Plum Car Accident Lawyer

Plum Car Accident Attorney in Plum, PA

Car accidents in and around Plum are common occurrences that generate millions in damage and losses. Victims can experience injuries that effectively change the course of their lives forever. When it’s time for victims to get the compensation they need for their losses, car accident attorneys fight to ensure they receive the damages they deserve.

Who Pays After a Car Accident?

Everyone involved in a car accident wants to know who pays after the crash, whether it happens on Fern Hollow Bridge or on Plum’s Golden Mile Highway. The answer is that it depends. In Pennsylvania, car accident crash victims may potentially see compensation from no-fault insurance, liability insurance, or other sources. At SMT Legal, we vigorously pursue every potential source of damages for your losses.

No-Fault Insurance

If you’ve been in an accident, you may have some of your economic damages covered by no-fault insurance coverage. If this is the case, you are permitted to claim limited economic damages without proving fault. There are some exceptions, however, including:

• Drunk driving accident
• Commercial vehicle accident
• Out-of-state vehicle
• Motorcycle accident
• Pedestrian accident
• Serious bodily impact

Unfortunately, no-fault insurance does not pay full economic damages, such as full lost-wage replacement. No-fault also bars you from seeking non-economic damages as well. Instead of standard personal injury damages, no-fault (limited tort) pays:

• Reasonable medical bills
• Limited lost wages
• Limited expenses related to the car crash

To pursue full damages, you can sue under one of the exceptions if appropriate. This will initially entail making a claim against the defendant’s liability insurance coverage.

Liability Insurance

Compensation claims against liability insurance are not bound by no-fault rules. Instead, victims seek full compensation for their losses. However, they must keep in mind the following two factors, among others:

• A case for liability must be made
• Policy limits may not cover a victim’s entire losses

Whereas no-fault compensation is paid out without the need for a case for liability, liability insurance requires victims to build a strong case. Evidence must be gathered and proper civil procedure must be followed

Attorneys are necessary regardless of the type of insurance. However, they are especially needed when it comes to liability insurance claims. Insurance companies vigorously defend their profits by limiting the payouts they make.

SMT Legal routinely holds insurance companies accountable for more compensation than they initially offer. Sadly, many unrepresented clients agree to settle for far less than they deserve because they are simply unaware of the breadth of their right to compensation.

With liability insurance, damages include non-economic damages, which reflect the intangible losses in your life. They include:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Emotional distress

Many accident victims are unaware of this classification of damages and accept low-ball compensation payouts. At SMT Legal, we make sure our clients are aware of what they are owed so no compensation is left behind.

Other Sources of Compensation

Depending on the circumstances of your auto crash, you may have access to other forms of insurance to cover your damages, including:

Uninsured motorist coverage, which is optional in Pennsylvania An employer’s liability insurance if an on-the-clock driver caused your crash Workers’ comp insurance if you were on the clock The insurance policies of government agencies responsible for your crash

It may also be reasonable to sue the defendant directly. However, not all efforts at suing a defendant will yield results.

SMT Legal meticulously reviews your case to determine all types of compensation available to cover your losses. If the funds are there, we will fight hard to recover them.

Why You Need a Car Accident Lawyer?

Whether you have suffered an accident in town on Old Leechburg Road or on I-76 heading north or south, you need an advocate to compel insurance company adjusters to pay you out properly. Insurance companies exist to cover losses as well as make a profit. However, profit is what drives these businesses, not the well-being of car accident victims.

Because of this, victims should never assume insurance companies are on their side. Adjusters routinely seek to devalue or reject compensation claims in order to keep profit margins high. Consequently, unsuspecting victims receive far less than they deserve when they do not have experienced representation.

When an experienced lawyer is involved, insurance companies know they have to pay more. They know that attorneys understand the true value of car accident claims and will not be convinced to accept less than the case requires.

Some of the ways your attorney helps include:

• Managing all documents, forms, and paperwork related to your case
• Complying with formal and informal rules governing compensation claims
• Consulting with relevant experts, such as accident, financial, and medical experts
• Investigating your case thoroughly
• Gathering and analyzing evidence
• Dealing directly with insurance companies

Statute of Limitations

There are various deadlines and windows of opportunity to seek compensation after a car accident. Once these have passed, a valid claim for damages will be left unpaid. Regarding the statute of limitations for car accident cases, victims have two years from the date of the accident to seek damages, including damages from:

• No-fault insurance coverage
• Liability insurance coverage
• Employers of liable drivers
• Defective parts manufacturers

In some cases, a government entity or agency may be sued for a car accident. When this is the case, the victim must provide the government with written notice of the intent to sue within six months of the accident.

In general, acting quickly in legal matters is always recommended, especially when compensation is involved. Insurance companies need hard evidence before they pay maximum compensation. However, the quality of an evidence profile can degrade considerably over time.

For example, waiting too long to seek compensation often leads to the unavailability of powerful evidence, such as video footage that is deleted after a certain time. Witnesses are also problematic after too much time, and they might not even be located.

Once SMT Legal is representing you, we immediately set out to gather and preserve evidence and get the wheels turning on the compensation process. In every case, we seek to get you paid out promptly and properly.

Car Accident Lawyer Costs

We take car accident cases on a fee-contingent basis. This form of billing requires no upfront payments for our services. When your case is over, we are paid a percentage of the compensation we recover on your behalf. If we recover zero, you owe nothing.

At SMT Legal, our extensive experience has taught us that insurance companies don’t pay unless an attorney compels them to. As your attorneys, we will thoroughly evaluate your claim and pursue compensation appropriate to our findings.

Protecting your rights. Restoring your future.

This Changes Everything. We’re Ready Anyway.

Call Now : 412-765-3345

Get the Representation You Deserve

If you have been in a car accident, you can expect the insurance company to fight you every step of the way in your pursuit of proper compensation. With a car accident attorney on your side, you can also expect much higher chances of getting the money you deserve.

For a free consultation and case review, contact the car accident lawyers at SMT Legal. Let’s get started on recovering the money you are owed. Call our office to schedule a meeting today, or reach out online.