A car crash is a serious event that can have lifelong effects. While fixing your vehicle may be an annoyance, it’s nothing in comparison to living with severe injuries. Emotional trauma may also plague you and your family long after the accident occurred. To make matters worse, insurance companies will exploit this opportunity when you’re distracted and injured to give you less money (which means more profits for them). Our Pennsylvania car accident lawyers can help get what you deserve.

By far, motor vehicle accidents are the most common basis of personal injuries in Pennsylvania. However, these incidents also create some of the most difficult personal injury claims. You’ll need assistance from a qualified personal injury lawyer whether you want to maximize your compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance or your own insurance policy. During settlement talks with insurance firms and legal action, our firm will provide crucial advice.

Should You Hire a Car Accident Lawyer after a Car Accident in Media?

If you’ve been involved in a car accident, you might be wondering if it’s worth working with a Media PA Personal Injury Attorney and attempting to get compensation for your damages. After a car accident, we recommend the services of an attorney under the following circumstances.

• If the accident resulted in very little damage and no one was hurt, you might not need an attorney.
• However, if you have sustained an injury – especially a serious injury, such as a broken bone or extensive medical treatment costing thousands of dollars – contacting and talking to an attorney may be very beneficial for you.
• If you had to miss work due to a police report or other documentation appearing incorrect, or if there’s a disagreement over who is to blame, it might be worth hiring an attorney.
• After an accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, medical bills, and property damage. An auto accident attorney can help you navigate the claims process and ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation possible.

If you’re still unsure if hiring an attorney is worth it, please call our office to schedule a FREE consultation.

You Experienced Severe Injuries

Car accidents can often produce severe, life-changing injuries. If you experienced significant injuries from your car crash, hiring a lawyer can be highly beneficial.

Your lawyer can help you secure adequate compensation to cover your accident’s medical expenses and property damage. They can also take the responsibility of the insurance claim off your shoulders while you take time to rest and recover from your injuries.

Is PA a No Fault State?

  The majority of the states in the United States are known as “fault” states, which means that the driver who is held responsible for a collision is liable for all costs. Personal injury and property damage are among the things covered. Pennsylvania, on the other hand, is one of a handful of states that have a no-fault system. This implies that each party receives compensation from their own insurance company, such as missed income and medical expenses.

“This implies that each party, regardless of who is to blame, receives compensation such as lost income and medical expenses from their own, respective insurance providers.”

Pennsylvania’s auto insurance laws are more intricate than average. Out of the twelve states and Puerto Rico that practice no-fault policies, Pennsylvania is one of the only “choice no-fault” states. This offers policyholders to pick between fault or no-fault rules when they buy their insurance.

The Insurer Isn’t Offering Enough Money

Sometimes, insurance companies fail to offer adequate payouts in car accident cases. However, your car accident attorney can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to attempt to increase your payout offer.

Your attorney can gather evidence, such as medical bills and repair estimates, to submit to the insurer to show how much money your accident is worth. They can put their negotiation skills to work to reason with the insurer and help you receive sufficient funds to move forward from your accident.

Can I Sue the At-Fault Driver in PA?

Pennsylvania has a no-fault insurance system, similar to some other states such as New York. Drivers purchase their own automobile insurance, which includes no-fault coverage for accidents (particularly, “personal injury protection” (PIP) or medical benefits coverage).The no-fault insurance coverage applies to out-of-pocket losses incurred as a result of an accident, up to the policy limits, regardless of who was at fault. Unless they meet certain levels determined by state legislation, drivers covered under one of these plans may seek compensation only through their own plan and cannot sue an at-fault driver for additional losses unless they reach specified thresholds. In Pennsylvania, as in many other states, there is a no-fault system that may be opted into. Drivers can select between a “full tort” and a “limited tort” plan. The traditional no-fault coverage is limited to recovery under one’s insurance unless certain exceptions apply. A driver may sue an at-fault motorist with a “full tort” policy.

FULL TORT VS. LIMITED TORT RECOVERY

Pennsylvania auto insurance companies allow drivers to choose either full tort or limited tort policies. Limited tort policies are more affordable but have restrictions on coverage. Drivers can typically only recover their economic damages, such as medical bills or lost wages. They also cannot seek claims that exceed the policy limit set by the insurer, which might include non-economic losses like pain and suffering or emotional trauma caused by an accident or injury. The term “serious injury” is used in policies and court decisions to characterize accidents that result in non-economic losses. A serious injury results in a limb or bodily function being damaged significantly or permanently, or substantial and permanent disfigurement. Loss of a limb, paralysis or brain damage would probably qualify. While full tort policies are more expensive, they give drivers the opportunity to receive compensation for a wider range of injuries. Drivers who have this type of policy, as well as any family or household members covered under the policy, can sue for their economic losses (medical bills, lost wages) and noneconomic losses (pain and suffering, emotional distress). This means that accident victims do not need to meet a “serious injury” threshold in order to recover damages from the at-fault driver.

You Need Help Navigating the Claims Process

Finally, you may want to hire a lawyer simply to help you through the insurance claims process.

Many people go decades without needing to submit an insurance claim. While the process can be straightforward in some cases, in others, it involves time-consuming documentation and hours of collecting and filing evidence.

If you experienced a severe accident, you may not have the headspace to navigate the insurance claim. Instead, you can trust your Media car accident lawyer to handle the process for you.

Contact our team at James H. Bonner, Esquire, P.C.  today at 610-450-4555 to request your free consultation