- December 2, 2021
- Car Accidents
A car accident claim might hinge on your license being valid. An annoying or boring process that the citizens of New York have to go through every few years is the renewal of their driver’s license. The process of renewing might sometimes be as easy as just submitting an application and paying the fees but other times you might need to make an appointment with the DMW, submit more documents, and even take a test.
Either way, it can be a stressful and crucial situation when your license is expired and at the time of your involvement in a road accident. You might think that you cannot file a claim and may face criminal charges, but after your license is expired you still have some options in a car accident claim in Buffalo, NY.
According to the New York Department of Health, there are around 1,098 deaths each year from traffic accidents and the death rate in these accidents has risen to 8.4 per 100,000 in 2001. Every year about 12,093 people are hospitalized due to injuries from car accidents.
What If My License Expired When I Got Hit?
Contact local authorities immediately if you are hit in an accident. Not reporting a car accident might get you into more trouble and you can get fined by several charges. Your driver’s license can get suspended even if it is expired or you did not have your license at the time of the accident. Having an expired driver’s license is only a minor traffic violation, which means you will only be fined a minor amount and you will face no serious criminal charges.
The second most important step that you should take after a car accident is to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. You should get yourself checked by a qualified healthcare professional as your injuries might be quite serious. You also would be worried about your medical bills but your auto insurance policy might be able to cover your medical treatment partially through Medpay. You might still have to keep a record of all your medical bills if you are going to file a claim so that it may help you with your car accident claim in Buffalo, NY.
Will Showing the Police My Expired License Affect My Car Accident Claim in Buffalo, NY?
No, showing your expired license to the police will not affect your claim in any way. In a car accident, the only thing that matters is who was at fault. If the other driver was negligent while driving, which means the driver was texting, over-speeding, or ignoring the signs of the road, then that driver would be held responsible for your injuries and damages for which you will be compensated.
Even if you have an expired license, it will not affect your ability to drive a vehicle or the actions of the other driver. If you were hit while your license was expired, it will not in any way affect your compensation claim and your insurance company will also not refute it.
However, it will be your duty to renew your driver’s license as soon as possible after an accident. Your insurance company is unable to deny your claim completely after an accident if your license is expired. But still, your insurance company can attempt to reduce the amount of your compensation claim under comparative negligence laws.
The insurance company might bring up the argument that you should not have been driving any vehicle when your license was expired and that you are partly responsible for your accident and injury. But you and your lawyer can counter-argue and prove that you were not in violation of any law; you were unable to make an appointment to renew your driving license, and the other driver is actually the culprit and is responsible for the majority of the damages.
Your license renewal is an indication of your commitment that you obey the traffic laws and you are restricting the ratio of fault allocated to you. When you are going to file a claim, you should keep records of your injuries, medical reports, and the official accident report to favor your claim. It will also ensure that you receive an adequate amount of compensation.
Injured in an Accident? Call Us Now:
If you hire an experienced attorney for looking after your car accident claim in Buffalo, NY, you might get compensated for your injuries and damages by sticking by the policies of your insurer. We will defend your right to compensation and will examine your case in a free case assessment.
