Auto/Car Accidents

Injured in a Car Accident?

Every year, thousands of people are injured in car and truck accidents throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. If you’re one of these people, you may be saddled with bills, out of work, wary of your insurance company, and unsure of where to turn. You need an experienced attorney who can go above and beyond to help you get your life back on track.

Auto accident law is not only surprisingly complex, but it varies from state to state, which makes recovering compensation for your injuries challenging. If you’re still trying to differentiate between the various types of auto insurance, such as PIP, limited tort, full tort, verbal threshold, UM, and UIM, then your head is probably spinning. Don’t waste any more time. Reach out to an experienced auto accident attorney in Pennsylvania or New Jersey today.

Common types of Car Accident Injuries

PennDOT does not release lists of specific injuries, but a 2010 CDC report offers a view of the most common types of injuries seen by emergency room physicians. The report found that 23.6% of all ER visits after a car accident were for sprains or strains of the neck and back (e.g. whiplash), 15% of ER visits were for mild to moderate contusions and bruises, and 8% of crash-related ER visits were for spinal problems. Sprains, fractures, and open wounds covered a smaller percentage of motor vehicle injuries.

While head injuries are excluded in the CDC’s report, many people experience severe headaches after a crash. Neck injuries can cause headaches, but long-lasting headaches could be a sign of brain injury. Always make sure to have a doctor check for signs of concussion and brain trauma.

General Information:

• I Have Been Seriously Injured In A Car Accident And I Believe I Have A Case. What Are The First Steps To Take To Give My Personal Injury Case The Best Possible Outcome?
• Should I Call My Own Insurance Company After A Car Accident?

How Much Is My Philadelphia Car Accident Case Worth?

The value of a car accident claim depends on many factors, including the nature of your injuries, the type of insurance you have, and your negotiating power. Hiring an experienced auto accident attorney will only help you get a better idea of what your case is worth, but also put an experienced negotiator in your corner.

Trying to settle a lawsuit with the insurance company or the other party’s attorney without legal counsel can be difficult. Our lawyers have the experience necessary to know what your injuries are worth and how high a settlement offer should be. Tensions often run high in the aftermath of an accident. Hiring an attorney can help put distance between you and the legal dispute, allowing cooler heads to discuss the issue rationally…Read More

What is the Difference Between Full Tort and Limited Tort in Pennsylvania?

Before signing your insurance policy, you select either full or tort limited coverage. If you select a full tort option, then you can go to court over a crash, and any damages would be available to you. Under limited tort, you can only take a case to court if it involves death, severe impairment of function, or a permanent/severe disfigurement. If you do not sign anything when selecting your policy, then you will have full tort by operation of law. When in doubt, don’t sign away your rights!

The critical difference between cases that do and do not go to court is the availability of damages for pain and suffering. A court case under full tort insurance will award you money for physical pain and mental anguish, but limited tort insurance will not. Regardless, hiring an attorney to fight for you in your case will help ensure that you get the maximum compensation available…Read More

Injuries Like Whiplash Can Appear Days Later

A car accident is a high-stress, emergency situation. Your body reacts by releasing adrenaline (epinephrine), which causes the “fight or flight” response. The adrenaline rush speeds up your reaction time, boosts your strength, and masks the feeling of pain. Serious injuries such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), or “whiplash” injury might not even be noticeable until days later. Since the symptoms associated with these kinds of injuries may take several days to emerge, it is vital to seek immediate medical attention after any car accident—regardless of whether you feel injured.

Many people will dismiss their accident as a minor “fender-bender,” but even low-speed crashes or minor accidents can result in injury, especially whiplash. The back-and-forth “whipping” motion of the head can cause neck injuries that might lead to lifelong pain and discomfort.

Who is at Fault in my Philadelphia Car Accident Case?

Pennsylvania is a no-fault state for medical bill coverage, which means that regardless of whether you or the other driver caused the crash, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) will cover your medical bills up to a certain limit.

If you need additional coverage for a severe injury or pain and suffering, then you can reach beyond PIP and go after the other driver’s insurance policy, at which point the question of fault will come into play. Specifically, the source of compensation will come from the insurance policy of the at-fault driver. If you can prove that the other driver was at fault, then all of your damages may be covered by their insurance. However, proving fault is not always easy, and will require an experienced legal team to investigate your claim. We look to all factors in determining whether the other party was responsible for the crash and work to obtain full compensation for our clients.

Common Causes of Philadelphia Car Accidents

Driver Negligence or Driver Error

The most common cause of Philadelphia car accidents is driver error, such as following too closely, failure to yield the right of way, excessive speed, and driving under the influence of alcohol. Driver errors are often caused by distracted driving as the result of GPS misdirection, cell phone use, putting on makeup, smoking, and other distractions. Most Philadelphia and Montgomery County car accidents are caused by driver error. Our Delaware Valley car accident lawyers have handled numerous car accident claims throughout Bucks County, Delaware County, and Philadelphia County along the I-95 corridor.

Rear-End Auto Accidents

Rear-end accidents are some of the most common types of car accidents in Philadelphia. These types of car accidents occur when the front end of a motor vehicle crashes into the back end of the automobile in front of it. The most common cause of rear-end car accidents is driver distraction due to cell phone use. Rear-end accidents are also caused by tailgating and speeding, among other negligent driving actions. While many of these Philadelphia car accidents happen at somewhat slow speeds, the impact may cause severe injury. Most medical professionals will opine that rear-end accidents are the most dangerous due to the fact that the force is unexpected often results in severe whiplash, and/or back and neck pain.

Failure to Properly Maintain a Tractor-Trailer

Another important area of Philadelphia car accident litigation involves commercial vehicles. A common cause of commercial vehicle accidents in Philadelphia and Delaware Valley is improper vehicle maintenance. This is especially true when it comes to tractor-trailers that frequently travel along Route 76 and Interstate 95. If you’ve ever seen tire or truck debris along the highway, it’s likely that it came from a tractor-trailer, and that it led to an accident. Due to the size and weight of commercial vehicles, these accidents commonly lead to catastrophic personal injuries. If you’ve been injured in a commercial vehicle accident, our Philadelphia Montgomery and Delaware County auto accident lawyers have the experience and compassion to help you and your family through this difficult time.

We Will Identify All Liable Parties and All Available Compensation

Our Philadelphia car accident lawyers are trained to identify every party responsible for an accident and uncover every available insurance policy. We will fight for compensation in the form of lost wages due to the inability to work, pain and suffering, reimbursement of all medical expenses, and payment for all future medical expenses.

While Philadelphia car accidents most commonly involve the negligence of another driver, we will always conduct an investigation in order to determine whether there may be a products liability case against the automobile manufacturer. If a semi-truck is involved, then we will not settle the case before reviewing the driver’s hour logs and vehicle maintenance records. Additionally, we will investigate to make sure a county municipality is not responsible for causing an unsafe condition, such as inadequate surface lighting, negligent pothole repair, etc.

Uber and Lyft Accident? Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Crichton Can Help.

When you’ve been in an Uber or Lyft accident, it is important that you understand your legal rights. Our Uber accident lawyers in Philadelphia, Delaware, and Montgomery County can help you handle your Uber or Lyft auto accident claim and ensure that you receive just compensation for your personal injuries. Uber and Lyft passengers are entitled to up to $1 million in underinsured and uninsured motorist insurance coverage. This means that as an Uber/Lyft passenger, you can receive up to $1 million dollars for any personal injuries suffered in an Uber/Lyft accident—regardless of who caused it. Our Uber accident lawyers have handled hundreds of car accident-related personal injury lawsuits. After an Uber accident, you should seek immediate medical attention, and then call an experienced Uber/Lyft accident attorney. Our Philadelphia Lyft accident lawyers offer free consultations. Call us anytime; we’re here to help.

How Do I Choose a Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer?

Hiring a lawyer is not a task that should be taken lightly. Car accident lawyers are not all the same. Prior to hiring an attorney, you should meet with them in person, ask questions about the law, and inquire as to the last time they tried a jury trial. You may be shocked to hear that some “lawyers” have never even seen the inside of a courtroom. You should also ask them for referrals, ask to speak to previous clients, and check out their online reviews to see what others have said about them. Troy Crichton will go above and beyond to help you after a crash. In addition to making sure that you’re fully compensated for your injuries, he will handle the property damage claim, negotiate your medical bills, and deal with the insurance company to save you money.

Call for a Free Consultation

If you have already been in an accident, do not rush to accept a car accident settlement from an auto insurance company. A settlement may seem like what you need, but it may not cover everything to which you are entitled. We understand the costs it can take to rehabilitate from a severe injury, but we also understand what your injuries are worth. Remember that auto insurance adjusters work for the insurance company–not you. Low offers are designed to keep their company profits high. They are not on your side, but we can be. Call (267) 225-3317 to speak to our lawyers today for your free consultation.

If you want to know more about auto/car accidents, read the informational blogs here.