Every time you get into a car, you are putting our trust in other drivers to respect the rules of the road. That risk can be even higher when you are a passenger and have little control over the vehicle that you are riding in.
It can be frustrating to sustain an injury due to someone else’s negligence – whether it was a driver you put your trust in as a passenger or another person on the road that caused the accident.
The good news is that you can generally file a claim against the at-fault driver. Here is more information about pursuing this type of claim.
All drivers on the road owe a duty of care to other vehicles, passengers, and pedestrians. If you are a passenger in a vehicle and you did not cause or contribute to the accident by distracting the driver or creating a hazard, you could be eligible to receive compensation.
The first step in financial recovery is determining who exactly is at fault for the crash. Insurance companies and personal injury attorneys will evaluate the available evidence and may even initiate independent investigations to gather this data.
Sources of evidence to prove which driver is liable include:
In addition, records of your medical treatment could be analyzed to find out how much a personal injury claim is worth overall.
Typically, you will file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance company. The insurance company will examine the evidence and determine fault and the amount of money that is warranted to cover your damages.
If you cannot agree on a settlement amount or the other driver does not have ample insurance to cover your damages, you may decide to file a lawsuit or tap into your own insurance policy for the difference.
Many people are concerned about “suing” their friend, a loved one, or a spouse as a vehicle passenger. However, it’s important to keep in mind that you will rarely end up suing the actual driver. Most often, it is the insurance company who will be the party in the lawsuit, and your attorney and the insurance company will do the bulk of the negotiations.
Every car accident case is different, so the types of compensation and the total amounts available can vary drastically.
According to Forbes, the average car accident settlement is between $20,000 and $25,000, but these figures can rise dramatically if there are catastrophic injuries or significant property damage. For example, our law firm has achieved case results totaling well into the six and seven figures.
Depending on the circumstances of your car accident case, a car accident attorney may pursue the following compensation:
Keep in mind that there is a statute of limitations in Missouri that puts a deadline on how long you have to file a lawsuit. For this reason, contact a Missouri car accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your case.
With more than 20 years of experience, The Law Offices of Kevin Roach has been helping accident victims recover financially from their injuries. If you were a passenger injured in a car accident, call our office at (636) 942-6713 for help. We offer free consultations and are standing by to assist you.
