Many people wonder if or when an injured passenger should file a personal injury lawsuit against a driver. One or more drivers may be responsible for the injuries you receive in a Louisville car accident. In some cases, part of the responsibility may lie with the driver of the car in which you were riding. Do you have to sue a friend, family member or someone you know if you are injured as a passenger in their car?
Any driver with passengers in their vehicle has a legal “duty” to use reasonable care in the operation of their vehicle. It doesn’t matter if a driver was cited for the accident, as Kentucky is a “comparative negligence” state. Your driver may be assigned a portion of the “fault” associated with your injuries. “But I don’t want to sue my friend/family member/boss.”
The experienced car accident and personal injury attorneys at Hargadon, Lenihan & Herrington, PLLC (HLH) understand the personal nuances associated with these situations. We aren’t going to take an aggressive, negative tact against your friend/family member/boss (the driver of the car in which you were injured). We’re going to do what is legally necessary to ensure all available insurance coverage is held financially accountable on your behalf.
This is about insurance, and ensuring you recover a full and fair settlement or verdict which provides the resources you need to pay all of your bills and expenses and recover from what has happened. The question of when a passenger should file a personal injury lawsuit against a driver is fairly straight forward: every time. That is the process required to recover the financial damages associated with your injuries.
In Kentucky, passengers always have a valid personal injury claim. The vast majority of these cases are settled out of court. The trial experience and skill of your HLH injury attorney actually increases the likelihood an injury lawsuit won’t have to go to trial.
The most important thing is to ensure you have the resources you need to fully recover and move forward with your life. We invite you to review the strong recommendations of our clients and the legal industry and contact HLH or call (866) 583-9701 to speak with us personally for a free consultation. We will answer your questions and fully explain the process of how you, as an injured passenger, can achieve the best possible outcome in your case while protecting your relationship with someone you care about who might share a portion of responsibility for your injuries.