Car Accident Injuries Caused by an Excluded Driver
Florida requires that all drivers carry a minimum amount of property damage liability and personal injury protection on their automobile insurance policy. Despite these regulations, there are countless uninsured drivers on Florida roadways. Even if a vehicle is covered by an insurance policy, that policy may have excluded drivers.
When someone is injured in a car accident caused by an excluded driver, they could have a hard time getting the compensation they are due for the economic and non-economic losses related to their injuries. Car accident lawyers at Chanfrau & Chanfrau work with drivers in Daytona Beach, FL, Palm Coast, FL, and surrounding areas to assist them in exploring how they can be compensated for injury damages.
What Is an Excluded Driver?
An excluded driver is someone who is part of an insured driver’s household who has been excluded from their auto insurance policy. Household members should only be excluded from an insurance policy if they do not plan to drive the insured vehicle. Even if a household member will only drive a vehicle occasionally, they cannot be excluded from the policy. To exclude a driver, policy holders must fill out and sign a driver exclusion form. Insured drivers should fully understand the rules for excluding a driver before they add an exclusion to their policy.
Will Insurance Companies Provide Compensation for Damages Caused by an Excluded Driver?
If an excluded driver is involved in a car accident, the insurance company has no obligation to provide coverage for accident damages, even if the excluded driver is at-fault for the collision.
How Can I Be Compensated for My Losses?
Despite the state’s automobile insurance requirements, it is estimated that up to 25 percent of Florida drivers are uninsured. Daytona Beach drivers who are injured in a car accident caused by an excluded or uninsured driver are left to wonder how they will be compensated for accident damages. One potential form of compensation is uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance.
Uninsured motorist insurance is not required in the state of Florida. However, adding this type of coverage to your insurance policy can be beneficial. An uninsured/underinsured motorist policy covers the cost of property damage and personal injuries when a liable driver is underinsured or has no insurance coverage (as is the case with an excluded driver).
Can I File a Personal Injury Claim?
Another way for drivers to pursue compensation for injury damages following a car accident caused by an excluded driver is to file a personal injury claim against the liable driver. In a personal injury lawsuit, injured drivers can be awarded damages for losses such as:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Diminished wage earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
Car accident lawyers at Chanfrau & Chanfrau can examine the details of an accident to determine if injured drivers have grounds to file a personal injury claim.
Contact Our Law Firm
If you have been injured in a car accident caused by an excluded driver, the car accident lawyers at Chanfrau & Chanfrau can determine the best way for you to pursue the compensation you are due for accident losses. To learn more about your legal options, contact our law firm online, or call (386) 258-7313 at your earliest convenience.