Passenger Accidents
Legal Help for Passengers Injured in Car Accidents
Car accidents harm thousands of residents every year. While injured drivers are often the focus of studies and publications, passengers are frequently the people who are the most severely injured in crashes. These victims are left without any control in a collision, unable to stop or lessen the severity of the accident. Sadly, this lack of control often leads to passengers experiencing the brunt of the impact, leaving them with traumatic injuries that could take months or even years to heal.
If you were injured as a passenger, you have the right to hold the people who hurt you responsible for your injuries and financial costs.
We at The Husband & Wife Law Team have helped countless injured victims find success in their legal cases and can apply our years of experience to your case, as well. To learn more about your best legal options and what steps you should take in the wake of your accident, contact our injury attorneys today for a no-cost case evaluation.
What Injuries Can Passengers Sustain?
Car accidents are just as dangerous for passengers as they are for drivers, if not more so. When a driver takes evasive maneuvers, they often do so with their first thought being of their own safety. They may attempt to serve out of the way of a collision but inadvertently put the passenger in the direct spot of impact. This usually results in far more severe injuries, including:
Deep lacerations
These injuries can be absolutely devastating. Some will leave behind scars. Others will lead to a lifelong disability. After being a victim of a car accident, you may have to completely adjust your life around your injuries. From switching careers to making changes to your house in order to make it more accessible, your previous way of life might be gone in a flash because a driver neglected to behave safely and responsibly. That simply isn’t fair. You don’t deserve to pay for mistakes that weren’t your own. Which is exactly why you should consider filing a claim.
What Are My Rights as an Injured Passenger?
Like drivers or pedestrians injured in a crash, passengers have the right to file a personal injury claim against the person or people who hurt them. However, if you were hurt as a passenger, you will need to prove who caused the crash, how you were injured, and that you took the proper safety precautions, such as buckling your seatbelt.
To file a claim, you will have to determine who caused your wreck and how much you should be paid in compensation in order to cope with your losses. Like any injured car crash victim, you have the right to seek full and fair compensation from the at-fault party and his or her insurance provider to cover your medical bills, injuries, disabilities, and rehabilitation, both in the past and future.
Remember, even if you fear that you will somehow be blamed for the accident, Arizona is a comparative negligence state. In fact, you can recover damages even if you are 99% at fault. While passengers are rarely assigned any blame for accidents, if the at-fault driver does try to blame you, you will still be able to recover proper compensation.
All of that being said, passengers are often under a unique legal circumstance. Many cases are filed against the driver of the vehicle they were in. This means that cases may have to be filed against the insurance companies of friends or family in order to receive compensation for injuries, medical bills, and other losses.
Should I Hold a Loved One Responsible?
If your crash was caused by a family member or friend driving dangerously, you may have no other choice but to file a personal injury claim against their insurance. This decision can be difficult to make, given your relationship with the at-fault driver. Even if they put you and others in danger, such as driving drunk or recklessly, you may not want to file an auto accident claim.
Beyond emotional and relational ties, you may feel as though you will be subjecting your loved one to thousands and thousands of dollars in debt. However, a proper personal injury claim will seek money to pay for your losses directly from the driver’s insurance provider, not from the driver. This means that your loved one will likely not have to pay you anything. While their rates with their insurance may rise slightly, that is a small price to pay to make sure that you are properly taken care of.
Without filing a claim, you will be left with severe debt from much-needed medical care and may be unable to pay for any future medical needs caused by your injuries. Attempting to arrange payments from your loved one that do not involve insurance companies and legal avenues will only add more complications, likely leading to more financial harm and damaged relationships.
On top of that, due to Arizona being a comparative negligence state, it is very likely that you will be able to file against multiple parties. This means that if your loved one does not have a high enough policy, you don’t need to fret about your own costs or about asking them for additional money that their insurance company won’t provide. Passengers are in a unique position where they could potentially file against both drivers, as well as other parties, such as the car manufacturer, the mechanic that repaired the car, and even the government body that maintained the roads, if the circumstances allow for it.
How a Passenger Injury Lawyer Represents You
Forming a legal case and filing a claim against the person who harmed you can be a complex process. However, passenger injury lawyers can take on this responsibility when you appoint them as your legal representation. This way, you can focus on healing while your complicated legal matters are handled by professionals.
Get in touch with The Husband & Wife Law Team of Mark and Alexis Breyer. As experienced auto accident attorneys, we have the insight and resources need to successfully represent you in your case. With our help, recovery and the end of your wrongful financial losses are possible. Do not wait. Contact us at today for a free evaluation of your case.