Being involved in a collision can be frightening and overwhelming. Your situation may be even more complicated if you were a passenger in a car accident. Whether the driver of the car you were in or the driver of another car was at fault, you may be entitled to compensation for any injuries you sustained. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can help you determine how to move forward with car accident passenger claims.
What to Do After an Accident as a Passenger
As a passenger in a car accident, the steps you should take are similar to what you would do as a driver. First and foremost, make sure you are safe and seek medical treatment for any injuries. If you are able, take photos of the scene. You should also collect information from all drivers and document as many details as possible.
Dealing with Multiple Insurance Adjusters
Negotiating with one insurance adjuster is often confusing. The situation can quickly become complicated if you need to speak with multiple insurance companies during the process of car accident passenger claims. This may be the case if there were two or more drivers involved in the collision. You may even file a claim against your own insurance for medical coverage, depending on the circumstances. This is one reason why getting a lawyer is beneficial, as this way your law firm can help you know what to say and can often communicate with the adjusters on your behalf.
Determining Fault
Proving fault is an important component of car accident claims. The good news is that as a passenger, you are not going to be held liable for the accident. Arizona is a pure comparative negligence state. This means that drivers can each be assigned a percentage of fault for a collision, and each one will pay according to this percentage. This doesn’t affect the amount you receive as an injured passenger, but it does affect which insurance companies will pay for damages.
What if Your Friend or Family Member was Driving?
One factor that can add complexity to your case as an injured passenger is if it was someone close to you who was driving. If the driver was a family member and you are on the same insurance policy, there may be some limits to your ability to make a claim against them. One of our lawyers can help you determine what would be best in your situation. If the driver was a family member or friend on a different insurance policy, it can still be complicated emotionally because you may feel hesitant to file a claim. Keep in mind that it is their insurance company that will be paying for damages and that you don’t deserve to pay for medical bills and time off work due to an accident you did not cause. Even if their rates may increase after the accident, this would likely happen regardless of if you personally filed a claim.
Experienced Car Accident Lawyers in Tucson
At Grabb & Durando, we have been helping injured Tucsonans for over 25 years. We will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
