Motor vehicle collisions can cost people tens of thousands of dollars or more. Small mistakes in traffic can translate to life-altering consequences the people involved in the incident. A motor vehicle collision can lead to injuries and lost wages. The crash could claim someone’s life.
Those affected by a crash where another driver is at fault may be able to seek compensation to cover their losses. The following are potential sources of compensation for those affected by a car wreck.
Liability insurance coverage
Under state law, every driver should have an insurance policy in case they cause a crash. That liability coverage pays for the losses other people incur in a wreck. The current requirements for liability coverage are low when considering the cost of a vehicle or medical care. Drivers only need $25,000 in property damage coverage. The state also requires $30,000 in bodily injury liability protection that doubles in cases where two or more people have injuries.
The driver at fault
When drivers don’t carry the mandatory insurance required by the state or when they cause damage beyond the coverage they have available, they may be directly liable for any residual expenses. The people affected by the collision may be able to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against the driver who caused the crash. The driver at fault may have to compensate the people hurt because they violated traffic statutes or behaved negligently in a vehicle.
Businesses with some liability
Occasionally, the people injured in a car crash have the option of pursuing litigation against a business rather than an individual. Maybe the driver who caused the crash was a delivery professional who was on the job. Employers can be liable for damages caused by their workers on the clock. Perhaps the cause of the crash was a defective vehicle component. The manufacturer might be partially responsible. In drunk driving cases, violations of liquor law might even open a business up to liability if they serve the person who caused the crash. Businesses often have more resources and better Insurance than individual drivers, making third-party lawsuits a viable option in some cases.
Exploring every possible source of compensation can help people defray the costs caused by a car crash. Insurance claims and lawsuits can lead to appropriate compensation for the people who aren’t to blame for an accident.
