Personal injury claims help those who are injured in an accident recover their losses or damages. A personal injury claim is filed against the insurance company of the party who is at fault or liable for the injuries sustained.
Personal injury claims can include medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damages, and any other losses that were incurred by the victim as a result of the auto accident. If you have suffered injuries in an auto accident, and one of the cars involved was a self-driving car, you might wonder how that is going to impact your accident claim since there is not a driver to hold liable for the damages.
Self-Driving Cars in Auto Accidents
In an accident involving two regular cars that have drivers, the personal insurance policy of the driver who was at fault will cover bodily injury and property damages that were sustained in the accident. But if one vehicle was self-driving and being operated by a computer, it could be a different situation.
If the car is self-driving, legal experts indicate that there would not be any kind of liability for the owner of the car, the car's non-driver, or any of the car's passengers. Some states are giving this particular situation consideration in their liability insurance legislation since there are plans to have 10 million cars with self-driving features on the roads by 2020.
Who Has You Covered?
The laws regarding self-driving cars can vary from state to state. Liability coverage is a big segment of the auto insurance market. If liability coverage isn't required on self-driving cars, the insurance market will suffer significantly. Some legal experts, however, think that the car manufacturer would bear the liability if a self-driving car caused an accident.
If an accident resulted because of the malfunction of the computer operating the car, most courts would agree that liability would fall back on the manufacturer of the vehicle. This would mean that auto manufacturers are going to be paying more for insurance coverage and operating costs because of the additional liability they could face.
Consult with a Personal Injury Attorney
If you have suffered injuries in an auto accident that you believe was the result of a self-driving vehicle, you should consult with a personal injury attorney. Your attorney will investigate your claim and the accident. A personal injury attorney will pursue a personal injury claim on your behalf using the right channels to ensure you get the compensation that you deserve for the losses you incurred as a result of the accident.
Personal injury attorneys are paid on a contingency basis, which means they receive a portion of a settlement. Because your attorney will not be paid until you win your claim, you have nothing to lose. Schedule a consultation with a personal injury attorney right away so you can get your personal injury claim and get on track to recovering any losses that you have incurred as a result of the accident.
