Unexpected injuries blindside people around Philadelphia every day. The effect of these accidents can touch every aspect of life for the person who has been hurt or killed and their families. In addition to physical pain and disability, there is the emotional and financial toll an accident takes. Any of these can change your life. 

If you or a loved one have been injured in Ludlow, the personal injury lawyers at MyPhillyLawyer can help you recover. MyPhillyLawyer’s focus is representing clients who have been injured through someone else’s negligence and the families of those who have been wrongfully killed. Our lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience and a passion for fighting for injured Philadelphians’ rights. 

Types of Personal Injury Cases

Personal injury law encompasses a wide variety of cases. Any accident caused by another person’s negligence or entity that results in physical, mental or other harm falls under the personal injury law umbrella. 

MyPhillyLawyer is prepared to represent clients in the following types of personal injury claims:

• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents 
• Wrongful Death Cases
• Medical Malpractice
• Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
• Slip-and-Fall Accidents
• Product Liability
• Unsafe Premises
• Workplace Accidents
• Birth Injuries
• Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
• More

If you or a loved one were hurt in an accident of any kind in the Ludlow neighborhood, MyPhillyLawyer could help protect your rights. Having experienced and capable legal representation increases your chances of being compensated fully for the damages you have sustained.

Potential Damages in a Personal Injury Case

Accident victims can be compensated for the economic (also known as special damages) and non-economic (also known as general damages) they have incurred. Economic damages have a specific dollar value, such as medical bills. Non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, are harder to quantify but still compensable under Pennsylvania law. 

Possible economic damages:

• Medical bills
• Lost income 
• Lost benefits
• Lost earning potential
• Property damage

Possible non-economic damages include:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Disability
• Disfigurement
• Loss of consortium — the loss of companionship or intimacy shared previously by spouses or partners
• Quality of life

A personal injury lawyer can help determine the full worth of your case. You deserve to be compensated fairly for all the damages caused by the accident you were in. For example, insurance companies often try to only pay for the economic damages, but there may be additional damages to pursue as well. This is why it is best to consult an attorney before accepting any insurance settlements from your accident. 

Pennsylvania Personal Injury Laws

Each state has laws related to personal injury cases. In Pennsylvania, you have two years from the date of the accident (or discovery of the accident if harm was not immediately known) to file your personal injury claim in court. It is critical to follow the statute of limitations because failure to file within two years would result in losing your right to compensation for damages. 

Pennsylvania uses a shared fault system for personal injury cases. This means that you may be assigned a percentage of the blame for your injury under certain circumstances, and that amount will reduce your compensation. For example, if you slip and fall on the icy walkway of a business, but security camera footage shows that you were walking too quickly for the conditions, you might be given 20 percent of the fault while the business receives 80 percent. If you are awarded $50,000 in damages, it will be reduced by 20 percent, and you will receive $40,000 instead. 

If you are found to bear 50 percent or more of the fault for your injury, you will not be able to pursue a claim against the other party. This applies to cases that reach trial but is also used by many insurance companies when they are negotiating a settlement. 

Finding Fault

The critical aspect of a personal injury case is that someone else’s negligence causes the injury. Proving this can become complicated, but a Ludlow personal injury lawyer can help you show who should be held accountable for your injuries. 

Because Pennsylvania is a shared fault state, businesses and their insurance companies will fight to prove that you are at least partially to blame for your accident. This reduces the amount of money they will payout. 

However, if the other party in your case owed you a duty of care and that duty was breached, causing you to be harmed, you could be entitled to compensation. A personal injury lawyer will uncover all potentially liable parties, generate liability theories and gather the evidence needed to support them. 

What Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Do for Me?

Hiring a personal injury lawyer puts someone who understands the intricacies of the law in your corner and levels the playing field against insurance companies. Even a small mistake can create frustrating delays and hurt your chances of being compensated. Having a professional take care of the details reduces stress levels and allows you to focus on your recovery and healing. 

An attorney will gather evidence for your case, which is essential to proving negligence. Your lawyer can help you get the medical attention you need and review your medical records to find relevant information that supports your claim. They will secure physical evidence like security footage from the incident itself and gather witness accounts when necessary. They can even get expert testimony to prove that another person or entity’s negligence caused the injury.

An attorney can also handle the insurance companies on your behalf and use their skills to negotiate a fair settlement for you. Having an attorney shows an insurance company that you are serious and protects you from being taken advantage of. Adjusters are well trained on exploiting the stress and inexperience of injured people to pay them as little as possible. An attorney has seen all this before and knows how to counter this. 

Perhaps most importantly, having an attorney allows you to focus less on personally handling your claim and more on your health. Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so you will pay nothing until they produce favorable results for you. 

Contact MyPhillyLawyer for a No-Risk Consultation Today

If you or a loved one have been injured in Ludlow or the surrounding areas of Philadelphia, experienced legal representation is available from MyPhillyLawyer. Our personal injury attorneys understand the intricacies of the law and how insurance companies work. We fight for your rights both inside and outside the courtroom. 

You only have a certain amount of time to act in a personal injury case. Pennsylvania grants two years to file a claim. Failure to meet this deadline can disqualify you from receiving compensation to which you are entitled, so reach out to MyPhillyLawyer as soon as possible. 

MyPhillyLawyer offers free consultations to discuss your case. There are no up-front fees to work with us, and if we do not win your case, you pay nothing. Call 215-227-2727 to see how we can help you and your family as you recover from your car accident.