In the event of a car accident, you can submit a passenger claim in order to receive compensation for the injuries that you sustained and the losses. Now even though submitting a passenger claim is possible, the process might not be as straightforward as you might think. Today we would like to focus on this topic a bit to explain the steps involved if you get injured as a passenger in a car accident in Arizona.
Consulting with an experienced car accident attorney
Before anything else, you should first speak with a car accident attorney, who has experience with cases like this. Car accident cases can sometimes become more complicated, especially if one side is disputing who is the at-fault party.
Having someone on your side who will take care of your passenger claim can mean that you will receive the maximum possible compensation for your injuries and losses.
The at-fault party could turn out to be the other person you were in the car with and that could be your close friend. This can make things complicated and uncomfortable. But an attorney can take care of this and make it look less personal and focus on your benefits.
Passenger claim – Who is at-fault for the accident
Just like with any other car accident case, the first and most important thing is to determine who is the at-fault party. So whether you were a passenger or not, that doesn’t change. Insurance provider of both drivers will do a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident and to determine which driver’s negligent behavior caused it.
Your passenger claim might involve more than one driver (if they both share blame for the accident) or it can also involve only one driver, if he/she is 100% responsible for the accident.
Furthermore, the amount of compensation that you will receive will be determined on how much each driver is responsible for the accident. If the investigation, for example, determines that both drivers are equally guilty, each of the drivers (or their insurance provider) will be responsible for 50% of your compensation. So if you medical bills are $100,000, each driver will be responsible for half of it i.e. $50,000.
But in the event that one driver is responsible for 80% of the accident and the other driver is responsible for the remaining 20%, the first driver will cover $80,000 of the compensation, while the other will cover the other $20,000.
What type of compensation is available you?
Through your passenger claim, you can be entitled to different types and forms of compensation. If you sustained injuries, then the medical bills for your treatment and recovery should be fully covered. This coverage will be provided by the insurance providers that are involved in the collision. Aside from medical bills, you can also have additional losses in form of lost wages from missing out from work, out-of-pocket expenses for your household etc. Furthermore, a passenger claim might also be able to award you compensation for the pain and suffering that you endured because of the accident, loss of enjoyment or life damages.
By consulting an experienced car accident attorney in Arizona, you will have a better understanding of your case, what are your legal options and how to best recover the compensation that you’re owed. So if you were a passenger in a car accident, make sure to contact our office today!
