Being involved in a car accident is never easy. You can end up facing significant injuries that impact your everyday life, as well as property damage that could leave you without a functioning vehicle. Pennsylvania’s choice no-fault system for car accidents strives to make filing a personal injury claim easier, but it can actually be complicated to navigate the process on your own. That is why you need to hire a Croydon car accident lawyer.
At Wapner Newman Attorneys at Law, our team of experienced car accident lawyers in Croydon can work with you to help you understand your insurance policy, what damages you can claim, and what you can expect from the process. Learn more about the options you have after a Pennsylvania car accident.
Why Choose Us?
How Our Croydon Car Accident Lawyers Can Help
At Wapner Newman Attorneys at Law, we assign each case to the partner most experienced with those types of claims, ensuring you get the exact representation you need. Our Croydon car accident attorneys will help you navigate the personal injury claims process with compassion and dedication. Our team helps by:
- Advising you of your rights
- Assessing your claim
- Investigating the accident
- Gathering evidence and speaking with expert witnesses
- Negotiating with insurance companies and other parties
- Representing you in court.
You deserve to have people helping you who understand how difficult it is to deal with the aftermath of a car accident. When you hire our team, you know you have advocates who will fight for your rights.
Speak with a Croydon car crash lawyer by calling Wapner Newman Attorneys at Law at (215) 569-0900.
How Pennsylvania’s Choice No-Fault System Works
The Complexities of Limited and Full Tort Policies
Pennsylvania is one of only three states that have a choice no-fault system in place when it comes to traffic collisions. This affects the damages you are able to pursue, as well as whether you have a chance to file a lawsuit if the other person caused the accident.
You have the choice of selecting a limited tort or full tort policy when you decide on your vehicle’s insurance. A limited tort policy follows no-fault guidelines, meaning you do not file a claim against the other party’s insurer but against yours. You do not have to demonstrate who was at fault for the accident or prove negligence, but you have limits on the types of damages you can claim. You can claim economic damages, like medical expenses and lost wages, but you cannot claim non-economic damages unless you have suffered catastrophic injuries like traumatic brain injuries, disfigurement, or wrongful death.
A full tort policy functions like a fault-based system, requiring that you prove the other party is liable for your losses. That usually means proving negligence, which requires establishing that the other party owed you a duty of care, they breached it, and their actions led to injuries and losses for which you can be compensated. With a full tort policy, you can file a lawsuit against the other party regardless of the type of injuries you sustained. You can claim both economic and non-economic damages.
No matter what kind of policy you have, it is vital that you hire a Croydon car crash attorney for help after being in an accident.
Our Croydon car accident lawyers have helped people in Pennsylvania recover millions in jury awards and settlements.
Common Causes of Pennsylvania Car Accidents
In Croydon and throughout Pennsylvania, perhaps the most frequent cause of car accidents is distracted driving. It leads to thousands of collisions in the state each year. Although texting is the most frequent distraction, everything from eating to speaking with passengers can make a driver less likely to notice changes in road conditions or hazards.
Bucks County, in which Croydon is located, is where 4.8% of all Pennsylvania accidents occur. Speeding causes a significant number of these accidents. It involves not only driving faster than the posted speed limit but also driving faster than road or weather conditions allow. A driver who is speeding will have less time to stop if a hazard appears on the road. If a collision occurs, the vehicle will also cause more injuries because of the added force of the impact.
Another common cause of Pennsylvania car accidents is intoxicated driving. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol impacts reflexes and coordination, making a driver less likely to respond properly to hazards. Even though the national blood alcohol concentration legal limit is 0.08%, a driver who has had just one drink is already a danger on the road.
Reckless driving also plays a role in many car accidents throughout Pennsylvania. Reckless drivers act without regard to the safety of others on the road. It can include actions like tailgating, running stop signs or red lights, and even racing other vehicles.
Croydon Car Accident FAQs
If you are planning on filing a claim and have questions, our team of car accident attorneys in Croydon can offer the answers you need.
How much will hiring a Croydon car accident lawyer cost me?
One of the reasons people sometimes hesitate to hire car collision attorneys in Croydon is the fear of having to deal with legal bills on top of medical expenses and repair bills. To ensure that everyone who needs help can receive it, Wapner Newman Attorneys at Law works on a contingency fee basis. What does that mean for you? You don’t have to pay us unless we win.
What damages can I claim after a car accident in Pennsylvania?
If you have a limited tort policy, you can claim economic damages like medical expenses and lost wages. With that kind of policy, you can file a lawsuit against the party who caused the accident only if you sustained serious injuries or if a loved one died in the accident. In that case, you can also claim non-economic damages like pain and suffering.
If you have a full tort policy, you can claim both economic and non-economic damages, no matter what injuries you sustained. In the most serious cases, you may be able to claim punitive damages.
How do I prove liability?
If you are entitled to file a lawsuit after a car accident, you will have to demonstrate that the other person is liable for your losses. To do that, you must prove that the person had a duty of care toward you and that they breached it. All drivers have a duty of care toward other people on the road to drive safely, so if the other party engaged in anything that compromised that, they breached their duty.
You then have to show that the injuries you sustained are the direct result of the accident and that you can be compensated for your losses. A car collision lawyer in Croydon can help you show all of this.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim?
Most people have only two years in which to file any kind of personal injury claim in Pennsylvania. There may be exceptions that shorten or lengthen the time period, so speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
At Wapner Newman Attorneys at Law, we can help you win fair compensation. To learn more about the process, schedule a consultation.
Experienced Lawyers for Croydon Car Accidents
After suffering injuries and other losses as a result of a car accident in Croydon, PA, help is available. Our team of lawyers provides the guidance you need to file a claim.
Call Wapner Newman Attorneys at Law at (215) 569-0900 to schedule a free consultation with one of our Croydon car accident lawyers.