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If you’ve recently been injured in an auto accident in PA, you likely have questions such as:
Our experienced car crash lawyers can answer all of your questions in a no-charge, no-obligation case review – call our law firm today.
You’ve been involved in a car accident and in a matter of seconds, your life has been forever changed. This wasn’t a simple “fender bender” – you survived an incredible impact but now, you are struggling to pay for the medical treatments your injuries require. To make matters worse, the insurance company has informed you that the policy limits have been met and they will no longer be helping to cover these expenses.
You are not alone. Every year, millions of Americans are seriously injured in auto accidents and, as a result, suffer physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. While no amount of money can change the past, filing a civil lawsuit to obtain compensation for your losses may help provide you with a happier and healthier future.
A civil lawsuit is filed by a plaintiff who is seeking to recover compensation for losses that they have sustained. Recoverable losses include:
Compensation can come in the form of a settlement or through an award in court. In the case of an auto accident, the compensation is usually recovered from the defendant’s insurance company or policy coverage.
When drivers in the State of Pennsylvania are involved in motor vehicle accidents, they are often more worried about having their vehicle repaired and getting back into their work routines than they are about any kind of legal proceeding. Unfortunately, when a driver’s own insurance provider stops paying out the benefits of an insurance policy because the limit has been met, there are very few options left on the table.
Even before one gets to this point, it is highly recommended to seek the help of an auto accident lawyer. But why is this the case?
To understand how an auto accident attorney can be so vital to a car crash claim, it is important to understand the process of filing a car accident claim in Pennsylvania.
Due to the fact that PA is a “no-fault” state, drivers who are involved in an accident will always have to go to their own insurance policy first when they need damages to be covered. Only after the coverage limit on a driver’s own insurance policy has been hit will they be able to look to recover damages from the other driver’s insurance company.
This is always the case, irrelevant of whose fault the accident was, and this is why it is called a “no-fault” law.
Whether you’re dealing with your own insurance company or that of another driver, it can be helpful to have an experienced car accident attorney by your side. Insurance companies are businesses, and they will try whatever they can to save money and reduce the amount of money that they have to pay out in benefits.
When an auto accident lawyer is handling your car accident claim and speaking to the insurance provider on your behalf, then they will know you truly mean business. Most drivers aren’t completely aware of their legal rights and what kinds of compensation they’re entitled to. An experienced car crash lawyer knows exactly how to get the insurance company to pay out the benefits that you’re owed.
Additionally, if there are any other avenues for compensation other than the standard claim, a legal representative will be able to point these out to you. At that time, it will be up to you to move forward with further legal options. You may choose not to, but at least you had all the relevant information at your disposal before you made such an important decision that can affect not only your life but that of your loved ones in the years to come.
While it is true that often auto accident lawsuits are filed against the driver whose actions or failure to act resulted in the crash, there are frequently other parties that may be named including:
The Government: Towns, counties, cities, and even states can be held responsible if those in charge fail to fix defects in roadways, place inappropriate street signs, or fail to correct issues with stoplights.
A Bar Or Restaurant: If your accident was caused by a drunk driver, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the establishment which over-served the driver alcohol.
An Auto Designer Or Manufacturer: Car manufacturers create new models on a regular basis and there may be defects with either the overall design of a part or a defect due to manufacturing.
An Auto Shop: If a mechanic works on a vehicle and their work is done improperly, causing a part to break down, they can be held responsible for the resulting accident.
When our attorneys review your case, we determine all possible defendants that the complaint may be filed against.
The most common causes of auto accidents and severe injuries to those involved include:
At any given time there are dozens of things that might pull a driver’s attention from the road, such as their cell phone, passengers in the car, the radio, food and drink, or even events going on outside of the vehicle. But it is the driver’s responsibility to avoid becoming distracted so that they can focus on keeping themselves and others on the road safe.
Early in the morning and late at night, exhausted drivers pose a real threat to anyone else on the road. In a matter of seconds, a sleeping driver will lose control of their vehicle and cause havoc on the road.
There is a reason why every state has laws regarding how much alcohol an individual can drink prior to getting behind the wheel. Intoxicated drivers are unable to judge distances, have slower reaction times, and literally put others' lives on the line.
Even the best drivers may unknowingly do something to set off the temper of another driver on the road. While this might seem like no big deal, those who succumb to road rage are frequently blinded by their anger and may use their vehicle as a weapon or participate in incredibly risky behavior such as cutting off another driver and then slamming on the brakes.
Design and manufacturing defects may cause a vehicle to function in a way that the driver does not anticipate and may result in an accident, either a single car or multi-vehicle.
Even if the owner of a car takes their vehicle in for regular maintenance, the person working on their vehicle may not have performed the required work properly. This may cause a part breakdown and the driver to lose control.
The statute of limitations is what determines the exact amount of time that a person has during which they may file a claim or bring a lawsuit. The Pennsylvania statute of limitations states that all auto accident lawsuits “must be commenced within two years” of the date of the incident.
If a legal claim is not made within this strict time horizon, it is very difficult for the victim or their loved ones to win any kind of claim that they may try to pursue.
At Justice Guardians we understand that choosing an attorney is an incredibly important and personal choice. Our experienced legal team will review your case, answer all of your legal questions, and most importantly, be there to support you throughout the entire legal process. You can rest easy knowing we will pursue all legal avenues possible in your case and that we will fight aggressively for the maximum compensation possible.
The team of auto accident attorneys at Justice Guardians are personally dedicated to each and every client they take on. We believe that the goal of plaintiffs and their legal representatives should always be aligned – that is to say, they should be one and the same.
For this reason, we work solely on a contingency fee basis. This means that if no compensation is achieved on behalf of the clients, then no legal fees are charged or owed, no matter how much time and effort has been devoted to the case. Our team has always held that this is the best way of serving the victims of car accidents in Pennsylvania and will continue to work under this structure into the future.
Call us today to learn more.
