Why It’s the Right Thing to Do

It happens all the time. You’re traveling in a car or truck with a friend who runs a red light or fails to stop at a stop sign, causing an accident. You’re injured and can’t work or need extensive medical care. You need compensation for your losses, but it’s your friend who caused your injuries. You don’t want to risk losing the friendship, but you also need your losses to be covered. What do you do?

Are You Really Suing Your Friend?

Motor vehicle insurance is required for all drivers in the state of New Jersey. The purpose of insurance is to provide compensation for losses caused by the insured. Think of it this way… when you seek to recover damages from your friend, you’re not really asking them to personally pay for your losses. You’re asking their insurance company to honor its agreement to pay for losses caused by the policyholder. If you file a lawsuit, you’ll need to name your friend as the at-fault party, but the actual damage award or settlement will be paid by the insurance company.

Here’s another way to look at it. If it were someone you didn’t know, you wouldn’t think twice about pursuing compensation for your losses. Under the law, you are entitled to seek damages from anyone who wrongfully causes you injury. You shouldn’t forego a personal injury claim because you happen to know the person who caused the accident.

It’s also likely that your friend will want you to be able to recover compensation for all your losses. Ideally, you’ll be able to work out a settlement without going to trial, and you’ll both be relieved that the matter has been put behind you.

Contact the Law Offices of David J. Karbasian, PC

Send us an email today or call us at 856-600-HURT to schedule an appointment to discuss your personal injury claim. Evening and weekend consultations are available upon request. We can come to your home or the hospital to meet with you, if necessary.