Filing a Passenger Injury Claim

Passengers who are injured in a car accident are eligible to be compensated for medical expenses and other losses.

How does an injured passenger claim damages for a car accident injury? Following are some tips on how to file an insurance claim for an injured passenger.

Filing a Third-Party Insurance Claim

The first thing an individual should do after an automobile accident is to file a claim against either of the two insurance policies:

• The insurance policy of the owner or driver of the vehicle the passenger was riding with.
• The insurance policy of the owner or driver of the second vehicle involved in the accident.

This claim is also known as a “third-party claim” since the claim is filed against the insurance policy of another person. Claims may not be limited to a single insurance policy. For example, if the liability policy of the first driver does not cover all of the damages, it may be necessary to file a claim against the insurance policy of the second driver. This is contingent on the fact that both drivers are liable for the accident. If a victim incurs medical expenses in the amount of $40,000, and the liability coverage of the owner or driver is limited to $15,000, this will not cover all the medical expenses. A second claim may be filed against the insurance policy of the second driver.

Medical Payments Coverage

Insurance claims may take a period of time to process, especially if they are made against another driver's policy. If you have medical bills that you need to pay, you may request a medical payments claim if the claim is still under review. Medical payments coverage is not dependent on the party liable for the accident, so it generally is processed easily and without delay. Medical payments coverage does not cover lost wages, pain and suffering, and other non-medical related expenses and is limited to the medical expenses of the victim.

If you have been injured while driving as a passenger and are having difficulty collecting compensation, contact a car accident attorney at The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. by calling(314) 361-4242.