Following a devastating car accident, your main concern should be getting the medical treatment you need to recover from your injuries. The last thing on your mind should be how you are going to pay for car repairs and medical bills. Once you are stable, however, you should begin to look into whether you may be able to recover damages from the other driver. If the other driver is found to be at fault in causing the accident, he may have to compensate you for your losses.
Costs That Can Be Recovered in a PA Car Accident Claim
When you work with a personal injury attorney, you can be sure that he will pursue every possible source of compensation following a serious car accident. Damages that could be recovered from the at-fault driver’s insurance company include the following:
- Property damage. Any damage to your car should be repaired or, if the car was totaled, you should receive replacement value. In addition, you should be compensated for any personal property—such as a laptop or mobile phone—that was in the car at the time of the crash and was damaged.
- Medical bills. You should be reimbursed for all of your medical expenses, including emergency treatment, doctor visits, tests and scans, follow-up therapies, and more. It may be worth waiting until you have achieved maximum medical improvement before totaling your medical expenses.
- Lost wages. If you had to miss work to recover from your injuries, compensation from the at-fault party should include any of the wages you lost while you were off work. If you used vacation or sick time for this, you should be reimbursed for those losses as well.
- Pain and suffering. Considered non-economic damages because there is no easy way to put a price tag on physical pain and emotional distress, an experienced attorney can argue your eligibility for these damages, which could be substantial.
How Much Compensation Can You Get?
This is the first question many clients have for us, but one we cannot easily answer. In general, the compensation you can recover from an at-fault driver will be limited to the amount of his car insurance liability policy. Pennsylvania requires drivers to carry a minimum of $15,000 bodily injury liability coverage and $5,000 property damage liability coverage. So, if the driver who caused your crash is only carrying minimal coverage, this will be all you can get. If this does not cover your expenses, you can look to your own health and auto insurance policies.
Call Us to Learn More
If you have questions about seeking compensation from the driver who caused your accident, call the car accident attorneys at Accident & Injury Law Group today to schedule a free case evaluation.