AUTO ACCIDENTS

Being involved in a car accident can be a life-changing experience. The damage to your vehicle is usually frustrating to deal with; however, you may also suffer serious, long-term injuries you must live with for the rest of your life. Even emotional trauma can take a toll on you and your family. 

Along with these challenges, trying to fight big insurance companies will make a hard situation even more complex. Remember, insurance adjusters have the training to help minimize payments to car accident victims. When they pay you less, it means more profits for the company. At The Cochran Firm, our legal team is ready to help. 

Our legal team has years of experience defending accident victims just like you. We will work to help ensure you recover the compensation you deserve for your damages and injuries. 

It’s worth mentioning that car accidents are one of the most common causes of personal injuries in Philadelphia and the entire state of Pennsylvania. While this is true, the collisions also create complex personal injury claim situations. Whether your goal is to increase the compensation you receive from the insurance company or to ensure that justice is served, having the help of our skilled personal injury attorneys can be invaluable. Our firm offers guidance during the initial settlement negotiations to ensure that you achieve the best possible outcome for your case. 

Pennsylvania is a “No-Fault” Insurance State 

Pennsylvania is considered a “no-fault” insurance state. The phrase “no-fault” refers to how benefits are applied from an injured party’s personal auto insurance policy. 

What this means is that no matter who is to blame for a car accident, some benefits, including wage loss coverage and medical payments, are covered by the victim’s insurance policy. If you or someone who lives with you was injured in a car accident, the benefits provided by your auto insurance policy would be used as a payment source to cover these costs. If you happen to use all the benefits offered by your insurance policy, then it is possible to seek the balance of your losses from the at-fault party’s insurance provider. 

An example would be if you purchased an auto insurance policy with a medical benefit of $5,000. When you were involved in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, your insurance provider will pay medical costs up to that $5,000 limit. If you have medical bills that exceed your policy’s limits, then the at-fault party’s insurance company must cover the balance of your bills (anything that exceeds the $5,000 limit). 

If you were not at fault for a car accident and recover compensation, your insurance company is not allowed to increase your premium. 

Our legal team will work to ensure that your insurance company and the other party’s insurance company pay the benefits that you are owed. We will also work to ensure that your premiums are not increased for an accident that was not your fault. 

Common Types of Car Accident Cases Our Legal Team Can Handle 

At The Cochran Firm, we can handle all types of car accident cases. Some of the most common that we represent include:

Head-On Collisions 

A head-on collision is one of the deadliest types of accidents. During a head-on collision, the front portion of a vehicle can crush passengers and pin them in between the seat and dashboard. 

Rear-End Accidents 

A rear-end collision takes place if a vehicle in the front of another stops suddenly and the vehicle behind them speeds up, colliding with their rear bumper. In most situations of rear-end collisions, the car in the rear will be considered at fault for the accident. It’s worth mentioning that speeds as low as 20 mph can result in serious injuries to the back and neck. It does not take a lot of speed in this type of accident to cause serious injuries or impairment.  

Commercial Truck Accidents 

An accident that is caused by larger commercial vehicles can be devastating for smaller passenger vehicles. In almost 70% of all truck accidents, the fatalities and injuries that occur are to those in the other vehicle (not the large truck). In most cases, a passenger vehicle is unable to stand up to the impact caused when a large truck or tractor-trailer collides with them, which means the occupants will often experience severe injuries. Due to this, most insurance companies will aggressively fight claims involving large trucks. Because of the injuries and damages that may occur, it’s recommended that you hire a Philadelphia truck accident attorney right away to help protect your rights. 

Accidents Involving Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is considered a common cause of car accidents in Philadelphia and throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Cases of distracted driving because of texting and other types of distraction are growing throughout the U.S. 

Accidents Involving Government Vehicles 

If government vehicles are involved in a collision, it’s necessary for you to act quickly. In most situations, you have to give notice that you have the intention to file a claim within a short period of time. If you don’t provide this notice, then you may lose the right you have to recover compensation for the collision. If you are involved in a car accident with a government vehicle, it’s a good idea to contact our legal team right away to make sure that all deadlines are met so that you can recover the compensation you deserve. 

Speeding-Related Accidents 

If you drive too fast for the road conditions or just drive too fast in general, there is the likelihood that you will cause an accident. Speeding can result in serious accidents and injuries that can impact you and other drivers on the road. It’s important to stay aware of how fast you are going and to make sure that you drive within the set speed limits. This will help you avoid harming yourself or other people on the road. 

Fatigued Driving Accidents 

In most cases, when you think of fatigued drivers, you likely think of truck drivers. While this is not wrong, all drivers can experience fatigue and therefore present a danger to themselves and others when on the road. 

Cases of car accidents involving fatigue tend to happen between the hours of 11 PM and 8 AM. Many people drive overnight for work, which puts them at a higher risk of being involved in this type of accident. 

Intentional Car Accidents 

An intentional car accident occurs when someone drives aggressively. Some of the most common aggressive behaviors that can lead to collisions include:

• Not paying attention to road signs or traffic signals
• Tailgating
• Flashing headlights at another driver
• Not merging or yielding the right of way
• Making frequent or unsafe lane changes.

Rollover Accidents

A rollover accident is considered one of the most serious incidents that can occur because they have extremely high fatality rates. Even though rollover accidents are not as common as the other ones listed here, they still kill many people each year. 

In the state of Pennsylvania, cases of rollover accidents make up about 3.7% of all passenger vehicle accidents; however, they account for about 18.5% of all fatalities. An accident that involves large trucks, vans, or SUVs has a much higher crash rate. In these vehicles, rollovers occur in about 5.4% of accidents but make up 27.7% of fatalities. What this means is that rollover accidents that occur in larger vehicles are about 50% deadlier than with smaller passenger vehicles. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that rollover accidents have a much higher fatality rate for all types of vehicles. 

Some of the most common reasons that rollover accidents occur include:

• Severe weather conditions
• Unsafe driving
• Tire blowouts
• Faulty vehicle designs
• Defective parts.

If a tire on your vehicle loses traction, then the vehicle is at risk of being unstable. Additionally, if you try to drive your vehicle beyond its performance limits, attempt an emergency maneuver, or drive in severe weather, you may lose tire traction. A remedy for this is to utilize the vehicle’s traction control systems, which are also called Electric Stability Control. These systems will help to prevent cases of rollover accidents by 80% or more by reducing the power that goes to the wheels and keep them from losing the grip they have. Today, all vehicles that have been produced since 2012 are required to have the ESC system based on NHTSA regulations. 

Multi-Vehicle Accidents 

Drivers on the road today are more distracted than ever before. This high level of distraction leads to more accidents on Philadelphia roads. In many cases, the most serious accidents that result in fatalities involve multiple vehicles, which include emergency vehicles, trucks, cars, buses, and more. 

If a multi-vehicle accident occurs, there is a high likelihood that the injuries will be catastrophic and life-changing. They can even cause death. A large amount of damage to the vehicles makes it extremely difficult for those inside to protect themselves before another collision occurs. During this type of multi-vehicle accident, some cars and trucks are hit over and over again, which means serious and life-threatening injuries are likely. A multi-vehicle accident may occur for many reasons and can occur in any location and on any type of road. 

Some of the most common locations and reasons for multi-vehicle accidents include:

• Rear-ending: If one car is tailgating another while distracted, it can cause them to collide with the vehicle ahead of them. This type of accident can result in a chain reaction which leads to a multi-vehicle accident situation. 
• Highways: Tailgating, being distracted, and speeding can all lead to a multi-vehicle accident. If you are on the highway when this incident occurs, the outcome will likely be much more serious. 
• Intersections: It’s challenging for vehicles to stop fast enough if they are following other vehicles too closely. Not yielding, stopping suddenly, and running a red light can all result in multi-vehicle accidents. 
• Cross Lane: A vehicle may be sent across multiple lanes of traffic if they are hit during an accident, which results in their vehicle striking many others. In an accident involving a semi-truck jackknife, the length of a trailer is often enough to block three to four full lanes of traffic. 

Common Questions About Philadelphia Car Accidents 

If you have suffered injuries and damages in a Philadelphia car accident, you will likely have a few questions. Because of this, our legal team at The Cochran Firm has taken the time to answer some of the most common questions we are asked. If you have other questions, please reach out to our office right away. 

Should you hire a Philadelphia car accident lawyer for help with your case?

It is smart to get in touch with an attorney as soon as you can after a car accident. These claims are usually more complex than they seem at first. The insurance company has appraisers, agents, and adjusters working for them and protecting their interests. You need the same protection and assistance, which is exactly what an experienced car accident lawyer offers. With our legal team, you will have access to many resources, including attorneys, legal professionals, and case managers who will work to ensure you achieve the best possible outcome for your car accident case. We can investigate what happened, collect evidence, and build a strong case for you. With our help, you will be much more likely to receive fair compensation for your losses and injuries. 

How long do you have to sue after being involved in a Philadelphia car accident?

According to the law in Pennsylvania, you have two years from the date the accident occurred to file your lawsuit for property damage and personal injuries. After the two years pass, you will not be allowed to file a claim. 

You should keep in mind that it will take our legal team time to develop a strong case for your accident claim. Because of this, you need to contact us as soon as you can so we can begin working on your situation. There are some studies that have proven that having a lawyer help with your car accident case will help you receive three times the compensation that individuals without representation received. 

How much will you have to pay for legal representation for your car accident claim?

When you hire our legal team at The Cochran Firm, you will find that we offer our clients payments based on a contingency fee. What this means is that you don’t pay anything upfront for our legal representation. Instead, we recoup our fees if we help you win your case and you receive a settlement. Our firm is going to cover all the upfront costs, including investigating the case, getting expert witnesses, the cost of litigation, and more. 

What is your car accident claim worth?

The value of your car accident claim depends on the severity of the injuries you have suffered and the treatment that you receive. It also depends on whether you will be able to fully recover from your injuries. In most situations, we cannot tell someone the exact value of their case until the investigation is complete. 

In the end, though, the value of your case largely depends on the negotiating skills and abilities of your attorney. Our team has years of experience negotiating with insurance companies to help ensure our clients get the highest amount of compensation possible. You can count on us to aggressively fight for your rights to ensure that you get what you deserve for your accident claim. 

Is the state of Pennsylvania a no-fault state?

You will find that most states in the U.S. are considered “fault” states. This means the insurance company for the at-fault driver will be financially responsible for covering the damages that have resulted from the incident. However, Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, which means that you will first recover compensation from your insurance provider before pursuing compensation from the at-fault party’s insurer. 

Our Legal Team is Ready to Provide You with Quality Representation for Your Philadelphia Car Accident Claim

As you can see, there are a lot of factors that come into play in a Philadelphia car accident case. When it comes to your case, one of the best things you can do is to reach out to our legal team at The Cochran Firm. We are here to help you get the compensation you deserve. 

We understand how much a car accident can impact your life. No matter what type of accident you are involved in or the injuries you suffer, we can help you with your claim. The first step is to get in touch and schedule a free initial consultation. During this meeting, we will learn about your case to ensure that we can provide you with the representation you deserve for the injuries and losses you experienced. Let us help you with your car accident claim.