What Injured Passengers Should Know After An Accident

Car accidents can cause extreme stress, confusion, and anxiety, especially if anyone is injured in the crash. Sometimes, car accidents injure passengers in the vehicles involved in the wreck. When this happens, it’s important to know your legal options. With over 60 years of combined experience, the award-winning legal team at Cavanaugh & Thickens can help you file a personal injury claim and get you the best possible outcome for your case following a car accident. Contact us today for your free consultation and learn what you’re entitled to.

Liability as a Passenger in a Car Accident

Accidents are oftentimes unpredictable. If you were a passenger in a vehicle involved in a collision, you may have been hurt despite not being the one behind the wheel. There are many courses of action you can take as an injured passenger, and luckily, passengers typically do not have to deal with liability. In other words, you likely don’t have to worry about being the person who is held liable for the accident.

South Carolina, along with most other states, has fault-based liability. This generally means that whoever is at fault for the injury will be responsible for the resulting costs. This is true whether the person at-fault was the driver of the vehicle you were in or another one

What Damages Can I Recover as an Injured Passenger?

Some damages you can recover as an injured passenger following a car accident include:

• Medical Bills
• Lost Wages
• Pain and Suffering
• Lost Enjoyment of Life
• Emotional Distress, and more.

If you have been injured as a passenger in a car accident, you have the right to file a personal injury claim against the driver who is at fault to cover these damages and more

If the Driver of the Vehicle You Were in Was at-fault:

Many people hesitate to hire a personal injury attorney or file a suit against the at-fault party when it is someone they know. Commonly, people wrongly assume that he or they will need to pay everything out of their own pocket. This is usually far from the truth. All drivers in South Carolina are required to carry at least statutory minimum insurance coverage.

An experienced personal injury attorney works with you to fight the other party’s insurance company, making sure it treats you fairly and covers your past, current, and future costs associated with the accident and resulting injury. Medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and other expenses add up very quickly, and it is your right under South Carolina law to collect compensation from those liable for your injuries.

Making a claim or filing a lawsuit against the at-fault driver should not be an awkward, difficult process. The personal injury attorneys at Cavanaugh & Thickens can help you navigate this process and get you the compensation you deserve. Call (803) 888-2200 today to learn more.

If Another Vehicle Driver is at-fault:

If the driver of another vehicle is liable for your injuries, then you are entitled to submit an injury claim with their insurance company.

Liability can be extremely confusing, and it is the last thing you should have to worry about following a crash. Let us individually assist you and get you back on track. At Cavanaugh & Thickens, we will guide you through all your legal options and answer any questions you may have during your free consultation. Call us today at (803) 888-2200 to learn how you can be compensated as an injured passenger.

What Insurance is Needed to Cover My Injuries?

Insurance coverage is one of the most difficult aspects to handle during your personal injury claim. A personal injury attorney will handle this process for you, so you don’t have to worry about determining what coverage is available, negotiating with insurance adjusters, proving who is liable for your injuries, and much more. The insurance coverage available for your injuries is dependent on many factors, including who is at fault. Below is a general example of coverage that is typically available:

If Your Driver Was At-Fault:

If they have insurance:

• Driver’s Bodily Injury Policy, Underinsured Motorist Insurance (UIM), Med Pay, Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
• Your PIP, Med Pay & UIM.

If they don’t have insurance:

• Your PIP, Med Pay & Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM)

If Another Driver Was At-Fault:

If they have insurance:

• At-fault driver’s Bodily Injury Policy
• Your driver’s PIP, Med Pay & UIM
• Your PIP, Med Pay & UIM

If they don’t have insurance:

• Your driver’s PIP, Med Pay & UM
• Your PIP, Med Pay & UM

Contact a skilled personal injury lawyer today to ensure that you are getting the compensation you’re entitled to depending on the specifics of your case.

Speak to an Experienced Passenger Injury Attorney Today

As a passenger in a vehicle involved in a collision, the legal process looks a bit different than it would if you were behind the wheel. Therefore, it’s important to have an attorney on your side that understands the corresponding laws and processes. The experienced injury attorneys at Cavanaugh & Thickens can help you recover physically, financially, and emotionally following an injury sustained while someone else was behind the wheel.

To schedule your free consultation in-person or online with our award-winning South Carolina legal team, please call our office today at (803) 888-2200.

The Cost of Hiring Our Personal Injury Attorneys

Cavanaugh & Thickens offers entirely free consultations. We believe you should be able to get a clear understanding of how we can help you and what you can expect before deciding to sign on as a client. To schedule your free consultation, call us at (803) 888-2200 or fill out our online form at any time and we will be in touch ASAP.

In addition, Cavanaugh & Thickens is unique in that you owe our firm no money unless compensation is won on your behalf. That means ZERO upfront charges or fees and NO retainer fee. We believe the last thing you should have to worry about following an injury is paying more money to hire someone to fight on your behalf. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis, a small, agreed-upon percentage of the total earned in your case. If you don’t win, we don’t win.