Car accidents are often traumatic events that can leave people involved with physical, emotional, and financial consequences. While drivers are typically the ones involved in legal claims, passengers in a car accident also have significant legal rights. If you’ve been injured as a passenger in a car accident, it’s important to understand what legal protections you have and how you can pursue compensation for your injuries. You don’t have to figure it out on your own, though. Our friends from Marsh | Rickard | Bryan, LLC, explain options that passengers in a car wreck have.
Legal Rights Of Passengers In A Car Accident
In most cases, passengers have the same legal rights as drivers when it comes to seeking compensation for injuries resulting from a car accident. This includes the right to file a personal injury claim to recover damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other accident-related costs. It also includes the right hire your own car accident lawyer to represent your interests.
As a passenger, you have the right to pursue a claim against the responsible party for any injuries you’ve sustained in an accident. The key question in any car accident is who is at fault. In accidents where the driver of the vehicle you were in is at fault, you may be able to file a claim against their insurance company.
However, if the other driver was at fault, you can file a claim against their insurance company. Even if both drivers share some degree of fault, passengers may still be entitled to pursue compensation from either or both parties involved. If the drivers are both found to be partially responsible, it’s possible that the insurance companies of both drivers will share liability for your damages.
Passengers have the right to pursue compensation from multiple sources. If you were injured in an accident caused by the negligence of the other driver, you can pursue a claim against their insurance. If the driver of the vehicle you were in was at fault, you can file a claim with their insurance policy.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident as a passenger, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. The extent of your compensation will depend on the severity of your injuries and the circumstances of the accident.
You can also seek compensation for future medical expenses if your injuries require long-term care or treatment. In cases where the accident leads to permanent disability, you may also be entitled to compensation for the long-term impacts of your injuries.
Contact a car accident lawyer about your options. Remember, your health and well-being come first, and you are entitled to be made whole again after an accident.
