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Are passengers entitled to benefits after a car accident?

On Behalf of | Jan 7, 2021 | Personal Injury |

When someone gets in a car accident in California, the conversation typically revolves around the driver of the vehicle. However, the passenger can suffer just as much physical and emotional damage. If you were a passenger during a motor vehicle accident, are you entitled to any compensation?

What can passengers do after a car accident?

After a car accident, you can file a claim through the other driver’s insurance company. Since insurance companies are often reluctant to pay out benefits, you might have to negotiate with the company until you get a fair payout. You might also receive a smaller payout if multiple passengers were involved in the accident. Many insurance companies offer a flat dollar amount that must be split up among the passengers.

If the other driver doesn’t have insurance, you could also file a personal injury claim through your driver’s policy. Some drivers carry insurance that offers their passengers payouts in the event of an accident. If your driver doesn’t have that type of insurance, you might still be entitled to a payout from his or her insurance company. Just keep in mind that you’ll probably have to negotiate before you get a payout.

Finally, you can also file a claim through your own car insurance to help you pay your medical bills. However, this might cause your rates to go up even though you weren’t the one who got into an accident. You might be able to use your health insurance to cover some of the costs.

Do you need to hire an attorney?

While insurance companies might claim that they’re here to help drivers, they’re more concerned with making as much money as possible. As a result, getting fair compensation from an insurance company can be a struggle. An attorney could help you get the payout that you deserve.

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He actually persuaded me not to settle because he believed that we had a great case. So we took the case to trial and he fought like crazy for me. And we won! It was a really good experience —well, as much as it can be for a lawsuit — and I’m very happy I went with them. I’ve been really blessed to have him as my attorney, so I recommend him whenever I can.”

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He actually persuaded me not to settle because he believed that we had a great case. So we took the case to trial and he fought like crazy for me. And we won! It was a really good experience —well, as much as it can be for a lawsuit — and I’m very happy I went with them. I’ve been really blessed to have him as my attorney, so I recommend him whenever I can.”

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