If you’re riding in a car involved in a car crash, you may be able to recover from the driver, other driver or even your own insurance.
Being in a car accident can be a truly terrifying experience. The crunch of metal and jarring impact can shock anyone, and if you are injured, that shock can last for months or even years as you recover from your injuries. If you are a passenger in a vehicle that has been involved in an accident, you may be wondering what your rights are, and how you can recover for your injuries. Fortunately, there are options for obtaining compensation for your losses in a car accident as a passenger — and an experienced car accident attorney can help you recover for the injuries that you have suffered.
The first option that you may have for recovering is to file a claim against the insurance of the driver of the car that you were riding in as a passenger. Their liability coverage may be able to pay for the damages that you suffered, such as medical injuries, property damage, and other losses. However, there are special rules that may apply if you live with the driver of the car and are covered by the same policy. In that situation, you would be filing a claim against your own policy, which may be prohibited. If you are not on the policy but were somehow responsible for the accident, you may also be barred from making a claim against the policy. For example, if you grabbed the wheel when the driver was operating the car, or covered their eyes, and that caused the accident, then you may not be able to file a claim.
The second option may be to file a claim against the other driver involved in the accident. If the other driver was at fault, you could proceed with a claim against their insurance company. Remember that the amount of compensation that you receive cannot exceed the total value of the claim; this may become an issue if there are multiple claims made against the other driver by occupants of that car that you were riding in at the time of the accident.
The third option may be to request coverage through your own insurance company to assist with medical expenses after an accident. This is often called “med pay,” and can be made through your own insurance provider. It will cover medical bills until such time as the other insurance coverage comes through — but it will not coverage other damages such as pain and suffering or lost wages. This type of coverage generally has low limits, so it will cover more extensive injuries, such as hospitalizations and surgeries. Med pay can be helpful in that it is usually available regardless of who is at fault.
If you have been hurt in any type of accident, you will need top-notch legal representation to make sure that you get the compensation that you deserve for your injuries. At the Law Offices of Larry H. Parker, our attorneys are dedicated to providing our clients with the best quality advocacy. We offer free initial consultations, and we never charge a fee unless we recover money for our clients. Contact our office today at 800-333-0000 or info@larryhparker.com to schedule a free initial appointment and learn how we can help you.
