Unfortunately, traffic accidents are a frequent occurrence given the number of inexperienced, impaired or distracted drivers on the roads today. A passenger in a car involved in an accident can be seriously injured, even more so than the driver depending on where they are seated and whether they are wearing a seat belt. In some cases, costly medical treatment is necessary following an accident and injured passengers may want to explore ways in which he or she can get help.

The most obvious place to start is with the at-fault driver’s insurance company in order to get compensation for your injuries. Drivers are required to carry at least a minimum level of insurance by law and most insurance policies provide coverage not only for drivers, but also for passengers. However, not every driver is properly insured or may not have insurance at all. If a passenger is in an accident as a result of negligence by an uninsured or underinsured driver, the passenger still has additional avenues for compensation:

• A passenger may be able to receive compensation from the insurance company of the driver he or she was traveling with depending on the insurance coverage the driver carries. Although a passenger may be reluctant to seek compensation if the driver of the vehicle was a friend or family member, most drivers obtain insurance with the understanding that passengers will be covered to some extent.
• Another option to explore is if the passenger is listed as an insured driver on another automobile insurance policy. This policy may cover a passenger for injuries sustained even though he or she was traveling in another person’s vehicle. Compensation under policies other than that of the at-fault driver depend on the coverage options of the policyholders.
• An injured passenger may also decide to receive compensation through a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver who caused the accident, and even include the driver of the car the passenger was traveling in as a defendant depending on the circumstances of the accident. If either driver was driving a company car in the course of business, the passenger may also receive compensation from the company.

Takata airbags installed in many vehicles across the nation can pose a real risk to drivers. Because of the number of injuries and deaths caused by the exploding airbags, a recall on millions of vehicles from nearly all of the major automakers is in effect.

Unfortunately, many people who are hurt or killed by an automotive defect weren’t aware that their vehicle was under recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration makes it easy to check if your vehicle has been recalled by providing a list of affected models and years, instructions on what to do if your vehicle is under recall, and answers to common questions.

Best of all, they have a tool to help you know for sure if your car is under recall – simply enter the VIN number from your vehicle’s registration and they will determine whether or not that vehicle needs to be repaired.

Typically having the defect fixed costs nothing and doing so can save your life and the lives of your loved ones. For Americans whose cars and trucks HAVE been recalled, the best thing to do is to get the defective part fixed.

If you or a loved one have been hurt by a defect or malfunction in a recalled vehicle, or if you have been injured by an exploding airbag, contact a personal injury – wrongful death lawyer at the Des Moines Law Offices of John T. Hemminger for help today.

When experts reconstruct a crash scene to determine causation, they often conclude that crashes are a result of various factors. Driver training and experience, vehicle design and manufacture, highway condition, traffic signaling, and weather conditions can all play a role as can events immediately prior to an accident such as a decision to pass another motorist on the highway or a tire blowout. When you add in factors such as driver fatigue, speeding, and alcohol or drug consumption on top of driver errors, vehicle failures and environmental conditions, the risk of a crash increases dramatically.

Fatigue, drinking alcohol, and speeding are major factors in motor vehicle crashes overall. In a national study conducted of 141,000 truck accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities over a 33 month period, 23% percent were believed to have been traveling too fast for conditions; 17% were under the influence of over the counter drugs as a factor; 3% revealed illegal drugs and alcohol consumption and 13% factored in for driver fatigue. These major accident factors of speeding, fatigue, and drug or alcohol use combined with driver failures such as inattention or following too close, vehicle failures such as cargo shifts or brake malfunction and environmental conditions such as ice or congested highways are often a recipe for disaster.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident involving a truck driver or other motor vehicle, contact the Des Moines Law Offices of John T. Hemminger for help. John has successfully handled hundreds of personal injury and wrongful death claims for over 30 years. With extensive experience in negotiations and trial, he can help you recover the full compensation you will need if you or a loved one suffered injuries in a truck accident.