I Crashed My Car Trying to Avoid an Accident in Evansville. Now What?

Indiana’s state motto is “The Crossroads of America.” Few cities in the state are a better picture of that motto than Evansville.

Major highways like I-69, US 41, US 66, and US 62 feed into the city. Its position on the Indiana-Kentucky border means it sees commuters and travelers alike.

Many car accidents occur on these major highways. Both out-of-towners unfamiliar with merging patterns and overconfident commuters taking their eyes off the road contribute to these accidents. If you’re driving in Evansville, you have to drive defensively and prepare to avoid any reckless drivers.

But what happens if you crash your car while trying to avoid an accident in Evansville? Will the insurance company care that you were trying to avoid a wreck? How can you convince them that someone else’s reckless driving caused your accident?

No-Contact Car Accidents in Evansville

No-contact car accidents occur when a vehicle causes your accident without ever touching your car. Drivers of vehicles that cause no-contact car accidents are called phantom drivers.

Like ghosts, phantom drivers seemingly appear out of nowhere, wreak havoc, and disappear as quickly as they came. Unlike drivers in a hit-and-run, they may be completely unaware that their driving has caused an accident.

Unless you happen to memorize their license plate as they speed off, you won’t be able to file a claim against the phantom driver. Instead, you’ll have to turn to your own insurance for coverage.

Phantom Drivers in No-Contact Evansville Car Accidents

First, you have to convince your insurance company that the phantom driver exists.

This may be difficult to prove. If you can’t get the driver to stop or secure any identifying information, your insurance company may not believe you.

Witnesses are incredibly important in no-contact car accidents for this reason. Your insurance policy actually might require a witness to confirm that the phantom driver exists.

Some insurance policies have restrictions on who you can use as a witness. They may require your witness to be an independent third party. That would exclude people like your spouse, relative, or any passenger in the car with you at the time of the accident.

Hopefully, people who witness your accident will stop to help, and you can ask them for their contact information. If not, and you’re not seriously injured, try to get the contact information of pedestrians who can confirm what happened.

What Will My Insurance Company Do?

If you can prove that your phantom driver exists, your insurance company should treat them like an uninsured driver.

In Indiana, all insurance policies must have at least minimum amounts of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. You can only opt out of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in writing at time of purchase.

What is uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage? It protects you in case the at-fault driver in the accident is uninsured or doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your damages. At a minimum, your policy should include:

• Uninsured Motorists: Bodily Injury: $25,000/$50,000
• Property Damage: $10,000
• Underinsured Motorists: Bodily Injury: $50,000

Technically, you could always sue the at-fault driver instead of going through your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. However, most people driving without insurance aren’t secret billionaires. You can’t recover money that simply isn’t there.

How Can an Attorney Help with My No-Contact Evansville Car Accident?

If you have no witnesses, or if you only have witnesses that your insurance company won’t approve of, it may be time to contact an attorney. There are other ways to prove that you’re not at fault for your Evansville no-contact car accident.

It’s also a good idea to contact an attorney if someone else’s reckless driving caused you to hit someone else. Comparative fault gets more complicated if you collide with someone else because of the phantom driver. An attorney can ensure that your damages are taken care of and that you aren’t entirely blamed for the other driver’s damages.

Help from an Evansville Car Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been injured in a no-contact Evansville car accident, you may be wondering who can help. Who will believe you that a phantom driver caused your accident?

An Evansville car accident lawyer can help. Call Hensley Legal Group today or contact us online for a free consultation. Be sure to download our free eBook, Consumer’s Guide for Injured Victims, for more information on what to do after a car accident.