Driving with an expired vehicle registration is against the law, so you may have questions about filing a claim if you are involved in an accident while your tag is expired.
The good news is you may still have legal options. The car accident attorneys in South Bend are prepared to answer your questions and explain how we may able to move forward with your claim.
Can my Claim be Denied if my Tag Expired?
When an accident happens, it is generally because one or more parties were negligent. In Indiana, the insurance company of the negligent party is the one financially responsible for injuries and property damage.
The insurance company, however, does still get the opportunity to review your claim and possibly deny it. These for-profit companies are interested in one thing: maximizing their profits. If the insurance company sees your license plate was expired at the time of the crash, they may use this against you to deny or devalue your claim.
In these types of situations, it is important to have an experienced attorney to help you.
What if I was Partially at Fault?
Indiana’s comparative fault laws state that if a driver is at least 51 percent at fault for an accident, he or she may not recover compensation from an auto accident. If you are found to be less than 51 percent responsible for the accident, you are legally allowed to recover compensation, but your recovery may be reduced by whatever percentage you were at fault.
No matter how hard the insurance company may try, an expired license plate is not the reason the accident happened. Keep in mind that fault is assigned to the driver who drove negligently. They may claim you should not have been on the road at the time of the crash because of an expired tag, but that does not necessarily mean you were driving negligently.
Will I Face Penalties?
Because driving with an expired tag is a fineable offense, you will most likely face penalties. The amount of your fine will be based on how long your tag was expired.
In March 2020, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed an executive order that extended the expiration dates for driver’s licenses and tags. However, as of July 1, 2020, that order ended and people caught driving with an expired tag or driver’s license may now be ticketed.
If you were involved in an accident and your tag was expired, you should renew it as soon as possible to avoid additional penalties. You can also avoid this becoming an issue if you are injured in a crash that was not your fault.
Call Us Today
The attorneys at Pfeifer, Morgan and Stesiak are prepared to help you through the insurance claims process. Our goal is to recover maximum compensation for your injuries, lost wages and other damages.
Indiana law grants you the right to seek this compensation, even if you were partially at fault for the accident. Our attorneys are prepared to help you prove the negligence of the other driver is what caused your injuries.
We do not charge you anything while we work on your case and offer a free consultation before you decide to hire us.
Call today for a free case evaluation: (574) 444-0741