Auto Insurance Claims: DUI hit and run, uninsured motorist coverage, district attorny

Question
Hi,  I have a several related questions.  My wife (who is 8 months pregnant) were recently hit from behind while at a red light by a drunk driver who also fled the scene.  He ended up in a ditch a mile down the road so the good news is they caught him.  The bad news is that he has no insurance because of a prior DUI and another pending DUI charge.  We do carry uninsured motorist coverage and we live in CA.  My question is, what recourse do we have against the driver?  Also, I had a laptop that was destroyed in the accident will that be covered by insurance?  My wife and I also have minor cases of whiplash, will we be covered for that?  What should we do to make sure that we are fully commpensated for our accident?  Thanks for your help

Jason

Answer
Hi Jason,

California has some very strange uninsured motorist coverage. How much will be covered will be determined by your exact coverage. You should sirect these questions directly to your insurance company. If you have coverage, it should cover your car damage, computer damage as well as your injuries.

As far as going after the at-fault driver, considering that he is a repeat DUI offender and has no insurance, he likey has no assets to go after. You may want to contact the district attorny's office to see if you are entitled to a restitution agreement the at-fault person.

I hope this helps
Richard Hixenbaugh