What Compensation Am I Entitled to as a Passenger in a Car Accident?

What are your legal rights and how can you pursue a personal injury claim when you are injured while riding in someone else’s car?

Car accidents affect thousands of drivers each year. Many of them also have passengers when incidents occur. Being injured in a car accident can be just as severe when you travel in the passenger seat. What are your legal rights and how can you pursue a personal injury claim when you are injured while riding in someone else’s car?

One of the positive factors for a vehicle passenger making a personal injury claim is that they generally won’t be held liable for what happened, so they typically have it easier than the drivers involved. However, they still have to prove that someone else has directly caused the accident that left them injured, whether it’s the driver they were traveling with or a different one. 

Third-Party Claims in At-Fault States

In at-fault states, such as Missouri, the driver at fault will pay compensation to the victims of the accident. More precisely, their insurance company does. If it’s found that two or more drivers have contributed to the cause of the accident by neglectful or reckless driving, they will share the fault and the victim gets their compensation in the form of proportional amounts from each driver. 

Difficulties of Passenger Personal Injury Cases

Unfortunately, real cases are rarely simple. Insurance companies will fight to obtain a lower settlement, and one of their tactics is to make the other driver liable. As a passenger, you might find yourself in between a fight of insurance companies. Other times, there can be more passengers with injuries from the same accident, which means that you will all be affected by the coverage limit per event. 

Do You Need a Lawyer?

As you can see, being a passenger in a car accident will not guarantee an easy way of getting your compensation. You still need medical records to prove the extent of your injuries and show the insurance company that what you are asking for is fair.

If your case is anything but a simple situation where the liability is very easy to establish, we highly recommend speaking with an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney to ensure your rights are protected. This will enable you to focus on your recovery and provide accurate reports on the ways the accident affected your life.