Although car accidents are the single biggest cause of personal injuries in Pennsylvania, they also can lead to uniquely complicated personal injury claims. Because of this, a knowledgeable attorney can be key to maximizing your compensation after a crash. Protect your security by working with a Towanda car accident lawyer with years of expertise handling cases just like yours.
Our team at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers does not back down from a challenge. Our big results for clients in Towanda and Bradford County over the past 25 years is proof.
Jon Ostroff recovered a $3.8 million award for a client that was injured on Route 6 in 1996. Fast forward 20 years. Jon, partner Rich Godshall and the trial team at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers represented clients injured in a north central PA bus crash. The firm recovered over $20 million for its clients through compensatory and punitive damage verdicts, post-verdict delay damages with interest and settlements that were reached before and after a 6-week jury trial. To learn more about what we can do for you after a wreck, reach out to our office today.
Pursuing Compensation Through Insurance Negotiations
Unlike some other states, Pennsylvania law establishes a variation of a “no-fault” insurance system that governs how you may seek compensation for accident-related losses. Under this system, people involved in a Towanda car collision would need to pursue payment of medical expenses and car repair/replacement costs through their own personal injury protection (PIP) coverage as a first option for financial recovery.
If recoverable damages exceed the limits of your personal insurance coverage, you can make up the difference by filing a claim against the insurance policy of the at-fault driver. A Towanda auto accident attorney can help you better understand your legal options for recovery during a free initial consultation.
Civil Litigation After a Towanda Car Wreck
Individuals with “full tort” insurance coverage have no restrictions on their right to pursue a claim against a negligent third party responsible for injuring them in a car crash. Conversely, people with “limited tort” coverage can only obtain certain damages if they suffered a “serious injury.” This generally requires an injury such as spinal cord damage, fractured bones, a brain injury, an injury requiring surgery or one that has debilitating and permanent effects.
A third-party claim may be pursued to recover various economic and non-economic losses, including pain and suffering, lost past income and future earning capacity, among other things. However, the modified comparative fault system set out in 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes §7102 would also apply, meaning that someone who is partly at fault for the accident that injured them would face a proportional reduction in money available to them.
Likewise, the two-year statutory filing deadline for most personal injury claims set by 42 PA Con. Stat. §5524 also applies to most third-party car crash claims. Assistance from an auto accident lawyer in Towanda or Pike County is crucial to navigating these obstacles in order to obtain fair compensation.
Contact a Towanda Car Accident Attorney
Auto accidents at any speed and involving any type of motor vehicle can have catastrophic consequences for everyone involved. If you were injured because someone else acted carelessly or recklessly, you have legal options.
A seasoned Towanda car accident lawyer can provide the support and guidance you need to recover fair and prompt compensation. Contact us at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to discuss your case.
