A relatively minor motor vehicle collision in California can result in an assortment of inconvenient consequences. People may have to arrange for alternative transportation while their vehicle is in the shop or until they can purchase a new vehicle with ab insurance payout. They may need to cancel their plans on the day of the collision so that they can seek medical attention.
However, in scenarios where people incur serious injuries due to a California crash, they may require significant medical care ranging from surgery and emergency trauma care to pain management and physical therapy. If someone cannot resolve their symptoms on the day that the crash occurs, they may need to take a leave of absence from work. The longer they are unable to work, the greater the lifetime financial impact of the collision. Can motorists and their passengers obtain compensation for lost wages after a California wreck?
Yes, those involved in the crash can potentially recover their lost wages
Theoretically, every driver in California should have insurance coverage that will help protect people from the consequences of a collision. The liability coverage that a driver purchases will protect them from direct financial culpability if they are at fault for a crash. Their policy will pay for the losses that someone else suffers.
Those who did not cause a collision can rely on the insurance of the driver at fault to pay their basic expenses. Unfortunately, when a crash results in significant injuries, the coverage available through a basic insurance policy may not be sufficient. California law only requires $15,000 worth of bodily injury coverage. That coverage has to pay for not only someone’s lost wages but also their medical treatment.
If someone hurt in a crash requires an extended stay at the hospital or major medical care, like surgery, there may not be any insurance coverage left to replace their lost wages. They could also experience a drop in earning potential because of their new physical limitations. Ultimately, those who experience income consequences after a crash may have few options other than a lawsuit to recruit their losses.
Pursuing a personal injury lawsuit can be a way to diminish the economic consequences of a California collision caused by the negligence of a party other than the crash victim.