While everyone knows car insurance covers the car, most people are not aware that the car insurance can cover medical bills. There are two parts to an insurance claim for a car wreck. The first part is a property damage claim that involves the damage done to the vehicle. The second part is a bodily injury claim that involves injuries sustained by the people in the vehicle.
The “not at fault” driver can contact the “at fault” driver’s insurance and open a claim. This is the stage where most people do not realize they need to let the adjuster know if they are injured or think they may be injured. Now the “at fault” adjuster will have two separate claims on the wreck, the property damage and bodily injury. This is important because if the adjuster is not aware of the bodily or possible bodily injury when the adjuster pays for the damage to the vehicle they may close both property damage and bodily injury claims at the same time. This can be dangerous for the “not at fault” driver because when they sign to get their property damage resolved they may be signing away any claims they may have for their bodily injury. This issue should be kept in mind by anyone dealing with a car wreck insurance claim. Make sure when signing a release with the insurance to get the vehicle fixed that it is only for property damage and not for bodily injury. It is on you, the “not at fault” driver, to read what you sign and to protect your rights.
Know your rights when in an auto collision. If you or someone you know has been injured in a car wreck, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.