What Should I Do If I Was Injured as a Passenger in a Car Accident?
Being a safe, responsible, and vigilant driver is important, but sometimes it’s not enough. Anyone is at risk of being hit by another negligent or reckless driver on the road. When you are a passenger injured in a car accident, you may have an even more difficult time handling the situation as you had no control over what happened.
The good news is that knowing what rights you have can help you feel more empowered during your recovery. Our team explains more below.
Determining Fault for the Accident
When it comes to car accidents, Oklahoma operates on a fault-based system. This means that those who are found to be at fault for an accident will be responsible for covering the costs of damages incurred by injured parties. This law works in favor for injured passengers because the presumed fault typically lies with someone or multiple people who were operating a vehicle.
Coverage That May Be Available
When you’re injured as a passenger in a car accident, you have a few different avenues that you can explore when it comes to filing a claim and getting reimbursed for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other related damages. It will ultimately come down to who was found to be at fault for the accident and what their coverage is. For instance, you can:
- File a Claim Through The Other Driver’s Policy. If the other driver was at fault, you may file a claim through their bodily injury liability insurance.
- File a Claim Through Your Driver’s Policy. Regardless of fault, you may also be able to recover damages from the driver whose vehicle you were in through their personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments (MedPay) coverage.
- File a Claim Through Your Own Car Insurance. If you have PIP or MedPay coverage yourself, you may also be able to use this to cover your damages, even if you were a passenger in another vehicle.
We’re Here to Protect Your Rights
Being injured in a car crash can be traumatic enough. You shouldn’t have to worry about who to file a claim with or how to negotiate with a money-hungry insurance company. At Aizenman Law Group, we deal with insurance companies on a daily basis. Our Tulsa car accident attorneys will ensure that your claim is taken care of so you can focus on heaving.
Contact our team at 631-769-8431 to get started with a free consultation today! We answer our phones 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
