Passenger Safety

As a passenger, you place a lot of trust in a driver when you climb into their car. Of course, most drivers take passenger safety very seriously and drive especially carefully when carrying passengers. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. It is important that passengers who were injured in a Southern California car accident understand their rights and what bringing a claim against the at-fault driver means—both for them and for the driver. At Power Trial Lawyers, we help passengers injured in car accidents obtain fair compensation for the injuries they sustained. We recognize that these cases often involve friends and family members, which can complicate things. However, in the vast majority of cases, at-fault drivers who have car insurance pay nothing out of pocket for an injured passenger’s claim.

Most drivers carry passengers at some point. It is imperative that drivers take special care when they have a passenger in the car, regardless of whether they are a rideshare driver transporting a customer, a friend giving another friend a ride, or a parent taking other children to school in a carpool arrangement. Below are some of the most common types of accidents where passengers may find that they are injured due to a driver’s negligence:

• Rideshare car accidents,
• Carpool accidents,
• Friends and family car accidents,
• Co-worker accidents, and
• Taxi accidents.

In each of these situations, motorists have a legal obligation to their passengers to drive safely and responsibly. If a driver’s negligence results in a passenger’s injuries, the injured passenger can pursue a personal injury claim against the driver.

Typically, no. In most car accidents, passengers who are injured in the collision will file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If the claim is settled or ends up in a favorable verdict for the accident victim, it is the insurance company that will pay the victim—not the driver. In fact, this is the very purpose of paying for car insurance. Thus, passengers who were injured in a collision while riding with a friend or family member should not be deterred from pursuing a claim against the driver because, even if the driver is found to have been negligent, they won’t be the ones responsible for paying out on a passenger’s claim.

If you were hurt as a passenger in a car accident caused by a friend or family member, you may feel like you’re in a bit of an awkward spot. On one hand, you don’t want to ruin your relationship with the driver, but, on the other hand, you have to look out for your own financial wellbeing. And it isn’t necessarily fair for you to take on the economic burden of paying your medical expenses, especially if you’ve missed work as a result of the accident. Often, passenger safety accidents do not go to trial because they are settled out of court, meaning you wouldn’t need to take the driver to court.

If you recently suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle car accident or any other collision caused by the driver of the car you were riding in, reach out to Power Trial Lawyers. At Power Trial Lawyers, we are immediately available to meet with you to discuss your injuries and answer your questions about the recovery process. If you decide to allow us to bring a claim on your behalf, we will not bill you for our legal services unless we either settle your case or reach a favorable verdict at trial. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation with an attorney today, call 844-844-POWER (7693). You can also connect with us through our online contact form. We proudly represent clients in Los Angeles County and Orange County and have conveniently located offices in Los Angeles and Newport Beach.