The Uninsured Division (UD) handles claims in which someone is injured in an accident caused by another person who has no insurance to cover those injuries. The UD is a division of the State of Maryland administered by Maryland Auto Insurance.
The UD recently received a claim from a bicyclist who was injured in a hit-and-run incident while riding his bike home at night after visiting his young daughter.
The man stopped at an intersection and proceeded through after checking for oncoming traffic. While in the intersection, a dark-colored SUV struck him on his left side. Although his bicycle had reflective paint, the SUV did not have its headlights on. The impact dragged the bicycle briefly before it was dislodged from the SUV. The vehicle then continued down the block. Lying injured on the ground, the cyclist heard the vehicle stop and the male driver shout about damage to his SUV before fleeing the scene.
Unable to stand and drifting in and out of consciousness, the cyclist heard voices approaching. He was found by a couple who he believes called for emergency services, although they are not listed on the police report. He was transported to the University of Maryland Medical Center, where he remained hospitalized for nearly a month. His injuries resulted in medical bills exceeding $110,000. After he left the hospital, he required in-home care for several weeks and continued to undergo physical therapy. He also hasn’t been able to work since the collision.
Since the victim had no other insurance coverage to assist with his medical bills from the crash, this claim was submitted to the UD. After reviewing the injury claim, the UD extended an offer for the maximum coverage allowed, which is $30,000. For claims handled by the Uninsured Division, the statute provides coverage of up to $30,000 in bodily injury for one individual and a maximum of $60,000 per accident for bodily injury for more than one person in a covered incident.
Unfortunately, the driver responsible for the hit-and-run was never identified.
By awarding the maximum amount allowed by the statute, the UD was able to help the victim with their medical expenses from the accident. While this amount didn’t fully cover all of their costs, it still eased some of their financial burden.
This case demonstrates the UD’s dedication to protecting Marylanders by ensuring that victims of uninsured motorist accidents, who have no other insurance coverage, are not financially burdened by expenses through no fault of their own.
