With all the distractions bombarding motorists on the road today, driving can be a dangerous activity, but few vehicles represent as great a danger to drivers as a vehicle transporter, also known as a car transporter or auto hauler. As the name implies, these hulking machines are used to cart vehicles around from one place to another, often in batches of nine or 10, but their bulk can make them tough to maneuver or stop.
If you or a loved one was injured by a vehicle transporter in the Philadelphia area, know that experienced legal assistance is essential to ensuring that justice is done – assistance that’s just a phone call away. To speak with a Philadelphia car accident lawyer for car accidents caused by vehicle transporters, contact the Reiff Law Firm today at (215) 709-6940 and get the help you deserve.
Establishing Liability in a Philadelphia Car Accident Caused by a Vehicle Transporter
Car accidents can be traumatic experiences, even when they don’t involve huge trucks loaded down with cars and SUVs. If you were involved in a collision with one of these vehicles in or near Philadelphia, you already know that the damage can be extensive, both to people and property, but before you can be compensated for those damages, someone – a judge, jury, insurance claim adjuster, or attorney – will have to establish liability.
To do so, the various factors in play at the time of the accident will be examined, namely those over which you and the operator of the vehicle transporter had control. If, at the time of the collision, you were observing all relevant traffic laws – driving within the speed limit, using turn signals, keeping your eyes on the road, etc. – then you may not be considered at all liable for the accident. However, there are cases in which a driver may be considered partly at fault, even if their actions didn’t directly cause the car accident, which is where a skilled lawyer can come in handy. A Philadelphia attorney with experience in car accident cases can advocate on your behalf and limit your liability after the accident as much as possible, which can significantly impact the amount of compensation you receive.
Fault and Compensation in Car Accidents Caused by Vehicle Transporters in Philadelphia
As with other cities in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and the surrounding towns must follow what’s called the “modified comparative fault” rule when it comes to car accidents caused by vehicle transporters, a legal principle that essentially means that any liability the injured party has for the accident will be deducted from the damages they receive as compensation. In practice, the principle works like this:
Say your car was totaled in the collision with the vehicle transporter, and you received some serious injuries as well, ones that led to an extensive hospital stay and correspondingly high medical costs. In total, your damages are eventually valued at $200,000, but you were found to bear 20% of the fault for the accident because you had glanced at the radio right before impact. At the end of the proceedings, you would lose 20% of that $200,000 and ultimately be awarded $160,000 instead.
As you can see, even a small degree of fault can translate to a significant loss of compensation – $40,000, in the example above – so it’s worth your while to seek out a qualified legal representative who can make your case effectively and get you the compensation you deserve.
How a Philadelphia Lawyer Can Help After a Car Accident Caused by a Vehicle Transporter
When it comes to determining fault and maximizing compensation, a skilled attorney can go a long way, but the aid of a legal expert can help with much more than just these two areas. The following are a few of the ways a Philadelphia lawyer for car accidents caused by vehicle transporters can assist you in seeking justice:
Statute of Limitations
After you’ve been in a car accident caused by a vehicle transporter, you’ll probably need to take some to recover, but it’s important to keep in mind that there’s a limit – called the “statute of limitations” – on how long you have to file a lawsuit related to the accident. In Philadelphia, the statute of limitations car accident lawsuits is two years, but the reality is often more complicated, especially in the case of injury or death; a qualified attorney can explain how this statute applies to your cases and how much time you have to file.
Court Filings
Pursuing a legal claim against the driver of a vehicle transporter or their employer is a complicated process that requires submitting significant amounts of paperwork according to very specific deadlines and making an argument based on arcane legal details and precedents. A skilled attorney can make this process infinitely easier and help ensure that your claim has the best chance of success.
Settlements
It’s not often reflected on television, but the reality of personal injury law is that few cases make it in front of a jury; much more often, the parties involved settle their dispute outside the courtroom through a settlement. In virtually every settlement process, the liable individual or business will offer some amount – typically much less than what the claim is worth – that must then be countered. Ultimately, it takes intimate knowledge of these types of claims to effectively negotiate a settlement and get you just compensation, knowledge that an experienced Philadelphia lawyer can provide.
Get Effective Representation After Your Car Accident Caused by a Vehicle Transporter in Philadelphia
At the end of the day, the last thing you probably want to expend energy on is a lawsuit, but those injured in car accidents often need the compensation awarded through legal action to pay medical bills and repair costs. By hiring the Philadelphia lawyers for car accidents caused by vehicle transporters at the Reiff Law Firm, you can rest easy in the knowledge that your case is in experienced hands. Contact our offices today to set up a free consultation and discuss your case with a legal professional; reach us online or by calling (215) 709-6940.
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