$175,000 Settlement for Passenger Injured in Car Collision
Settlement for a Passenger Who Suffered Multiple Injuries
Our client was a passenger in an automobile that was involved in a serious collision. She was taken to the emergency room and diagnosed with multiple traumatic injuries, including rib fractures, a clavicle fracture, a concussion, and lung contusions. Her injuries required extensive treatment and therapy. On her behalf, Sexner Injury Lawyers LLC successfully negotiated a $175,000 settlement to resolve the case without requiring her to wait years for a trial and testify in court.
Passenger Injuries in Car Accidents
Passengers can suffer severe injuries in a crash even though they usually have no control over how the collision happened. When a car, bus, truck, taxi, rideshare vehicle, or limousine is involved in a crash, the facts must be reviewed to determine which driver or drivers may have been at fault.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 22,713 passenger vehicle occupants died in crashes in 2024. These numbers show how serious vehicle collisions can be for drivers and passengers alike.
In many passenger injury cases, more than one driver may share responsibility. This is especially true in multi-vehicle crashes where each insurance company may try to shift blame to another driver. The injured passenger may be left caught between competing insurance positions even though the crash was not the passenger’s fault.
Why Passengers Are Usually Not at Fault
In most cases, a passenger does not cause or contribute to the accident. Unless a passenger grabbed the wheel, attacked the driver, blocked the driver’s vision, or otherwise interfered with safe driving, the passenger is generally an injured person seeking recovery from the negligent parties who caused the crash.
This is one reason passenger claims can be different from other car accident cases. The main question is often not whether the passenger did something wrong, but which insurance policy or policies should pay for the injuries, medical bills, pain, suffering, and other damages.
Who May Be Responsible for a Passenger’s Injuries?
When liability is unclear, an attorney may need to investigate every driver, vehicle, insurance policy, and potential source of recovery. Depending on the facts, a passenger injury claim may involve:
- The driver of the passenger’s vehicle: If the driver of the vehicle carrying the passenger caused the crash, that driver’s insurance policy may be responsible for the passenger’s damages.
- Another driver: If another motorist caused the collision, the passenger may have a claim against that driver’s insurance policy.
- Multiple drivers: In some crashes, more than one driver may have contributed to the accident. When that happens, more than one insurance policy may need to be pursued.
- A rideshare, taxi, or limousine driver: If the passenger was riding in a hired vehicle, the case may involve additional insurance and liability questions. These issues may arise in Uber, taxi, or limousine accident cases.
- The passenger’s own policy: In some circumstances, the passenger’s own auto insurance may provide medical payments coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, or underinsured motorist coverage.
Insurance Disputes After a Passenger Injury
Insurance companies do not always accept responsibility quickly. If fault is disputed, insurers may argue over liability, policy limits, available coverage, and the value of the passenger’s injuries. These disputes can delay payment and make the process more difficult for someone who is already dealing with medical treatment and recovery.
Because deadlines may apply, it is important to identify the proper parties and insurance policies before time runs out. If a necessary party is not included in time, the passenger may lose the ability to pursue that source of recovery later.
Legal Help for Injured Passengers
Since 1990, Sexner Injury Lawyers LLC has represented injured passengers and accident victims in Chicago and throughout Illinois. If you were injured as a passenger in a car crash, call 312-243-9922 or contact us for a free case evaluation.
