What is Liability in a Syracuse Car Accident?

When it comes to auto insurance, New York State is a no-fault state. This means that no matter who gets the blame for the accident, your insurance company is responsible for paying some medical expenses, and lost income. If your insurance company is legally obliged to pay, why do Syracuse drivers have liability insurance and why does liability still need to be established in accidents?

Liability Insurance Coverage

The portion of your auto insurance that pays for medical expenses and lost wages is called Personal Injury Protection (PIP).

If you are responsible for the injuries of a pedestrian, passenger, or (in some cases) other drivers in an accident, then your bodily injury (“BI”) coverage pays for their pain and suffering. Your property damage (“PD”) coverage pays for any damage you have done to someone else’s car in a Syracuse car accident.

Liability In An Accident

Liability in an accident generally depends upon a finding of negligence, and it is still used in New York State to determine who pays accident costs. If you are considered to be the one liable for the accident that occurred, the injured person can insist that your BI coverage pays for his or her pain and suffering. If the other driver is at fault, that driver’s BI coverage should pay for your pain and suffering. In order to recover for pain and suffering, however, you must show a “serious injury.”

Sorting out liability after a Syracuse accident can get complicated, especially when it comes to proving you have a “serious injury”. We encourage you to contact our Syracuse car accident lawyers and let us take a look at your case and find out the answers to your liability questions. Our legal team has the experience you need to make sure that your rights are preserved and the insurance company pays out the compensation it is legally obligated to pay.