Most people anticipate a straightforward process for resolving the consequences of an Alabama car crash. They have insurance coverage, and they know that every other driver should too, so they expect to simply make a claim for what they need and get the money they deserve to pay for vehicle repairs and medical bills.
That is sadly not the experience that many people have. A significant number of car crashes in Alabama eventually lead to personal injury lawsuits against the driver at fault for the crash or a third party that is totally or partially to blame for the collision. These are two of the most common reasons that those who’ve been harmed in Alabama car crashes pursue personal injury lawsuits.
The other driver didn’t maintain insurance coverage
Although it is a legal requirement to insure a vehicle, drivers are also supposed to stop at red lights and abide by the speed limit posted on any stretch of road. A large percentage of motorists break at least a few traffic laws each week, and some of them knowingly drive without insurance. If someone ends up hurt in a crash caused by someone without liability coverage, the only means of recovering their losses may actually be a lawsuit against the driver who caused the wreck.
A victim has sustained catastrophic injuries
A spinal cord injury, brain injury or fatality will likely leave someone or their surviving family members with far more expenses than they can expect insurance to cover. Of course, the amount of coverage available is at the discretion of the drivers involved in the crash, as what they pay for insurance is based on their own financial circumstances.
The law in Alabama only requires $25,000 of liability coverage for property damage. When it comes to bodily injury coverage, the amount available depends on the number of people affected. The lowest coverage amounts permissible are $25,000 of coverage in a crash where one person gets hurt and $50,000 of coverage when two or more people have injuries after a collision. For those with significant injuries, even $50,000 of coverage might not be enough to pay for their treatments or replace their lost wages.
Those who cannot cover their expenses from a crash through liability insurance coverage may eventually determine that their best option involves filing a lawsuit against the person or business at fault for the wreck. Learning why other people ask for compensation from the courts after a car crash might help someone feel more confident in pursuing compensation in this way after a collision.