When two or more cars are involved in a wreck, Mississippi uses a fault-based system to assign financial responsibility. That means those who are to blame for the collision must reimburse everyone else for the resulting damages.
Unfortunately, many passengers don’t realize this applies to them, as well, and not just to the motorists who were operating the vehicles that were involved. Put another way, the passengers essentially have the same rights as those who were actually behind the wheel. As such, they’re also entitled to seek compensation from reckless or negligent motorists.
How Can Injured Passengers Increase Their Chances of Securing the Money They Deserve?
Of course, just because you have grounds for a personal injury claim as a passenger doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a payout. Before you can recover the compensation you deserve, you’re going to have to put together a strong case.
The foundation of every successful car accident claim is convincing evidence. Injured parties must prove both liability and damages to arrive at a satisfactory settlement or secure a favorable verdict.
If you’re unsure how to go about gathering the evidence needed to win your case, don’t worry; a resourceful personal injury attorney can help. In fact, a seasoned legal team can handle virtually all the logistics of your claim, so you can focus on your recovery.
There are still steps you can take, though, to support your lawyer’s efforts. For example, it’s always advisable to:
- Preserve any evidence you obtained from the scene,
- Refuse to give the insurance adjuster a recorded statement,
- Start a daily journal in which you write about how your quality of life has diminished since the accident,
- Save all receipts and invoices for injury-related expenses,
- Refer the opposing party to your legal team,
- Follow all medical advice, and
- Log every missed shift diligently.
It’s also wise to stay off social media as long as your claim is pending. The insurance adjuster is going to be looking for any reason at all to challenge your credibility, and you can be sure that includes monitoring everything you post online.
Since even seemingly harmless posts could be spun and used against you, it’s best to stay off social media entirely until your case has been resolved. If that’s not an option, you can at least protect yourself by:
- Enabling the strictest privacy settings,
- Ignoring friend/follow requests from strangers,
- Scrutinizing every post before hitting publish,
- Not “checking in” to any public places when going about your day, and
- Asking friends and loved ones to avoid tagging you in their own posts.
Speak with a Jackson Car Accident Lawyer
At Brown Bass & Jeter, PLLC, we know how devastating car accident injuries can be. If you were seriously hurt in a wreck through no fault of your own, we’ll help you assert your rights, so you can pursue the compensation you deserve. To set up a free initial consultation with a car accident attorney in Jackson, fill out our Contact Form or call 601-487-8448.
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