At intersections of busy roadways, drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists face a higher risk of being involved in a crash. Some intersections in Philadelphia are especially dangerous for pedestrians. When you’re hurt in an intersection crash, a Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer can help you recover injury compensation for costs like medical bills and lost wages.
Injured in a Philadelphia intersection accident? You’re not alone. Call Wapner Newman at (215) 569-0900 and speak with a Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer today.
Why Choose Wapner Newman?
Recovering Multimillion-Dollar Settlements for Injured Philadelphians
Wapner Newman has a reputation in Philadelphia for being one of the area leaders in recovering personal injury compensation. For over 40 years, we’ve fought for justice on behalf of our injured clients in Philadelphia. Our award-winning personal injury attorneys have successfully recovered numerous multimillion-dollar settlements through both negotiation and litigation.
Our compassionate attorneys work with you at every stage of your case. Our case results and client testimonials show that when you need injury compensation in Philadelphia, Wapner Newman is the right choice.
Vision Zero: Philadelphia’s Attempt at Reducing Traffic Deaths
Dangerous Intersections Mean Philadelphia Fatalities Continue to Rise
Many U.S. cities have rolled out Vision Zero plans in recent years. The basic principle of the Vision Zero initiative is that human beings make mistakes, and city roads and traffic patterns can be constructed or altered to prevent mistakes or to protect people when a mistake happens. Vision Zero has three primary components: enforcement, education, and engineering.
Improvements shown to reduce crashes include bike lanes that are protected by barriers or parking rows and “islands” in the middle of broad streets or large intersections, so pedestrians have a safe place to stop.
Philadelphia committed to Vision Zero in 2016 with the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities by the year 2030. Unfortunately, Philadelphia still has a long way to go before that goal becomes a reality.
Data from the Vision Zero Annual Report for 2023 shows Philadelphia’s fatality rate for the years 2012–2020 consistently stayed below 100 fatalities annually. In the years 2020–2023, the crash fatality rate in the city jumped considerably: 2022 saw 124 fatalities, with 2023’s data closely matching the previous year.
Common Causes of Philadelphia Intersection Accidents
It might seem that Philadelphia intersection accidents could occur for any number of reasons. However, the data paints a different picture. The majority of intersection accidents in the city can be broken down into two causal factors: poorly designed intersections and careless Philadelphia drivers.
Flawed Intersection Designs
Roadway design may ultimately be the single most important factor in intersection crashes. While the words “road” and “street” are often used interchangeably in informal conversation, they have distinct meanings. Streets have commercial or residential buildings on both sides. Roads are built to move cars between two points, so they have multiple, wide lanes and, usually, higher speed limits.
A key element of Philadelphi’s Vision Zero plan has been to target high-risk intersections and make design changes intended to reduce the rate of accidents. Some of the intersections highlighted in the 2023 plan include those along:
- Roosevelt Blvd.
- I-95
- Lincoln Dr.
- N Broad St.
- Belfield Ave.
- Ogontz Ave.
The city continues working to implement intersection changes that include curb extensions, updated signals, and realigned crosswalks.
Negligent Philadelphia Drivers
In many cases, poor judgment or driver error contributes to Philadelphia’s intersection crashes. Other factors that may increase the risk of an intersection crash – especially when combined – include:
- Poor signage
- No crosswalks
- No pedestrian crossing signals
- Brief pedestrian crossing signals that don’t allow enough time for crossing
- Inattentive or aggressive driving
- Poor lighting
- Weather conditions
- Driving under the influence
- Drowsy driving
- Cell phone use while driving.
When negligent drivers meet unsafe intersection design, the result is naturally an increased rate of accidents — many of which produce serious injuries and fatalities.
Struggling with medical costs and lost wages after an intersection crash in Philadelphia? Wapner Newman can help. Call (215) 569-0900 and schedule a free consultation with an experienced Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer.
Compensation for a Philadelphia Intersection Crash
Philadelphia intersection accidents can range significantly in severity. Speed, type of impact, and other factors mean that the outcome of a crash can result in anything from no injuries at all to death. Part of your lawyer’s job is to identify your case value and fight to help you recover that amount.
At Wapner Newman, our experienced Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyers consider every aspect of how your injuries have impacted your life. We’ll work to help you recover compensation for costs like:
- Medical bills
- Specialist and therapist bills
- Medical device costs
- Ambulance bills
- Lost wages and benefits
- Pain and suffering.
Sometimes, Philadelphia intersection crashes lead to severe injuries. If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic injury like a spinal cord injury, brain injury, or burn injury, it’s particularly important to work with an experienced lawyer.
Life-altering injuries like these often incur extremely high medical expenses. These types of injuries usually also lead to extensive lifelong costs, like the need for attendant care or future medical procedures. An experienced Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer knows how to build a case for the long-term compensation you’ll need, including items like the injured person’s anticipated future earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common initial questions clients ask about recovering compensation for intersection accident injuries in Philadelphia.
Who is liable for an intersection accident in Philadelphia?
You need a Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer to review your case and identify who can be held liable. Much of the time, a lawyer can prove that another driver’s negligent actions directly resulted in the crash. When this is the case, you can recover compensation through their driver’s insurance policy.
How much money can a Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer help me recover?
Case value is calculated by adding up the total costs of the accident. This includes items like your medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses. Your Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer’s skill and experience handling intersection accident cases also directly impact how much you recover.
What steps should I take after a Philadelphia intersection accident?
If you’ve been involved in an intersection accident in Philadelphia, you should report the accident to the police, seek immediate medical care, and call a Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer as soon as possible. You should wait to hear what a lawyer has to say about your options before you speak with an insurance agent.
What if my loved one lost their life in a Philadelphia intersection accident?
If a loved one died as a result of a Philadelphia intersection crash, a Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer can review the case and advise you on how to proceed. You may be able to file a wrongful death claim and recover compensation for expenses like funeral and burial costs and medical bills incurred before death.
How long do I have to contact a Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer?
You should always call a Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer as soon as possible after an accident. A lawyer protects you from making damaging comments to an insurance agent and helps ensure evidence against the other driver is preserved. If you eventually need to file a lawsuit to recover injury compensation, Pennsylvania law gives you two years from the day of the accident.
How much does a Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer cost?
The Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyers at Wapner Newman work on contingency. You only pay our fee if and when we win your case. You can learn more about our fee structure during your free consultation.
A Wapner Newman intersection accident lawyer is available to answer additional questions about recovering compensation after a Philadelphia intersection accident.
Help for Philadelphia Accident Victims
Call Wapner Newman Today and Learn How We Can Help
Philadelphia’s commitment to creating safer streets is promising, but changes won’t happen overnight. Roadway improvements require careful planning, along with significant funding, before construction can even begin. In the meantime, drivers can do their part to reduce intersection crashes by avoiding unsafe behaviors.
If you’ve been hurt in an intersection crash, don’t wait to ask for help. The experienced personal injury attorneys at Wapner Newman offer free, no-obligation consultations; and if you have a viable case, we work on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront for services.
Wapner Newman is ready to help you pursue injury compensation after an intersection accident in Philadelphia. Call Wapner Newman today at (215) 569-0900 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Philadelphia intersection accidents lawyer.