Can You Get Deported for a Car Accident?

Many undocumented immigrants — including those with legal status — do not know what to do after a car accident. This is understandable. It takes time to adapt to a new country; during that process, a car accident is the last thing you want to deal with.

Regardless of the circumstances, you need to follow these steps:

Call 911

Many immigrants dread the idea of involving law enforcement in such incidents. This is because they fear law enforcement authorities will hand them over to immigration officials. But that is not the case. Instead, when police officers respond to the accident scene, they will write an accident report describing the scene, parties involved, time, date, location of the accident, and other important details, not your immigration status.

Gather Information and Evidence

You will need the other driver's details, such as a picture of their driver's license and insurance card. Also, ensure you collect evidence of the accident scene by taking photos of the injuries and damages, any relevant signage, skid marks, or anything that could help prove your case.

Seek Medical Attention

Get checked by a doctor as soon as possible. If you take too long to get checked, your injuries could worsen. It is also important to note that internal injuries do not usually show symptoms immediately. And if they do, it is because things have become even more serious.

Remember to document everything when you visit the doctor. Then, ensure you have a copy of the doctor's report.

Contact a Car Accident Attorney

An experienced car accident attorney can fight for you regardless of your immigration status. Whether you are an undocumented immigrant, an asylee, or a permanent resident, traffic laws throughout the country protect you if you get injured in a car accident.

Unfortunately, such cases happen all the time. Most insurance companies become bullies when you file a claim with them, whether you are an immigrant or a citizen. This is because insurance is business. The less they compensate you, the more profits they make.

Some rogue insurance claims adjusters will make the situation worse for you when they discover you are an immigrant. Some will ask indirect questions about your immigration status just to stop you from pursuing the claim.

Do not accept liability for the accident regardless of what they tell you. Instead, contact an experienced car accident attorney. The attorney will review the details of your case to determine whether your claim is valid. If valid, they will fight for you ensuring you receive compensation regardless of your immigration status.

It is illegal to drive without a license in the United States. The penalty for this violation varies from state to state. However, you may still be eligible for compensation if you get injured in a car accident. Whenever in doubt, talk to an attorney to understand your options.

It is not uncommon for individuals to seek medical attention even without insurance. One thing you need to know is that public hospitals cannot deny you treatment, especially if you suffer life-threatening injuries. Your health is the most important thing in such a scenario. The issue of whether or not you have medical insurance comes after.

An experienced attorney can help you understand your options. Even if you do not have medical insurance, you may still be able to receive the medical treatment you need after an accident. For example, let's say you were in the country as a visitor and then got injured while driving a rental car. In that case, the attorney will study the terms of the rental car agreement to determine whether you had some form of coverage.

The possibilities are endless in these kinds of cases. All you need to do is contact an experienced attorney for further legal advice.

Yes, it is important that you get checked by a doctor. Only the doctor can give you a clean bill of health. As an immigrant, you probably do not want to go through the complex process of checking in at hospitals for treatment.

We understand this. It is often stressful settling in a foreign country, let alone seeking medical attention.

However, some injuries, particularly internal injuries, take time to show. And when they do, it is usually when the damage has worsened. For example, when you suffer internal bleeding, the blood flowing out of your internal organs could clog your veins, blocking oxygen flow to your brain.

When that happens, you will likely go into a comma, and if not treated, your brain will begin shutting down slowly. This is one of the reasons some people die in their sleep a few weeks after a car accident, especially if they did not get checked by a doctor.

It is always advisable to inform the insurance provider about the accident. However, you should be very careful with the kind of information you share with them. Stick to general details about the accident, such as date, time, and location. Let them know that you were injured but do not inform them about the specifics of the injury. If they demand to know more about the accident, ask them to speak with your attorney.

If you do not have an attorney at that particular moment, it is okay to end the communication and let the insurer know that you will contact them later. Then, contact a lawyer and explain your case. The attorney might be able to represent you, eliminating the chances of intimidation based on your immigration status.

If you suffered significant injuries from a car accident, it is always a good idea to let an attorney fight for you. One thing most injury victims do not realize is that the compensation they may be entitled to is not limited to medical expenses only. Depending on the nature of the accident, you may be entitled to much more.

But you should not expect the insurance company to tell you this. Rather, they will make it seem like you are only entitled to medical expenses or repair for damages to your vehicle.

Again, this will depend on the specifics of the accident. That said, you can recover compensatory damages, which include economic and non-economic damages.

Examples of economic damages include:

• Loss of wages  
• Loss of earning potential
• Cost of transportation to your medical appointments
• Cost of medical equipment

Examples of non-economic damages include:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental distress
• Inconvenience

When you are an immigrant, some companies or individuals might assume that you are unaware of your rights. Sadly, some may even assume you do not understand English. As a result, a rogue claims adjuster might trick you into signing documents that waive your rights to pursue a claim by accepting a lowball settlement.

It is unlawful for insurance companies or their representatives to mislead you into signing documents. However, it is even more challenging to prove that you were misled. For this reason, the best thing to do is to avoid signing anything before speaking with an attorney.

Your immigration status will have nothing to do with the compensation you are entitled to. If you got injured in a car accident and are eligible for compensation, your case will not be inferior to others just because you are an immigrant.

But despite knowing this, some insurance companies might propose lowball offers when they realize you are not a citizen. This is because they want to take advantage of your status or assume that you do not realize just how much your case is worth.

Speaking with an experienced attorney is one of the best ways to deal with such situations. The attorney will fight for you, protecting your rights as any other accident victim, regardless of where you come from.

Many law firms and attorneys offer legal representation for victims of car accidents in different states. But if you are looking for some of the best, Morgan and Morgan is the law firm to contact.

Morgan and Morgan is the largest personal injury law firm in the United States, serving clients from coast to coast. You can count on us to provide the legal representation you need regardless of where the accident occurred.

There is always a Morgan and Morgan attorney nearby ready to fight for you.

Our attorneys have a positive reputation for fighting aggressively against the big bullies in the automobile industry, particularly insurance companies. We know how these companies behave when you file a claim with them. It is even worse when you are an immigrant; some automatically assume you are unaware of your rights.  

But our attorneys can fight for you in these situations. We have dealt with insurance companies long enough to know the tactics they use to avoid liability, especially for claims filed by immigrants. We can almost predict their next move or tell when they are biased.

And most importantly, because we are the largest personal injury law firm in the country, it is unlikely that insurance companies will want to play games with your claim when they know you have our attorneys fighting for you. To put things into perspective, we have helped our clients recover more than $20 billion as compensation for their injuries, and that is because we do not settle for less.

We understand how intimidating dealing with a car accident claim adjuster can be, especially if you are not a citizen. But, regardless of the specifics of the accident, you should always bear in mind that the law treats everyone equally.

That is why we are here to fight for you or your beloved. To do this, we will need to review your case and determine whether you have a valid claim. So fill out our free case evaluation form to get started.