After an accident on a California freeway or rural highway, you may feel that your battle for compensation for your injuries will be fought with the other driver. In fact, you probably won’t see or hear from that driver again after he or she drives away from the scene.
The true fight to earn support for your injury recovery and property damage will be fought with the insurance company representing the at-fault driver. And your accident recovery could involve more than one insurance provider.
Motorists aren’t always driving vehicles that belong to them. They can also be behind the wheel for a business or company, complicating an insurance claim even further.
Assistance With Insurance Claims After a California Accident
Finding support after a car accident only gets more complicated when additional car insurers get involved. In some cases, your car accident claim could leave you to call upon your own auto insurance provider for help.
With all of these variables, there is one constant at the center of your accident ordeal. The need for compensation to help you with the consequences of an accident that wasn’t your fault. Allow an experienced attorney with the knowledge of California personal injury law to help you sort out these complex issues to receive the most compensation possible for what you’ve been through.
Martin Gasparian of Maison Law provides a free and confidential consultation to any injury victim in a California Accident. He makes sure victims and their families understand the rights they have under California law and know every benefit available to them. Contact him today.
Is the Car Owner Accountable for My Accident?
After being the victim of a collision, you may think the person you see behind the wheel of the other car will be responsible for the consequences. That may or may not be true.
If the vehicle is owned by someone else, an individual, or a company, there could be several insurance policies that would come into play.
If an individual loaned that car out to a driver, they both could be on the hook for supporting you through injury recovery and the hassle of car repair. In California, the insurance coverage drivers purchase is linked to a car and not the driver. So, if someone else drives the vehicle, the owner’s insurance may be petitioned for compensation.
California sets limits on a car owner’s liability in an accident, but his or her insurance would be called upon first. If the support you need goes beyond the owner’s liability, the insurance provider for the driver behind the wheel could also be called upon to provide additional support to you.
Car Owners’ Liability When Loaning Out a Car
As mentioned, there are limits to how much responsibility car owners must accept when another driver has their vehicle. But those limits can be wiped away if owners are found negligent in their judgment when they lent out their vehicles.
Vehicle owners may bear 100% of the liability if they furnished a car to an unlicensed driver or incompetent driver. Examples of unfit drivers include intoxicated drivers or motorists with a record of reckless driving. Owners put you in danger with their actions and they can bear a substantial amount of the responsibility for your injuries, even if they were hundreds of miles away when the accident occurred.
Accidents With Drivers for a Company or Corporation
At almost any hour of the day, there are thousands of rideshare drivers on California roads for companies like Lyft and Uber. What happens when a rideshare employee hits you?
Uber and Lyft have their drivers classified as contract workers. This means if you get hit, you’ll likely have to file a claim with the driver’s personal auto insurer first. If his or her insurance adjuster refuses to offer you compensation, you would then be free to call upon the rideshare company to ask for injury support.
In the case of delivery or trucking services, after an accident, you could be relying on the truck driver’s commercial insurance for help. The driver may also work for a trucking company or drive for a national corporation. Those companies usually carry their own coverage for drivers and could also be called upon for providing help with your hospital bills and lost wages while you miss work.
Defending Yourself Against Multiple Insurance Companies After an Accident
You can see how a simple car accident can suddenly involve national corporations, corporate lawyers, and adjusters from several insurance companies. Even dealing with one insurance company after an accident leaves you vulnerable to common tactics meant to fool victims into signing off on “lowball” settlement offers.
When expensive injury recoveries are involved, insurance companies routinely delay compensation for victims, hoping to get them desperate. Finally, an insurance settlement is offered, but it’s far less than you may need to pay your bills now and those that may come up in the future.
Don’t fall for these and other tactics that leave you paying for half or more of your recovery out of your own pocket. Secure a personal injury lawyer to safeguard your case and force insurance companies to do right by you.
Contact A Personal Injury Lawyer Serving California Victims
With so many insurance companies that may be involved in your injury case, your pain and your real need for financial assistance shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle. A California Car Accident Attorney works to call out this “bad faith” behavior on the part of insurance adjusters, so you get to keep your focus on your recovery.
After an accident involving a serious injury contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free consultation and case evaluation. Mr. Gasparian takes a hands-on approach to every case. He works closely with victims and families to make sure they have everything they need to rebuild their lives.
Additional Resources Related to Determining Fault:
- Vicarious Liability in California Accidents
- Parental Liability in California Accidents
- Who is at Fault if You Run Out of Gas and Get Hit
- Who is at Fault for a Chain-Reaction Crash in California
- Is California a No-Fault State?
- Does Insurance Determine Who is at Fault for a Crash in California?
- Do Police Determine Who is at Fault for a Traffic Crash in California?
