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Doylestown Car Accident Lawyers
Personal Injury Law Firm Handling Car and Truck Accident Claims For Clients in Doylestown
Doylestown, PA is a beautiful part of the state. There are many historic and cultural sites that attract people including the Mercer Museum, Spruance Library, and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. Doylestown has grown with the region. With this kind of growth over the years, more and more residents are becoming accident victims suffering personal injury from car accidents, medical malpractice, pedestrian accidents, and other negligent acts. This requires medical treatment, legal resources, and the need to deal with insurance companies. Injury claims are emotional and traumatic and only a PA personal injury lawyer can help you seek compensation, deal with the insurance companies, and ultimately collect money for you in a personal injury settlement or through a jury verdict.
That’s why you want Larry Pitt & Associates on your side if you’ve been hurt in an auto accident with a car or commercial vehicle. We’ve been protecting victims of car accidents for more than 40 years. We know what it takes to make a case for your recovery, and we stand by you at every step of the process. When you’re hurt, we’re here to help.
GET A FREE CONSULTATION WITH LARRY PITT
We’re the Firm Your Friends and Family Trust to Protect Them After a Car Accident
Dealing with the after-effects of a collision is hard; choosing the right lawyer for your needs shouldn’t be. Larry Pitt & Associates offers comprehensive and aggressive representation to car and truck crash victims in Pennsylvania. Please call 888-PITT-LAW or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Philadelphia traffic accident lawyer today. We are proud to serve clients throughout:
Our Doylestown Car Accident Lawyers Seek Compensation for Injured Victims
Distracted driving, weather conditions, and failure to obey the rules of the road are just a few of the reasons why the following types of motor vehicle accidents occur. “Auto” accidents can take many forms including:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Public transportation accidents – These include SEPTA accidents (in Doylestown), bus accidents, train accidents, and taxi accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
Most Common Causes of Car Crashes
When you live in a city like Doylestown, you’re surrounded by cars and people at all times. As far as the law is concerned, the leading cause of a serious car accident is “negligence.”
In a car accident case, you will have to prove that your injuries are the result of the negligent behavior of another driver or another person or entity, such as a manufacturer.
A car accident can happen any time – day or night – and for any number of reasons. Doylestown car accidents are often the result of:
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Driving aggressively (road rage)
- Failing to obey traffic signals
- Drowsy driving
- Distracted driving e.g. using a mobile device (texting, talking, emailing)
- Adjusting the radio or GPS/Maps
- Grooming such as shaving or applying makeup
- Adjusting the radio or other music device
- Rubbernecking
- Watching videos
- Interacting with other passengers
- Looking for an object in the vehicle while driving
- Reading or writing
- Drunk driving or driving under the influence (DUI)
- Driver cutting other drivers off
- Drivers are unable to see around blind spots, like double-parked cars or delivery trucks
- Drivers ignoring the laws for crosswalks
- Out-of-staters not knowing the rules of the road
- People cutting into bike lanes
- Stop-and-go traffic patterns
- Trying to “beat” the light, either on the straight-away or around corners
- Wrong-way collisions on one-way roads
- Driving at night
- Driving without a license
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Unsafe or illegal turns
- Defect of your vehicle or another’s vehicle
- Negligent maintenance
- Hazardous or dangerous roadway
While this is a fairly comprehensive list, there may be another reason for a car or truck accident. If you have been injured by or while in a vehicle, you may have a car accident claim. Have an experienced Doylestown car accident attorney evaluate your case.
Accidents Covered by a Car Accident Lawsuit
In any case where the other driver was negligent, you are entitled to recover damages. There are numerous types of car accidents that can occur on the roadways of Doylestown, however, the common ones are:
- Head-on collision
- Side impact or T-bone crash
- Rear-end collision
- Rollover accident
- Intersection crash
In any of the above crashes, a person may sustain serious injury or even death. There may be economic damages such as medical expenses and lost wages or non-economic damages like emotional distress or pain and suffering. Your Doylestown car accident attorneys will evaluate your case, where and how it occurred, and advise you on how to build the strongest case and recover money for your serious injuries.
Injuries Covered in a Motor Vehicle Accident Case
As an accident victim, you may have suffered severe or even catastrophic injuries leading to economic claims (lost wages, medical bills) or non-economic damages (emotional distress). These are injuries for which you can recover damages including but not limited to:
- Broken bones – Fractures are common in the legs and arms
- Brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck and back injuries – Rear-end collisions may result in a herniated or ruptured disc
- Whiplash
- Lacerations
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Scarring
- Sprain, strains and soft tissue damage
- Mental or emotional anguish – The severe physical pain from a motor vehicle accident can cause long-lasting emotional harm.
- Loss of vision or hearing
- Amputation
- Paralysis
- Wrongful death
A Doylestown car accident attorney will be best able to evaluate your case and determine, based on the facts and circumstances, what kind of car accident claim you may have under Pennsylvania law for your physical pain, medical bills, medical treatment, and non-economic damages.
The Dangers of Collisions With Commercial Trucks
A commercial truck, such as an 18-wheeler or a delivery truck, can outweigh the average car by up to 76,000 lbs. With that amount of mass, a passenger car hit at any speed could cause serious damage and injury. If you are on a bike or a motorcycle, or on foot when you are hit, you could sustain catastrophic injuries: one that is long-lasting if not permanent, and will change your life forever. Collisions with commercial trucks can lead to permanent brain damage, paralysis, loss of limbs, coma, or death.
Commercial trucks like semis are also dangerous because they cannot slow down or stop as quickly as a car. Their weight simply prevents them from doing so. Therefore, it may be impossible for a truck to avoid a collision with another car. If the driver slams the brakes too hard or attempts to swerve into another lane, he or she risks:
- Causing a multi-car pile-up
- Crashing into a building or other stationary object
- Flipping the truck over
- Jackknifing the truck
- Spilling cargo and debris on the roadway
Because car drivers can easily fall into a truck’s blind spot, they are vulnerable to crashes and the danger increases if that truck is carrying chemicals or other harmful objects. A crash with a commercial vehicle is almost certain to be devastating, if not deadly.
Monetary Damages That Can Be Recovered in a Car or Truck Accident Case
There is no simple answer to this question. Each case has to be evaluated by an experienced car accident attorney in order to determine the potential amount of damages an injured person can recover.
Initially, your Doylestown car accident lawyer will weigh how severe your injuries were; your age and health at the time of the accident; whether you have a job or not and if you were the sole provider for the family, and how many members you supported; whether you had any fault in the accident; and the amount and type of insurance you have. In a car accident case, you may be able to recover economic, noneconomic, and punitive damages. In Pennsylvania, there are two main types of damages: compensatory damages and punitive damages: Compensatory damages are designed to make you whole after an accident. You may suffer both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages will compensate you for financial costs incurred as a result of the accident. The idea is to “make you whole” or in other words, put you back in the financial place you were in before the crash. Such damages would include:
- Present and future medical expenses which include ambulance fees, hospitalization, surgery, medication, medical equipment, surgeries, and doctor visits
- Physical therapy and other necessary and related rehabilitation treatment and costs
- The cost of replacing or repairing damaged property
- Lost Income and wages
- Loss of future earnings
- Temporary or permanent disability
These types of damages are relatively straightforward. So long as they are related to the accident, they are proven by the medical bills and expenses incurred. Non-economic damages by their nature are more difficult to calculate. This is where pain and suffering and emotional distress are covered. These damages include:
- Loss of ability to work
- Loss of future earnings
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium (deprivation of family relationship including affection or personal physical reactions)
- Emotional pain and distress
These damages require a different level of proof than the economic damages as there are no bills to prove the amount. This does not mean the damages are any less real. They require the experience and knowledge of a car accident lawyer. An attorney will have knowledge of how the insurance company may weigh a personal injury claim for these non-economic damages and be able to evaluate what kind of demand they may make and/or argue for in a settlement conference or at a trial. Punitive damages are designed to punish a person for intentional conduct. This means their conduct that led to your injuries was more than negligent. While punitive damages may not be appropriate in a car accident case, that does not mean your Doylestown car accident lawyer won’t consider them depending on the facts of your case. If the person who causes your accident and injuries was operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, drove recklessly, engaged in grossly negligent behavior, or had a willful disregard for the safety of other parties, punitive damages may be awarded. This will be determined by your Doylestown car accident lawyer and by the court.
What Our Clients Say
Philadelphia Car & Truck Accident FAQs
What are the Most Common Causes of Car Crashes?
When you live in a city like Philadelphia, you’re surrounded by cars and people at all times. As far as the law is concerned, the leading cause of a serious car accident is “negligence.”
In a car accident case, you will have to prove that your injuries are the result of the negligent behavior of another driver or another person or entity, such as a manufacturer.
A car accident can happen any time – day or night – and for any number of reasons. Philadelphia car accidents are often the result of:
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Driving aggressively (road rage)
- Failing to obey traffic signals
- Drowsy driving
- Distracted driving e.g. using a mobile device (texting, talking, emailing)
- Adjusting the radio or GPS/Maps
- Grooming such as shaving or applying makeup
- Adjusting the radio or other music device
- Rubbernecking
- Watching videos
- Interacting with other passengers
- Looking for an object in the vehicle while driving
- Reading or writing
- Drunk driving or driving under the influence (DUI)
- Driver cutting other drivers off
- Drivers are unable to see around blind spots, like double-parked cars or delivery trucks
- Drivers ignoring the laws for crosswalks
- Out-of-staters not knowing the rules of the road
- People cutting into bike lanes
- Stop-and-go traffic patterns
- Trying to “beat” the light, either on the straight-away or around corners
- Wrong-way collisions on one-way roads
- Driving at night
- Driving without a license
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Unsafe or illegal turns
- Defect of your vehicle or another’s vehicle
- Negligent maintenance
- Hazardous or dangerous roadway
While this is a fairly comprehensive list, there may be another reason for a car or truck accident. If you have been injured by or while in a vehicle, you may have a car accident claim. Have an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney evaluate your case.
What Kinds of Accidents are Covered by a Car Accident Lawsuit?
In any case where the other driver was negligent, you are entitled to recover damages. There are numerous types of car accidents that can occur on the roadways of Philadelphia, however, the common ones are:
- Head-on collision
- Side impact or T-bone crash
- Rear-end collision
- Rollover accident
- Intersection crash
In any of the above crashes, a person may sustain serious injury or even death. There may be economic damages such as medical expenses and lost wages or non-economic damages like emotional distress or pain and suffering.
Your Philadelphia car accident attorneys will evaluate your case, where and how it occurred, and advise you on how to build the strongest case and recover money for your serious injuries.
What Kinds of Injuries are Covered in a Motor Vehicle Accident Case?
As an accident victim, you may have suffered severe or even catastrophic injuries leading to economic claims (lost wages, medical bills) or non-economic damages (emotional distress). These are injuries for which you can recover damages including but not limited to:
- Broken bones – Fractures are common in the legs and arms
- Brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck and back injuries – Rear-end collisions may result in a herniated or ruptured disc
- Whiplash
- Lacerations
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Scarring
- Sprain, strains and soft tissue damage
- Mental or emotional anguish – The severe physical pain from a motor vehicle accident can cause long-lasting emotional harm.
- Loss of vision or hearing
- Amputation
- Paralysis
- Wrongful death
A Philadelphia car accident attorney will be best able to evaluate your case and determine, based on the facts and circumstances, what kind of car accident claim you may have under Pennsylvania law for your physical pain, medical bills, medical treatment, and non-economic damages.
What Kind of Monetary Damages Can I Recover in a Car or Truck Accident Case?
There is no simple answer to this question. Each case has to be evaluated by an experienced car accident attorney in order to determine the potential amount of damages an injured person can recover.
Initially, your Philadelphia car accident lawyer will weigh how severe your injuries were; your age and health at the time of the accident; whether you have a job or not and if you were the sole provider for the family, and how many members you supported; whether you had any fault in the accident; and the amount and type of insurance you have.
In a car accident case, you may be able to recover economic, noneconomic, and punitive damages.
In Pennsylvania, there are two main types of damages: compensatory damages and punitive damages:
- Compensatory damages are designed to make you whole after an accident. You may suffer both economic and non-economic damages.
- Economic damages will compensate you for financial costs incurred as a result of the accident. The idea is to “make you whole” or in other words, put you back in the financial place you were in before the crash. Such damages would include:
- Present and future medical expenses which include ambulance fees, hospitalization, surgery, medication, medical equipment, surgeries, and doctor visits
- Physical therapy and other necessary and related rehabilitation treatment and costs
- The cost of replacing or repairing damaged property
- Lost Income and wages
- Loss of future earnings
- Temporary or permanent disability
These types of damages are relatively straightforward. So long as they are related to the accident, they are proven by the medical bills and expenses incurred.
Non-economic damages by their nature are more difficult to calculate. This is where pain and suffering and emotional distress are covered. These damages include:
- Loss of ability to work
- Loss of future earnings
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium (deprivation of family relationship including affection or personal physical reactions)
- Emotional pain and distress
These damages require a different level of proof than the economic damages as there are no bills to prove the amount. This does not mean the damages are any less real. They require the experience and knowledge of a car accident lawyer. An attorney will have knowledge of how the insurance company may weigh a personal injury claim for these non-economic damages and be able to evaluate what kind of demand they may make and/or argue for in a settlement conference or at a trial.
Punitive damages are designed to punish a person for intentional conduct. This means their conduct that led to your injuries was more than negligent. While punitive damages may not be appropriate in a car accident case, that does not mean your Philadelphia car accident lawyer won’t consider them depending on the facts of your case.
If the person who causes your accident and injuries was operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, drove recklessly, engaged in grossly negligent behavior, or had a willful disregard for the safety of other parties, punitive damages may be awarded. This will be determined by your Philadelphia car accident lawyer and by the court.
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me if I am in a Car or Truck Crash?
When seeking an accident lawyer in Philadelphia or surrounding areas, make certain that this personal injury lawyer has experience in these types of car accident cases. We’ve been handling them for more than 40 years, and we’ve helped countless people by:
- Working with the doctors. We review your medical records, communicate with your doctors, and make sure all of your information is collected for the purpose of building a case.
- Investigating the accident. We’ll speak to witnesses, schedule and take depositions, and review the police records. We’ll also review any footage available, whether that comes from people posting videos on social media, or from traffic and security cameras at local storefronts.
- Look into potential defects. If the truck had, say, defective air brakes or the car was on the recall list, but the part wasn’t available yet from the manufacturer, you may have grounds for a Philadelphia car accident claim against that manufacturer.
- Dealing with the insurance company. Your insurance company doesn’t want to pay you. They want to keep their money. As such, most insurers offer lowball offers hoping you will take it before you have a lawyer. We don’t back down when it comes to negotiating a fair settlement offer. We also don’t force you to take an offer you don’t want, because we are prepared to fight to make you whole.
- Prepare every case for trial. A lot of our clients want to avoid jury trials, but sometimes, that’s the only way to get the insurance companies or other negligent parties to play fair. Because we’re willing to go to trial, our clients often get better settlement offers right from the start. When they don’t, we put our considerable skills to use in a trial setting.
Truck collisions can lead to a lifetime of pain and suffering. They can also leave you with extensive medical bills and the inability to work. We make sure you’re protected at every step. Your job is to recover. Our job is to recover money for the injuries you sustained.
What Should I Do If I’ve Been in a Car or Truck Accident in Philadelphia?
The first thing anyone should do if involved in a car crash is to seek medical treatment. Your health and well-being are paramount.
If you or a family member or other person on your behalf is able, you should follow these general guidelines. It will protect you, make your case stronger and enable your Philadelphia car accident lawyers to better evaluate your case:
- Obtain copies of the police report and ambulance report
- Collect the names of all parties involved
- Collect the names of witnesses
- Call your car insurance company
- Obtain a copy of your medical records
- Journal all facts and details you remember about the accident
- Journal your medical treatment and condition
- Keep all doctor appointments and follow doctor’s orders for recovery and treatment
- Do not speak to the other party’s insurance adjusters
- Do not give a recorded statement to an adjuster or car insurance company
- Do not admit fault to any parties, witnesses, insurance adjusters, or others
- Stay off social media (no comments, photos, or updates on your status)
- Do not repair your vehicle until advised to do so by your personal injury attorney
- Do not sign any documents until you understand them and consulted with an attorney
- Hire an experienced car accident lawyer
Finally, contact Larry Pitt & Associates. An experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney can evaluate your case and ensure that you receive the appropriate compensation for pain, suffering, medical expenses, lost income or wages, loss of enjoyment of life activities and more. Our Philadelphia car accident lawyers know the law, so let us put our knowledge to work for you. Contact us today and schedule a free consultation.
We will review the facts of your case, explain the process, discuss the legal options available to you, and answer any questions or concerns that you may have. You don’t have to go through this process alone. Our experienced car accident lawyers are here to help. We understand the complexities of the car accident system, and we will do our best to fight for you and protect your rights. Contact us today. Let us get started on helping you make things right.
What are the Most Common Types of Truck Accident Cases?
The most common types of truck accidents include rear-ending collisions, side-swipe crashes, jackknife accidents, rollover accidents, underride collisions, and head-on collisions.
When Should You Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer After a Car Crash?
You should hire a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after a car crash. Your car accident lawyer knows Pennsylvania law and can help you understand your legal rights, assess the value of any car accident claims you may have against the other driver, and help you obtain compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other costs related to the accident.
Legal representation will be critical immediately after the accident and moving forward and it’s unlikely you will have the Philadelphia car accident resources personal injury lawyers have.
What are the Qualities of a Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer?
The top qualities of a car accident lawyer include:
- Knowledge and experience in the field of personal injury law including the rights you have to collect for medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation long term care.
- Excellent communication skills to negotiate with insurance adjusters, judges, and other lawyers.
- Analytical thinking skills to assess liability, evidence, and damages resulting from an accident.
- Strong organizational and research abilities to build a strong case. This is critical when negotiating with insurance companies or at trial.
- Compassion for clients to provide support during difficult times.
- Diligence for timely filing of documents and attending court proceedings as needed.
- Ability to work long hours as many cases require extensive preparation and follow-up work
