Do Injured Passengers Have the Same Rights as Drivers in a Seattle Auto Accident?
A Washington car accident can turn your life upside down. If you have been seriously injured, you are dealing with the pain and suffering associated with minor to severe injuries. A car accident, however, also imposes a tremendous financial strain on you and your family. You may be dealing with the loss of earnings as a result of missed work. Some victims are so badly injured that they cannot return to work for a lengthy period of time. Others cannot return to work at all. Medical expenses, cost of hospitalization, physical therapy fees, and in some cases, psychological counseling, can all add up pretty quickly.
As drivers, most of us know that we may be eligible to seek compensation to help pay for the above mentioned expenses if the accident is caused as a result of someone else’s fault or negligence. But many are unclear about what their rights are if they are vehicle passengers. In Washington State, if you have been injured in a car accident while you were a passenger, you do have rights. In fact, you may be eligible to receive the same types of damages as a driver. The only type of compensation you cannot receive is that of damages to the vehicle, since you did not incur any of the repair costs.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured by a negligent driver, please contact an experienced Seattle personal injury attorney with The Bernard Law Group for a free and comprehensive consultation. Call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE consultation. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about auto accidents with useful educational information that will help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his knowledgeable legal team today.