Who Does A Passenger Sue?
Passengers all the time get injured in car accidents. They can get injured from rear-end end collisions, side swipes, intersection accidents, and countless other possible crash scenarios. The injuries that result can range from sprains and strains, to broken bones, to wrongful death. The passenger of course is almost never responsible for an accident. So who does a passenger sue when he suffers personal injuries from the accident?
Both drivers may potentially be liable. Or, only one of the drivers is at-fault. Whoever was at-fault can be sued I court. The lawsuit would be for payment of medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and all other damages caused by the accident.
If the passenger was working and round-the-clock at the time of the accident, he may be entitled to file a workers’ compensation claim. Besides the workers’ comp claim, the passenger would also be able to file a third-party claim against one or multiple drivers that may have been liable for causing the crash. If the negligent driver was working and round-the-clock when he caused the accident, then his employer can be held vicariously liable. This is also referred to as respondeat superior.
In recent years there have been many rideshare passengers injured in Lyft or Uber accidents. Legally, these drivers are not employees but rather are independent contractors. That means Uber and Lyft cannot be sued directly for the accident, because the legal doctrine of vicarious liability does not apply to independent contractors.
Boston Passenger Accident Lawyer
If you were an innocent passenger involved in a motor vehicle collision, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact the Earley Law Group Injury Lawyers today for your free case review. We would be pleased to help you with your claim.