According to Suffolk Police, one person died and two more were severely injured in a car accident on Easter morning. The fatal crash took place at about 11:00 a.m. near the intersection of Western Freeway and Route 17.
What are my rights as a passenger injured in a car accident?
A local source with knowledge of the accident reported that an SUV left the paved portion of the roadway, struck a guardrail, and plowed across a median into oncoming traffic where it collided with a sedan.
The driver and passenger in the SUV, and the driver of the sedan, were transported to an area medical facility in life-threatening condition. One of the drivers eventually succumbed to their injuries, It was not made immediately clear which driver passed away.
The accident remains under police investigation at this time.
The Virginia Beach car accident lawyers at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp understand how scary and overwhelming a car accident can be. If you were injured in a car accident in Virginia, call us today to schedule your free consultation.
What if I Was Injured as a Passenger in a Car Accident?
Being injured as a passenger is both frightening and frustrating. To begin with, you are most likely not at fault for the accident or your injuries. On top of that, you are now tasked with the undesirable job of working out who should be held responsible so you can seek financial compensation.
Even if you have health insurance, you might still have to pay large, out-of-pocket deductibles, as well as other expenses that exceed the limits of your policy. Not to mention that no healthcare plan is going to indemnify you for your time away from work, disfigurement, lifelong injuries that impact your ability to do your job and how you spend your personal time, or any of the other extensive damages that often afflict car accident victims.
Establishing liability for your injuries as a passenger can be challenging. That is why is it imperative that, after you receive medical care, you meet with an experienced passenger injury attorney.
Who is Liable for My Passenger Injuries?
When a passenger is injured in a car accident, there are a few different parties that could potentially be liable for their injuries.
The first and most obvious is the driver at fault for the crash, regardless of whether it was the driver with whom the injured passenger was riding or the driver of the other car. It is normal for a passenger to be apprehensive about filing a claim against the at-fault driver when that person is a friend, relative, or colleague. Keep in mind that, as an injured passenger, you are actually filing a claim against their insurance provider. You have hospital bills that have to be paid and, after all, that is what car insurance is for.
Another party that is commonly liable for passenger injuries is the manufacturer of the vehicle that was involved in the accident if it was caused by a vehicle malfunction or defect. The same is also true for the manufacturer of any defective part that contributed to or caused the accident, such as brakes, tires, airbags, seat belts, et al.
Finally, in certain cases, the entity responsible for maintaining or designing the roadway could be liable, provided that their negligence, such as not fixing a broken stop light, not salting an ice-covered street, or not filling in a pothole, contributed to or caused the accident.
Call Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp
Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp is a Virginia Beach personal injury law firm with more than forty years of experience in personal injury law. Our attorneys have the knowledge, resources, and skills needed to achieve a successful resolution to your passenger injury car accident case. To schedule your free consultation, call us today at (833) 997-1774.
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