Being in a car accident can be a confusing and traumatizing experience for everyone involved. Aside from the damage to personal property, physical injuries resulting from such an accident can rack up the medical bills and additional hefty charges for any physical rehabilitative therapy required in the future. The legal nature of such a case becomes more complicated if you are involved in an accident as a passenger in a car driven by someone else.
However, the complex nature of the legal case does not mean that you cannot file a claim for reimbursement of damages, financial and otherwise, that result directly from the accident. Being a passenger involved in the accident, you have several options to file a lawsuit to obtain compensation.
Who is Liable?
According to important lawsuit information provided by the knowledgeable car accident lawyers at Angel Reyes & Associates in Dallas,TX, for an accident involving injuries to you as a passenger, several parties could share liability. It all depends on the circumstances surrounding the accident. It depends mainly on the party whose fault directly led to the accident and resulting injuries.
The driver of the car you were traveling is accountable for your well-being and safety. As such, any mistakes he or she makes that leads to an accident places the liability on the driver. In such a case, the driver’s insurance should cover your medical bills and any other expenditures. As a passenger, you have the right to file a legal claim in a court of law based on the injured passenger insurance of the driver.
You may also file a claim against the person driving the other car involved in the accident. For this purpose, you need to prove that the other driver was responsible for the actions that led to the accident. This claim needs to be backed by physical evidence and sworn statements from bystanders and eyewitnesses, etc.
When Are You Liable?
Passengers are usually not held liable for the injuries they sustain as a result of the accidents involving cars driven by others. It means that if you get involved in a car accident with more than one car, where you were not driving, you can sue all the drivers separately. Doing so will cover all medical expenses, with you having to pay little to nothing for the injuries.
However, passengers are not always free of liability in case of car accidents. One good example of this is if you travel in a car with a drunk driver, your legal claim might become invalid because it places liability on you for knowingly traveling in a vehicle with an incapacitated driver.
What if the Driver Is Your Relative?
If the driver is a family member or relative, you may or may not be able to obtain further compensation through a case against the driver’s insurance. In such cases, the insurance of the driver covers the passengers as well, and you cannot pursue a claim against the insurance provider whose insurance package covers you.
However, it should not stop you from pursuing compensation legally. Consulting an attorney who specializes in such legal cases and personal injury claims is highly recommended.
