FAQs

There’s no fixed formula, so your settlement reflects the full cost of the fall: medical bills, lost wages, future care, and the pain and disruption to your life. Insurers will try to shrink every one of those numbers, so the clearer the property owner’s negligence and the stronger your documentation, the more your claim is worth. We build that case for you and push back hard when an offer falls short of what you’ve been through.

In most cases, you have two years from the date of your fall to file in Pennsylvania, but there are exceptions. The clock can be paused if the injured person is a minor, if the injury wasn’t discovered immediately, or if the property owner concealed the cause of the fall. These exceptions are narrow and fact-specific, so the safest move is to call us early rather than risk losing your right to file.

The strongest cases are built in the first hours: photos of the hazard, the names of any witnesses, and an incident report from the store manager. Surveillance footage is often the key piece, and stores can record over it quickly, so acting fast matters. If you weren’t able to gather everything, don’t worry; we know how to preserve and demand that evidence before it disappears.

Restaurants have a duty to keep their floors, entrances, and restrooms reasonably safe, and when they ignore a spill, a loose mat, or a broken step, they can be held responsible. Liability may fall on the restaurant, a cleaning contractor, or the property owner, depending on who created the hazard and who was supposed to fix it. We pinpoint exactly who’s at fault and hold the right party accountable.

Sometimes you do. Depending on the coverage that paid your bills, your health insurer, Medicare, or Medicaid may have a right to be reimbursed from your settlement, but these “liens” can often be negotiated down so more of the money stays in your pocket. Handling that negotiation is part of what we do, so you reach the end of your case with no surprises.

You can still recover compensation in Pennsylvania as long as you weren’t more at fault than the property owner, meaning 50% or less. Your award is simply reduced by your share of the blame, so if you’re found 20% at fault, you recover 80% of your damages. Insurers love to overstate your role to lower what they owe, and that’s exactly the kind of argument we’re built to fight.

It depends on the severity, because a strained back resolves very differently than a herniated disc or an injury that needs surgery and ongoing care. Value comes from your medical costs, lost income, future treatment, and how the injury affects your daily life. We’ll give you an honest, grounded assessment of what your specific case is worth.

First, make sure everyone is safe and call 911, because your health comes before anything else. If you’re able, photograph the scene, exchange information, and get witness names, then see a doctor even if you feel fine, because some injuries surface days later. And before you give any recorded statement to an insurance company, talk to us first.

Yes. Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence rule, so you can recover as long as you were 50% or less responsible, with your compensation reduced by your share of the fault. Insurers often try to pin more blame on you than you deserve, and we make sure your side of the story is the one that holds up.

Almost never. The first offer is typically a lowball figure designed to close your claim before you know the full extent of your injuries and future costs. Once you accept, you usually can’t reopen the claim, so let us review any offer before you sign anything.

When you buy auto insurance in Pennsylvania, you choose between “full tort” and “limited tort.” Full tort costs a little more but preserves your right to sue for pain and suffering; limited tort lowers your premium but restricts that right unless your injuries are serious. The choice can dramatically affect what you can recover, and even limited-tort drivers often have more options than they expect, so let us review your policy before you rule anything out.

This happens more often than people expect, and it’s exactly what underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage is for. If the at-fault driver doesn’t carry enough insurance, your own UIM policy can help cover the gap, and you may have more coverage available than you realize. We’ll review every policy that might apply so every source of compensation is accounted for.

Crash reports are filed with the investigating police department or the Pennsylvania State Police and can usually be requested online, by mail, or in person once finalized (often a week or two after the accident). You’ll typically need the date, location, and report number, plus a small fee. If it’s giving you trouble, we can obtain the report for you as part of building your case.

Truck accidents usually involve far more serious injuries, much larger insurance policies, and multiple responsible parties, including the driver, the trucking company, and sometimes whoever loaded or maintained the truck. They’re also governed by strict federal regulations that don’t apply to ordinary car crashes. That added complexity is exactly why these cases call for a lawyer who knows how to take on trucking companies and their insurers.

Liability can reach well beyond the driver to the trucking company, the trailer’s owner, a maintenance provider, or the company that loaded the cargo. Often, more than one party shares the blame, which can mean more sources of compensation for you. We dig into the entire chain to identify everyone who should be held accountable.

If you’re able, gather photos of the vehicles and scene, the driver’s information, and witness names. The most valuable evidence often sits with the trucking company, including the driver’s logs, the truck’s “black box” data, and maintenance records. That evidence can be altered or destroyed, so it’s critical to act quickly, and we can send a legal hold to preserve it before it’s gone.

Commercial trucks are governed by federal rules covering how long drivers can be on the road, how cargo must be secured, and how trucks must be inspected and maintained. When a trucking company breaks those rules, the violation can be powerful evidence of negligence. We know where to look for these violations and how to use them to strengthen your claim.

Because truck accidents often cause catastrophic injuries, these cases can be worth substantially more than a typical car accident claim, though the real value depends on your medical needs, lost earnings, long-term care, and the impact on your life. The larger policies involved also mean insurers fight harder to pay less. We make sure your claim reflects the full, long-term cost of what happened to you.

A claim is the process of seeking compensation directly from the at-fault party’s insurer, and many cases settle at this stage without ever going to court. A lawsuit is what we file when the insurer won’t offer a fair amount, and it moves your case into the court system. Filing suit doesn’t mean you’ll end up at trial, but it shows we’re prepared to go the distance for you.

Yes, but claims against SEPTA come with special rules because it’s a government agency, including a short notice deadline and caps on certain damages. Missing that notice requirement can cost you your case entirely, so timing is everything. If you were hurt on a bus, trolley, or train, contact us right away so we can protect your claim.

Bring anything tied to the accident: the police or incident report, photos, insurance information, medical records or bills, and contact details for any witnesses. Don’t worry if you don’t have all of it, because even a few key pieces give us plenty to start with. The most important thing is simply that you come in and tell us what happened.

PIP, or Personal Injury Protection, is the part of your Pennsylvania auto policy that pays your medical bills after a crash, regardless of who caused it. State law requires at least $5,000 in this coverage, though many drivers carry more, and it kicks in right away, so you can get treatment without delay. We can help you understand how your PIP works alongside any claim against the at-fault driver.

Pennsylvania uses modified comparative negligence, meaning you can still recover as long as you were not more than 50% at fault, with your award reduced by your percentage of blame. So if your damages are $100,000 and you’re found 10% at fault, you’d recover $90,000. Because the other side will try to shift blame onto you, having us frame the facts can make a real difference in what you take home.

You can generally recover economic damages like medical bills, lost wages, and future care, plus non-economic damages such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. In rare cases involving especially reckless conduct, punitive damages may also apply. We make sure every category that fits your situation is accounted for, including the ones that are easy to overlook.