Casey, Devoti & Brockland Legal Blog
by Matthew Casey
We have received several calls over the past few months from individuals injured in car crashes with the same question:
“I was the passenger in a car driven by my friend that was involved in a single-car crash. I was injured and my medical bills are adding up. Is there anything I can do?”
This scenario is very common, and there are several things to consider.
First, most automobile insurance policies have medical payments coverage. Medical payments coverage is a no-fault insurance that covers medical bills when you are involved in a crash. Both the driver’s auto insurance and your auto insurance may cover the bills you incurred to treat the injuries you sustained. As “no fault” coverage, you do not need to prove anyone else was at fault for the crash, only that you were injured in car crash.
Second, keep in mind that we are all human and we all make mistakes – hence the reason we are required by state law to carry automobile liability insurance. It is designed to cover any damage done to the vehicles involved AND to cover medical expenses for anyone injured in the accident, including passengers and other drivers.
If your friend was careless in any way, you can make a claim against her automobile liability insurance policy. Keep in mind that, that most of these claims can be resolved without filing a lawsuit and without much, if any, burden to you or even your friend. The claim will be made by your attorney to the driver’s insurance company. Your attorney will handle the paperwork, phone calls and negotiations on your behalf – leaving you to focus on healing and keeping your personal relationships intact.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, your best course of action is to seek help from a qualified personal injury attorney. In most cases, they can provide a free consultation to determine if you have a viable personal injury claim.
About Casey, Devoti & Brockland
Casey, Devoti & Brockland is a St. Louis-based law firm focused exclusively on personal injury litigation. Since 1983, our attorneys have helped injured people navigate the road to recovery by securing compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses and lost wages. Together Partners Matt Casey, Matt Devoti and Anne Brockland have nearly 50 years of trial experience handling the following personal injury matters: car, truck and train crashes, victims of impaired and distracted driving, medical malpractice, birth injuries, JUUL and e-cigarette litigation, product liability, premises liability, elder and sexual abuse, Workers’ Compensation and wrongful death. We proudly serve clients throughout metropolitan St. Louis, southeastern Missouri and southern Illinois.
Our highly accessible attorneys deliver the perfect balance of aggressive legal representation, compassion and personal service. If you or a loved one have been injured by the negligence of another, call the office today for a free, no-obligation consultation: (314) 421-0763.
