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Hit by an Uninsured Driver in Palmdale: What Are Your Options?

Car Accidents · By Payam Soliemanzadeh · September 22, 2026

Written and reviewed by Payam Soliemanzadeh, Founder and President — Updated September 22, 2026

The driver who hit you in Palmdale has no insurance? Your own UM coverage may be the answer. Here's how it works and the deadlines that apply.

A crash on the Antelope Valley Freeway or along Palmdale Boulevard is bad enough — learning the other driver has no insurance feels like a dead end. It usually isn't. The path to recovery just runs through a different policy than you'd expect.

Uninsured motorist coverage is built for this

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your own auto policy is designed to step in when the at-fault driver has no insurance. If you carry it, you can file a claim with your own insurer for the injuries the uninsured driver caused. Underinsured (UIM) coverage does the same when the other driver's limits are too low.

It's your insurer — but not automatically on your side

A UM claim is made against your own insurance company, and it will still evaluate and may undervalue it. Documenting the crash and injuries thoroughly protects you from being shortchanged by your own carrier.

Watch your policy's deadlines

Beyond California's general two-year injury deadline (CCP § 335.1), UM claims carry their own notice and demand deadlines set by the policy — often shorter. Acting early keeps every option open.

Local details for Palmdale

County: Los Angeles County
Where a case is filed: A Palmdale crash case is generally filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court's North District (Michael D. Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse).
Key deadline: Generally 2 years (CCP § 335.1); UM claims also carry their own, often shorter, policy deadlines.

Palmdale crashes concentrate on State Route 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway), State Route 138, and along Palmdale Boulevard and Sierra Highway. Seriously injured drivers are often taken to Antelope Valley Medical Center. Rural stretches and high speeds make uninsured-driver crashes especially common out here.

Frequently asked questions

The other driver had no insurance — can I still recover?

Often yes, through the uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your own auto policy, which is designed for exactly this.

What if the other driver was underinsured?

Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage can make up the gap when the at-fault driver's limits are too low to cover your injuries.

How fast do I need to act on a UM claim?

Quickly — UM claims carry their own policy deadlines that are often shorter than the general two-year rule.