Idaho Car Accident Laws

Even the most defensive driver can be in a car crash. If you were involved in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, you could recover compensation for medical bills, lost income, and other damages.

Understanding Idaho car accident laws can help you protect your legal rights before and after an accident. Speak with an Idaho car accident attorney to find out how these laws may apply to your particular situation.

Idaho Auto Insurance Coverage Requirements

Idaho Statutes § 49-1229 requires drivers to carry the following liability and property damage insurance coverage in order to register their vehicle.

Bodily Injury Liability Insurance

Drivers in Idaho should maintain a minimum of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability. This policy covers medical treatment for the driver and passengers in the other vehicle when the policyholder is at fault in an accident.

Property Damage Liability Insurance

Idaho drivers must also carry a minimum $15,000 property damage liability policy for damage to someone else’s property. This insurance also applies only when the policyholder is the at-fault party in a motor vehicle accident.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Insurance

This type of policy is designed to provide additional coverage when the at-fault party has no liability insurance or damages from the accident exceed the at-fault party’s policy limit. Depending on the type of policy, the uninsured/underinsured coverage can help the injured party receive additional compensation for their medical damages.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance is not required in Idaho. However, your insurance provider must offer it, and you may decline coverage in writing.

Types of Damages You Can Recover for a Car Crash in Idaho

When you are injured in a car collision caused by someone else’s negligence, Idaho law allows victims of negligence to recover damages for the losses they sustained. These damages may include economic damages, such as medical expenses, lost income, and property damage.

Car accident victims may also recover non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life. However, non-economic damages are capped, per Idaho Statutes § 6-1603. The cap begins at $250,000. However, it adjusts annually based on inflation and average wages.

Additionally, Idaho follows a modified comparative negligence doctrine, per Idaho Statutes § 6-801. As long as you are less than 50% at fault in the accident, you may collect damages, but your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Therefore, if you are found to be 10% at fault in the accident, and the compensation is valued at $100,000, you would receive $90,000.

A personal injury attorney in Idaho can help you determine which damages and potential limitations apply to your case. They can also protect you from insurance companies and their attorneys from placing a greater degree of blame on you.

Statute of Limitations to File an Idaho Car Accident Claim

Per Idaho Statutes § 5-219, injury victims, which include those injured in car crashes, typically have two years to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party. This time frame can differ depending on the details of your accident. For example, if you are filing a claim against a governmental entity, you may only have 180 days to file, per Idaho Statutes § 6-905.

Idaho Car Crash Reporting Guidelines

Following a car accident, Idaho Statutes § 49-1305 requires the driver to report any accident that results in:

• Personal injury of any person
• Death of any person
• Damage to any one person’s property exceeding $1,500

To report the accident, call 911 to notify the appropriate law enforcement agency. An officer will typically be dispatched to write an accident report, per Idaho Statutes § 49-1306.

While at the accident scene, you must also exchange information with the other driver, including your contact information, insurance details, and vehicle registration, in accordance with Idaho Statutes § 49-1302. The reporting officer will usually facilitate the exchange of information between drivers. Drivers who fail to report their information before leaving the scene can face criminal charges.

How an Idaho Car Accident Attorney Can Help You Seek Compensation

These are just a few of the Idaho laws that can affect your car accident injury claim. Even with this knowledge, working with an attorney offers several advantages:

Negotiating With Insurance Adjusters

When you work with a personal injury lawyer on your car accident case, you don’t have to worry about taking calls or responding to emails from insurers. Your attorney will field correspondence about your case and review any settlement offers. Since insurers often try to underpay or deny claimants, having a knowledgeable negotiator on your side is highly advantageous.

Filing a Lawsuit Within the Statute of Limitations

Car accident attorneys in Idaho are well-versed in state and local laws. They know how long you have to file a personal injury lawsuit following your car accident, and they will keep your case on track so that you don’t miss important deadlines.

Free Consultations and Legal Assistance on a Contingency Fee

An Idaho car accident law firm will offer free consultations for injury victims. During a consultation, their legal team listens to your story and answers your questions about the legal process. By the end of your case review, they will advise you on your legal options.

If you decide to hire a personal injury attorney for your auto collision claim, they will handle your case on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing up front for their legal assistance. Instead, they take the costs and fees associated with your case out of the final settlement or verdict.

Call Today for a Free Consultation With a Car Accident Law Firm in Idaho

Were you injured in a car accident in Idaho? The Idaho car accident attorneys at the Sargent Law Firm Injury Lawyers have secured more than $40 million in settlements, judgments and verdicts for injury victims. We are a local injury law firm dedicated to helping injured people recover after an unexpected accident.

Our personal injury law firm has spent over a decade helping people access the highest level of legal representation, medical treatment, and financial compensation. Contact us today for a free case review with one of our motor vehicle legal representatives. If you sign up with us, we will immediately notify the insurance company and begin managing all communication regarding your car accident claim.