Injured as a Passenger
If you’ve been injured in a car accident while riding as a passenger, you might be facing an uphill battle against several insurance companies to get coverage for your medical bills and lost wages. Being an injured passenger is particularly complicated, so take the time to find a personal injury attorney who can guide you through the legal process.
First, you have to find out who was at fault. However, this might take time. So you will need to determine if either driver had “med pay” in their insurance coverages. Med pay will help cover the cost of some medical bills without any determination of fault.
Next, you have to determine if the person driving your car had any uninsured or under-insured coverage. Uninsured or under-insured coverage will help cover the cost of your injuries if the other driver was at fault but didn’t carry enough insurance to cover your losses.
If you and the driver of your car have the same insurance policy, you will run into additional restrictions because you can’t lay claim on some line items of the insurance policy if you are one of the listed insured.
In short, being an injured passenger is frequently confusing and frustrating. In addition, the insurance companies might not fully understand all of the insurance at play. You will need to consult with an attorney to make sure your losses aren’t coming out of your pocket.
