Auto Accidents

Car accidents happen every single day.  According to PennDOT’s Crash Facts and Statistics, there were over 124,000 reportable car accidents in 2013.  From fender benders to roll over collisions, car accidents can be extremely traumatic and potentially life changing.  Common injuries that can result from serious car accidents include broken bones, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and even death.  In addition to the medical injuries that may result from car accidents, navigating the complex world of auto insurance can add another layer of stress to an already exhausting experience.  That’s where we come in.

If you have been in an auto accident and have sustained serious injuries as a result, it’s important that you contact a legal expert before accepting a settlement from your auto insurance company.  You may be entitled to more money than the auto insurance adjuster is quoting you, and it’s important to know your rights.  Since the statute of limitations for when you can file an auto accident claim is two years in Pennsylvania, time is of the essence.  Allow our legal experts to assist you in navigating the complicated Pennsylvania auto accident laws.

Pennsylvania law requires your auto insurance company to pay for certain aspects of your injuries regardless of who was assigned the fault for the accident. Items like medical expenses, wage loss and property damage may initially be covered by your own insurance. Unfortunately, in many cases, people do not realize that their insurance policy does not fully cover the true cost of the accident. In Pennsylvania, drivers usually have three basic types of auto insurance coverage:

• Bodily Injury Liability – Bodily Injury Liability Insurance covers injuries and certain damages sustained by other people in the car accident (that are not the insured) should the court deem an accident to be the fault of the insured. The state requires each driver to have a minimum of $15,000 per person (or $30,000 per accident) of Bodily Injury Liability Insurance. These minimum limits may be raised by the legislature.
• Personal Injury Protection – Personal Injury Protection covers the medical expenses of the driver and the other people included in your policy regardless of the fault assigned to the accident. This coverage may also address items such as wage loss. Each driver must be insured with a minimum of $5,000 of Personal Injury Protection or First Party Coverage.
• Property Damage Liability – Property Damage Liability Insurance covers the cost of fixing or replacing any property damage that took place in an automobile accident for which the driver was found liable.

There are additional coverages available and higher levels of coverage permitted.
 

Limited Tort vs. Full Tort

Auto insurance companies include two types of insurance:  Full Tort and Limited Tort Insurance.  Limited Tort Auto Insurance can limit your ability to sue for non-economic damages (like pain and suffering) following an automobile accident.  Full Tort Auto Insurance provides you the continued right to sue for the full damages owed to you following an automobile accident.

Why OnlyWhenYouWin?

Due to the sheer complexity of Pennsylvania automobile insurance and automobile accident laws, you need a trusted advisor on your side who can help you navigate the law and understand your rights.  At OnlyWhenYouWin, we have decades of experience in motor vehicle accident litigation and have won life changing amounts of money for our clients.  Help us help you today!