Auto and Bus Accidents

Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers for Car, Bus, SEPTA and Other Vehicle Accidents

Auto accidents are the most common causes of injury. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2006 there were approximately six million police reported traffic crashes, resulting in almost 43,000 deaths and over two and a half million injuries. That’s an average of 117 deaths a day. At the Law Offices of Judy Greenwood, P.C., we represent victims who have been injured as a result of car, bus, Septa and other vehicle accidents.

After an accident, it is important that you contact an attorney promptly, whether or not you were at fault for the accident, so that you may best understand your rights.

If you or a loved one was injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by the negligence of another driver, you need to hire your own attorney to pursue a claim for damages, such as pain and suffering, lost wages, and excess medical expenses. That is why it is very important to promptly gather information (for instance, the identities of other driver and car owner, the license plate number of the other vehicle, the names and addresses of witnesses).

Since the introduction of “no fault” auto insurance in the early 1970s, motor vehicle liability law has grown far more complicated. In light of the complexities of the law, it is important that you contact a lawyer as soon as you can. You may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, as well as to recover for your lost earnings, medical expenses, and property damage. Given the complexity of the law, however, where you turn for recovery, and your entitlement to recovery, may be unclear.

There are different types of insurance protections that you may have purchased.

• Bodily Injury Liability: Protects you to the limit you have purchased when you or your permissive driver caused injury or death in an accident.
• Property Damage: Protects you to the limit you have purchased when you or your permissive driver caused damage to someone else’s vehicle or property in an accident.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP)/Medical Coverage: Pays for accident‑related medical expenses for you and other persons covered under your policy.
• Wage Loss protection: Pays for lost wages occurring because of a motor vehicle accident based upon the amount of coverage purchased.
• Uninsured (UM) and Underinsured (UIM) coverage: Pays for claims for pain and suffering under your policy when the driver at fault has either no liability insurance or insufficient bodily injury liability insurance to compensate you for your pain and suffering; this also provides coverage if you were injured in an accident caused by a hit and run vehicle.
• Collision Coverage: Pays for damage to your vehicle above your deductible, but limited by the “book value” of the car, regardless who caused the accident.
• Comprehensive coverage: Pays for theft or damage to your vehicle resulting from flood, fire, vandalism, and similar causes, and is also subject to a deductible.

In some cases, you can “stack” coverage when more than one vehicle is insured under the same policy. Also, Pennsylvania and many states have voluntary or involuntary thresholds (“limited tort” or “full tort” in Pennsylvania) that control your ability to recover pain and suffering compensation for an accident.

The experienced lawyers on our injury team regularly handle car accident, bus accident, and motorcycle accident claims. They are familiar with Pennsylvania law and will explain your rights to you.