Car Accident Damages And Insurance Coverage

Most car accidents are caused by factors such as reckless drivers, auto part defects, and unsafe roads. In these situations, it is obvious that someones recklessness has caused damages to properties and injuries to the victims.

According to lawyers, car accident victims can file personal injury claim to recover economic damages (e.g. hospital bills, repairs, loss of wages) and non-economic damages (e.g. mental and emotional distress).

To win in a personal injury lawsuit, it is important for victims and their lawyers to prove the following:

1.The defendant has a legal duty to provide safety to other people.

2.The defendant failed to do his legal duty.

3.The injuries and damages to properties are directly caused by the reckless behavior of the defendant.

4.The victim has suffered from the reckless behavior of the liable party.
Proving all these stated above is not the only challenge for victims. While insurance providers might acknowledge that the victims have suffered and deserve to be compensated, some companies are notoriously known to pay victims less than what they deserve. This is where the role of lawyers comes inmaking sure that the victims will receive the rightful amount of compensation.


Insurance coverage

Because auto accident damages are costly, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires people to have car insurance policy that will help them pay for medical bills and car repairs.

Meanwhile, here are the basic types of insurance coverage:

1.Bodily Injury Liability this helps at fault drivers to pay for the medical bills, loss of wages, funeral expenses, and pain and sufferings of their victims. Meanwhile, this policy does not cover at fault drivers own injuries.

2.Liability coverage this helps at fault drivers to pay for all the hospital expenses, sufferings, and damaged properties of their victims.

3.Property Damage Liability this helps at fault drivers to pay for the property damages caused by their reckless behavior.

4. Collision coverage this covers repairs for the damaged cars or the total cost of the vehicle.

5.Personal Injury Protection (PIP) this provides monetary compensation for involved parties, regardless who is at fault. It covers loss of wages, hospital needs, rehabilitation costs, and funeral expenses of people involved in a car accident.

6.Physical Damage coverage this pays for any physical damage which resulted from an accident caused by nature (hailstorm, earthquake, etc) or people.

7.Underinsured Motorist coverage this covers the medical bills and car repairs of the victims of underinsured drivers (those who have liability insurance coverage but their funds are not enough to cover the damages).

8.Uninsured Motorist coverage - this covers the medical bills and car repairs of the victims of drivers who have no liability insurance coverage.