Got hit while uninsured — not my fault. Can I still go after their insurance?

I was in almost this exact spot two years ago — lapsed policy, clearly the other person's fault, scared to death I'd get nothing. What I found out is that the at-fault driver's liability coverage is supposed to pay for damages they cause to OTHER people, regardless of whether those people have their own insurance. That's literally what liability insurance exists for. You're not making a claim on your own policy. You're making a claim on theirs. I ended up getting my car and medical bills covered. Definitely look into it.

The adjuster on the other side is NOT your friend. Their job is to minimize the payout, and the moment they find out you were uninsured they may try to use it to make you feel like you have no leverage. Don't let them pressure you into a quick settlement — especially with back and shoulder injuries that might not fully show up for a few weeks. Get everything in writing and don't accept anything before you know the full picture of your medical situation.

Not legal advice, but generally speaking: your lack of insurance doesn't eliminate your right to recover from an at-fault driver's liability policy. Their insurance owes you for what their insured caused. That said, a few states have laws that can limit uninsured drivers' ability to collect certain damages — particularly non-economic ones like pain and suffering — so it really does depend on where this happened. Worth at least a free consult with a PI attorney before you talk to the other driver's adjuster. Most won't charge you anything upfront.

Worked claims for years. Here's the honest truth: your uninsured status absolutely shows up in the system and some adjusters will use the optics of it to low-ball you, even if it has no actual legal bearing on liability. They're betting you don't know your rights and will take the first offer. The police report noting the other driver failed to yield is huge — hold onto that and reference it every time you talk to anyone on their side.

Please don't brush off the shoulder and lower back stuff. Soft tissue injuries from lateral impacts can be deceptive — you feel okay-ish for the first couple of days and then wake up on day four barely able to move. Make sure you follow up with a doctor (not just urgent care) and document every symptom, every day if you can. That paper trail matters a lot if your recovery ends up being longer than expected.

A few practical things: First, don't give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company without understanding what you're agreeing to — they will ask for one and it can be used against you. Second, keep every receipt, every medical record, and a log of how your injuries affect your daily life. Third, the police report is your best friend here — if it documents the yield sign violation, that establishes fault on paper. If you decide to work with an attorney, all of that documentation makes their job easier and your case stronger.

Stop worrying about the insurance lapse and start focusing on two things: your health and the paper trail. Get properly checked out, document everything, and don't sign or agree to anything the other insurance sends you before you fully understand it. The fault question sounds pretty clear from what you described. Don't let guilt about the lapsed policy make you a pushover in this process.