After a car accident, you could be facing serious injuries and undergoing medical care to help you recover. The cost of these treatments and the toll that the pain and suffering take on you can be high, especially if you are unable to work while medical bills rack up. Some insurance policies may be enough to cover your injuries, but they will not fully cover the damages you need.
Talk to an attorney about your injuries after a car accident. Even if you think that your insurance prevents you from taking your case to court, you may be entitled to file a lawsuit for damages. The Hazleton car accident lawyers at The Reiff Law Firm have decades of experience handling car accident cases and may be able to take your case. Call our law offices today to schedule a free consultation. Our number is (215) 709-6940.
Can You Sue after a Car Crash in Hazleton, PA?
Pennsylvania’s car insurance system is known as a “choice no-fault” system, which gives drivers the choice between “full tort” and “limited tort” options. If you have full tort insurance, you have the peace of mind of always being entitled to take your case to court. If you carry limited tort insurance, you may need to meet certain thresholds before you can take your case to court.
If your injuries are very severe or you incur high medical expenses because of your crash, it may be difficult to get full compensation through your car insurance. Insurance typically covers only partial damages for claims for medical damages and lost wages, limiting your damages. Moreover, if you file your case through insurance, you may be forced to pay deductibles and still only get a fraction of the damages you deserve. Lastly, you usually receive no damages for your pain and suffering. Because of this, insurance may not be the best way to get your damages covered after a serious car crash.
When you take your case to court for a car accident, you can claim all damages that the accident caused. This means claiming damages for the full value of all medical expenses, any wages you missed or will continue to miss, and any pain and suffering you face. If the other driver was responsible for your injuries, they could be held responsible for the full value of these damages.
It is important not to accept any settlements from your insurance company or the other driver until you speak with a lawyer about your case. Accepting anything could be considered a settlement that ends your case and blocks you from being able to go to court.
When considering a lawsuit, it is also vital to get your case filed as quickly as you can to ensure you file your case on time. Call a Hazleton car accident attorney today to start the process of filing a car accident lawsuit for your injuries.
Proving Your Car Accident Case in PA
If you were injured in a crash, you need to prove your case to a court before they can award you any damages for your injuries. To prove the at-fault driver is responsible for the accident, you must prove how their unsafe driving or dangerous decisions caused the accident.
In a car accident case, you can point to traffic laws and common safe-driving practices to help prove what the at-fault driver should have done better in the car accident case. These legal duties, such as the duty to drive sober, stop at stop signs, and drive under the speed limit, can help you point to exactly what the at-fault driver did wrong to cause the crash. If the other driver violated these kinds of rules, and you can prove this in court, you may be able to win your lawsuit.
You must also prove the damages you suffered in order to get compensation. These damages can be proved with paperwork showing any payments you made or medical bills you faced because of the crash. Things like medical bills and bank statements are excellent evidence of the medical expenses you faced. Your bank accounts and typical pay stubs are similarly strong evidence of what wages you missed while you were too injured to work.
More complex damages, like ongoing medical costs and reduced earning capacity, may require the help of expert witnesses to prove. Financial and medical experts can testify to what ongoing care you will need and how much it will cost, and how much less you will be able to earn with your injuries.
The pain and suffering damages are often the hardest to prove because there are no numbers you can easily place on these damages. However, your testimony about how the pain affects you, how the accident affected your life, what activities you can no longer enjoy, and how your quality of life has decreased since the crash can help prove these damages.
Our Hazleton Car Accident Attorney Offers Free Consultations
Never accept money from the car insurance company or the at-fault driver for your car accident case before speaking with an experienced injury attorney. The Hazleton car accident attorneys at The Reiff Law Firm have decades of experience handling car accident lawsuits on behalf of victims and their families. If you were injured or you lost a loved one in a car crash, call our law offices today to schedule a free consultation on your case. Our number is (215) 709-6940.