Can I Get Insurance Money If I Wasn’t Wearing A Seat Belt?
Everyone knows that wearing a seat belt is very important to protect yourself from being seriously injured in a car accident. In fact, in 2016, 48% of all fatalities in auto accidents were caused by people not wearing seat belts. But, sometimes, people get busy and forget to buckle up. Our clients often ask whether they can still get insurance money if they were not wearing a seat belt.
In this video, John Krall discusses whether you might be able to recover money from an insurance company if you weren’t wearing a seatbelt in the crash:
What Does Virginia Law Say?
Virginia law requires drivers and front seat passengers to wear a seat belt when traveling in a car. Even though the law requires that seat belts be worn, the same law also says that the fact that someone was not wearing a seat belt is not admissible as evidence at trial. Basically, this means that the fact that someone wasn’t wearing a seat belt in an accident can’t be brought up at trial.
But, if you are trying to settle your case, an insurance adjuster might try to lower the value of your case if you weren’t wearing a seat belt. Often, they will do this regardless of whether they are aware of the Virginia law saying that not wearing your seat belt is not admissible.
Read more on this topic in our article, “5 Ways Insurance Adjusters Reduce the Value of Your Claim“
What Does All Of This Mean?
This means you should still pursue an insurance claim if you suffered serous injuries in a car accident and, weren’t wearing a seat belt. But, because the insurance adjuster will probably try to devalue your case because you weren’t wearing your seat belt, it will be important for you to talk to a lawyer before you talk to an insurance adjuster or sign any documents.
Read more on this topic in our article “Common Insurance Adjuster Ploys“
Even though not wearing a seat belt can’t be used against you in court if you are in a crash. that shouldn’t be used as an excuse not to wear one. It’s always a good idea to buckle up and encourage your passengers to wear their seat belts too.
Recently in our area, there have been several accidents where drivers or passengers who were not wearing seat belts were seriously injured. On April 16 around 9:20 p.m., a 2006 Dodge Ram was traveling north on Peake Mountain Road in Rockingham County when it attempted to pass a northbound 2001 Chevy Silverado at a high rate of speed. The Dodge hit the Chevy, ran off the right side of the roadway, overturned several times, and struck several trees.
The driver of the Dodge, Tyler W. Custer, 21, of Fulks Run, Va., was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Derika Crites, 18, of Maysville, WV., was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle and later died of her injuries.
¿Cuánto tiempo puedo esperar para llamar a un abogado?
Cuando usted se lesiona en un accidente de auto en Virginia, usted debe ser consciente de la ley de prescripción que se aplica en su caso particular. El estatuto de limitaciones se refiere al tiempo que tiene después de un accidente para presentar una demanda. En Virginia, este plazo depende de las circunstancias de su accidente y lesiones. El plazo de prescripción empieza a contar en la fecha del accidente. La presentación de una reclamación ante una compañía de seguros no amplía ni retrasa el plazo.
Cuanto más espere para ponerse en contacto con un abogado, mayor será el riesgo de que expire el plazo de prescripción. Si lo hace, puede perder su derecho a demandar a la parte culpable y recuperar la compensación por sus lesiones. Si ha sufrido lesiones graves y la culpa es de otra persona, debe ponerse en contacto con un abogado especializado en lesiones personales lo antes posible. Ponerse en contacto con un abogado experto en lesiones personales al principio de su caso le ayudará a evitar que los plazos expiren y permitirá que su caso se prepare adecuadamente.
Para poder determinar si tiene un caso, su abogado necesita investigar a fondo los detalles sobre su accidente y sus lesiones. Investigar el accidente y recopilar información es mucho más fácil si se hace rápidamente después de que haya ocurrido el accidente. Un retraso puede acarrear muchos problemas, como la pérdida de pruebas y la imposibilidad de encontrar testigos.
Cuando contratas a un abogado para que se encargue de tu reclamación por accidente de coche, primero negociará con la compañía de seguros para intentar llegar a un acuerdo. Si las negociaciones fracasan, su abogado se preparará para presentar una demanda y preparar su caso para el juicio. Por esta razón, es especialmente importante que usted obtenga un abogado con experiencia para ayudar con su caso, como uno certificado a través de la Junta Nacional de Litigios.
Hable con un abogado de accidentes de coche de Virginia
If you or a loved one suffered significant injuries in a car accident in Virginia, Ritchie Law Firm is here to help. The experienced, certified attorneys at the Ritchie Law Firm has helped thousands of injured victims and their families recover the compensation they deserve after an accident. Contact us by phone at
800-277-6124 or by using our online contact form.
El bufete de abogados Ritchie es un bufete de abogados de lesiones personales dedicado a ayudar a las personas que han sufrido lesiones graves y catastróficas o perdido a un ser querido como resultado de la negligencia de otra persona. Ritchie Law Firm sirve a todo Virginia, mientras que ayuda a los clientes en las ciudades y áreas circundantes de Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Staunton, y Winchester también sirve a clientes en Virginia Occidental, incluyendo Martinsburg, WV.
