If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Pennsylvania, determining who’s at fault can be complicated. It is rare that an accident with multiple vehicles will have one person take full responsibility for the damages. Even if a person does take full responsibility, that may change after speaking to a lawyer. So it is always in your best interests to speak to a car accident lawyer before signing anything or speaking with the other parties involved.
Determining responsibility means determining who is responsible for paying for damages. This is where your choice in car insurance matters.
Pennsylvania has “optional no-fault” or “choice no-fault” auto insurance laws. A no-fault insurance system requires individuals to file an accident claim with their own insurance company first – regardless of who is at fault. A fault system requires the person responsible for the damages to pay for them.
While some states operate as strictly no-fault, Pennsylvania drivers have a choice. They can choose fault or no-fault coverage.
Full Tort Vs. Limited Tort Car Insurance Coverage
Pennsylvania drivers choose between full tort and limited tort coverage. The coverage you choose will determine if you are able to pursue damages in the event you’re involved in an accident.
Limited tort allows an injured individual to pursue compensation for medical costs only through the legal system. Full tort coverage allows car accident victims to pursue compensation for all accident-related costs. This might include repairing or replacing a vehicle, lost wages during recovery, lost future income if you’re unable to return to the same work, necessary renovations to a home, or pain and suffering. We always recommend choosing full tort coverage.
Comparative Negligence
Comparative Negligence means that at least two parties contributed to the accident and share some of the responsibility. Usually, a percentage system assigns a number to the parties involved. In Pennsylvania, even if you’re partially at fault, you can still seek compensation, as long as you’re not more than half at fault for the accident (51%).
The accident and all of these factors will play a role in determining compensation after an automobile accident occurred. Determining fault is one of the critical factors. The other factor is determining your auto insurance coverage and how it applies to the accident.
A knowledgeable car accident attorney will be able to steer you through this process. Car accidents, even seemingly minor ones, can have very complicated consequences.
Insurance Companies
Even if If you don’t feel you’re at fault for an auto accident, the opposing insurance company’s lawyers and insurance adjusters will want to apply some of the blame to you. They want to reduce the amount of money they will payout to you. Having a skilled car accident attorney on your side can be critical.
If you’ve suffered injuries or other losses, an insurance company’s law firm may want you to settle. It is in their best interests to do so. It can be a difficult situation as often victims will have to initially pay out of pocket to cover medical expenses. Medical bills can add up and it can be tempting to take the money offered. However, it may be in your best interests to wait or negotiate.
Experienced personal injury lawyers will help you to get the medical attention and medical treatments you may need. A personal injury claim against the at-fault driver to recover medical expenses and property damage can be handled by a personal injury attorney.
The Short Answer is Yes You Should Get a Car Accident Lawyer
Discussing your car accident case with attorney Jeffrey H. Penneys is free. Consulting with an attorney to get legal advice can help you determine if you need to hire a lawyer. You are under no risk or obligation to pursue a case. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, contact Jeffrey H. Penneys to talk about what happened.