What Legal Options Do Passengers Have After a Car Accident?
Car accidents injure many drivers and passengers in Maryland each year. As a passenger in a vehicle wreck, you didn’t have control of the vehicle and likely had nothing to do with the accident, but you may have sustained injuries that required hospital stays, complicated procedures, tests, medication—all items that can result in extensive medical bills. What are your legal options for receiving compensation in this situation?
There are many factors that go into calculating compensation for a passenger in a car accident settlement. You’ll want a trusted attorney at your side to make sure that your settlement is fair and will cover the costs of what you’ve been through. Your lawyer will carefully review what happened. Once the responsible party or parties is discovered, we’ll look into how they acted negligently, how the negligence harmed you, and what you suffered because of it. You deserve to know that your representatives will look out for your best interests no matter what.
Being a passenger in a car wreck raises a lot of questions. Your first thoughts may go toward insurance and how it applies to your circumstances. First, let’s explain how insurance works in a situation where you were not directly involved in an auto accident.
How Does Auto Insurance in Maryland Work for Passengers?
You may be wondering if your insurance is somehow applicable in this situation. You were not to blame for the accident and the responsibility should be on the at-fault driver and their insurance to cover the costs of your damages. However, there may be some scenarios where your insurance could be used. For example, the negligent driver who caused the collision may be an underinsured or uninsured driver. This means their insurance or lack of it cannot cover your losses.
In Maryland, it’s the law for drivers to have liability insurance if their vehicle is registered in the state. Therefore, the drivers involved in your accident should have insurance that will cover your damages. However, if the process is taking a long time and you need to pay certain medical bills, your insurance may cover your medical expenses.
Figuring out the timeline for your settlement and when you’ll need to be able to pay back bills can be tricky. If you need to start taking care of expenses before your settlement is finalized, an attorney can help you go over your options.
Determining Fault and Who You Should Sue
A thorough investigation needs to happen to find who was at fault for the accident. While there may be some situations where the blame lies fully with one of the parties, it’s possible that both acted in negligent ways that contributed to the auto collision—perhaps one party failed to signal a lane change and check their blind spot while the other was on their phone.
A lawyer will carefully review what happened and will show that either one or both of the drivers’ actions caused your injuries. If it’s discovered that both drivers were partially responsible for the wreck, it may be possible for you to file claims against both.
What If Family Was Involved in the Accident?
It’s possible that the car wreck may have involved a family member. This could make a claim slightly more complex because some policies may not include family members. The main reason is that the person who was at fault for the accident may benefit from their family member receiving compensation for the accident, which could lead to situations where lying about the severity of injuries could arise.
But this doesn’t mean that the person who was injured has no chance of recovering compensation. You’ll have to check your family member’s policy, which may include family members. Your attorney will be able to figure out the situation you’re in regarding insurance policies and advise you on how best to proceed.
If you were in the vehicle with a friend when the accident occurred and your friend was found to be at fault, you may be hesitant to file a claim against them. However, it is imperative that you make your health a priority. You don’t want to be in a situation where you’re unable to work and need to afford past bills and care in the future. You may also take comfort in knowing that this is why people have liability insurance. These policies are in place so that in the event of an accident that causes damages, they will have insurance to cover it.
Belsky, Weinberg & Horowitz, LLC Will Defend Your Rights
Belsky, Weinberg & Horowitz, LLC can help you if you’re in situation where you’re questioning your legal rights as a passenger who was injured in an accident. Our law firm is located in Baltimore, but our legal services can be extended to individuals and families anywhere in Maryland who need our assistance.
An insurance company may try to offer you a settlement amount that incorrectly reflects what you’ve been through. To that insurance company, you’re another matter to settle as quickly as possible—your health and wellbeing are not their priority. Our attorneys will fight for you, so you won’t have to worry about financial matters when you’re in the midst of recovery. Give us a call today so you can have peace of mind that professionals are on your side. In an obligation-free consultation, we’ll discuss the details of your case, you legal options, and any of your questions and concerns.
