“Phantom” Vehicle Law

Vehicles which do not make contact with another car, but which nonetheless cause an accident are referred to as unknown or phantom vehicles. Despite popular belief, individuals who collide with another vehicle or who are forced off of the road as a result of an unknown driver’s actions may still have a claim. Phantom vehicles are classified as uninsured and per Alabama’s uninsured motorist statute an insured motorist is legally entitled to recover damages from an uninsured motorist. In Walker v. Guide One Specialty Mutual Insurance Company, the Alabama Supreme Court made it clear that an insured driver will not be barred from recovery for a lack of collaborative testimony. Thankfully for all of Alabama’s drivers, claimants involved in an incident caused by a phantom vehicle need not meet the earlier UM requirement of producing competent evidence aside from a claimant’s own testimony to the events.

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