Understanding Pennsylvania Personal Injury Law: An Overview for Victims
You were injured by another party, and you are interested in taking legal action to see if you can recover compensation for your damages. If you are unsure about Pennsyvlania’s personal injury laws, then it can be advantageous to take your case to an attorney seasoned and trained in tort law in the Keystone State.
A business, government body, or another individual can behave in a careless manner, and their actions can lead to another party being injured or losing their life. A personal injury claim is a civil action that can help victims in these situations recover costs for damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, property damages, and more. The Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP can help victims protect themselves and obtain justice through the personal injury claims process.
If you were injured in Pennsylvania or Delaware, you may be able to file a personal injury claim for compensation. An attorney at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP can discuss your options with you.
Explaining Pennsylvania Personal Injury Law
An unintentional injury event that results in physical injuries can benefit from a personal injury claim for monetary compensation. A fatal unintentional injury event where the victim dies would benefit from filing a wrongful death claim.
Claims must be filed by the statute of limitations in order for victims to have a chance at obtaining compensation. The statute of limitations for most personal injury cases in Pennsylvania is two years. That means that victims will only have two years to take legal action after their accident. If they fail to do so, they will lose their right to compensation. Claims against a government entity will only have six months from when the accident took place.
When determining who is responsible for causing an accident, Pennsylvania follows a shared-fault system or a modified comparative negligence system. So, in an injury accident, you and another party can both have some fault for it happening. As long as you are not more than 50% responsible for causing the accident, you can recover compensation. However, if you are found to be more than 50% responsible, you will not be able to obtain compensation.
There are several types of personal injury events that can warrant filing a personal injury claim, but only car accidents will abide by no-fault insurance rules. This system says that when a crash happens, the victim has to first go to their own insurance company for coverage of medical costs and lost wages. Only when the injuries that are suffered are serious it could be possible to file a claim against the other party’s insurance provider for compensation.
Dog bite incidents will follow a strict liability premise. This means that the owner of the animal is responsible for paying a victim’s damages.
Speak with an Attorney at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP Today
If you were injured by a negligent party, feel free to call the legal team at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP at (215) 731-9900 to schedule a free consultation where you can go over your case.
