Who can be held liable for the costs of a car accident?

After a car accident, victims are often overwhelmed by medical bills and unexpected costs, and often they’re unable to work following the accident. While injury victims have a number of options when it comes to getting payment for their medical treatment and property damage, the amount they can collect will depend on the specifics of their case. 

Potential Sources of Compensation After a Crash

To determine how much you could be owed for car accident losses, you need to know who is responsible for the accident and how much compensation is available through insurance. Rhode Island law requires all drivers to purchase at least $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage and $25,000 property damage coverage. If the negligent driver purchased only minimum coverage and you sustained severe injuries, $25,000 may not be enough to compensate you for all of your losses.

However, you may be able to get additional payment for your car accident costs from:

Other forms of insurance.

If you purchased enhancements to your own auto insurance such as personal injury protection (PIP), insured motorist (UIM) coverage, or MedPay, you may be able to obtain compensation from them. Your own health insurance may also be used to offset the medical costs of your injury.

A defective auto parts manufacturer.

If your accident was caused by a tire blowout, malfunctioning airbag, defective seatbelt, or other faulty auto part, the manufacturer may be liable for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. If this is the case, our product liability attorneys will make note of it.

The at-fault driver’s employer.

If you were struck by a commercial trucker, delivery driver, or someone else driving a company vehicle, the driver’s employer could be held liable for your injury costs.

A negligent third party.

Rhode Island’s dram shop laws allow victims of drunk driving accidents to file lawsuits against an establishment that over-served alcohol to the driver. A social host can also be liable for the damages that ensue after he gives or serves alcohol to a minor.

Our attorneys can examine the facts of your case and the limits of relevant insurance policies to determine what compensation is available to you. Contact Kirshenbaum & Kirshenbaum via our online contact form to schedule an initial consultation at no cost.