If you’ve been in a serious car accident in Pennsylvania, you may have been left with medical bills, devastating injuries, and an inability to work that leaves you wondering how you’re supposed to pay for everything. At the same time, you may get calls from insurance companies demanding that you sign settlement documents “or else.”

You may be entitled to compensation if you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident due to another person’s negligence or carelessness. Pennsylvania laws are complicated, and the insurance companies want you to settle quickly, to keep their payments low. You need a skillful car accident attorney like those from Wapner Newman there to help you fight for your rights and the money you are owed.

When you need an Ardmore car accident attorney, contact the legal team at Wapner Newman. The consultation is free, and we will answer your questions and show you how we can help. Our attorneys serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Call us today to get started at (215) 569-0900.

Why Choose Us?

At Wapner Newman, we get results. We have decades of experience in the legal field, winning million-dollar settlements for our clients. We want to see you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries, and we treat each case with the personal attention it deserves.

When you’re looking for car accident lawyers in Ardmore PA, you want a team that can help you from the start of your case through the settlement negotiations or litigation if necessary. Our team will ensure we resolve your case in whatever way is best for your needs, whether that means a settlement or taking it all the way to court.

Call us as soon as possible when you need help at (215) 569-0900.

How We Can Help

Even if you think your injuries are minor, consult an experienced Ardmore car accident attorney as soon as possible. There are time limits for filing a lawsuit, and it’s important to get started while evidence is fresh and witnesses can be found.

When you have our Ardmore car accident lawyers on your side, we will:

  • Meet with you to discuss how the accident happened, who the at-fault parties may be, and determine what type of settlement to fight for
  • Ensure you get proper medical care and that everything is documented
  • Investigate your case by gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses, police officers, and first responders
  • File all paperwork in accordance with deadlines and court requirements
  • Hire experts to reconstruct the crash scene and experts to testify as to your costs and how your injuries negatively impact your life into the future
  • Negotiate with insurance companies and their attorneys for a fair settlement
  • Build your case and take it to trial if necessary.

Our Ardmore car accident attorneys are available whenever you have questions or concerns. When you have questions, we will be there to answer them, and you won’t leave until all your worries have been addressed.

Damages

There are no guarantees in the legal system. The damages you may be awarded vary, depending on factors like the nature of the accident, the number of victims, and the severity of your injuries. The skill and experience of your attorneys are very important. And nobody can predict what a jury might do.

However, in Pennsylvania, you can sue for economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages include damages that can be calculated or billed. They include such damages as:

  • Medical costs, doctor bills, and rehabilitation expenses, including costs of continuing care
  • Lost wages and income, including future earning potential and lost opportunity
  • Funeral expenses
  • Property damage not covered by vehicle insurance.

Non-economic damages are damages that cannot be readily calculated but which affect your quality of life. They can include:

  • Physical and emotional pain and suffering
  • Disfigurement
  • Disability
  • Loss of quality of life
  • Loss of consortium.

Punitive damages may be awarded in cases where the defendant acted unusually maliciously or egregiously or where there was a clear disregard for human life.

Proving Negligence

To win your case, our attorneys must show that another party’s negligence or fault caused your injuries. Negligence means:

  • Duty: The defendant owed you a duty to take reasonable care not to cause you harm.
  • Breach: The defendant breached this duty and failed to exercise this care.
  • Cause: The breach of duty caused your injuries.
  • Damages: You suffered an injury as a result.

Proving negligence can be complex since other factors may come into play. For instance, the other driver may have run a red light, but it may have been partially obscured by a large truck or a tree branch. Or they might have been pushed through the intersection when they were rammed by the car behind them.

When your Wapner Newman attorney investigates your claim, they will review all the documentation and reports surrounding your case to determine who was ultimately responsible for your accident or whether there was more than one party to blame. We will hold all negligent parties accountable, as they may have insurance and assets to go toward a settlement.

Frequently Asked Questions

After a car accident, you are bound to have questions and concerns. The best place to get answers is during your free consultation, but to get you started, here are answers to some questions our lawyers are often asked:

Should I talk to the insurance company?

No. Insurance companies, even yours, are out for profit and concerned with their bottom line, not your well-being. They will try to get you to accept the lowest settlement possible or ask questions to get you to admit the accident was your fault. Your best action is to tell them to speak to your attorney instead.

Our Wapner Newman lawyers know how to negotiate with insurance companies, who often come up with better offers when they know you have an attorney willing to take your case to trial.

How long do I have to file my case?

According to Pennsylvania law (Title 42, Section 5524), the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit is two years from the date of the accident, although there are exceptions. If you miss the deadline, the chances are that the courts will refuse to hear your case. The sooner you contact an Ardmore car accident attorney, the better.

What is “full tort” insurance? Why does it make a difference?

Drivers in Pennsylvania have the option of choosing between “full tort” and no-fault “limited tort” coverage. For limited tort, your insurance company should pay for all reasonable and appropriate forms of medical care, property damages, and lost wages up to the limits of your policy.  However, you are prohibited from suing unless the accident resulted in “serious injury” – one that results in death, serious impairment of the body, or permanent serious disfigurement.

If your injury is considered serious or if you have “full tort” coverage, you have the option of suing the driver whose negligence caused the accident. If you win a lawsuit, you can recover both economic and noneconomic damages.

I was partially at fault in my accident. Can I still recover? 

Maybe. Pennsylvania courts use a “comparative negligence” rule, meaning that even if you were partially responsible for your accident, you may still be able to recover damages as long as your percentage of fault is less than the other driver’s.

Pennsylvania statute section 7102 states that if you are 51% responsible for the accident or greater, you are barred from recovering anything for your accident. If you are 50% or less responsible, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.

For instance, if the award in the case was $100,000 and you are found to be 20% at fault, you can still recover $80,000. If you are 50% at fault, you could recover $50,000. But if you are 51% at fault, you would recover nothing. This is why having an experienced attorney on your side is so critical to your case.

We know you have more questions, and our Ardmore car accident attorneys are fully prepared to answer them.  Give us a call today.

Contact Us

If you or a family member has suffered an injury from a car crash, don’t wait to get help. The skilled and experienced Ardmore car accident attorneys at Wapner Newman are committed to giving your case individual attention.

Our personal injury lawyers can provide dependable guidance, a listening ear, and strong legal strategies. Through the years, we have helped hundreds of clients deal with accident costs and secure the compensation they are entitled to through our thorough and creative investigative legal solutions.

Contact an Ardmore car accident lawyer at Wapner Newman today — schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced lawyers at (215) 569-0900. We help clients in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.