You may have had your car insurance policy for years without really thinking about how it works. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you’ll likely have a lot of questions about how it helps you pay your medical bills and other accident-related expenses.
Our Pennsylvania car accident attorneys are happy to answer all your questions about how car insurance works for you. For more than 30 years, Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers has been a preeminent voice for car accident victims.
You’ve lived up to your end of the bargain by making your car insurance premium payments to protect you against something you hope never comes to pass. If that time comes, our Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys are here to make sure the insurance company pays you fair compensation for your injuries.
Table of Contents
Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You Get Compensation After a Pennsylvania Car Accident
Pennsylvania car insurance requirements can be difficult to understand. Our Pennsylvania car accident lawyers believe that it’s important to understand what your car insurance policy does and does not cover before you have to use it.
State law mandates that you carry certain coverages, but there are other optional coverages that you can elect to purchase. It can be quite confusing. No one likes to think about being in a car accident, but it’s better to plan ahead in case you ever do need to file a claim.
Understanding your car insurance policy will make the insurance claims process easier if you’re ever involved in a Pennsylvania car accident. Combined, Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers has over four decades of experience in getting our accident injury clients the financial relief they desperately need and deserve.
When you hire us, you’re getting a team of attorneys who get exceptional results for our clients. Some of our more recent settlements and verdicts include:
- $4,800,000 settlement for a client who suffered multiple traumatic injuries in a car accident
- $1,100,000 in compensation for a client injured by a drunk driver
- $780,000 settlement for the family of a man killed by a drunk driver
- $300,000 recovery for a police officer who suffered debilitating injuries in a car accident
We get outstanding results because we understand how insurance companies operate. They will do everything they can to limit or deny your claim. Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers will vigorously fight back against bad faith efforts to deprive you of full compensation for your injuries and damages..
What Car Insurance Coverage Am I Required To Have in Pennsylvania?
When it comes to car insurance choices that Pennsylvania car owners have, it can be complicated. Pennsylvania is considered a “choice no-fault” state.
Car insurance that you must have under state law includes the following coverages:
- First-party benefits, which cover you and your passengers’ medical costs, regardless of who caused the accident. The minimum coverage is $5,000 per person.
- Bodily injury liability coverage, which pays the medical expenses of others who are injured in an accident you cause. You must have at least $15,000 for injuries per person and $30,000 per accident.
- Property damage coverage in the amount of $5,000, which pays for property damage in an accident you caused.
Pennsylvania law is unique, however, because it also allows you to choose between a limited tort and full tort policy.
If you decide to choose limited tort, the compensation you can get from the at-fault driver is limited. While you can recover your medical and other out-of-pocket expenses, you can’t recover for non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering, unless the accident resulted in disfigurement, a permanent disability, or death.
If you select the full tort option, there are no limits on the kinds of damages you can recover from the negligent driver. This would include both your economic damages and non-economic damages. You may also be entitled to punitive damages if the at-fault driver acted intentionally or with reckless disregard for your safety.
How Long Do I Have To Sue the Negligent Driver?
If you were injured in a Pennsylvania car accident, the law limits the amount of time you have to sue the at-fault driver. Like most other states, Pennsylvania generally imposes a 2-year deadline to file a lawsuit for most car accidents.
The 2-year clock starts running from the date of the accident. However, one important exception is if the accident caused injuries that later resulted in someone’s death. In that case, the deceased person’s personal representative has 2 years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent driver.
Two years seems like a long time, but you shouldn’t wait to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer for help. The sooner an attorney can begin investigating your claim and preserving critical evidence, the better. Since there are other exceptions to the statute of limitations in some instances, confirming the deadline for your particular case with an attorney is highly recommended.
Call Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Evaluation of Your Pennsylvania Car Accident
Pennsylvania car insurance claims can be quite intricate. Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers understand car insurance law thoroughly. You can depend on us to explain how car insurance works and your rights to financial recovery.
If you’ve been hurt in a Pennsylvania car accident, contact us today to arrange for your free, no-risk consultation at (215) 875-7030. We’ll listen to your side of the story, help you understand the insurance claims process, and develop a strategy designed to get you the maximum amount of compensation to which you’re entitled.
