According to 2024 car accident statistics, Philadelphia car accidents accounted for almost 10% of all car accidents in Pennsylvania, more than any other county in the state.
After seeking immediate medical attention for any pain and discomfort following a car accident, securing legal representation is of the utmost importance if you want to ensure you are paid the maximum amount for your car accident injuries.
Our Philadelphia car accident attorneys at Cousin Benny will explain your options in seeking compensation for your pain and suffering so you can focus on healing.
Contact Cousin Benny today to speak with a seasoned Philadelphia car accident lawyer and find out how much your case may be worth.
In order to seek compensation for pain and suffering caused to you in a serious car accident, you’ll need a car accident lawyer capable of navigating the complex legal system.
The experienced car accident attorneys at Cousin Benny can conduct witness interviews, obtain police reports, negotiate with insurance companies, and perform a thorough investigation to uncover all forms of compensation available to you. If required, we can retain experts and investigators to prove the value of your case to opposing counsel in court.
Our personal injury attorneys are well-versed in a variety of motor vehicle accident cases in Philadelphia, PA, including:
The Philadelphia auto accident lawyers at Cousin Benny have over 15 years of collective experience representing clients in lawsuits involving auto accidents in Philadelphia. In total, we have recovered millions of dollars for our clients, and we’re ready to fight for you, too
At Cousin Benny, we offer free consultations to prospective clients and work on contingency, meaning we don’t get paid unless you win your case.
Areas we serve include:
One of the first questions you probably have is how much your car accident case might be worth and what will be considered “fair compensation” for your case.
As the injured person, “damages” are your losses attributed to the at-fault driver’s actions in causing the accident. Damages can be cited in a car accident lawsuit for your compensation.
The team of lawyers at Cousin Benny will thoroughly investigate your case to determine all of the types of compensation available.
Car accident injuries may be minor, like scrapes and bruises; more serious injuries with a long-lasting impact on your quality of life, like a punctured lung, and everything in between. Injuries from car accidents can often result in large medical bills, as well. Therefore, it’s important to seek a professional medical evaluation as soon as possible following a car accident.
The cost of your medical expenses is one of the damages you may be able to recover in a car accident lawsuit. Eligible medical expenses may include:
Instead of compensating you for injuries and damages suffered, punitive damages are awarded to punish the defendant who is at fault for the car accident.
The cost of punitive damage awards is based on such factors as the character and nature of the defendant’s conduct, the amount of harm you or other victims might suffer if the defendant is not punished, and the actual harm you suffered in the incident affecting the current Philadelphia car accident claim.
As a result of your injuries following a car accident, you may find yourself unable to work and earn a wage. Issues with mobility, physical therapy, medical facility stays, and other problems stemming from your motor vehicle accident can all prevent you from returning to the workplace, resulting in lost wages.
Any physical damage to your or someone else’s property can be included in the compensation for a car accident lawsuit. Despite some differences at the state level, the general rule of thumb is that you are entitled to recover the difference between what your car was worth before the accident and its value following the accident.
If you suffered mental or physical distress as a car accident victim, you may seek damages for pain and suffering in a lawsuit. Pain and suffering may include emotional or mental anguish, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
It can be difficult to prove pain and suffering compared to other damages, such as medical bills. Since these are non-economic damages that do not have an exact dollar value, the attorneys at Cousin Benny can use their expertise and experience to determine how much someone can sue for a car accident.
If you’re involved in a car accident, it’s important to know the right steps to take. Learn more about what to do after a car accident here.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (DOT) 2020 data, Philadelphia car accidents accounted for almost 10% of allcar accidents in Pennsylvania, more than any other county in the state.
In 2022, the number of fatal accidents in Pennsylvania declined, according to NHTSA estimates. However, our own analysis of Google search data suggests demand for personal injury attorneys in Philadelphia is recently on the rise.
Philadelphia is known for having the most driving-related fatalities in Pennsylvania, representing 14.7% of the state’s total. Specifically, Lincoln Highway, Roosevelt Boulevard, and Delaware Expressway alone combined for over 3,000 automobile accidents, making them the three most dangerous roads to travel in Pennsylvania.
According to publicly available data, the following factors account for the majority of car accidents:
Speed-related crashes occur when a driver exceeds the speed limit or drives too fast for road conditions. 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 that year, totaling 9,478 deaths. In Pennsylvania in 2020, there were 25,021 speed-related crashes resulting in 415 fatalities.
Distracted driving can fall into three categories: visual, manual, and cognitive distraction. Examples of distracted driving include texting or using a cell phone or navigational device, eating, grooming, or interacting with passengers while driving. In 2019, 3,142 people died in distracted driving crashes in the U.S, an increase of 10% over the previous year. In Pennsylvania in 2020, distracted driving was a contributing factor in 11,019 crashes and 43 fatalities.
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. In Pennsylvania in 2020, drinking and driving contributed to 6,565 crashes and 131 fatalities.
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. In Pennsylvania in 2020, careless/illegal passing contributed to 4,545 crashes and 53 fatalities.
Car accident injuries can range from relatively minor injuries to serious and catastrophic injuries. Sadly, some motor vehicle accidents are fatal. Our auto accident attorneys frequently work with injury victims who have suffered:
Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights for pursuing compensation following a car accident.
If you are an auto accident victim and have questions about your legal rights and options for pursuing compensation, you will want to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer who can help with the following steps:
A lawyer can conduct a thorough investigation into the case, which may include:
Equipped with strong evidence, our legal team can prepare an insurance claim on your behalf that sets out the details regarding the accident, including:
The insurance company may respond to our demand package by offering less money than we initially requested. We can counter their offer, demanding more compensation to ensure you are properly compensated for the long-term impact of the accident, including future medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.
If the insurance company refuses to make a fair offer, a trial lawyer from our firm can file a legal complaint in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas to seek justice and compensation. Car accident injury trials can be complex, but our legal team can guide you through this process.
Under the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law, all motorists are required to maintain minimum liability coverage, which provides protection for damages they may cause to others in an accident resulting from their negligence. The minimum insurance limits include the following:
Keep in mind, these are just the minimum amounts drivers are required to carry by law. Many drivers purchase additional insurance coverage. Also, you may have other forms of insurance that can help cover your losses in the event of an accident, including collision coverage, medical benefits, and/or UM benefits. An experienced attorney can review your situation and insurance policies to determine your legal options.
At Cousin Benny, our goal is to help you recover the maximum amount of compensation to which you are entitled. That amount may range from tens of thousands of dollars to millions.
Ultimately, the amount of damages depends on factors such as the severity of your injuries, the availability of insurance to cover your losses, how the accident happened, and who was at fault.
You can start filing a car accident claim through your insurance company, but some companies will lowball an estimate based on your losses. This is why it’s advisable to retain the services of a car accident attorney as soon as possible after the accident occurs. Your personal injury lawyers will act as your consultant when dealing with the insurance company and the court system in any of your Pennsylvania car accident claims.
Our car accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t have to pay anything upfront to retain our services. We are paid a percentage of any financial recovery we make on your behalf. If we obtain nothing, you’re not responsible for paying attorney fees. If we recover compensation, we receive a percentage of the proceeds recovered on your behalf, as outlined in your retainer agreement with us.
According to Pennsylvania law, the statute of limitations for a car injury claim is generally two years. At Cousin Benny, our Philadelphia car accident lawyer advises clients to file a personal injury lawsuit as soon as possible after the car accident occurs. Filing early helps ensure relevant evidence is preserved, and the memories of eyewitnesses remain fresh.
In Pennsylvania, if the driver who caused the accident does not have auto insurance, you may be protected by carrying underinsured motorist coverage in your insurance policy. The uninsured motorist may face penalties, including loss of driving privileges, registration suspension, fines, and more, but you can also sue the other party for any damages to your vehicle and/or injuries you sustained.
Pennsylvania is a “no-fault” state. This means that your auto insurance company will cover medical expenses up to your coverage limit for anyone injured on your policy in an automobile accident, regardless of negligence caused by both parties.
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. Cousin Benny Injury Lawyers advertising may be funded, in part, by third-party partners. Any Cousin Benny Injury Lawyers advertising containing prior results is not a guarantee of future results. 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.
