Securing legal representation following a car accident is of the utmost importance if you want to ensure you are paid the maximum amount for your injuries. An experienced car accident lawyer in Philadelphia will be able to explain your options in seeking compensation for your pain and suffering and also will act as your advisor and coach during all legal proceedings in the matter.
Most importantly, a great car accident attorney will stop at nothing to ensure that you are reimbursed and compensated for the physical, mental, and emotional trauma you suffered.
Car accidents are terrifying. The emotional, physical, and mental anguish caused by an automobile accident can carry devastating consequences for your finances, family, and more. In order to seek reimbursement for pain and suffering caused to you, you’ll need a car accident lawyer capable of navigating a complex legal system with your best interests in mind.
Call today to speak with an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer to find out how much your case is worth. Our injury law firm can take on motor vehicle cases involving:
If you’ve been in a car accident, call Cousin Benny to speak with an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer about your case. Our car accident lawyers have over 15 years of collective experience dealing with lawsuits in Philadelphia involving auto accidents.
Car accident lawsuits fall under “injury law.” “Damages” are the injured person’s losses attributed to the at-fault party’s actions in causing the auto accident and can be cited in a lawsuit for compensation. If you have any questions about the damages you may be able to recover, reach out to speak with our experienced car accident lawyers today.
Car accidents can result in minor injuries like scrapes and bruises, catastrophic injuries with a long-lasting impact on your quality of life, and everything in between, which can often result in large medical bills. Therefore, it’s important to seek a professional medical evaluation as soon as possible following an accident.
A medical professional will be able to evaluate the extent of your injuries and ensure you receive the care you need. This evaluation can also be critical in recording the extent and nature of the injuries you sustained.
The cost of these medical expenses are one of the damages you may be able to recover with the help of a car accident lawyer. These medical expenses may include:
Punitive damages do not compensate car accident victims for injuries and damages suffered. Instead, this category of damages is awarded for the sole purpose of punishing the defendant.
The cost of punitive damage awards, then, are based on factors including the character and nature of the defendant’s conduct, amount of harm other victims might suffer if the defendant is not punished, and actual harm suffered by the plaintiff in the incident affecting the current case.
Punitive damages are not awarded the same way in every state, and some states do not consider them for injury cases despite the level of negligence by the at-fault party. If you believe you have a punitive damage claim, it’s more than vital to seek a Philadelphia car accident lawyer to determine whether you have a case or not.
A car accident can cause devastating physical and mental disabilities, but also can result in debilitating financial repercussions that include an inability to work and earn a wage. Issues with mobility, physical therapy, medical facility stays, and other problems stemming from a motor vehicle accident can prevent a worker from returning to the workplace, resulting in lost wages.
Juries will consider skill, occupation, age, life expectancy, and other factors in determining damages associated with lost wages following a car accident.
Any physical damage to your own or someone else’s property is considered property damage and can be included in a car accident lawsuit. Despite some differences at the state level, the general rule of thumb is a person is entitled to recover the difference between what your car was worth before the accident, and its worth following the accident.
A vehicle’s value is determined by its Blue Book value or by cost estimate for repairing the vehicle to its pre-accident state. If repair costs exceed 75% of the car’s Blue Book value, the car is deemed a “total loss” and is subject to a salvage title.
Pain and Suffering is defined as the mental or physical distress a car accident victim may seek damages for in a lawsuit. Awards for pain and suffering are handled a bit differently depending on the state holding jurisdiction. Some states, for instance, allow plaintiffs to cite a general loss of enjoyment of life in their damages while others require a “period of consciousness” during an injury to make certain claims.
Pain and suffering may also include emotional or mental anguish as a result of a car accident. Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are ailments commonly cited in lawsuits involving car accidents.
According to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) 2020 data, Philadelphia had more accidents than any other county in Pennsylvania, accounting for almost 10% of the state’s accidents.
Philadelphia is also known for having the most driving-related fatalities, representing 14.7% of the state’s total. Lincoln Highway, Roosevelt Boulevard, and Delaware Expressway combined for over 3,000 automobile accidents, making them the three most dangerous roads to travel in the state.
Philadelphia reported over ten thousand auto accidents in 2020 with over 150 being traffic-related fatalities.
According to publicly available data, the following factors account for the majority of car accidents:
The National Safety Council reports that speeding was a factor in 26% of all U.S. traffic fatalities in 2019. An average of 25+ people were killed per day in speeding accidents for the year, totaling 9,478 deaths. Speed-related crashes occur when a driver is charged with a speeding offense before the automobile accident, or if driving too fast for road conditions or exceeding the speed limit are considered contributing factors in the car accident.
In 2019, 3,142 people died in distracted driving crashes in the U.S, an increase of 10% over the previous year. This car accident causality often falls in three categories: visual, manual, and cognitive distraction. These categories include increasing cell phone and navigational device use, but also include conventional distractions like eating and interacting with passengers.
Car accidents are considered drunk driving-related when one party in the accident has a blood-alcohol level (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher. In 2019, drunk driving incidents accounted for 10,142 deaths in the U.S., but fatalities are trending downward. While 2019 saw 28% of all fatal crashes related to drunk driving, approximately 48% of all car crash fatalities in 1982 were due to alcohol-impaired driving.
Careless driving occurs when a driver is responsible for the “pre-crash event” leading up to a car accident. A 2007 National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey concluded that a driver is accountable for 94% of the critical reasons leading up to a car accident. This is in stark contrast to three other factors–vehicle, environment, unknown–which total a combined 6%.
Disclaimer
The contents of this website constitute general reading and educational material for the general public. Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice and there is no intention that the formation of an attorney/client relationship has occurred as a result of any person reading any content on this website. For further information as it may apply to the specific facts of a particular person or situation, please contact us at (215) 678-9000.
Attorneys at Ronald Clearfield & Assoc.
