Sometimes, a vehicle that has been involved in an accident has carried one or more passengers, along with the driver. Each occupant of that same vehicle could deserve compensation from 2 different sources.
Vehicle’s occupant(s) would need to take certain actions, at site of accident.
• Get the insurance information from anyone involved in that same collision.
• Get contact information from the same individuals, in addition to contact information for any witnesses.
• Take pictures of the scene of the collision; take pictures of any injuries.
• Note the number of the badge of the arriving officer; note the name of that same officer. Inquire about the accident number.
Actions to be taken by injured passenger, after leaving the accident site
Seek copy of the police report. Be prepared to present the required ID. Be ready to pay the stated fee; it usually comes to about $20, although some police departments charge per page for copies of the report.
Learn who might be the target of a personal injury claim. (Only take that action if you were not named on the driver’s insurance policy).
Save those items that could be needed as proof of your losses:
–All of your medical bills
–Proof of your lost earnings
–Evidence of your transportation costs
–Evidence of your need to pay more for household expenses
Possible targets of personal injury claim made by an injured passenger
• The insurance company that sold liability coverage to the responsible driver
• The insurance company that sold liability coverage to the driver of the vehicle that had carried you, as a passenger.
• Your own insurance might be the target of a claim, if the responsible driver had failed to carry any insurance.
If you were eager to obtain the monetary funds that you deserved just as quickly as possible, then you should consider filing a claim with your own insurance company. By the same token, you should think about retaining a personal injury lawyer in Kitchener.
Unless the accident had caused major damage, your lawyer might arrange for you and the responsible driver to meet at the lawyer’s office. There, the lawyer could ask both of you a series of questions, and record the answers. The recorded information could be given to your insurance company, which would deal with other insurer.
Advice for occupants that were in no-fault state at time of accident
Normally, an injured passenger should use his or her PIP coverage, if the injury-causing incident took place in a no-fault state. Hence, the same occupant would not have any reason for launching a personal injury claim against the driver of the other vehicle, or against the driver of the set-of-wheels that had accepted you as a passenger.