Insurance in DC Injury Cases

Insurance is a contractual agreement between an insurer and the insured in which the insurer agrees to pay monthly premiums in exchange for indemnification should an incident occur that is covered by the terms and conditions of the insurance contract. There are numerous kinds of insurance available in Washington, DC including automobile insurance, homeowners insurance, renter’s insurance, motorist’s insurance, health insurance, and life insurance, all of which can come into play in certain types of DC injury cases.

While automobile insurance is required by law in the District of Columbia, other types are not. However, typically, homeowners insurance is required by mortgage companies to ensure it from a loss.

Purpose of Insurance

The purpose of insurance is to protect an individual from the risk of liability. This means that by paying a monthly insurance premium, the insured knows that if an incident arises that is covered by the terms and conditions of the insurance contract, the insurer will pay any damages covered by the insurance contract.

It is a good idea for someone to have insurance so that if a loss occurs due to things such as property damage, an auto accident, or even a personal injury claim, the person does not have to pay themselves or out-of-pocket.

If someone does not have insurance, and their property is damaged, they’re involved in an accident, or are injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, typically, they do not have to rely on their insurance policy for coverage. Of course, additional insurance coverage is always beneficial when an incident occurs. However, the focus of concentration is usually on the at-fault party’s insurance.

Having insurance is always a benefit to guarantee or to help protect against unforeseen losses. An experienced attorney can evaluate the insurance coverage available in a particular incident and advise their client accordingly.

Affect on Insurance If Liable for an Accident

When someone is liable for an accident, it may or may not affect their insurance rates or the ability of the insurer to continue insuring them. The manner in which an insurance policy is written depends on many different factors such as the type of incident, the length of time a person was insured by that company, the number of insurance claims made against the insurance policy, and many other different factors that go into underwriting a particular insurance policy. For some individuals, rates increase after a claim is made, however, it does depend on the factors specific to the individual insured, the insurance company, and its underwriting company.

If a person is uninsured at the time of a collision, typically, that person receives a citation from the local police. There is usually no civil penalty associated with an uninsured driver that is involved in an accident resulting in injury.

Serious Injuries and Insurance

Anyone injured due to the negligence of another has the right to be compensated for their injuries. A qualified and experienced personal injury attorney can work with the injured person’s automobile insurance, health insurance, and the at-fault party’s automobile insurance to process the claims and facilitate their recovery in the best manner possible for the benefit of the injured person. When initiating a claim, an injured person should work with their attorney to determine all of the necessary components of working through various insurance policies.

After a person is seriously injured in a collision, they should have a firm understanding of the nature and extent of their injuries, their current diagnosis, as well as their prognosis going forward to understand what additional treatment could be needed. If they do not have this information, they should seriously consider not settling the claim until a complete and full understanding of their injuries is known, as well as any potential future treatments that may be necessary.

The first step a person should take following a serious injury is to contact a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney. The attorney can assist the injured person through the claims process and work with the various factors involved in any individual claim to maximize the recovery on behalf of the injured person. It is advisable to contact an attorney first so the attorney can make contact with the appropriate insurance companies and facilitate the claim’s process in the best interest of their client.

Insurance for Passengers

Typically, if a passenger is insured and injured in a motor vehicle collision, the passenger has the right to be compensated for his or her injuries by the at-fault party’s insurance company, regardless of their age. Injuries are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and the compensation should correlate with the evaluation done by the at-fault party’s insurance company.

The insurance company that offers insurance coverage to a passenger depends on the claim initiated by the passenger.  If the passenger is initiating a claim against another driver of another vehicle, that at-fault party’s insurance company should compensate the passenger for their injuries. Children have the same rights as adults when involved in a motor vehicle collision.

If the passenger is initiating a claim against the driver of the vehicle they were traveling in, the driver’s insurance company should compensate the passenger for their injuries. When a passenger does not have insurance it will not have an impact on the driver’s insurance settlement.