Things You Should Know if You’re an Injured Passenger
As an injured passenger in a car accident, you likely have no responsibility or liability with respect to the damages or injuries of others. However, you may have suffered serious injuries in the accident and are wondering who you may be able to file a claim against, and what your legal rights actually are. Unfortunately, people in the United States spend over 1 million days in the hospital every year due to car accidents. If you suffered injuries due to a car accident as a passenger, this is what you need to know.
Seek Medical Attention Immediately
Your health is paramount above everything else. If an ambulance was called to the scene of the accident make sure to receive treatment from a medical practitioner. If you need to go to the emergency room, do so immediately. In some cases, some serious injuries do not have instant symptoms, therefore if you do not immediately go to the emergency room, you should see your doctor within 72 hours of an accident just to ensure that you are not injured in any way. Along with your health, this also allows you to establish that you were injured and have confirmation of that from a third-party medical professional in case you ever want to file a claim for compensation in the future.
Contact Information
You were not the driver of the vehicle, however, you should absolutely take time to gather the contact information as well as the insurance information of all the drivers involved in the accident. Additionally, if there are any witnesses to the accident or other passengers, you should obtain their contact information as well. If there comes a time that you want to file a claim, you may need their testimony regarding the accident for liability purposes.
Negotiating With Insurance Companies
You will need to contact the insurance companies at some point of the driver or drivers involved in the accident that were responsible. Make sure to be very careful when visiting with insurance adjusters or any employee of an insurance company. Never consent to be recorded on conversations. Never tell an insurance company that you feel “fine” now and that your injuries are “not that bad” or that you are “getting better.” Oftentimes, insurance companies use devious and manipulative tactics in order to get a victim to admit that they are not that injured and therefore offer a lower settlement amount than they deserve. In most cases, having an experienced attorney negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf will limit your frustration and result in a higher settlement for your injuries.
Let Us Help You Today
If you were a passenger in a car accident, you likely suffered injuries resulting in medical bills, loss of wages, and even pain and suffering. Contact the personal injury attorneys at Roman & Roman today at 877-767-1032 or contact us online for a free consultation. We can help negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to get you the compensation you deserve. Our team serves clients in Hudson, Clearwater, and Tampa.
Resource:
cdc.gov/vitalsigns/crash-injuries/index.html
https://www.romanromanlaw.com/do-i-need-to-purchase-rental-car-insurance/