Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers
We are a team of highly skilled personal injury attorneys. If you have a bodily injury legal issue in or around Philadelphia, New Jersey, we can help. Call us today for a free consultation.
Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers
Each year in Philadelphia, passenger vehicles are involved in more crashes than all other vehicle types combined. Car accidents can cause severe injuries as well as property damage, which is why it’s important to seek legal help to secure the compensation you’ll need for recovery.
At Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq, our Philadelphia car accident lawyers are ready to represent you so you can pay for hospital bills, repair your vehicle, keep up with your bills, and replace lost wages. Navigating the aftermath of an accident is difficult, but we’re here to help.
What To Do After a Car Accident in Philadelphia
Acting quickly after being involved in a car accident in Philadelphia allows you to document the crash and obtain a police report you can later give to your insurer and your Philadelphia car accident lawyers.
Before doing anything else, call the police and an ambulance if people are injured.
Verify that passengers are safe and assess your body to note any injuries. Check that you have feeling in all of your extremities, andif you feel numbness or tingling, don’t move. Wait for emergency services. Do not leave the scene of the accident until law enforcement allows you to leave.
If you are safely able to leave the car, do so to gather information, including:
- The names of everyone involved
- Phone numbers
- License plate numbers
- Insurance information
If there were witnesses to the accident, you may also want to get their information in case you need their testimony. If you have a camera or your phone at hand, take pictures of the accident, including road markings, weather conditions, injuries, and property damage.
If there are medical professionals at the scene, have them check out any injuries you have. Not only does this ensure you get prompt medical attention, but it also leaves a record that you can access later when making a claim.
One of the most important things to remember after a car accident is not to say anything about the accident to witnesses or the other people involved. Instead, immediately call Philadelphia car accident lawyers for help.
Philadelphia Auto Accident Statistics
One in 50 people in Pennsylvania is involved in are portable traffic crash each year.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) states that there are, on average, 8,700 car accidents in Philadelphia per year, which breaks down to almost 24 car accidents a day. These collisions result in an average of 130 lost lives and 5,500 injured parties each year.
Philadelphia has ten of the most dangerous road segments in the state, with Roosevelt Blvd. taking the top spot. In a recent year, 55% of those killed in car accidents were inside vehicles, while 41% were pedestrians and 4% were cyclists, according to PennDOT.
PennDOT states that the causes of crashes, deaths, and injuries in Philadelphia are:
- Intoxicated driving: 582 accidents per year
- Not wearing a seat belt: over 1,400 crashes per year
- Fixed object accidents: 1,412 accidents per year
- Aggressive driving: 378 accidents per year
- Distracted driving: 629 accidents per year
Compared to a decade ago, car accidents in Philadelphia have risen by 4%.
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Common Causes of Car Accidents
Human error is what causes most car accidents. Human error refers to unwise decisions as well as not following the rules of the road. Other factors, like improper road maintenance, can also affect the chances of having an accident.
DISTRACTED DRIVING
Distracted driving is an issue everywhere, but especially in high-traffic areas like Philadelphia. Common distractions include:
- Texting
- Reading a book
- Putting on makeup and other grooming
- Talking on a cell phone
- Eating and drinking
- Reaching for an object in the vehicle
To safely drive a car, you have to give it your full attention and always have your eyes on the road. Although distracted driving tends to be a higher risk with teen drivers, anyone can be a danger if they’re not paying full attention to driving.
SPEEDING
The faster someone is driving, the less time they have to react when something changes on the road. Speed limits are not arbitrary numbers but have been carefully calculated by traffic engineers as well as Federal, State, and local governments. In some places, going over the speed limit by just five miles per hour can be catastrophic.
DRUNK DRIVING
Drinking impairs your senses, slowing down your reaction times while decreasing muscle coordination at the same time. In all 50 states, the legal limit is a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08. Once you go over that number, you are breaking the law if you get behind the wheel.
Keep in mind that even one alcoholic drink can impair your vision and make you more distracted when you drive, even if your blood alcohol concentration is still low. The more your BAC level rises, the more likely you are to cause an accident.
RECKLESS DRIVING
Reckless driving refers to actions that show the driver disregards the rules of the road. It’s important to know that reckless driving usually involves more than one traffic violation, including:
- Abrupt braking
- Running stop signs
- Running red lights
- Distracted driving
- Driving without headlights
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Tailgating
Excessive speeding on its own can be classified as reckless driving if the speeds are significantly higher than the limit or if there are other factors, including pedestrian traffic presence, visibility issues, and traffic conditions.
DROWSY DRIVING
If you feel tired, sleepy, or drowsy and you get behind the wheel, you put yourself and others at risk. Driver fatigue makes you more distracted and reduces your reaction times. In extreme cases, people who are tired can fall asleep as they drive. Even if this happens for just a few seconds, it can lead to serious accidents.
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS
It’s not only drunk driving that is dangerous. If someone consumes drugs of any sort and gets behind the wheel, they are putting everyone at risk. Both legal and illegal drugs impact your driving. They alter perception, balance, coordination, reaction time, and cognition.
The amount of drugs consumed, their type, the medical history of the person, and other factors all impact the effects the drugs have on their driving.
ROAD RAGE
Road rage can cause crashes because it may prompt actions like abrupt braking, pulling up right behind someone’s bumper, or eventrying to touch the other car’s bumper. Tailgating, passing on the wrong side, hemming in, or cutting off another vehicle are all road rage actions that can lead to serious accidents.
ROAD CONDITIONS
Roads that are not in good condition also impact the chances of having an accident. Damaged roads wear down tires, making tire blowouts more likely. Tire blowouts may lead you to lose control of the vehicle. Improper road conditions also make it more difficult for drivers to brake quickly.
Potholes also pose a severe problem on the road. A pothole can make it easier for you to lose control of your car or blow out atire. Potholes put a lot of strain on your car’s suspension and shocks, so they also lead to damage to the car itself.
WEATHER CONDITIONS
Taking extra care while driving is vital if there’s the risk of icy roads or low visibility because of rain or other weather issues. It’s easy to lose control of your vehicle if the roads are slick, and not being able to see well prevents you from noticing other vehicles, pedestrians, or objects.
Potential Damages In a Car Accident Case
Damages is a term that refers to the kind of compensation someone who has been involved in a personal injury incident like a car accident can receive. It refers to compensating issues that the person has already dealt with or that they will face in the future.
Damages serve to financially reimburse the victim of the accident, helping them return to the financial position they would have been in if the accident had never happened. There are several types of damages, which we’ll detail below.
MEDICAL EXPENSES
Damages after a car accident should be compensated for any medical expenses related to injuries the car accident caused. Past and future medical expenses need to be considered, including:
- Hospital bills
- Pharmacy bills
- Physical therapy fees
- Medical equipment costs
To determine an amount, your Philadelphia car accident lawyers will calculate your expected future medical expenses using future values. They will do this using your prognosis and treatment plans.
PAIN AND SUFFERING
Pain and suffering are non-economic damages that consider the emotional distress, physical discomfort, and limitations that the car accident caused. It doesn’t include your medical bills but is a section on its own.
Because it’s more difficult to quantify pain and suffering, having dedicated Philadelphia car accident lawyers who know how to present your individual circumstances is vital.
LOST WAGES
If you lose days of work because of a car accident, you should be compensated for them. If you had to change your job or adjust your tasks because of injuries the accident caused, this should also be part of the damages you receive.
OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES
Many people assume they can’t be compensated for out-of-pocket expenses that go beyond their medical expenses, but that assumption is incorrect.
In a personal injury claim, some of the out-of-pocket expenses you may be able to claim are childcare fees you paid while getting treatment, home modification expenses, parking fees, and transportation to medical appointments. Depending on your circumstances, your attorney can tell you more about what you can claim.
LOSS OF CONSORTIUM
A spouse or other family members of someone who died or was severely injured because of a car accident can receive compensation for the loss of support and companionship. This type of compensation considers what the spouse or other family member will not have in the future.
OTHER DAMAGES
If there has been property damage, you could have the right to get compensation. The same applies if you suffered disfigurements or now have a disability because of the accident. You can also claim damages associated with a wrongful death, including the coverage of funeral expenses.
PUNITIVE DAMAGES
Compensatory damages are meant to reimburse the victims of a car accident, but punitive damages are meant to punish the person who caused it. They are additional damages but are usually only awarded in a car accident claim if the defendant’s behavior was extremely reckless.
What Types of Injuries Do Car Accidents Cause?
Cuts, deep bruising, and lacerations are common injuries people suffer after being involved in a car accident. They can occur by being hit with a flying object, crashing into another person in the vehicle, being thrown out of the vehicle, and more. You may have external and internal injuries that require medical attention.
Bone fractures are another concern. They can require immobilization with the use of a cast or even surgical procedures if they involve compound fractures or extreme dislocations. Bones take time to heal, so a fracture can limit your movements for months at a time.
Soft tissue damage can involve internal bleeding along with damage to ligaments, organs, tendons, and muscles. These injuries are serious; turning to medical professionals is essential after a car accident.
Burns can occur in a car accident because of hot water or steam escaping from a ruptured radiator or because of a gasoline spill, leading to fires or even explosions. These are some of the most painful injuries to suffer, and they are more likely to cause disfigurement than others.
Whiplash is perhaps the most common injury people sustain when they’re involved in a car accident. It occurs when the victim’s neck and head snap backward and then forward. This causes sprains and strains in the head and neck muscles. They can sometimes fracture cervical vertebrae as well. People who suffer severe whiplash can have chronic pain.
Other common injuries are crush injuries. These occur when the person is pressed between two hard surfaces. Depending on the duration and the strength of the compression, crush injuries can lead to bones that are crushed beyond repair, damage to muscles, blood vessels, and nerves, as well as hemorrhages.
Amputations of appendages or limbs might occur during a crash. They may also be necessary later on if the person develops an infection or gangrene because of the car accident injury.
Spinal cord injuries are another potential issue that can result from a car accident. Even with rapid intervention, there’s a risk of chronic pain or even paralysis with a spinal cord injury. The location of the damage plays a huge role in the extent of the damage, but even partial paralysis can lead to needing long-term nursing assistance.
Traumatic brain injuries can be dangerous injuries that occur when the force of a vehicle collision causes the brain to hit the skull, tearing nerve tissues and striking brain structures. These injuries can affect the chemical and communication processes of the brain, resulting in temporary or permanent brain damage or worse.
Psychological injuries have no obvious visible signs, but anyone who’s been in a traumatic situation like a car accident may develop issues like depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. These conditions negatively impact your life, affecting everything from your job to your relationships.
Why Hire GGL?
When you begin searching for Philadelphia car accident lawyers, consider turning to Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq. With over 30 years of experience in personal injury law, we can provide the guidance you need to get the compensation you deserve.
Our commitment to winning and never under-settling a case makes us a firm you know will be on your side throughout the entire process. We are highly communicative with our clients and bring a no-nonsense attitude that helps get the job done.
We’re as tenacious as we are detail-oriented, making us the kind of people you want to have in your corner when facing injuries and loss. Our approach is to prepare every case for the courtroom. In the event that a settlement cannot be reached, we’ll be ready to defend your rights in front of a judge.
Our clients are like family, and we work diligently on their behalf to pursue compensation that restores their financial security after an accident.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, turn to Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Garces, Grabler& LeBrocq. Contact us today by reaching out to 800-923-3456 for more information on the services we offer.
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Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers
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Recent GGL Wins
Auto Accident
31-year-old man who was cut off by another car causing his car to flip over. He sustained head injuries, facial injuries, and half of his pinky finger was amputated.
$3 Million
Verdict
Auto Accident
Female passenger in vehicle rear-ended on Parkway. She sustained herniations resulting in multiple injections; a percutaneous discectomy; invasive surgery; and ultimately a percutaneous pain stimulator trial which did not result in a final implantation. There was no wage loss. Case settled for $1.6 Million. The primary carrier (NJM) paid $1Million and the insured’s excess carrier paid $600K
$2,75 Million
Verdict
Auto Accident
Mediation award Plaintiff was injured in an intersection motor vehicle collision resulting in neck and low back fusion surgeries.
$2 Million
Verdict
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