How an Altoona Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You
Car accidents are alarmingly common. Whether you are a driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, if the negligent actions of another individual cause you to suffer severe harm, you might be eligible to seek compensation for your losses. However, the process of receiving a settlement that covers the full extent of your damages is complicated. Insurance companies do not consider themselves in business to pay out every car accident claim they receive. Instead, they may employ tactics to reduce the value of your claim, such as offering to settle it quickly (before you realize how bad your injuries may be) or finding ways to assign some of the blame to you.
Perhaps this is the first time you are considering hiring a personal injury attorney to help with your motor vehicle collision. You would be making a wise choice in choosing an Altoona, PA, car accident lawyer with Berger and Green. We have handled thousands of car accident cases involving a wide array of injuries. We stop at nothing to achieve favorable results for our clients, including taking your case to court when negotiations do not go your way.
We have the experience and resources necessary to fight the insurance defense tactics and get you the maximum compensation allowed by law. Our firm knows you need time to recuperate from your injuries; allow us to assume the stress of filing a car accident insurance claim or lawsuit and fighting for the awards you deserve. Your initial consultation is free, and you are under no obligation to hire our firm after receiving our professional opinion about the value of your claim.
For a free legal consultation with a Car Accident lawyer serving Altoona, call 412-661-1400
Is Pennsylvania a No-Fault State for Car Accidents?
The State of Pennsylvania’s insurance laws are nuanced. It follows what is known as “tort threshold” insurance laws. First, named insured drivers choose between full tort or limited tort coverage. The choices can be summarized this way:
- Full Tort Coverage: With full tort coverage, you can seek compensation for medical bills and lost wages not covered under your personal or host vehicle, damage to your vehicle, pain and suffering, emotional damages, and loss of life’s pleasures from the negligent party who caused your crash. Awards granted under full tort coverage are typically larger than awards granted under limited tort coverage because you can seek compensation for special damages such as pain and suffering or loss of companionship.
- Limited Tort Coverage: With limited tort coverage, other than recovering medical bills and lost wages not covered under your personal or host vehicle coverage and damage to your vehicle, in many cases, you will not be eligible to seek compensation for special damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress and the loss of life’s pleasures. However, there are exceptions to this rule. A Pennsylvania accident attorney at Berger and Green can help you determine if you meet the requirements to recover the special damages listed above.
Altoona Car Accident Lawyer Near Me 412-661-1400
Should You Hire Our Car Accident Attorneys to File Your Claim?
Insurance companies protect their business (financial) interests by trying to pay you less than what you deserve and are entitled to. Their insurance adjusters are highly skilled at getting injured parties to do or say something that will reduce the value of their claims. The fact that you are the insurance company’s customer will not stop them from attempting to settle your claim quickly for the lowest amount possible.
How will you know if the amount they offer you is fair? What if you are legally eligible for a much larger settlement for your damages?
By hiring an Altoona car accident lawyer at Berger and Green, you will not be fooled by a friendly insurance representative. We will not only negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, but we can fight to ensure your settlement offer covers the full extent of your losses.
Our lawyers often work with medical experts and other third parties to prove you are entitled to specific damages. Best of all, we will handle the stress and hassle that goes along with filing a claim. We want you to focus on your physical and emotional well-being, not paperwork or haggling with insurance adjusters.
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How Long do You Have to Seek Car Accident Compensation?
The sooner you take action, the better it will be for your case. Settlement negotiations can take months, witnesses’ memories can fade, and critical evidence from the accident can change or disappear. Therefore, if you want to protect your right to maximum compensation for your damages, it is in your best interest to meet with an attorney at our firm and file your claim as soon as possible after the accident.
Under Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations (Pa. C.S.A. § 5524), you have a maximum of two years from the time of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you file a case after the two-year period is over, the court will likely throw out your suit. This window will also affect your attempts at securing an advantageous insurance settlement. Insurers know the law and may use an expired time limit as grounds to reduce or deny your claim.
In the case of minors, this deadline is extended until the day before their twentieth birthday. This extension does not apply to the parents’ claim for out-of-pocket expenses. In the event of a wrongful death, the tune period may extend in part until two years from the date of death.
It takes time and effort to build a strong case, even for an experienced car accident attorney. If you wait until the last minute, it is possible you could miss your deadline. Even if everything proceeds as normal, the longer you wait to file your claim, the longer it will take for you to receive your funds.
In the meantime, you will want to take photographs of the accident site and your injuries, as well as safeguard key pieces of evidence, such as the damage to your vehicle or clothing. You should also refrain from posting about your accident on social media or discussing it with anyone other than our legal team. Whatever you do, do not let the insurance company pressure you into accepting a settlement without first allowing us to review it to ensure it is fair.
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How Much Compensation Can You Recover for an Auto Accident In Altoona?
Every accident case is different. The awards you receive rely heavily on the insurance coverage available to you. The evidence we furnish to the insurance company to prove your damages also plays a significant role in your settlement. In general, you can recover compensation for the following:
- Current and future medical expenses, including doctor’s bills, hospitalizations, surgeries, physical therapy, medications, and long-term nursing care
- Lost wages, earnings, and benefits
- Lost future income and earning capacity
- Vehicle and personal property damages
- Physical pain, emotional suffering, embarrassment and humiliation, and mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life (the loss of life’s pleasures)
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Pennsylvania Car Insurance Minimums
Under Pennsylvania law, drivers with auto insurance policies must have the following minimum coverage:
- $5,000 in Medical Benefits: If you select limited tort insurance, you must have at least $5,000 in PIP to cover your medical expenses, no matter who caused the collision.
- $15,000/$30,000 in Bodily Injury Liability (BIL): When another driver is at fault, they must have at least $15,000 per person and up to $30,000 per accident to pay for bodily injuries or wrongful death.
- $5,000 in Property Damage Liability (PDL): When another driver is at fault, they must also have at least $5,000 for damages to your vehicle, house, and any other property damaged or destroyed in the crash.
Our Altoona Injury Lawyers Help With All Kinds of Accidents
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), there were more than 500 traffic accidents involving injuries in Blair County in 2021. Our Altoona personal injury lawyers can assist you if you suffered injuries in a wreck on Chestnut Avenue, Beale Avenue, or anywhere else in Altoona. We help with all types of auto accidents, including:
- Rear-end crashes
- Broadside collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Rollovers
- Truck and commercial vehicle accidents
- Bus accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Passenger vehicle collisions
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
Contact Berger and Green for a Free Initial Consultation
Automobile accidents can upend victims’ lives. If you suffered serious injuries and extensive losses in a car accident, we urge you to schedule a free consultation with an Altoona car accident lawyer at our firm to discuss your claim today. Consider scheduling your appointment before you communicate with the insurance company, even your own.
You pay nothing for our professional opinion and are under no obligation to hire our legal team. Instead, we want to answer your questions and inform you about the journey that lies ahead of you. In addition, we take cases on contingency, meaning you pay us nothing unless and until we win your case.
Therefore, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Contact Berger and Green and connect with a legal professional near you today.
Call or text 412-661-1400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
