When you get into someone’s car, you are implicitly entrusting them with your safety. It could be a friend, taxi driver, rideshare driver, colleague, or family member. Whoever it is, you expect them to drive cautiously to ensure you arrive at your destination safely. Unfortunately, trusting someone doesn’t guarantee your safety.
When you find yourself injured from an accident that was completely beyond your control, you may feel like you’re paying for someone else’s carelessness. On top of the accident trauma, you’re now injured and stuck with medical costs, pain, suffering, missed work, and more losses.
You may have a right to seek damage compensation if you were injured due to someone else’s negligence. Our team of Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorneys believes that you shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s mistake. That’s why we want to help you.
If you were seriously injured as a passenger in a Colorado Springs car accident, call our Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorneys now. We may be able to help you recover financially for all your damages.
Recovering Compensation as an Injured Passenger in Colorado Springs
Most people think of a car accident and automatically picture themselves in the driver’s seat. However, passengers have just as much chance of getting injured in a crash as drivers. It’s often scarier to be a passenger in a collision since you have no control over the wheel.
After a collision, you may be left with a lot of questions regarding your rights. Who is at fault and are you entitled to compensation? Our Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorneys can assess your case and answer all of your questions about your passenger injuries. As a passenger who sustained injuries in a crash, you might even have more options than you would have had you been in the driver’s seat.
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, there may be multiple parties at fault. That means you may have a claim against multiple liable parties. Let’s say you were riding as a passenger in a car and got into a collision with another car. In this case, you could file a claim for damages against the at-fault driver, regardless of which care you were in. if both drivers shared fault, you could file a claim with both insurance companies.
Or, if you were a passenger in a Lyft or Uber, you could seek coverage through the driver’s personal insurance, the company’s insurance, or both. Getting to the bottom of this requires the skill of Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorney who understands the law and has experience handling passenger injury claims.
Common Injuries Passengers Suffer in Colorado Springs Car Accidents
Accidents can have many different outcomes. In the best case scenario, no one gets injured, but unfortunately that’s not always the case. Thousands of passengers get injured or killed in traffic accidents every year.
Injured passengers should seek the services of a professional Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorney so they understand their rights and how to get the compensation they deserve.
You may be overwhelmed with medical bills. But luckily, with the right Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorney working on your case, you can recover for all financial and other losses. While money won’t take away the pain and suffering and other losses due to the accident, it will help you move forward in life.
If you have any of the following injuries due to a car accident caused by a negligent or reckless driver, we strongly encourage you to seek legal counsel from a Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorney.
- Neck injuries
- Whiplash
- Head and brain injuries
- Concussion
- Head fractures
- Traumatic brain injury
- Bleeding
- Brain contusions
- Severe burn injuries
- Spinal cord injury
- Back injuries
- Pinched nerves
- Herniated discs
- Slipped vertebrae
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Crush injuries requiring amputation
- Wrongful death
- You can also contact our Colorado personal injury attorneys if your loved one died in a car accident as a result of another driver’s negligence.
Comparative Negligence in Colorado
There are some instances when a passenger can be partially at fault for the accident. For example, if a passenger grabbed the wheel or intentionally did something to cause the driver to lose control of the wheel, they can be partially liable.
While passengers are rarely found to be liable for an accident, if there is evidence to suggest you contributed fault, that will affect your claim. Therefore, it’s best to be forthcoming with all the facts when you consult with a Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorney.
Recovering Damages in a Colorado Springs Car Accident
Working with a knowledgeable Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorney will give you peace of mind when it comes to calculating a fair value for all of your damages. The last thing you want after everything you’ve been through is to settle for less than what you deserve.
An experienced Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorney knows how to assess and determine a fair value for damages. For example, they can review your medical records and help you calculate the cost of non-economic damages like emotional anguish and pain and suffering.
- Ambulance fees
- Doctors appointments
- Emergency response
- Hospitalization bill
- Surgery
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Lost income
- Lost future income due to injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of companionship
- Wrongful death
Filing a Third-Party Injury Claim as an Injured Passenger
A third-party insurance claim simply means you file a claim through someone else’s insurance policy. Once your Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorney investigates the accident, they will determine who is at fault. Then you can file a claim against the appropriate parties. If multiple parties are at fault for the accident, you may need to file multiple claims.
What if the At-fault Driver Is a Friend or Family Member?
If you were riding in someone else’s car as a passenger, you most likely have some sort of relationship to the driver. The thought of filing a claim against the at-fault driver can be a touchy subject if they are a friend or family member. You may even be hesitant to file a claim against a friend or family member However, it’s important to understand that filing a claim will be through the fault-driver’s insurance company, rather than out-of-pocket costs for them.
You should not be the one suffering for an accident that was beyond your control and have to pick up the pieces alone now. That said, your relationship to the at-fault driver may impact your ability to file a claim through their insurance. For example if you live in the same household as the at fault driver, you might share an insurance policy. In that case, you would not be able to recover damages through their (and your own) insurance policy.
No matter who the at-fault driver is, the safest route to ensure you protect your rights and financial recovery is by working with a Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorney.
Call Our Colorado Springs Passenger Injury Attorney to Get Proper Compensation
Passenger injuries rarely affect just one person. If you were injured as a passenger, your friends and family are probably affected by your injuries, inability to work, and lost independence. We understand how difficult the aftermath of a car accident is, and that’s why we offer compassionate legal support.
Call us today for a free consultation to see how we can best help you.
