If you were involved in a car accident as a passenger, it can be a little difficult to know what to do next. If you sustained injuries in this accident, you may be eligible for compensation if you file a personal injury claim.
Personal injury claims can help you cover damages after a car accident where you were not at fault or directly involved. At Henderson Taylor Law Firm, our team of auto accident attorneys has handled hundreds of vehicle collision claims. We are dedicated to providing legal assistance to both drivers and passengers.
So, keep reading to better understand how to proceed with a personal injury claim as a passenger.
Get Medical Care
After a vehicle accident in Portland, the police will arrive once someone calls 911. When this happens, an ambulance will also usually arrive to get everyone checked out for possible injuries. Even if you do not think you are injured, you should take advantage of this and get medical care.
There are many types of injuries a car accident can cause that may not show any signs after the initial accident. Getting checked out could be a life-saving step as well as a crucial part of filing a personal injury claim.
Seeking medical care will start the process of documenting your injuries and the related medical expenses. These are things that will provide subsidence to your personal injury claim and help dictate how much compensation you could receive.
Document Evidence
The backbone of any personal injury claim is having evidence to back up what you want to receive compensation for. Personal injury claims are there to help you get compensation for things like physical injuries, lost wages, lost earning potential, and so on. For your claim to be successful, you have to have proof that shows why you should receive compensation.
One of the best types of proof you should try to provide is evidence you document at the scene of the crash. This can include things like photos of your injuries, photos of property damage, video evidence, and witness statements. It is also helpful if any nearby cameras or dash cams catch footage of the accident happening.
You aren’t responsible for documenting evidence, but it would be helpful if you could collect some evidence to have it on hand. The police will file a police report where they will also include evidence they documented at the scene of the accident. You can later access this police report to use it when you file a personal injury claim.
Determine Liability
In order to file a personal injury claim as a passenger, you have to wait to find out who is liable. The driver who is at fault is the one who will be responsible for compensating the victims of the accident. Because you are the passenger, you may want to file against both drivers if they were both at fault.
It’s also important to understand that your claim will be impacted by other passengers in the vehicle. If other passengers were injured, this means more people would be filing claims against the at-fault parties. Because of this, how much you get could be significantly impacted depending on the at-fault party’s insurance policy.
Hire an Attorney
If you were the passenger when a vehicle got into an accident, you still have rights that need to be upheld. If you sustained any injuries, it is fully within your right to file a claim to get compensation for your damages. Hiring an auto accident attorney can help you do this with a better chance of success.
A personal injury attorney will help you navigate the legal process after an accident and help you file a claim. It will be their responsibility to negotiate with the other involved parties, including the insurance providers. This ensures that you get the compensation amount that you deserve.
An attorney will also help document evidence since they have access to more resources. If necessary, they can represent you in court if the insurance providers do not provide fair settlement amounts.
Compensation For Passengers
As a passenger, you most likely have every right to receive compensation if you were injured in an accident. The good news is that the driver should have PIP coverage, which will provide immediate financial relief no matter who is at fault. This coverage is there to help cover medical expenses and lost wages for passengers involved in the accident.
The driver may also have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which can help compensate you if they are not at fault. If the driver is at fault, you most likely won’t be able to get this type of coverage.
One of the main issues you may experience when filing a personal injury claim is proving the extent of your injuries. This is why it is so crucial to get medical care directly after the accident as a way of documenting your injuries.
If you wait too long to get medical care, the insurance providers may not believe that your injuries came from the accident. The more documentation you have about your injuries, the harder it is to ignore your damages.
You should also hire a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after a car accident. Doing this will help you to avoid common mistakes as you will have someone experienced in this area guiding you on the steps to take.
Hire an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney at Henderson Taylor Law Firm
Being in a car accident as a passenger can leave you not knowing what to do next, especially if you sustained injuries. If this is the case, it is crucial that you get medical care and hire an attorney to represent you and guide you through the legalities of filing a personal injury claim.
At Henderson Taylor Law Firm, our attorneys are committed to defending the downtrodden and helping car accident victims get the compensation they are entitled to. For legal representation as a passenger in a car accident, contact us today at 360-737-1478 or contact us online.
