What Are The Steps I Should Take After a Car Accident Injury in Pennsylvania?
- 1. Call the Pennsylvania State or Local Police: The first thing to do is to call 911. A police report is important after a Pennsylvania car accident. If you don’t have a cell phone, ask the driver of the car who hit you, or any witness, to make the call. It is also important to take photographs of the motor vehicle accident scene and of all vehicles involved. If you have suffered cuts, abrasions or are bleeding, take photographs of yourself, or ask someone at the scene to do so.
- 2. Immediately seek medical treatment: Even if it seems like the car accident is a minor fender bender, it is important to get medical treatment for your personal injury right away to determine the extent of your personal injuries. Going to the emergency room is best, but you can also go to your family doctor — the sooner the better. Oftentimes personal injury victims involved in an auto accident feel fine at the accident scene – OR, they are too shaken-up to sense all injuries or pain. You should still seek medical evaluation as soon as possible after the automobile accident. The longer you wait to seek treatment or evaluation following your Pennsylvania car accident, the more likely it is the auto insurance company and their car accident lawyers will argue that your personal injuries were not related to the vehicular accident.
- 3. Contact Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer Jeffrey H. Penneys, Esq. to discuss your rights!
What If I Cannot Work Due To My Pennsylvania Auto Accident?
If you miss time from work because of your car accident injuries in Pennsylvania, you can submit a claim to be paid a certain amount of the income you actually lost under the PIP policy that is available. If there is no such policy available, then the insurance company for the at-fault vehicle will be responsible for lost wages in your car accident compensation settlement.
How Will My Medical Bills be Paid if I am involved in a Pennsylvania Car Accident?
Every Pennsylvania motor vehicle policy must have a minimum of $5,000.00 for medical payments or PIP (“Personal Injury Protection”). The $5,000.00 is for each injured individual in the vehicle, regardless of who is at-fault for the Pennsylvania car accident. For example, if there are 5 people injured in the car, each person gets $5,000.00 to go towards personal injury medical bills resulting from the car accident. After the $5,000.00 is exhausted, health insurance is triggered and the rest of the medical bills will be paid that way. If you do not have health insurance, then the auto insurance company for the at-fault party will typically pay the bills that are not covered.
Does a Victim Reimburse the Health Insurer For Bills Paid for Medical Care After Auto Accident Claims?
Potentially, yes. If the personal injury medical bills exceeded $2,000 and the health insurance carrier pays for medical treatment over the first $2,000 that PIP paid, the health insurer may be legally entitled to be reimbursed from any amounts a personal injury victim received in connection with a bodily injury claim in Pennsylvania. This right of reimbursement is called a “lien”. Exactly how much is reimbursed, would depend on the facts, and will be explained by a good personal injury attorney before you receive any payments from your case.
Which Tort Option Should I Choose on My Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Policy, Limited Tort or Full Tort?
With Limited Tort, you give up the right to compensation for pain and suffering if you are injured in a Pennsylvnia car accident. There are some exceptions to Limited Tort in Pennsylvania, where if you meet the exception, the at-fault insurance company will have to compensate you even as though you had selected Full Tort. Read more about Tort Options and Pennsylvania Car Accident Injuries
How are Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyers Paid?
Most Pennsylvania car accident lawyers are hired under a “Contingency Fee Agreement.” This means that your accident attorney collects a percentage of the ultimate recovery — and you pay nothing out-of-pocket, and there is no retainer that you pay. The costs are generally paid by the injury attorney, to be reimbursed upon the settlement of a car accident lawsuit from your distribution. In the unlikely event that there is no financial recovery, you owe your car accident attorney nothing.
Will I Need to Go to a Court Trial for a Pennsylvania Car Accident Claim?
If an experienced car accident lawyer represents you, the insurance claim can often be settled outside of court without the need to file an auto accident lawsuit in Pennsylvania. If a auto accident settlement is reached, then the cost and time of having a personal injury trial can be avoided. In addition, when you have an experienced auto accident lawyer in Pennsylvania help you with your injury lawsuit settlement, your overall recovery from the car accident claim is often greater.
