Passengers are covered by car insurance if they’re injured in an accident. Louisiana requires drivers to carry $15,000 in bodily injury coverage for one person, $30,000 for more than one injured person, and $25,000 in property damage per accident.
Difficulties can begin when an uninsured motorist is involved, or the medical costs far exceed the available coverage. Consulting with an attorney versed in personal injury law in Louisiana will save time and frustration as you seek appropriate compensation.
How Easy Is It to Determine Who Is the At-Fault Driver in a Car Accident?
Identifying the at-fault driver of a car accident can be fairly straightforward.
One-Vehicle Crash
If the driver of the car you were a passenger in took a curve too fast and rolled the car, or was driving while intoxicated and hit a tree, the driver would usually be held liable. If the driver hit a wild alligator, the driver’s insurance would probably provide coverage. If a cow escaped from its pasture and the driver crashed into the cow, the owner of the cow would most likely be liable.
There are unique details to every accident. There are no absolutes when it comes to determining liability.
Multiple-Vehicle Crash
If the car you were riding in was in an accident involving one or more other cars, the liable party may be obvious to everyone. For instance, if your car was stopped behind another car at a red light and a drunk driver hit you from behind, causing your car to hit the one in front of you, the drunk driver would most likely be found 100% liable.
If the car you’re in and another car pull up to an intersection on a rainy night and the traffic lights stop working, causing the two cars to crash as one turns and the other attempts to drive forward, liability may be complicated. There’s a chance each driver would be found partially at fault.
Determining fault for an accident prior to filing a claim for compensation is critical to the pursuit of a full and fair compensation settlement or verdict.
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What Can You Do When an Uninsured or Underinsured Driver Is Responsible for an Accident?
Following are some of the options for compensation for your losses if you discover one or more of the at-fault drivers was uninsured or underinsured:
Health Insurance or Lawsuit
An uninsured motorist who is at fault for the accident that caused your injuries may have health insurance that covers some of your medical costs. Failing that, you may have to sue the driver for damages and as you wait for that process to reach an end, you may need to use your own health insurance to cover your medical costs.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorist (UM) insurance is not required in Louisiana but covers bodily injury sustained by a passenger in an accident with an uninsured or underinsurance motorist.
Medical Pay Coverage
If a passenger is injured while riding in a covered car, the passenger’s medical costs may be covered by this type of insurance, no matter who was at fault for the accident.
Our personal injury attorneys may be able to guide you toward potential pathways for compensation based on the particular circumstances surrounding your accident and injuries.
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Types of Compensation for Injuries or Damage Sustained as a Passenger in a Car Accident
Although the route to compensation may be slightly complicated if you’re a passenger injured in a car accident, you may typically recover damages for:
- Medical costs, such as hospitalization, treatment, rehab, medical devices, physical therapy, transportation, and prescriptions
- Property damage, if you had any belongings with you that were damaged in the accident
- Loss of income, if you were unable to work when injured and during recovery, or if you were unable to continue working in your career and had to take employment at a lower-paying position, or if your injuries were such that you were unable to ever work again
- Pain and suffering, if your injuries reduced your enjoyment or quality of life, disrupted relationships, produced anxiety or PTSD, or in other ways produced short-term or long-term pain or suffering
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Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers
Pursuing a full and fair compensation settlement or judgment can be time-consuming and challenging. Working out where to file your claim and what you can make a claim for is not easy, particularly when you’re suffering from injuries.
Our attorneys are fierce and persistent advocates. We fight for the rights of our clients and help them pursue justice and appropriate compensation for their losses. Call to schedule a free consultation today. We want to help you get back your life.
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