Passenger in MVA

Being involved in a motor vehicle accident is not fun for anyone — the individual who is at fault, the other driver, or any passengers. Each party involved is handled differently when concerning any personal injury claims. However, when you are not a driver, the process is less of a headache for many reasons.

Liability
In most motor vehicle accidents, insurance companies are expected to pay out for property damage and any bodily injury caused on a victim. However, insurance companies do not give money to anyone without further investigation, in hopes of finding information that works in their favor. As it pertains to passengers in these cases, liability does not have to be proven, and therefore takes a huge load off of them. Liability is one of the most important things that must be proven when pursuing a personal injury claim, and it is unlikely for a passenger to cause an accident. It is much more likely that one of the drivers will be seen as liable in an accident. 

Filing a Claim
Filing a personal injury claim as a passenger is fairly normal. Typically, the claim is made against the at-fault parties insurance company only, however, in these cases both drivers’ insurance companies may receive a claim.

Seek Medical Treatment
No matter who is the at-fault party, the injured passenger should still seek medical treatment for their injuries. Once treatment is completed, this information will be brought to the insurance companies and a settlement will be negotiated. As a passenger, these negotiations are usually seamless, as it is difficult for an insurance company to deny responsibility to an innocent passenger. In the rare case that the insurance company does not wish to settle due to their belief that the other party’s insured holds more responsibility, your case may actually be taken to trial. At this point, a jury will review the details of the case and determine who is to pay what and to whom.

Contact an Attorney
As a passenger in an automobile accident it is okay to be confused. This is why you should contact an auto accident attorney, like an auto accident attorney in Atlanta, GA, as soon as possible. Sometimes the at-fault party is the driver whose car you were a passenger in, and it may be difficult to pursue charges against someone you know. Speak with a personal injury attorney to see what legal options are available to you. This way, an attorney can handle the difficult part, while you or your loved ones work towards a full recovery.

Thanks to the law office of Andrew R. Lynch for their insight into what a passenger in a car accident should do if they were injured.