Injury Attorney in Las Vegas

Motorist Accident Guide: What Happens When One Party is Uninsured?

Known for its relatively high incidence of auto accidents, Las Vegas is no stranger to crashes. As an injury attorney in Las Vegas would tell you, what happens after an accident is largely dependent on the types of coverage all parties involved had.

We’ll take a look at the requirements for insurance issued by the state of Nevada. Then, we’ll go through a list of steps to take, should you be unfortunate enough to end up in a collision yourself. Remember, even if it appears to be a fender-bender, every accident should be treated seriously!

Nevada’s Under-insured and Uninsured Motorist Laws

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Along with every state besides New Hampshire and Virginia, Nevada state law requires every motorist to retain auto insurance. Unfortunately, the necessary legal minimums are rarely enough to cover any significant accident at the moment.

The law requires every driver to have so-called “25/50/20” insurance. This means that the policy must cover up to $25,000 of bodily injury or death per person affected; the second number means that it must cover up to $50,000 of bodily injury or death per accident in total; the third number means the policy must cover up to $20,000 in property damage per accident.

Even though Nevada is not among the states with the highest auto insurance premiums, it’s estimated that 12% of drivers on the roads of Las Vegas have no insurance! Generally speaking, people caught driving without insurance can expect a fine, a reinstatement fee, possibly an SR-22, and even have their vehicles impounded! In other words, it’s much cheaper to insure your vehicle in the first place.

What If I’m Hit By An Uninsured or Under-insured Motorist?


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“Uninsured” and “under-insured” mean two very different things. If the motorist at fault is “uninsured,” it means they were operating a vehicle illegally. “Under-insured” simply means that, even though the motorist was operating a vehicle with legally mandated insurance, their policy cannot cover all the damages they caused.

If your auto policy has uninsured motorist insurance, your insurance company takes care of the issue in most cases. This means that you pay to get money quickly in the event of either of these cases. The amount of money and reason for disbursement varies by policy. However, it generally pays to make car repairs and for your injuries, helping you avoid substantial hospital bills later.

If you were in one of the many car accidents Las Vegas but did not have uninsured motorist insurance on your policy, the process will be a bit more complicated. You, ideally with the help of the best injury lawyer Las Vegas, would need to pursue the at-fault party through the legal system to recoup losses.

What If I Am At Fault?


While it’s always best to run your case by an injury attorney in Las Vegas, you’ll typically be on the hook if found to be at fault in an accident. If you have adequate insurance, you’ll typically just see a premium increase, but that’s usually the end of it.

If you do not have adequate auto insurance and cause the accident, you could be personally sued for the medical bills and car damage to other parties involved. If you were operating your vehicle without any insurance, you could also expect legal penalties to be assessed.

Quick Guide


If one party is uninsured when an accident occurs, here’s a general guide to follow.

  1. Do not ever admit fault.
  2. Contact a lawyer who specializes in car accidents in Las Vegas.
  3. If it’s a fender-bender, move both vehicles off of the road.
  4. Always call the police. Never take a “bribe” from another motorist to not do so.
  5. Regardless of which party is uninsured, remember that the police will find out one way or another. Call them even if you aren’t insured yourself.
  6. Take a deep breath. Remember, a heated argument on the scene doesn’t help anyone.
  7. Once cleared by police, immediately follow up with your attorney for the next steps.

Call The Schnitzer Law Firm!


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If you’ve been involved in an accident where you, another party, or both were not insured at the time, you need an attorney to ensure the legal process goes the best way possible for you!

If an uninsured motorist injured you, The Schnitzer Law Firm can help! Our team can work on your case, apprise you of updates, and fight for you in court so you can focus on recovering. Remember, the consultation is completely free, and you don’t pay if you don’t win your case.

To get started, you can use our chat form on the bottom-right section of our website, send us an email at, or call us at (702) 960-4050. We’re available around the clock, so whether your accident happens during regular business hours or Sunday at 2 AM, The Schnitzer Law Firm is here for you!

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