Since auto accidents are often so physically, emotionally, and financially damaging for victims, they can recover compensation by bringing a claim against an at-fault driver in Manayunk.
The first thing you should do at the scene of a car crash in Manayunk is get to safety. If you can remove yourself from your vehicle without causing further injury, do so and move to the sidewalk or away from traffic. Then, exchange information with the negligent driver and call 911. When waiting for police to arrive, do not have any unnecessary conversations with the other driver about the accident, as that might be used against you in your case. Instead, photograph your injuries and talk to eyewitnesses so that we can interview them in the future. After you leave the accident location and get medical care, our lawyers can bring your case within the statute of limitations, which is two years in Pennsylvania.
To get help with your case from our Philadelphia car accident lawyers, you can call The Reiff Law Firm now at (215) 709-6940.
What to Do at the Scene of a Car Accident in Manayunk
Following an auto accident in Manayunk, there are things victims must do. Some of these steps are required by law, and others are necessary for the success of a compensation claim against a negligent driver.
Get to Safety
The most important thing after an auto accident in Manayunk is your physical safety. If you are able, remove yourself from the vehicle and get off of the road. Move to a safe area away from traffic where you can wait for the police and paramedics to reach the scene. If you are unable to get out of the car safely, wait for emergency personnel to arrive. Certain injuries, like neck and back injuries, might worsen if victims attempt to remove themselves from their vehicles without the proper assistance.
Exchange Information
You can then focus on exchanging information. According to 75 Pa.C.S. § 3744(a), parties involved in motor vehicle accidents in Pennsylvania must stop and exchange insurance information with one another. Get the negligent driver’s name and liability insurance information if you can. If you are too severely injured to do this, you can wait for law enforcement to arrive at the scene. Have minimal contact when engaging with the negligent driver at the accident location. Do not have any unnecessary conversations or go over the sequence of events of the accident. This might result in you misspeaking or accepting fault for the crash in question.
Call 911
On top of exchanging information, there are additional legal requirements for victims of auto accidents in Manayunk. According to 75 Pa.C.S. § 3746(a), this includes calling 911, which is mandatory for accidents that result in injury or death. If you were injured in a crash, do not leave the scene without speaking to law enforcement. Tell them what happened to the best of your ability. Give them your information, like your name and driver’s license number. Officers will include this information and additional details pertinent to the crash in an accident report. We can help you obtain this report from the Philadelphia Police Department in the days following your accident in Manayunk.
Take Photos
Also, while you are at the accident scene, take pictures. Victims can photograph any visible injuries they sustained as well as any property damage to their vehicles. Taking videos of the accident scene may also be helpful to our car accident lawyers when building your case. We can review any pictures or footage of the accident and its fallout to help establish the defendant’s negligence. In addition to photos taken by victims, we may obtain videos from nearby security cameras to use as evidence in your compensation claim in Manayunk.
Talk to Eyewitnesses
While you are still at the location of an auto accident, talk to eyewitnesses. These conversations do not have to be extensive. Just ask for their names and phone numbers and explain that our attorneys might reach out to them in the coming days. We can interview eyewitnesses to get their statements, which can be important evidence in a compensation claim in Manayunk. If you were unable to talk to eyewitnesses because you were too injured, our lawyers may learn of their identities from the police report for your accident.
When and How to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Manayunk
Knowing when to file your lawsuit will be important for your recovery following a car crash in Manayunk, as will knowing how to sue for damages. Our lawyers can bring your claim by the filing deadline so that you have the best chance of recovery.
According to 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524, the filing deadline for motor vehicle accident claims in Pennsylvania is two years. On top of knowing when to bring your claim, you must also determine if you can sue for all compensatory damages related to your case. Pennsylvania is a choice no-fault state for auto accidents, meaning drivers can choose whether or not they will be subject to the tort threshold when purchasing car insurance. If you have full tort insurance, you can file a claim for both economic and non-economic damages, no matter how serious your injuries are. If you have limited tort insurance in Manayunk, you can only bring a claim for non-economic losses if your injuries are serious enough. Serious injuries, as defined in 75 Pa.C.S. § 1702, include death, serious impairment of a body function, and permanent serious disfigurement.
Once we have established the filing deadline for your claim and the damages available to you, we can officially initiate your case. This will require us to file a complaint with the court. This complaint will name the defendant, outline the circumstances of the accident, and include your desired compensation for a car crash in Manayunk.
Call Our Manayunk Lawyers to Discuss Your Auto Accident Case Today
To get a free assessment of your case from The Reiff Law Firm’s car accident lawyers, call us now at (215) 709-6940.
