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Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer

Have you or a loved one been hurt in an auto accident? If so, you might be entitled to recover damages for your injuries. An attorney can help you.

Call the experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers at (215) 875-7030. We will fight to help you recover all of the money you need and deserve.

Contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation case assessment. There’s no risk in asking for our help, so give us a quick call today and talk with one attorney.

Why Should I Hire a Philadelphia Car Accident Attorney at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers After an Auto Accident?

Car accident cases can be complicated. Insurance companies will fight you every step of the way.

Others involved in your crash will try to blame you for your injuries. This is all happening while you’re trying to recover from your injuries.

Fortunately, you don’t have to fight for compensation on your own. You can benefit tremendously by hiring an attorney to handle any type of case. When you trust an experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorney at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers, you’ll increase the likelihood of getting the money you need and deserve.

Here’s what you can expect when you call our law firm for help after a crash.

• Support and Guidance From Start to Finish
• A Thorough and Complete Investigation
• Getting Expert Insight to Boost Your Case
• Aggressive Pursuit of Compensation From All Parties
• Litigation, If Necessary

So, contact our Philadelphia car accident attorneys to discuss your case and learn more today. An attorney is always standing by to take your call or respond to your online request.

Philadelphia, PA Car Accident Statistics

Every day, there are dozens of traffic accidents in and around Philadelphia. Between 2016 and 2020, there were an average of 30 car accidents in every single day. 

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (DOT), there were 10,108 traffic accidents across Philadelphia County in 2020. That made it the most dangerous place to drive in the state of Pennsylvania that year, accounting for 9.7% of the state’s car accidents. 

How Serious Are Car Accidents in Philadelphia?

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, no county in the state reported more fatal crashes in 2020 than Philadelphia County. 

DOT statistics reveal that 14.7% percent of fatal Pennsylvania car accidents happened in Philadelphia County. Allegheny County came in a distant second, reporting 5.3% of the state’s fatal crashes.

Out of the 10,108 auto accidents in 2020:

• 154 were fatal
• 6,202 resulted in at least one lesion, and
• 3,752 resulted in only property damage.

More than two-thirds of all car accidents result in death or a lesion of some sort. More than 20 people are injured in car accidents every day. Despite efforts to make roads safer, these numbers haven’t varied by much over the past few years. If you or a loved one was hurt in a car crash, our auto accident attorneys are available 24/7 to assist you. Call an attorney today for more information.

Where Do Most Car Accidents in Philadelphia, PA Happen?

When you drive, there’s no guarantee that you won’t get into an accident. That’s true, even if you’re being as careful as you possibly can. However, you might be able to increase the odds of staying safe by knowing where traffic accidents tend to happen most frequently.

According to crash data, more accidents happen on these roads and intersections in Philadelphia than anywhere else in the city:

• Street Road
• Bustleton Ave
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial Hwy & I-95/Wanamaker Ave Co
• Delaware Expressway
• Roosevelt Blvd
• Schuylkill Expressway, and
• Broad Street

Any road that intersects with one of these highways can be incredibly dangerous. For example, there’s an 11-mile stretch of Roosevelt Blvd that ranks as the most dangerous place to drive in Pennsylvania. Why? Just between 2020 and 2021, there were 25 deaths resulting from crashes on this stretch of highway. No other road in the state came close.

Common Types of Car Accidents in Philadelphia

No two car accidents are the same. In fact, almost every single accident needs to be investigated to understand who was at fault and how much of the blame each responsible party shares. However, collisions tend to fall into the same categories. Here are some of the most common types of car accidents.

Front-Impact Collision

A front-impact accident occurs when:

• The front end of two vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide, OR
• The front end of one vehicle collides with a fixed object. 

Also known as a head-on collision, these accidents account for roughly 54 percent of all serious crashes. 

Why do front-impact collisions occur? Many times, these are a result of distracted driving or a driver losing control of their vehicle and veering into the path of oncoming traffic.

Side-Impact Collision

There are two ways to define a side-impact collision. The first is when one car drives directly into the side of another vehicle. This is often referred to as a “T-Bone” accident. The second is called a sideswipe. This tends to happen when there’s an impact between cars traveling in parallel lanes or when a driver grazes the side of their vehicle against a fixed object.

Side-impact car accidents tend to account for one out of every four serious crashes.

Rollover Accidents

A rollover refers to any collision where a car flips onto its side, turns onto the roof, or rolls over from side to side. Essentially, a rollover occurs when two or more wheels leave the ground. Rollovers can be a result of other types of collisions, including “T-Bone” style side-impact crashes. Rollover collisions tend to be the most catastrophic, as they account for roughly 30 percent of all car accident fatalities.

Rear-End Collision

A rear-end collision occurs when one car crashes into the rear of another vehicle. Many rear-end collisions occur at or near intersections. These types of accidents occur most often when: 

• Drivers stopped at a red light are distracted and fail to see that the light has changed.
• Drivers approaching a red light at an intersection anticipate a green light, but the vehicle in front of them remains stopped.
• Drivers approaching a yellow light at an intersection speed up in an effort to “beat” the red light, but the car traveling in front of them stops.

These accidents tend to be the least serious. However, they can still cause significant harm, most notably traumatic brain injuries and whiplash. Don’t hesitate to call our Philadelphia car accident attorneys even for a minor rear-end accident. You may be able to pursue compensation.

Intersection Accidents

Intersection accidents are incredibly common. In fact, roughly 2 out of every 5 car accidents take place at or near an intersection. Many of these red and yellow light accidents are fatal. In Pennsylvania, there are between 22 and 23 fatal crashes at intersections every month. Many times, these are a consequence of aggressive and distracted driving practices. 

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Philadelphia

There are a lot of different factors that can contribute to a car accident. Sometimes an accident happens for one singular reason. More often, there is a multitude of reasons an accident and injuries occur. These are some of the most commonly reported causes of auto accidents and injuries.

Speeding

Speeding contributes to a significant number of crashes every year. In fact, nationwide, speed is a factor in more than 25 percent of car accidents across the nation. The figure is even higher – roughly 32 percent – for fatal crashes.

Speeding is particularly dangerous because it’s much easier to lose control of a vehicle at high speeds. When you’re speeding, it takes longer to come to a complete stop, especially in bad weather. It also becomes more challenging to navigate the curves in the road, like those on Kelly Drive.

Studies suggest that you can decrease the likelihood of an accident by 2 or 3 percent for every 1 km/h slower you drive.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is believed to be more dangerous than drunk driving. In fact, one study revealed that sending a text while driving reduces your reaction time by 37 percent.

Compare that to the 13 percent decline in reaction time when you’re under the influence.

Of course, texting and driving isn’t the only way drivers are distracted. Common types of distractions include:

• Dialing or talking on the phone
• Eating or drinking
• Talking with passengers
• Turning around to look at children in the backseat
• Using a GPS system
• Applying makeup
• Smoking, and
• Daydreaming.

Any distraction can increase the risk of an accident. In 2020, at least 10,826 car accidents were attributed to distracted driving practices. Get help from our car accident lawyers today if you were injured in a wreck caused by a distracted driver.

Impaired or Drunk Driving

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is incredibly dangerous. Reaction time decreases and you’re more likely to fall asleep behind the wheel. However, some people take the risk, anyway, putting themselves and others at risk. Drunk drivers caused nearly as many accidents as distracted drivers in 2020, with a total of 7,307.

Fatigued Driving

After a long day at work or a night out celebrating, it might be best to think twice before getting behind the wheel. Fatigued driving – or drowsy driving – is a factor in many traffic accidents. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, in 2020, fatigued driving resulted in 1,881 crashes, 11 fatalities and thousands of injuries. When a driver is fatigued behind the wheel, the effects can be the same as if they were impaired or distracted. Cognition suffers, as do reaction times.

Tailgating

When you study for your driver’s license test, you learn that there’s a certain amount of space that should be left between vehicles at all times. It’s based on the size of the vehicle and how fast traffic is moving. This is to allow drivers to maintain a safe stopping distance if traffic stops suddenly or there’s an emergency. However, many drivers ignore this and follow other vehicles way too closely. When a driver is tailgating another vehicle, they often don’t have time to stop before crashing into the rear of the vehicle.

Driving at Night

The number of car accidents tends to surge at certain times. This includes both morning and evening rush hours. However, crashes also tend to peak after dark, often in the late evening and early morning. Why? It’s harder to see, especially when drivers are navigating dark colored vehicles. Drivers are also more likely to be under the influence of alcohol or tired.

Failing to Yield the Right of Way

Not knowing the rules of the road contributes to many traffic accidents every year. It appears as though many drivers (and bicyclists and pedestrians) aren’t really sure about who has the right of way, and when. Commuters assume they can continue moving forward, despite the fact that they’re really supposed to wait for other travelers to pass by. 

Unsafe or Illegal Turns

Intersections are particularly dangerous. This is where cars traveling in different directions meet. This is where vehicles will change directions. This is where pedestrians and bicyclists are most likely to be in the road. So, there are a lot of moving parts. Unless everyone uses extra caution, especially while making turns, accidents happen.

Many accidents are the result of unsafe left-hand turns. This tends to happen when a driver fails to judge oncoming traffic properly and executes a dangerous turn. If a vehicle is approaching faster than anticipated, a collision could be inevitable.

Other accidents are the consequence of an illegal right-hand turn. Many intersections in Philly prohibit drivers from making a right-hand turn on red. However, some drivers turn, anyway, failing to see pedestrians in the crosswalk or bicyclists waiting on the corner.

Defective Vehicles or Equipment

Negligent drivers aren’t always responsible for car accidents. Sometimes the equipment fails or is inherently unsafe. For instance, several airbag systems have been identified as being defective because they either (a) explode or (b) fail to deploy during a collision. Either of these events could easily cause an accident to happen or leave victims with serious injuries.

When a vehicle or piece of equipment is defective, the company that designed, manufactured, or sold it could potentially be on the hook for resulting damages.

Negligent Maintenance

Drivers have a responsibility to make sure their vehicles are in safe working condition. So do employers, transit companies, and government agencies. How? Keeping up to date on inspections and maintenance. By addressing problems as soon as they arise. When a driver or owner fails to maintain their vehicle properly, accidents can happen.

Hazardous or Dangerous Road Conditions

Philadelphia has some of the most heavily traveled roads in the nation. The constant traffic can – and does – cause a lot of wear and tear. This can cause the quality of the roads and highways to decline. Potholes, for example, are a serious issue all across the city. Ogontz Avenue, Washington Avenue, and Callowhill Street are particularly well-known for being tough to navigate. If a car tire hits a pothole, it’s easy for the driver to lose control and crash. If the government agency in charge of road maintenance and care knew or should have known about the issue, it could potentially be liable for resulting harm.

Unrestrained Drivers and Passengers

Not wearing a seatbelt might not cause an accident, but it can make the consequences of a collision much, much worse. According to the NHTSA, 37,720 people were killed in traffic accidents in the United States in the first nine months of 2021, a 12% increase compared to the first nine months of 2020. And according to the trend, nearly half of the victims – 47 percent – weren’t wearing a seatbelt at the time of their fatal collision.

Seatbelts don’t just reduce the risk of death, they also reduce the risk of lesions. In 2020, at least 994 people were injured because they were unrestrained at the time of their accident.

If you’ve been hurt in a car accident and share little-to-none of the blame, you might be entitled to compensation. Our Philadelphia car accident attorneys can help you fight to maximize your award. Call our office to learn more today.

Who’s Responsible For My Injuries After a Car Accident in Philadelphia?

Car accidents happen every day. It’s no surprise, given how congested roads and highways tend to be.

When a motor vehicle accident happens, whether you’re on I-76 or Chestnut Street, it’s probably because someone was negligent.

In Pennsylvania, anyone who is negligent can be financially responsible for resulting injuries and damages.

You might have a legitimate claim against a:

• Driver of another passenger vehicle
• Bus driver
• Motorcyclist
• Bicyclist
• Pedestrian
• Negligent party’s employer
• Government agency responsible for road maintenance
• Company that sold a defective vehicle or piece of equipment.

You deserve to know who caused you to get hurt. That’s why our Philadelphia personal injury attorneys will thoroughly analyze the circumstances surrounding your accident. We’ll do our best to figure out the cause(s) and identify everyone who is liable for your injuries.

Can I Get Money If I’m Blamed For a Car Accident in Philadelphia?

It depends. Anyone who contributes to an accident can be liable for resulting damages.

This also includes victims like you who got hurt in the crash. Can you still recover compensation if you’re partly to blame? Possibly. Pennsylvania, like many others, is a comparative fault state.

Under Pennsylvania General Assembly Statute Section 7102,  you’re not automatically barred from recovering compensation just because you played a role in causing your accident.

You can seek compensation as long as you’re no more than 50 percent to blame. In other words, someone else (or several other people) have to be primarily responsible for your car accident.

If you do share fault, it will affect the amount of money you can ultimately recover. Your damages will be reduced by however much fault is allocated to you. For example, your damages would be reduced by 50 percent if you were allocated 50 percent of the blame. 

Insurance companies and others involved in your accident will try to shift as much of the blame for the crash to you as possible. Don’t let them. If their tactics are successful, it could significantly reduce the amount of money you’re able to get.

It could even prevent you from getting money, at all, if they can persuade a court to believe that you’re primarily at fault. 

For more than three decades, our car accident attorneys have been handling complex car crash cases. We know what steps must be taken to protect you and your ability to get the money you need. Call Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers for immediate assistance after a crash.

How Will Pennsylvania’s No-Fault Insurance Rules Affect My Case?

Pennsylvania is a “no-fault” state when it comes to accidents. Anyone who owns a motor vehicle in the state has to purchase minimum amounts of car insurance.

When you’re in an accident, this coverage will be the primary source of compensation if you get hurt.

Under the state’s no-fault rules, you have to look to your own insurer for compensation, regardless of who’s at fault for the accident.

Your insurance provider will only pay up to your policy limits. If you’ve purchased the minimum required by the state, this means you only have $15,000 in coverage for bodily lesions and $5,000 in coverage for property damage. The average cost of a car accident, without any debilitating or catastrophic injuries, is much greater. 

Full Tort vs. Limited Tort

So, what happens when your injuries and damages exceed what your car insurance company will pay? Under Pennsylvania law, it depends on whether you chose the “full tort” or “limited tort” option when you bought your car insurance policy.

If you opted for “full tort,” there are no restrictions on filing a lawsuit against a negligent party to recover additional compensation. All damages, including those for pain and suffering, would be available.

If you chose the less-expensive “limited tort” option, you could only file a lawsuit if you’ve suffered severe impairment of function, a permanent disability, disfigurement, or death. Even then, you wouldn’t be entitled to damages for certain non-economic damages, including those for emotional distress or chronic pain.

We understand that you’ve got a lot on your plate right now. You’re dealing with a painful injury and trying to make ends meet. The added stress of trying to figure out how to get money for your injuries can make things worse.

Let the car accident attorneys at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers help. One attorney we’ll assess your situation and do everything to get you maximum compensation.

Understanding Insurance Company Tactics When Handling a Philadelphia Car Accident Claim

Here’s one thing you absolutely must know if you’ve been injured in a car accident: insurance companies aren’t your friends. Insurance companies are for-profit businesses. They’re interested in making money. They don’t make money when they approve claims and pay benefits to victims like you.

So, from an insurer’s perspective, it’s really important to find a way to deny a claim or, at the very least, limit how much a claim is worth.

Insurance companies rely on a number of different tactics when handling car accident insurance claims. These include:

Refusing to Accept Responsibility and Blaming You Instead: Insurance companies might deny your claim and justify the decision by saying that the accident was your fault. They might argue that liability is unclear and that there’s no substantial evidence to show that their insured driver is at fault. 

Offering a Quick Lowball Settlement With Strings: It’s not uncommon for insurance companies to contact crash victims shortly after an accident with an offer. However, this typically happens when the insurer believes that the victim has a slam dunk and high-value case. So, rather than wait for you to get a lawyer involved, they’ll jump in and offer you money to make your claim go away. These offers might be for much less than your case is really worth. They won’t give you much time to think about the offer, either. They’ll give you a limited amount of time to offer and scare you by telling you it’s the best and only offer you’ll receive. 

Contacting You Shortly After a Crash and Asking For a Recorded Statement: If an insurance adjuster calls you after an accident, you might want to think twice before answering. The company often calls to fish for information that can be used as a basis for denying or devaluing your claim. In fact, the adjuster might even ask for a recorded statement. Never, under any circumstances, agree to this unless you’ve already consulted with your lawyer. The company will undoubtedly try to manipulate your words and use them against you down the line.

Asking You to Sign a Blank Medical Authorization Form: Insurers just want you to sign a medical authorization form so that they can get copies of bills related to your accident, right? Wrong. When you sign a waiver and give the insurer access to your unabridged medical history, you should expect for them to scour your records in search of anything that could potentially be used to deny your request for benefits. They’ll point to prior injuries, complaints of pain, medication, and anything else that could potentially explain your crash-related injuries – whether they’re related or not. 

Drawing Out the Claims Process: Legally, insurance companies have to respond to your claim in a timely manner. However, many companies have developed strategies that extend the amount of time it takes to process, investigate, analyze a claim for benefits. Companies have added a lot of red tape and often require claimants to complete a mountain of paperwork while jumping through ridiculous hoops. The hope is that you’ll get frustrated and give up before the company pays you a dime. 

Identifying Bad Faith Insurance Practices

We mentioned that insurance companies have a legal obligation when it comes to processing claims. That’s because, under Pennsylvania state law, insurers have legal duty to act in good faith.

So, when an insurer receives a claim it has to hold up its end of the bargain under the insurance policy, which happens to be a private contract. In very simple terms, insurers must take the claim seriously and pay up, when necessary. An insurer might be considered to be engaging in bad faith practices if it doesn’t. Bad faith might include:

• Not responding to a claimant in a timely manner, or at all
• Denying a claim for benefits – in full or in part – right off the bat without an investigation or any justification
• Investigating a claim with bias, or
• Unnecessarily extending the amount of time it takes to pay a claimant once a settlement has been reached.

It doesn’t’ matter whether you’re dealing with your insurance company (“first-party claim”) or another person’s insurer (“third-party claim”). When they receives a legitimate claim for damages on a valid policy, it has to consider that request in good faith. Too many times, however, insurers hope crash victims won’t pay attention or won’t put up a fight. So, they engage in practices that are, at the very least, somewhere in the grey area between good faith and bad faith practices.

Fortunately, you can protect yourself by having an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney on your side. When you get the attorneys at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers involved, we’ll go head-to-head with any insurance companies involved in your case. our attorney won’t stand for any bad faith practices or deceptive strategies. Instead, we’ll force them to play by the rules and give your case the time and attention it deserves.

How Do I Deal With Insurance Companies After a Car Accident?

It is best to proceed with caution when dealing with your insurance after a car accident. This remains true whether it is your insurance or the other party’s insurance company. The reason for this is that insurance adjusters are incentivized to minimize the worth of the claims that come before them. Insurance adjusters work for a for-profit business and do not have your best interests in mind.

Ideally, you would not speak without the guidance or presence of an attorney. Insurance adjusters may utilize various tactics in an effort to lower the value of your claim, such as asking you pointed questions or asking you for a sworn statement. If you have a lawyer to represent you throughout the process, you’ll be able to respond to these questions and requests appropriately and effectively.

How Much Money Can I Get For My Philadelphia Auto Accident?

There’s no hard and fast answer. Every crash is different. All victims are different. There are a lot of different factors that can influence what a claim is worth.

First, however, it’s important to know that, following an accident, you can potentially be entitled to two different types of compensatory damages. These are called economic and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

These are paid to compensate you for the financial costs and expenses that are related to your car accident. Receiving an award of economic damages should ideally put you back in the financial position you were in before the crash. In other words, financially speaking, it should be as if the accident never happened, at all. 

Some of these damages include:

• Present and future medical expenses (e.g., an ambulance ride, hospitalization, surgery, medication, medical devices or equipment)
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and/or other types of rehabilitation
• The cost of replacing or repairing damaged property
• Income and wages you’ve lost while recovering from your lesions
• Temporary and/or permanent disability, and
• Reduced earning capacity.

How are these calculated? Some, including current medical bills, are fairly straightforward because you’ll have itemized bills and receipts.

Others, such as damages to compensate for your reduced earning capacity, will require a little bit more legwork. Why? Let’s look at reduced earning capacity refers, for example. This refers to income you’ll lose out on because your injury interferes with your ability to work. This could be due to the fact that you might not be able to work at the same capacity or you might have to find a new line of work, altogether. 

Either way, your ability to generate income is reduced. You can be compensated for the difference in what you would have earned and what you probably will earn. Projecting what you would have earned can be challenging. It will involve expert testimony, a review of your earnings history, and educated projections about what your income might have looked like in the future. Would your earnings have remained the same? Would have likely gotten a promotion and a raise? These are all questions that will have to be addressed when calculating these types of damages.

Non-Economic Damages

You can also request to recover non-economic damages that you experience because of your car accident.

Non-economic damages are paid to compensate for consequences that are subjective. They don’t necessarily have a set monetary value. In fact, the value of these types of damages often varies based on the severity of the accident and the victims themselves.

The way a car accident affects you might be very different from how a crash affects someone else. 

Non-economic damages can include:

• Emotional distress (e.g., PTSD, depression, anxiety)
• Pain and suffering
• Disfigurement
• Scarring
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of enjoyment of life.

So, how are these types of damages calculated? Insurance companies rely on formulas and calculations. Many times, non-economic damages are calculated after economic damages using a factor. This means that the economic damages are multiplied by a number, often anywhere between 1 and 5. The more serious the accident and injuries, the higher the multiplier. The sum becomes the non-economic award.

For example, let’s say that you suffer a few broken bones and a mild brain lesion in an accident. Your economic damages equal $20,000. The insurance company determines that a multiplier of 2 is appropriate. So, they multiply $20,000 by 2 to arrive at $40,000. Your total recovery would be $60,000: $20,000 in economic damages and $40,00 in non-economic damages.

If, on the other hand, you became paralyzed because of your accident and experienced significant emotional distress, the insurer might use a multiplier of 4 or 5. In turn, your non-economic award (and total recovery) would be calculated to be much higher.

Insurance companies don’t have the final say in what your case is worth. These calculations don’t take a lot of factors into account or consideration. The process is designed to minimize the amount of money you get, not to make sure that you are compensated in full. So, our attorneys will work diligently to value your case independently. We’ll consult with experts so that we can fully understand the extent and impact of your injuries. When an attorney sits down to negotiate with insurers, they we’ll be armed with facts, expert-supported information, and the arguments to maximize your recovery.

What About Punitive Damages?

Compensatory awards tend to account for all of the damages paid in most lesions cases. However, sometimes, an award of punitive damages might be appropriate. Punitive damages are paid in addition to compensatory damages. Their sole purpose is to punish the defendant for their conduct. So, there are only very limited instances when punitive damages will be appropriate. 

In Pennsylvania, you could be entitled to an award of punitive damages if the person who caused you to get hurt engaged in conduct that was extreme and outrageous or willful and wanton. That person must have acted with an evil motive or reckless indifference to others. 

It’s important to note that punitive damages are awarded for only the most serious cases. So, they are typically the exception, rather than the rule.

What Is the Average Settlement for a Car Accident That Results in Injury in Philly?

A recent Forbes article mentioned two sources regarding average car accident settlements. One, by Martindale-Nolo, found that the average settlement based on those surveyed was $23,000. Another, by the Insurance Information Institute, reported that the average amount was $20,235. 

However, these figures are not specific to Philadelphia, nor or they confined to only those accidents resulting in injury. Unfortunately, there is no publicly-available data for these particular categories. It should be noted that car accidents resulting in serious injuries can settle for significantly higher than the numbers mentioned above. Many other factors can influence the value of a claim, such as:

• The age of the victim at the time of the crash
• Whether the victim will make a full medical recovery
• The type of insurance coverage the victim and at-fault party carry
• The amount of evidence that can be asserted in favor of the victim’s claim

The only way to find out how much your Philadelphia car accident claim might be worth is to reach out to an attorney for a free case evaluation. During that meeting, the lawyer can look into the facts of your accident situation and provide you with helpful information.

How Do I Get Paid After a Car Accident in Pennsylvania?

When it comes to receiving payment after you get hit, the first place to turn to is your car insurance policy. Pennsylvania has a unique “choice no-fault” system, where drivers in the state may select either “full tort” or “limited tort” coverage. Your compensation options may depend on the type of coverage you have selected.

Under either option, you’ll have the ability to receive partial benefits from the “no-fault” portion of your insurance coverage. These benefits can help make up for your medical bills and lost wages. You can utilize this coverage regardless of whose fault the accident was. However, after some car or truck crashes, this insurance might not be enough to cover all of your losses. 

If you selected “limited tort” coverage, you might only pursue additional compensation (for things like your pain and suffering) from the at-fault driver if you have sustained a severe injury for life. But if you chose “full tort” coverage, you can pursue these additional damages from the responsible driver even if you haven’t sustained that level of injury.

Pennsylvania’s car insurance rules are among the most complex in the country. Our top injury lawyers are here to help you like a family and seek a fair settlement for your treatment if you are injured. Call today to set up a free consultation for further insight.

We Handle All Car Accident Cases in Philadelphia, PA

Our attorneys understand that any car accident injury can be devastating. Getting the money you deserve can mean the difference between a full recovery and lifelong pain.

That’s why we’ll help you demand justice for all of your injuries, including:

• Broken bones
• Crushing injury
• Chest injury
• Burns
• Eye injury
• Sprains, strains, bruises, and other soft tissue damage
• Whiplash
• Neck injury
• Back injury
• Amputation
• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Paralysis
• Wrongful death, and more.

Contact our law firm to schedule your free consultation. Our attorney understands if you can’t make it into the office to talk about your case. If this happens, we’ll come to you. An attorney can come to your home, place of work, or even the hospital while you recover. We’re here to help. All you have to do is give us a quick call. It’s that simple.

What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Philadelphia?

Getting into an accident can be very jarring. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the steps you take immediately following a crash can be critical to your health and your ability to recover compensation. Here’s what you need to know.

Move to Safety. If you’re not severely injured, be sure to move to safety as soon as you can after an accident. If you can’t move your car because it’s not driveable, just leave it where it is. The important thing is that you move somewhere safe. Oncoming drivers might not see the wreck ahead of them and slam into your car. You don’t want to be anywhere nearby if and when that happens.

Call the Police. Do not leave the scene of the accident before you’ve called the police to report your accident. Ask to have an officer sent out to write up a police report. That report could play a very important role in any future legal claims you decide to pursue. Officers will document details that might be forgotten or lost over time, such as traffic or weather conditions. The officer might even write down a preliminary assessment of fault. An attorney can rely on this report when they conduct a thorough investigation into your crash down the line.

Don’t Apologize or Admit Fault: It might feel necessary to apologize after a crash, especially if you believe that you’re responsible. However, it’s wise to keep your statements and comments to yourself. While you think you might know why the collision occurred, you can never really be certain until it’s investigated thoroughly. For all you know the other driver could have fallen asleep at the wheel. Or, someone’s brakes might have failed, preventing them from crashing into you. 

If you apologize, other parties and insurance companies will attempt to use that as a reason to deny responsibility. If you apologize, your crash might never be subjected to the independent investigation it deserves. You might never learn that you weren’t totally or partially to blame, at all.

See a Doctor. Don’t skip a trip to the doctor. You might have sustained internal injuries that could pose a serious threat to your health. Even if you haven’t, you’ll want to make sure that all of your injuries are documented as soon as possible. This can make it easier to prove a causal link between your accident and injuries, which might be vital to a financial recovery.

Resist the Urge to Talk About the Accident. Insurance companies might contact you shortly after your accident. However, the course of action is to avoid these conversations. Insurers will contact you for one of two reasons – to scare you into accepting a lowball offer or to search for any reason to deny your claim. The only person with whom you should discuss your accident is your attorney.

Direct All Communication to Your Lawyer. Insurers might try to reach out to you shortly after an accident with a settlement offer. This is particularly true if they think that their insured client is at fault. However, this offer is almost certainly for much less than your case is worth. Accepting it could do more harm than good. The best thing you can do is direct any communication to your Philadelphia car accident lawyer.

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Philadelphia?

We know things are tough right now. It can take a while to get back your feet after an unexpected crash. Even then, you might still feel the effects of your accident. However, we urge you to assert your right to get compensation as soon as you can. You risk losing out on valuable money if you wait too long.

Insurance providers in Pennsylvania reserve the right to deny your claim if you don’t:

• Notify them shortly after you get hurt, AND
• Submit a claim for damages within a “reasonable” amount of time after your accident.

Each company is different, so you should act quickly. An experienced attorney can help guide you through the process and negotiate the claim on your behalf.

If you decide to file a lawsuit, you must do so before the applicable statute of limitations expires. In Pennsylvania, you’ll have to file your claim within two years of the date of your accident. 

Not sure how long you must ask for the money you need and deserve? The attorneys at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers are here to help. All you have to do is give us a call after your accident. It’s that easy.

Call Our Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers Near You For Help

Accidents happen every day. If you get hurt because someone else was in a rush or not paying attention, you might be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers have more than 30 years of experience helping injured car accident victims.

Contact our law office to find out how we can help you, too. Your first consultation is free, so call to schedule yours today.

Visit our Law Office in Center City, Philadelphia, PA

We’re conveniently located at 123 S Broad St #1220, Philadelphia, PA 19109, between Sansom St. and Walnut St. Our law office is near Logan Square and four blocks east of major landmarks like Rittenhouse Square and a mile from famous sites like Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Just south of the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the Reading Terminal Market. 

We are also conveniently located near political and judicial buildings. Philadelphia City Hall and the Court of Common Pleas are about two blocks north of our building. The James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse is about one mile east of our office. The University of Pennsylvania is about two miles west of our office.

Philadelphia Car Accident Testimonial

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Philadelphia Car Accident Resources

• Request a Traffic Accident Report

Highly rated Auto Repair Shops in Philadelphia, PA

1. Don’s Auto Repair 1132 E Passyunk Ave Philadelphia, PA 19147
2. 11th Street Auto Repair 820-22 S 11th St Philadelphia, PA 19147
3. Nigro’s Auto Body 939 Washington Ave Philadelphia, PA 19147
4. Kens Automotive 341 N 10th St Philadelphia, PA 19107
5. Liberty Collision Center 117-33 Richmond St Philadelphia, PA 19125

*Disclaimer – we do not endorse these companies or profit from having them listed on our website. These were some of the highest-rated auto repair shops on Yelp.

Areas We Serve in Philadelphia

Bella Vista, Callowhill, Center City West, Center City, Chinatown, Cobbs Creek, Fishtown, Fitler Square, Franklintown, Logan Square, Midtown Village, Penn’s Landing, Rittenhouse Square, Old City, Spring Garden, University City, Washington Square West.

Philadelphia Car Accident Statistics Infographic