Erie Car Accident Attorney

Yes, Pennsylvania operates under a no-fault system for car accidents. This means that regardless of who is at fault in an accident, each party’s own insurance company is generally responsible for covering their medical expenses and other related losses.

In Pennsylvania, drivers are required to have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage as part of their auto insurance policy. PIP helps pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and other accident-related costs for the insured driver and their passengers, regardless of fault. The minimum PIP coverage limit in Pennsylvania is $5,000.

Despite being a no-fault state, car accident victims can file lawsuits if their injuries are severe enough. The best way to file a claim is to discuss your situation with an attorney as soon as you can.

For relatively minor car accidents in Erie, a police response is not required. To qualify as minor in this context, all the following must apply:

• There is no property damage other than to the vehicles involved.
• Both involved vehicles are able to drive away.
• Neither driver flees the scene.

If, however, anyone is injured to the point that they require an emergency response, it’s time to call 911.

When it comes to car accidents, vehicle speed is a double-edged sword. Not only does excess speed make accidents more likely but also increases the severity of resulting injuries. For more than 20 years, the element of speed has played a pivotal role in about a third of all traffic fatalities, making it one of the most dangerous forms of driver negligence.

If another driver’s negligence leaves you with property damage to your car, they are responsible for your loss, and you can seek compensation through their car accident insurance provider.

If you’re responsible for an accident in Erie, the following potential insurance scenarios apply:

• Your own no-fault coverage – if you carry it – will cover your medical expenses and lost income. Otherwise, your full coverage policy will cover your medical bills up to the policy’s limit.
• If the other driver’s losses aren’t classified as serious and they carry no-fault coverage, their own policy will cover their losses.
• If the other driver doesn’t carry no-fault coverage, they will likely file a claim with your insurance provider.

Those who opt into Pennsylvania’s no-fault car insurance coverage and who are injured in car accidents are not required to take any action against the at-fault drivers involved in order to recover on their losses. Instead, they turn to their own no-fault policies.

Yes, you can sue a motorist whose negligence leaves you injured in a car accident for your full range of covered losses. Only if your injuries are considerably less serious and you purchased no-fault insurance is this option off the table.

Yes, if you suffer whiplash as a result of another driver’s negligence, you can sue for the physical, financial, and emotional losses you experience, which can be substantial. That said, if your case of whiplash does not result in serious health issues, you may need to make a claim on your own PIP insurance, if you carry it.

In Pennsylvania, you have only two years from the date of an injury-causing car accident to sue the at-fault driver. This makes reaching out to a seasoned car accident lawyer as soon after the accident as possible the best course of action.

The statute of limitations refers to the time limit for filing a lawsuit, and when it comes to car accidents and other personal injury claims in Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations is only two years from the date of the accident.

Yes, even if you don’t carry the car insurance that the State of Pennsylvania requires you to, you can sue an at-fault driver who leaves you injured for the covered losses you experience.

In Pennsylvania, a serious injury that allows a claimant who opted into no-fault coverage to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver is an injury that causes serious impairment of a bodily function, a serious and permanent disfigurement, or death. If your injury leaves you with serious health concerns or interferes with your former lifestyle, it may qualify as serious – even if the involved insurance company rules otherwise. Consulting with a knowledgeable car accident lawyer is advised.

The insurance coverage minimums for Pennsylvania drivers related to bodily injury include the following:

• $15,000 of coverage per injured party
• A total of $30,000 coverage per accident

Every motorist is required by law to carry this minimum coverage.

Pennsylvania employs a comparative negligence law in relation to car accidents and other kinds of personal injury claims. This means that, even if you share responsibility for the accident that leaves you injured, you can seek compensation for the percentage of your covered losses that the other driver is responsible for – as long as they bear at least 50 percent of the responsibility.

For example, if you suffered $100,000 in physical, financial, and emotional losses in a car accident that was caused by a drunk driver who is determined to be 90 percent responsible, your compensation will be reduced by the 10 percent of responsibility that is assigned to you. As such, your compensation will be reduced by $10,000 – leaving you with a $90,000 settlement or court award.