Suing as a Passenger in an Auto Accident


  • Added By :Robert Greenstein
  • Category : Personal Injury Law
  • Article Id : 1994
  • Added On : 26/03/2019
  • Views : 293

When you get into someone else’s vehicle, you expect them to take care and protect your safety. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean an auto accident can’t happen while you’re in the passenger seat.

Suing as a passenger after a car crash can be confusing because you weren’t one of the drivers involved in the accident. Fortunately, you’re still able to seek the compensation you deserve for your crash. If you were a passenger during a car accident, reach out for legal help getting the compensation you deserve.

Who’s Liable?

First, you’ll need to identify the person liable for your injuries. While New York is a no-fault state, meaning that your insurance company should cover the expenses, serious injuries may enter the tort system. If you’ve suffered a life-altering injury or severe trauma, you may need to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party.

Often, identifying the liable party is as simple as determining which driver was negligent. If one of the drivers was driving drunk, aggressively, drowsy, or distracted, they may be financially liable for your injuries.

If you believe something else caused your crash, a lawyer can help you determine who’s responsible for your injuries. For example, if the car crashed because the brakes failed, you and the driver may be entitled to compensation from the vehicle manufacturer.

Otherwise, you may need to seek out compensation from a government road authority. These agencies are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of New York’s roads. When they fail to address road hazards like potholes, you may be seriously injured because of their negligence.

Compensation for Passenger Injuries

If you’ve been seriously injured as a passenger, you’ll need to ensure that you’re getting the full compensation you deserve for your injuries. While you may not be seeking compensation for vehicle damage, your other damages are just as important.

That means you’ll need both your economic and non-economic damages covered. You might not have lost your vehicle in the accident, but you might have lost your health and suffered other damages. You may also now struggle to deal with the mental trauma you’ve suffered, so ask a lawyer how to calculate the financial value of non-economic damages like mental trauma.

If you’ve been injured as a passenger, you may be eligible for the following damages, among others:

  • Medical expenses

  • Lost wages

  • Pain and suffering

  • Loss of enjoyment of life

  • Emotional trauma

Seeking Legal Help as an Injured Passenger

When you’ve been injured in a car accident, it’s important to fight for the full compensation you deserve. However, that’s not always so easy when you were the passenger and not one of the involved drivers.

Suing as a passenger in an auto accident can be complicated. You may need the help of the