In a traffic accident it may not only be the car and driver that suffer damage or injury. Any passenger in the car at the time of the accident may have to file an accident compensation claim due to the injuries sustained. It is also fairly likely, due to their lack of role in driving the vehicle that they have no blame attached to them for the accident.
A large number of accidents occur each year in which, unfortunately people sustain injuries of varying degrees that can have a negative impact on their lives and sometimes their long term prospects of life as it was prior to the accident. You could be a passenger in a car, bus, taxi, train, plane or on a motorcycle and sustain injury due to the actions of others. Whatever the type of transport in which you are travelling when you sustain your injuries you are entitled to file an accident compensation claim.
You are more likely to be seriously injured if you are the front seat passenger of the vehicle involved – even in some cases by those passengers sitting behind you who are thrown forward by the impact. It may be that the driver of the vehicle in which you are travelling is also free from blame in the accident.
As a passenger being transported in a vehicle of any type and you are involved in an accident you have a right to be protected from harm by the person in charge of the vehicle, ie, the driver. There is a legal duty of care to protect the safety of passengers and if this is breeched in a way that causes injury, the injured party can file an accident compensation claim. This claim is usually against the insurance company of the driver or the person who caused the accident.
Any claim for injury compensation depends on the extent of the sustained injuries and the impact the injuries on your every day life. For example, in cases of extreme injuries it may be that the injured party may need long term care. Their previous life style may have been completely destroyed. With lesser injuries there may be short term problems, but given time a full recovery is made. Each case will be assessed based on individual circumstances.
If you have been involved in an accident as vehicle passenger and have sustained injury it is important that you receive immediate medical attention at the time and seek expert legal advice as soon as possible who will ensure your accident compensation claim is filed correctly to give your claim the best chance of success.
