Helpful Advice for Car Accident Victims

Pennsylvania law states that if you have been injured by another person’s negligence, recklessness, or carelessness, you are entitled to recover damages. These damages include your medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and out-of-pocket expenses.

• Generally, in auto accident cases, insurance companies immediately employ techniques to convince victims to settle their cases very quickly. But there are some very important things to consider before accepting any settlement in your favor
• Insurance companies will try to convince you to settle early and without the need for a lawyer.
• Insurance companies will try to make you admit you are feeling better, or not hurt at all, and then later when you haven’t recovered from your injuries, they use your statements against you.

Research from the Insurance Research Institute of America, an Insurance Industry think tank, has found that represented victims receive over three times more compensation than unrepresented victims.

There are several important things to remember to help protect yourself if you are in an automobile accident.

• Always protect yourself and any other injured victims. You do have an obligation to stay at the scene of the accident in the event that there is property damage or injuries.
• Always call the police to report the accident.
• You should never blame anyone or assume blame.
• Never discuss your physical condition, other than indicating that you are going to seek medical attention.
• Always report the accident to your insurance company, but do not provide representations of your physical condition.
• Call Caputo and Mariotti to discuss your case.

The type of insurance that you or the driver may have can greatly affect the outcome of your settlement, therefore it is essential to understand the differences between full tort and limited tort.

Limited tort is a type of auto insurance where a person gives up his or her right to receive compensation for pain and suffering if they are injured in an automobile accident. It may require you to meet certain subjective injury thresholds as to the seriousness of your injuries. For just a 15% percent savings on your insurance premiums, you are giving up the right for you and your family members to receive pain and suffering in the event that they are in an automobile accident.

Full tort insurance allows you and your family to receive compensation for pain and suffering. It also removes subjective evaluations of injuries from the equation. And finally, it allows for the presentation of how the injuries will affect a person.

For more information regarding automobile accident injuries in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pittston, or anywhere in Pennsylvania, contact Caputo and Mariotti today to schedule a free consultation.