We talk a lot about drivers who end up in car accidents, but what about passengers?  Adult passengers have several places they can go to get compensated for their injuries.

They can go to their own insurance or the at-fault driver’s insurance.  They may also go to the insurance company of the driver of the car they were in.  

If someone is interested in going to their insurance company, we recommend they get PIP coverage in advance.  People who carry PIP, or personal injury protection insurance, for cases like these can get some reimbursement.  It always helps to prepare for a possible injury due to a car accident.  PIP can help cover medical expenses and lost wages because of the accident.  It can also help cover childcare expenses, disability, and rehab costs.  This depends upon the type of PIP insurance someone purchases. 

Here is a link from Progressive Insurance with details about PIP: https://www.progressive.com/answers/personal-injury-protection/.  Remember, PIP is not bodily injury liability coverage (BILC).  PIP pays for your expenses, and BILC covers the costs of others injuries and expenses if you were the driver. 

PIP differs from uninsured/underinsured motorist covers or UM/UIM.  Uninsured coverage is meant to cover the damage from an underinsured driver. 

It’s beneficial to have some of these types of insurance since you never know if an accident will happen if you are the driver or the passenger. 

If the driver of the Texas accident is a friend or family member, it doesn’t have to get awkward

There are many situations where a driver and passenger can have a long-time friendship or be relatives.  Whether the driver has partial or complete responsibility for the crash around Harlingen, Texas, it should not strain a relationship.  The best solution is to speak to a Brownsville personal injury lawyer to protect yourself, your relationship, and your financial well-being. 

A lawyer can initiate conversations with all the insurance adjustors, including multiple drivers’, delivery vans, and commercial trucking companies (https://jvlawfirm.net/practice-areas/trucking-accidents/).  There doesn’t have to be any argument with those you want to maintain a relationship with.  

An attorney can navigate legal complexities and walk everyone through the status as the case progresses.  They can prove liability to help maximize compensation.  A lawyer can also handle the paperwork so there is no confusion among the driver and passenger about “who” needs to do “what.” Finally, a Brownsville attorney will do their best to get a quick and fair settlement so the passenger can pay their bills and move on. 

The driver’s insurance bill may go up, but that is their responsibility, not the passengers’. 

Again, wherever the fault lies, there can be several insurance companies a passenger can go to after an accident:

• The driver of the other vehicle.
• The driver of the car the passenger was in was
• Multiple drivers were involved in the accident. 

There may also be other liable parties.  And that could require a discussion with an attorney who can review the entire case. 

Remember, if you are a passenger in a car crash in Texas, you have many legal rights when seeking a settlement with an insurance claim.  It doesn’t have to ruin any relationships or become a financial hardship.  Talk to a car crash attorney in the Rio Grande Valley and allow them to help.