Getting hit by another vehicle is bad enough, but when the car is stolen, it makes things far more complicated. Stolen vehicle drivers often travel at higher speeds which in turn creates a higher risk of injury or death to those around.
If someone gets injured by a stolen car, there will be no coverage from the driver’s insurance—if he or she had any to begin with.
Tractor Trailer Catches Fire After Collision with Stolen Car
A Florida truck driver hauling produce on the Schuykill Expressway tragically died of after a crash with a stolen vehicle on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Police at the scene say that the driver of stolen Toyota Yaris traveling eastbound on the expressway apparently overshot Girard Avenue exit and tried to drive in reverse to get back to the exit.
Instead, he hit a tractor-trailer causing it to hit a cement barrier and catch fire. The truck driver died at the scene, and all three occupants of the stolen car fled on foot. Later the same day, the driver was apprehended by police who say that he will be charged with DUI, reckless endangerment, fleeing the scene of an accident and homicide by vehicle.
Stolen Vehicle and Insurance
In Pennsylvania, anyone driving a stolen car and injures another person is not covered for their injuries. This is because the law prohibits someone from being covered for intentional criminal activity. There are some crimes like a DUI or even fleeing the scene of an accident where the driver is still going to be covered if they injure someone else, however, stealing a vehicle isn’t one of those.
This puts the injured victims in a bad spot. When the victim dies, then their family might hot have any sources of compensation to help them cover their financial losses.
There is one possibility and that is if the victim has their own auto policy that has uninsured and underinsured motorist’s coverage, then they might be able to collect compensation. If not, then the only recourse if to sue the driver and get a court judgment and hope that they have some money somewhere.
Help on the Way
At the Pearce Law Firm, Personal Injury and Accident Lawyers, P.C., we understand your frustration if you’ve been injured by a stolen vehicle driver and now face a daunting amount of bills and financial losses due to the accident.
We have represented many accident victims where it looked like coverage wasn’t possible, we can evaluate your case to see if there is any insurance policy or funds available to cover your losses. We will stand with you to get the compensation you deserve.
Contact a Philadelphia Auto Accident Lawyer.
After any accident involving a serious injury, contact a highly rated Philadelphia Auto Accident Lawyer such as Edith Pearce. Unlike the huge firms with dozens of attorneys and many different attorneys handling different aspects of your case, Edith Pearce is personally involved in every case that we handle. She genuinely cares about her clients and you will not be treated like just another case or file.