Where Does The Money Come From To Pay For Injuries After A Nebraska Car Accident?
In every situation, we first look to the at-fault vehicle for liability coverage. The primary responsible party responsible for paying damages after a motor vehicle accident is the owner of an at-fault vehicle. That is why it is important to always have good liability insurance coverage for your vehicle. Even if you are normally a careful defensive driver you could make a mistake. Severe injury or death could result from a mistake made when driving. It is also important as a vehicle owner to know that your car is your responsibility even if you loan it to another licensed driver.
If there is no insurance or there is not enough insurance for the at-fault vehicle, it is necessary to look to the driver of the at-fault vehicle assuming that the driver is not the owner. When there is no insurance or insufficient insurance covering the at-fault vehicle or the driver of the at-fault vehicle, you have to look to your own vehicle’s insurance and the driver of your vehicle for uninsured coverage or underinsured coverage. Even if you do not have full coverage “collision coverage” insurance that would pay for the damage to your car, there is still coverage for injuries required by Nebraska law. That means you might lose your car if the other driver is uninsured but you will still have your own insurance to help with your injuries. Even if you have to use your own insurance, you can receive compensation for your bills and for your pain and suffering.
Other types of insurance and claims may apply
I am often told about situations when an airbag did not deploy and an injury victim believes it should have. My experience with automatic safety features on cars and airbags is that they are good but not perfect. Seat belts and airbags have saved many lives. However, airbags require specific sensors to be struck in a precise way to cause them to go off. It makes sense that we do not want airbags to inflate when they are not needed or they could cause more injuries than they prevent. Normally, a products liability claim against a vehicle manufacturer is something that is only considered when there is a very serious injury and there is not enough liability insurance to appropriately compensate an accident victim any other way. The costs of a products liability claim against a large corporation that manufactures vehicles can be so prohibitive that they would prevent pursuing claims that would otherwise be viable.
There are times when a vehicle may have been negligently entrusted to a minor who causes an accident. In that situation, it may be possible to reach the homeowner’s insurance to help pay for the damages.
There may also be responsible parties other than the drivers. For example, it is possible for liability to arise when a road has been improperly maintained or marked creating an unsafe condition.
Using your own health insurance is a normal thing to do in Nebraska. Often people resist using their own car insurance or health insurance because they feel that the other driver’s insurance should be paying the bills. It is also normal to worry about how using your own insurance will affect your insurability or your own rates. In Nebraska, the at-fault vehicle’s insurance does not pay for things as you go along. It is normal to use your own benefits to pay the medical bills. Although your own insurance may have a right to be reimbursed from a settlement or judgment at the conclusion of your claim, it helps to be able to get the treatment you need and using your own insurance may even give us more flexibility when negotiating a settlement.
A thorough investigation and expert legal evaluation are required to identify all of the claims and sources of money to pay your claim. You need an experienced professional on your side like Steven Montag. The Montag Law Office has helped thousands of injury victims from all over Nebraska get the compensation they deserve. Our toll-free number is (800) 533-0067. Initial consultations are free of charge. Evening and weekend calls are welcome.