AUTO INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR ROAD RAGE
Everyone knows that auto insurance covers accidents. But did you know that auto insurance in Minnesota only covers accidents? In other words, insurance usually won’t cover an intentional act. One of our auto accident lawyers had a call today from someone who experienced a road rage incident. The other driver was angry and hit her on purpose. Because car insurance only covers an accident, the other driver’s insurance will not pay anything for the caller’s car damage or shoulder injury.
Fortunately, the caller had collision coverage on her own car that will cover her car damage. However, any compensation for her injuries, other than a limited amount of medical bills, will not be covered because the other driver did it on purpose. This doesn’t mean the person who called us can’t sue the driver who intentionally hit her. The problem is that without auto insurance, she may have a difficult time collecting any judgment she is awarded.
Of course, the man was arrested and will be prosecuted. In fact, the police also determined the other driver was driving drunk. A judge may award restitution to help with some compensation. But that will be limited and still possibly uncollectable.
NO INTENTION TO INJURE
In this particular case, it sounded like the other driver really was trying to hurt the person. However, in many cases, the facts are less clear. Sometimes a person intends their action but does not necessarily actually intend to hurt anyone. In those cases, the action may have been intentional, but the injury was still an accident. It is often possible to get insurance coverage in that situation. If the injury was an accident, our attorneys often can still get car insurance coverage for the injured victim to compensate them for their injuries.
If you are injured in a car accident in MN, you are welcome to call us. You can speak with a lawyer for a free consultation to learn your rights. To read more about drunk driving accidents click here. https://rochlinlaw.com/drunk-driving-accidents.