Every ride in a motor vehicle slightly increases someone’s total statistical risk of a crash. The more miles someone travels, the greater the likelihood of them eventually experiencing a collision.
Some crashes lead to serious injuries. Modern medical facilities can help treat everything from brain injuries to broken bones, but seeking emergency medical care usually results in very large medical bills. How do those without health insurance cover the costs of medical treatment after a collision?
The driver at fault is liable for the damages they cause
Someone who exceeds the speed limit, gets distracted while driving or otherwise violates traffic laws and best practices for safety will have some degree of responsibility for the crash that they cause. To ensure that they can properly reimburse the people affected, they need to carry insurance.
Every motorist in Oregon with a registered vehicle is required to invest in insurance coverage to protect them from the expenses created by a collision. Each driver gets to choose how much coverage they invest in, provided that they at least purchase the minimum amount required by Oregon state law. The state requires both property damage liability coverage and bodily injury coverage as well. Even those who carry the minimum amount of insurance required by law should have at least $25,000 in coverage. That coverage will double if the collision causes injuries to two or more people.
Unlike health insurance, motor vehicle coverage doesn’t include large deductibles, coinsurance requirements or copays. Individuals with injuries directly connected to a car crash for which someone else was at fault will generally want to notify medical professionals of that fact when they seek treatment to ensure that there are proper notes in their records regarding the origin of their injuries. Those benefits can also help someone replace lost wages.
Those who understand the insurance system can have an easier time securing the benefits they deserve to cover the costs generated by a recent collision. Learning about insurance and also personal injury lawsuits may help those affected by a recent Oregon crash pursue justice for their injuries and other losses, especially when those losses were caused by another’s actions or inactions.