Much of the published guidance available that is related to car crashes focuses on the people operating motor vehicles. Drivers need to have a plan for how they intend to respond if a crash occurs. They need to be able to protect themselves legally and financially.
Every drive is an opportunity for a collision to occur. Drivers need to be fastidious to protect themselves from injury and liability. That being said, many crashes involve more than just the two drivers. There could be multiple people riding as passengers in either vehicle when a crash occurs.
While passengers typically do not have to worry about fault for collisions, they can sustain injuries and property damage losses. How can passengers protect themselves and their rights after a car crash?
By speaking up
Those riding in another person’s vehicle may feel anxious about asserting themselves. They may not want to tell others about their injuries or report the property damage losses they sustained because their phone or computer is broken.
Particularly when the driver of the vehicle the passenger occupied was the party at fault for the crash, the passenger may feel conflicting emotions about asserting themselves. Typically, they do need to advise the driver and also first responders about injuries or property damage losses.
That way, the information about those issues makes it into the crash report. Regardless of who may have been at fault, a passenger with injuries or property damage losses also typically needs to obtain information about both drivers and their insurance policies. They may need to obtain a copy of the crash report as well.
By seeking property care
In cases involving obvious injuries, passengers may need to go see a doctor as soon as possible after the crash. A doctor’s diagnosis can help validate a passenger’s claim that the collision caused an injury or worsened a pre-existing medical condition. Even those without immediate symptoms may need to see doctors to check for internal injuries and conditions with delayed symptoms, like brain injuries.
In cases where passengers have significant injuries or major property damage losses, they may need help pursuing appropriate compensation. Discussing the collision and the document with an attorney can help injured passengers evaluate their options.
People should not have to absorb significant financial setbacks simply because they weren’t one of the drivers during a car crash. Insurance still covers their losses, and they may have the option of filing a lawsuit if the situation warrants litigation. Passengers trying to learn about and assert their rights may need help evaluating the circumstances of a recent wreck, and that’s okay.
