If you’re riding with a friend or someone you know and get into a collision, did you know that you can still hold them accountable for their driving mistakes? If you’re hurt as a passenger, there’s no reason why you can’t file a claim if the driver’s errors led to your injuries.
Take for example a case like this in which a person was hospitalized after the driver of the vehicle they were in crashed into a tree. The driver fled the scene despite having a passenger in the vehicle. That crash, which took place at around 4:00 a.m., left the passenger injured but in stable condition once in the Brooke Army Medical Center.
The police reported that the driver had fled and wasn’t located at that time, but the good news in situations like this is that passengers generally know who they’re riding with. Any details left at the scene (like a license plate number) will usually give officers all they need to know to find and arrest a hit-and-run driver.
It’s hard to imagine that a friend or colleague would run from the scene of a crash when you could be hurt, but everyone’s situation is different. If you are riding with someone, you need to make sure that they are sober and driving safely. If they aren’t, do your best to ask them to pull over or allow you to drive instead. It’s not your fault if they won’t stop driving, but the end result could be a car crash that you suffer injuries from. If that happens, you can pursue a claim against them and their insurance, so you can get medical care for any injuries you’ve suffered as well as lost wages and other losses.