Have you ever heard of bodily injury liability insurance? One undeniable fact about motor vehicle accidents is that someone could get hurt or lose their property. The injury could be minor, severe, or fatal. When the wound is severe, the injured party would need treatment, and the fault party would have to pay the cost.
The fault party pays for medical bills through their bodily injury liability insurance coverage. When they don’t have this policy, they would have to pay for the treatment out-of-pocket. In this article, our Ohio car accident lawyers will attempt to explain bodily injury liability insurance coverage.
What Does Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Cover?
Bodily injury liability insurance is coverage taken out by a person to cover the expenses of a victim of an accident where they are at fault. The policy covers the payment of any of the following:
Medical Expenses
Bodily injury liability insurance helps pay for the injuries suffered by someone else. It means that if you have this coverage and cause an accident, it will not pay your medical bills. The policy also pays for follow-up treatments, buying medical equipment like wheelchairs, and other associated costs.
Compensation for Lost Wages and Income
Depending on a crash victim’s injuries, they may need to have follow-up surgeries or engage in months of physical therapy. During that time, they might be unable to work or carry out some of their job functions. In this instant, the victim will be eligible to receive compensation for lost wages and income.
The bodily injury liability insurance coverage of the fault driver will cover the financial losses caused by the victim’s inability to work. Victims calculate this economic damage to a specific amount. It means that they will get the exact amount they lost while recovering from their wound. The only time the amount would be affected is if the policy has insufficient funds to pay the total compensation.
Legal Fees
Another thing bodily injury liability coverage handles is legal fees. Following an accident, the fault party might face a lawsuit filed by the victim or their insurance carrier. When this happens, you would need to seek legal counsel, and it comes at a price. The coverage will handle the legal fees, giving you one less thing to worry about.
What Is the Limit for Bodily Injury Liability Insurance?
Bodily injury liability insurance is subject to a limit. The latter is the maximum amount your car insurance policy will pay toward a covered claim. Generally, this policy has two types: limit per person and limit per accident.
- Limit Per Person: In Ohio, the limit is $25,000 per person. It means that the most you will pay for the medical bill of a person injured in an accident is $25,000. If the treatment cost exceeds that amount, you have to pay for them out-of-pocket.
- Limit Per Accident: This limit in Ohio is $50,000 per accident. It applies to traffic crashes where multiple persons sustain injuries. Thus, if three people suffer injuries in an accident caused by you, you will cover their medical bills to the tune of $50,000.
How Does Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Differ From Property Damage Insurance?
Generally, liability insurance is of two types: bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability insurance. In Ohio, the law makes provision for both policies. Here’s how they differ:
- Property damage liability insurance helps fault drivers pay for damages caused to another person’s vehicle. They also cover other property damages asides from the automobile. For example, if you destroy someone’s fence or mailbox with your car, this coverage will handle the cost of repairs. In Ohio, drivers must carry a limit of $25,000 for property damage.
- As already mentioned, bodily injury liability coverage covers another person’s injuries and not that of the carrier.
Other insurance coverages that Ohio law provides for but are optional includes:
- Comprehensive Liability Insurance for repairing your vehicle. It covers other incidents like theft, fire, vandalism, glass breakage, etc.
- Collision Coverage for when your car collides with another, and it is subject to deductibles.
- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage for when the other party does not have insurance. It protects you and helps you pay your medical fees and other expenses. You can recover the amount by filing a personal injury action.
Consult Ohio Car Accident Lawyers for Help?
Whether you are a fault party to an accident or the victim, the absence of insurance coverage will pose problems. However, they are mitigable if you have the help of an experienced attorney. Let our Ohio car accident attorneys assist you as you navigate the legal implication of an auto accident. Consult us today for a free case review.
