Most of Haverford consists of tight streets and back roads where a driver can easily cause a crash by tailgating, speeding, running a red light, or looking down at their phone. When you get hurt in a crash, it is important to get help from a lawyer who can represent you in court if needed.
Our attorneys help victims get compensation for all of the medical bills, auto damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering they face in a crash. If someone else caused your injuries, it is their duty to pay for what they did, and our lawyers are willing to take cases to court if necessary to see that justice is done.
For a free case evaluation, call The Reiff Law Firm’s car accident lawyers today at (215) 709-6940.
Do I File an Insurance Claim or Lawsuit for a Car Crash in Haverford?
Often, after a crash, both a lawsuit and an insurance claim will be needed to get you the damages you deserve.
Full Tort vs. Limited Tort Insurance
Before looking at your possible claims, it is important to understand your insurance.
In Pennsylvania, we have a choice between “full tort” and “limited tort” insurance, which affects whether you can file a claim or lawsuit against other drivers for a crash.
- If you have full tort insurance, you are free to file any claim
- If you have limited tort insurance, there are limited situations where you can file. Lawsuits/claims are always allowed for “serious injuries.”
First-Party Insurance Claim
Pennsylvania’s car insurance laws require everyone to have some first-party coverage. A first-party claim with your insurance can get you damages to help cover expenses, regardless of who caused the crash.
Insurance minimums require at least $5,000 of medical coverage, but many drivers opt for higher coverage. You may even have optional collision coverage to cover vehicle damage and UM/UIM coverage for when the other driver is uninsured or underinsured.
Third-Party Insurance Claim
When another driver causes your crash, you may be able to file a third-party claim against their liability insurance. This must cover at least
- $15,000 per person for injuries
- $30,000 per accident for injuries
- $5,000 for property damage per accident.
Many drivers have higher insurance, but their insurance company does not always cooperate and pay up.
Lawsuits
If you have a full tort policy or your crash caused serious injuries, you can go directly to court, whether you have filed a third-party insurance claim or not. When you do this, the case is heard by a judge and jury instead of being decided by the insurance company.
Many insurance companies refuse to settle for a fair value, and taking the other driver to court might be the only way to get damages paid in full. Our car accident lawyers can assess your case on an individual basis and see whether a lawsuit is necessary.
If you do file a lawsuit, you can still settle your case if a fair offer is made.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Haverford
After an accident, take the following steps:
Call 911
You have to report any accident involving injuries to the police, plus you can request an ambulance when you call 911.
Get Medical Care
If you need immediate care, go to the hospital. Do not worry about collecting evidence or staying at the scene; do what you need to protect yourself and recover from your injuries.
If you can get yourself to a hospital after talking to the police and collecting evidence, choose a hospital, not an urgent care clinic. They may be able to turn you away from care because you are paying with car insurance or because your injuries are too serious for them to treat, but hospitals cannot turn you away.
Collect Evidence
If you can stay at the scene, collect as much evidence as you can:
- Info about where and when the accident happened (time, date, cross streets, etc.)
- Info about who was involved (drivers, passengers, contact info, insurance info, etc.)
- Info about the vehicles involved (make, model, color, license plate number, etc.)
- Info about the conditions (lighting, road conditions, weather, etc.)
- Photos of the accident scene, damage, etc.
- Whether any dash cams or security cameras might have caught the accident on video.
Also talk to the police, giving them just the facts of what happened. Do not admit fault, give your opinion, or speculate.
Call a Lawyer
Before you call your insurance company or try to make an insurance claim, call our lawyers. We can take care of the rest of the evidence collection and talk to insurance companies for you. We can also help you track damages, get vehicle appraisals, track medical bills, and begin building your case.
Once we are ready to file your claims, we can handle the paperwork and filings for you, put a fair value on your case, negotiate for a fair settlement, and even take the case to trial if we need to.
FAQs for Car Accidents in Haverford
Do I Need to Call the Insurance Company?
All auto accidents need to be reported to your car insurance, but you should never talk to insurance or try to file a claim, make a recorded statement, etc., without speaking to a lawyer first. We can advise you on how to proceed and handle much of the conversation with insurance for you.
Can I Accept a Settlement?
Never accept money for your crash or sign a settlement agreement until you speak with a lawyer. If you take money or sign the settlement, your case may be over, and you may be out of luck if you need more money.
How Long Do I Have to File?
Pennsylvania law gives injury victims 2 years to file most car accident claims under our statute of limitations. However, you should call a lawyer much sooner – ideally within the first few days after a crash.
Call Our Car Accident Lawyers in Haverford, PA Today
For a free review of your potential car accident case, contact The Reiff Law Firm’s car accident lawyers by calling (215) 709-6940.
