A fender bender still involves police reports, insurance claims and hassle. The more moving pieces in a case, the more factors that add to the mess.
The Effingham Daily News reports on an Alabama man charged with a number of crimes in an Illinois accident involving five people.
No slowing down across state lines
The 29-year-old Alabama man suffered non-life-threatening injuries after striking another vehicle from the rear in a school zone. He fled the scene until the vehicle stopped functioning. His passenger suffered life-threatening injuries. Emergency personnel transported the two women in the other vehicle to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other vehicle received a ride from her family to an area hospital.
Officers cited the man with several charges including:
- Leaving the scene of an accident
- Operating an uninsured motor vehicle
- Illegal transportation of alcohol and cannabis
- Driving under the influence
- Failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident
Sorting through the complicated pieces
This accident involves an uninsured vehicle in an accident across state lines. It resulted in five people hurt. While the Alabama driver received these citations, a police report does not guarantee insurance fault. Insurance companies frequently examine the situation and come to their own conclusions.
Questions about fault and compensation may go unanswered for months as various insurance agencies pick through state laws and policies. When compensation finally arrives, it may not be enough or feel like the fairest estimate.
Anyone in an accident with an uninsured driver that leaves the scene has a lot of complicated questions to ask. Knowing more about the case and leaning on resources may help navigate to the correct answers.