Haverford Car Accident Lawyers

Haverford is a small community that is located in both Haverford Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County. Haverford also sits about three miles west of Philadelphia. While it might only be a few square miles, it is the home of Haverford College, which attracts its fair share of people every year. It also has a few major highways. Due to the traffic congestion, car accidents are bound to occur.

Outside of the physical and emotional toll it can cause, a car accident can also create significant financial problems. Medical bills, property damage, and other expenses can pile up. A Haverford car accident lawyer can help you with your legal options to recoup those losses.

Can I Receive Damages for My Car Accident?

If you have been hurt in a car accident, you might be eligible to collect compensation. The options for how you can collect on those damages will depend significantly on the circumstances of your accident, your insurance, and the severity of your injury.

Pennsylvania has a form of no-fault insurance, meaning that you can file a claim with your insurance to cover some out-of-pocket losses up to your policy limits, such as medical expenses and lost wages. You will not have to prove fault in this case.

Pennsylvania also has full and limited tort coverage. The type of insurance you have will affect your ability to sue after a car accident.

The full tort option removes any legal restrictions you have and allows you to file a claim against the at-fault driver for both economic and non-economic losses. This insurance is more expensive than the limited tort version, which is why most do not choose this option, even though it provides you with the greatest legal flexibility.

For those who purchase the limited tort option, for the most part, this is their only option to seek reimbursement. This version of insurance is the cheaper one, and it allows you to collect on those expenses through your personal injury protection (PIP) provision. The drawback is you can only collect on economic expenses, which will be capped based on the amount of insurance you paid. This insurance also limits you from filing a claim against another driver. You may be able to file if you have a serious injury, but this typically requires the injury to involve a serious impairment of bodily function or permanent disfigurement.

If you are unsure of what your legal options might be or the type of insurance you purchased, a Haverford car accident lawyer will help you.

Comparative Negligence in Pennsylvania

Each state has its own laws regarding the degree of which each driver is responsible and how much compensation can be claimed based on that percentage. Pennsylvania follows the legal principle of comparative negligence, which places a certain limit to each party’s degree of fault. If the claimant is found to be 51 percent or more at fault for the accident, they cannot file a claim for damages and are responsible for their own medical care and cost of vehicle repair or replacement through their own insurance company.

In other words, if you are injured in a car accident, you must be found to have less than 51 percent responsibility in order to file a suit for compensation. Additionally, the amount for which you are entitled to claim is adjusted based on our own degree of fault. For instance, if you are found to have contributed to the accident by 20 percent, you are able to file a claim against the other driver but can only recover 80 percent of the total compensation award.

How Can a Haverford Car Accident Lawyer Help Me?

A car accident can impact your life for years. An accident can result in serious injuries that can leave you disabled or with lifelong complications which may render you unable to work. Regardless of your injuries, consulting with an experienced attorney will be more beneficial than doing it alone.

Hiring an attorney for a car accident insurance claim is not required but recommended. Insurance companies are in the business of making money and will typically seek out evidence and avenues to avoid having to pay damages. Without legal representation, your initial claim could be denied, or you will be offered the minimum settlement that likely will not cover your accident-associated costs.

You can hire an attorney at any point during the claims process, but consulting a lawyer immediately following an accident is best, especially if you sustained serious injuries. Experienced attorneys are skilled in negotiation and litigation. It is always best to let your attorney speak on your behalf.

Additionally, it is important that you have yourself evaluated by a medical professional as quickly as possible following a car accident. Speaking with a Haverford car accident lawyer will help you sort out your legal options while you focus on your recovery.

Haverford Car Accident Lawyers at Eckell Sparks Will Lay Out Your Legal Options After an Accident

It can be difficult to determine what your legal options are after you have been injured in a car accident. Our Haverford car accident lawyers at Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. know the laws of Pennsylvania and how best to help you. Call us at 610-565-3701 or contact us online to schedule an appointment today. Located in Media and West Chester, Pennsylvania, we serve clients in Delaware County, Chester County, and Montgomery County.