Normally, the person who caused the car accident and caused you to get hurt did not mean to hurt you. In this blog, I discuss why that should not be a deterrent to seeking just compensation.
Maybe you were riding with a friend or family member who ran a stop light, or ran off the road. Or maybe, you were rear-ended by the sweet old lady who sings in the choir at your church. Or maybe after your car was “t-boned” the mother of the careless teenage boy who lives down the street calls and offers you a sincere apology.
You are not a vindictive person. You know it was just a mistake, and that everyone makes them. You don’t want to upset anyone, especially not a friend, or even the friend of a friend. You feel like maybe it would be wrong to try and seek compensation for your injuries.
I have heard a lot of stories like this from people who were injured in car accidents. “I was riding with my best friend, and she was texting. Then she ran off the road. She didn’t mean to hurt me, though. If I file a claim, she might get mad at me.”
It is good to put others first. But sometimes, you also need to think about yourself and your future. After all, who is going to pay your medical bills? Who is going to pay your lost wages?
The first thing to remember is that your friend, your neighbor, or the sweet old choir lady who caused the accident most likely has car insurance. The purpose of car insurance is to compensate people like you when accidents and injuries happen.
Just because you file a claim for your injuries does not mean that you have any ill will toward the person that hurt you.
If you have serious injuries, medical bills, and lost wages, are you seriously going to deny yourself just compensation because the at-fault driver might get upset? In reality, if the person who caused the accident is a reasonable-minded person, that person would want you to be compensated.
The second thing to remember is just because you make a claim for compensation, that does not mean that you are going to have to actually sue your friend, neighbor or the sweet old lady. In most car accident cases, your attorney will be able to negotiate a settlement directly with the insurance company without a lawsuit ever being filed. Settlements are not public record, and are often completely confidential.
I hope you found this helpful. If you have any questions, let me know.
