Could this accident potentially exceed my bodily injury coverage?

Question

I rear ended someone 3 weeks ago.  I reacted too late (yeah, I know...).
   
There were 2 people in the car that I hit - a couple in their mid-40s.  
   
The accident was enough to cause major damage to both cars to the point where they weren't drivable, but we all got out of the accident seemingly uninjured.  The police officer who came to the scene offered to call an ambulance, but they declined.
   
I had some minor whiplash issues in the few days after the accident, but it seems to have dissipated.  I found out that the passenger of the other car was injured, but the driver did not report any injuries.
   
So my questions are as follows:
   
1.  If the passenger was injured, but the driver was not, does that mean it is unlikely that the passenger's injuries were serious?  I hit them from behind, so the passenger was not any closer to the exact point of the crash than the driver was.
   
2.  Given that the passenger did not appear injured, and that the driver wasn't injured, how likely is the passenger's injury to exceed my coverage of $25k?

NOTE:  I do not want to hear a lecture about how I should drive more carefully.  I know....I also know I should have a higher BI coverage, but here we are....

May · Answer

Can this exceed your limits?........An emphatic **YES**

Because the passenger was injured and the driver was not injured proves nothing, means nothing.  Because one was injured and not the other is perfectly normal.  You are barking up the wrong tree if you believe that they both should have been injured or they both should not have been injured.  Give up that notion because it is making you look unrealistic.

No one here has the faintest idea of the seriousness of injuries.

You said. you felt a "minor whiplash" the next day.  Like you, the people in the other car could be fine after the accident but hurting like the blazes the next day or 2 or 3 or ?

$25,000.00 (and much more) can be "eaten up" just for one visit to a emergency room or a hospital visit or a one day stay in the hospital.

Your comments at nearly every answerer here shows  that you are a troubled individual.  Because you are not getting the answers that you desire doesn't call for all of your barking. ............... Woof, woof.

a · Answer

Yes a personal injury can easily exceed the $25K limit of your policy and if so you will be responsible for the balance.
In my experience, most of the time regardless of threats otherwise, the injured party will simply settle for the amount of the policy rather than endure a long and stressful court case unless they are TRUELY injured.
Your insurance company will handle any and all contact with the injured party and their lawyer if they have one.

regerugged · Answer

You don't say how much is your coverage.  Your liability carrier is supposed to notify you if the dollar value of any claims exceed your coverage.  the most common injuries in rear end accidents are whiplash injuries to the neck.  treatment can range from heat and massage to cervical spinal fusion.  (retired claims adjuster)  I missed the 25/50.  I cannot form an opinion without doing a full liability investigation.  That would mean seeing the damaged vehicles, reviewing medical records and bills, and getting to know the injured party.  Sorry I cannot help more.

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, of course the injuries could exceed your bodily injury coverage.  That depends on the seriousness of the injuries.
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Damage to the cars is relatively immaterial. Declining an ambulance at the scene is immaterial.
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1 - No, the damages to the passenger and driver are totally UNRELATED. I’ve seen very serious injuries to one and no injury to the other. The point of impact matters only if you run someone down on the street. If you are sitting and take a hard hit from the back, the ENTIRE VEHICLE is jolted.
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2 - How likely is it that two injured people who, perhaps, decide to treat with a Chiropractor going to have medical bills over $25,000? Very likely. If one of them decides to visit a Physician and get x-rays and/or other tests that $25,000 is going to be gone very early in their treatment (or non treatment).
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3 - You COULD be saved if THEY carried uninsured/underinsured driver insurance.
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I find what you want to hear to be very interesting. Based on your good choices in life, I do understand why you rely only on your own research and basic intelligence.

Pearl · Answer

i guess you'll find out, i would just be glad noone got injured

Could this accident potentially exceed my bodily injury coverage?

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