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car accident

Radnor Township Car Accident Lawyers

Radnor Township is the biggest municipality within Delaware County, Pennsylvania by land area, and it is the fourth largest by population. The highways and byways that crisscross in the area can lead to numerous car accidents.

Being involved in a car accident can have an adverse effect on your life, from your long-term health to your ongoing financial stability. A Radnor Township car accident lawyer can help you explore your legal options and help determine if you are eligible to pursue a suit for compensation.

Auto Insurance in Pennsylvania

Your ability to claim compensation in the wake of your accident may be difficult, depending on numerous factors, including your auto insurance policy. When you buy car insurance in Pennsylvania, you have a choice between buying limited tort and full tort coverage.

Limited tort is the cheaper of the two and provides basic coverage. It also includes a personal injury protection (PIP) provision that will compensate you for certain economic expenses you incur due to the accident, including medical costs and lost wages. This provision is no-fault, meaning you do not need to prove the liability of others to collect compensation.

Full tort coverage grants you the option of filing a claim against another driver, and unlike the limited tort option, you can seek both economic and non-economic expenses. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering and other non-monetary losses.

Purchasing limited tort insurance does not completely shut you out of your ability to file a claim against another driver. If certain circumstances exist, the option may be available to you. Those conditions include:

  • You were hurt as a passenger in a commercial vehicle.
  • You were riding a motorcycle at the time of the accident.
  • You were a pedestrian and hit by a car.
  • The at-fault driver failed to register their vehicle in Pennsylvania.
  • You sustained a serious injury that Pennsylvania law describes as one that results in a serious impairment to a significant bodily function.
  • You did not know that you had a choice between insurance types because your insurance agent forgot to tell you that you had those two options or did not give you paperwork.
  • The at-fault driver has been convicted of driving under the influence.

Speaking with a Radnor Township car accident lawyer can help you determine if your situation qualifies for a claim against another driver. They will also be able to help you manage your way through the process.

Comparative Negligence in Pennsylvania

One aspect you need to be aware of is the fact that Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence doctrine. This means that individuals harmed in accidents can seek compensation, even if they are partly at fault. However, those involved in the accident will be assigned a percentage of fault. A claimant’s percentage of fault will be deducted from the overall compensation award.

Note that if a person is found to be more than 50 percent responsible for an accident, they are ineligible to collect an award.

Additionally, you also have two years to file a claim against another driver, otherwise you might not have your case heard in court.

What Should I Do After a Car Accident?

The moments immediately following a car accident can be anxious and stressful. Remain calm because there are a lot of important tasks that you need to accomplish in these important moments. Some of them are to ensure that you have the best opportunity to recover from your injuries and to protect the integrity of any potential litigation.

Seeking medical attention is the most important concern that you should address. If there are paramedics onsite, do not refuse medical treatment. If you do not believe that you are injured, you should still have a doctor check you out as soon as possible to guarantee that you do not have any lingering issues. If you find anyone is seriously injured after your accident, call an ambulance.

Along with an ambulance, call the police too. An officer can evaluate the scene and produce an objective report of what happened. Get a copy of the report from the officer. Fully cooperate with the officer but avoid taking any responsibility for your role in the case. Just lay out the facts.

Exchange information with other drivers involved in the accident, including insurance information, contact information, and driver’s license information. As with the police officer, be sure not to accept any responsibility for your role in the accident. Also, do not apologize for the accident because that can be construed as you are accepting responsibility.

At this stage in an accident, you do not know the full extent of what happened and who is at fault. Apologizing or accepting responsibility at this stage can be used against you in court in the future and could dramatically impact your ability to seek compensation for your claim.

Before you leave the scene of the accident, collect as much evidence as possible. That includes taking pictures of the accident and the surrounding area. Pay specific attention to any circumstances that led to your accident or road conditions. Take pictures of any damage your vehicle sustained as well as the other vehicle involved. Take pictures of any injuries that you sustained.

You should also with speak a car accident lawyer. They will protect your rights, file the necessary paperwork within the time constraints, and help with other steps in the legal process.

Radnor Township Car Accident Lawyers at Eckell Sparks Will Protect Your Rights After a Car Accident

If you have been hurt in a car accident, it could mean a significant rise in medical bills. You should not have to shoulder that responsibility alone. You may have options to recoup those losses. Speak with one of our Radnor Township car accident lawyers at Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. today. Call us at 610-565-3701 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. Located in Media and West Chester, Pennsylvania, we serve clients in Delaware County, Chester County, and Montgomery County.