3 Reasons to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney if You Were Injured in a Car Accident as a Passenger

If you were a passenger in a car that was involved in an accident that caused you serious injuries, you will need compensation for this. You will need money for medical bills, including the possibility of physical rehabilitation. There is also the issue of money for lost work, as well as your pain and suffering. However, as a passenger, there are many issues that make getting compensation complex. The following are just a few of them.

1. The fault of the accident may not be apparent

As a passenger, it must be determined which insurance company will pay the compensation. There are at least two vehicles involved: the one you were riding in and the car it collided with. Sometimes there are several cars involved. The driver of the car you were in will likely say it was the other driver's fault, but you may not have seen what happened. An attorney will be able to sort out which insurance company is liable for compensation. In some jurisdictions, blame can be assigned to more than one driver, so the compensation paid to you may be split between insurance companies.

2. Maximum liability payments can be reached quickly

If several people were injured in the crash, the maximum amount of an insurance policy can be reached quickly. This can easily happen when there are passengers, along with the drivers. An insurance company will not be legally obligated to compensate above the amount of the policy. But an attorney may be able to find other sources of compensation. One example of this is with personal assets. The driver who was at fault may not have high enough liability coverage but may have something of value that can be the target of a personal lawsuit.

3. An attorney can reduce the need to go to court

Occasionally, no one will settle with a passenger. The insurance companies will point fingers at each other saying it is the other company that should pay. An attorney can negotiate with one or more insurance companies. And because lawyers take cases to court, the chances are better that court will be avoided, and the settlement will invariably be higher than anything you can get on your own.

As an injured passenger in a traffic accident, the issue of compensation can become confusing. By hiring a personal injury attorney, all the complexities can be handled for you. The issue of determining which insurance companies are responsible for your compensation will be done by your lawyer. If you need more money than the policy can pay, a lawyer may be able to find other sources for compensation. Having an attorney also means getting the best settlement while avoiding a court case.

For more help, contact services like Arrington Schelin, a Professional Corporation.