The Best Scranton Car Accident Lawyers

More than 2 million car accidents cause injuries on an annual basis in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The injuries resulting from car crashes can often be severe and can even be fatal, as more than 35,000 people died in collisions in a single year. Because of the severe results of a car accident, the law protects the rights of victims who sustained injuries through no fault of their own.

We all know the traffic conditions in Scranton can be crazy and the chances of a crash occurring are unfortunately high. After a car accident, it can be difficult to know exactly what to do. The most important step is to seek any medical treatment if you are in pain or have obvious injuries. However, there are additional steps you can take to protect your rights as a car accident victim, including the following:

• Get all insurance and contact information from others involved in the accident.
• Get contact information from anyone who witnessed the accident.
• File a police report and give them your version of what happened.
• Contact an experienced Scranton car accident lawyer to discuss your rights and options.

At OHDP, our Scranton car accident attorneys represent clients who have sustained injuries in collisions and who have incurred losses from medical bills, property damage, lost income, pain and suffering, and more. If you’ve been in a crash, do not wait to call and discuss what happened with our car accident attorneys today. The other party’s insurance company is not on your side and will do everything possible to limit your recovery.

Serious Injuries Caused By Car Accidents

The injuries that are commonly sustained by car crash victims can be life-changing. Whether you tweak your neck and need physical therapy or you suffered a permanently-disabling injury, it can take weeks, months, or years to return to normal. In the meantime, you may be receiving a pile of medical bills, as well as having to refrain from your normal activities – even working. The following are only some examples of severe car accident injuries:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) – Anytime you hit your head – which happens often in crashes – you run the risk of sustaining a TBI. Brain injuries can be relatively mild concussions or can be severe and life-threatening injuries that cause coma and permanent impairments.
• Spinal cord injury – The spine is a vital part of the body and any damage to the spinal cord tissue can disrupt bodily functioning and can even result in permanent paralysis below the injury.
• Neck and back injuries – While whiplash and injuries to the soft tissue in your back may not seem as serious, these type of back injuries can cause chronic pain and limited mobility that can plague you for months following the accident.
• Broken bones – Even a simple broken bones can disrupt your life and more severe open/compound fractures, broken bones in the face, or skull fractures can require extensive medical treatment including surgery.

Helping You Recover After Your Scranton Car Crash

Because of the potential severity of car accident injuries, it should be no surprise that victims can incur substantial losses and want to seek compensation from any party who was at fault for the crash. In order to have the right to financial recovery, a victim must prove that another party acted negligently to cause the collision. There are many negligent acts that commonly lead to car accidents in and around Scranton, including the following:

• Texting, talking on the phone, or other forms of distracted driving
• Drowsy driving or falling asleep at the wheel
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcoholic beverages
• Speeding, running traffic signals, or other traffic code violations
• Failing to properly maintain a vehicle
• Aggressive driving, including tailgating and making threats to other drivers
• Defective vehicle parts
• Hazardous road conditions

Whether it was another driver or a company that was at fault for your car accident, OHDP can help you hold that party liable for all of your injury-related losses. We regularly handle car accident cases that are relatively straightforward or situations that are significantly more complex and that involve severe and disabling injuries.

Have You Been Injured In An Auto Accident?

When a bad auto accident happens, people often feel helpless and paralyzed. It is unexpected, undeserved, and wholly unjustified. An unwelcome interference in the orderly running of your life. This is why you need help of an experienced Scranton car accident lawyer right away.

Dealing with the insurance companies in submitting your claim and arguing your damages can feel like you are being re-victimized all over again. Negotiating a settlement is not an easy and straightforward process. Insurance adjusters are experts at locating weak spots in your case and blowing them out of proportion, making your claim seem a lot weaker than it is. Because victims of Scranton car accidents are already emotionally vulnerable and frustrated, afraid they may end up with nothing, and wanting to simply end the whole process and get whatever money they can, this tactic works wonders, and allows insurance companies to settle cases quickly for a fraction of their value.

Because this car accident is likely your first brush with the insurance companies and the legal system, by facing this fight alone you put your health, your future, and your family’s well-being at a huge disadvantage. At Injury Justice Law Firm, we fought this battle hundreds of times. We have successfully settled and litigated hundreds of auto cases, involving different facts, from a straightforward rear-end collision, to a T-bone at a four-way intersection, to a blind spot side-swipe and a hit-and-run. We have seen it all. We know how adjusters work. We see the strengths and weaknesses of every case. Our job is to help you develop your case in such a way as to maximize its strengths while at the same time mitigating and addressing the weaknesses before they get out of hand and cause you to lose.

Rear End Auto Accidents

It is important to know the most common causes of rear-end car accidents for two reasons. First, it is to keep yourself and your family safe while driving. Knowing what behaviors to avoid can make all the difference in a difficult situation, and will one day prevent you from being the at-fault party. The second reason is to know what to watch for in case you were a victim of such an accident, because discovering and documenting the cause of accident immediately after it happened will help in negotiating with the at-fault party’s insurance down the line. Although in most rear-end accidents liability is clear, the party at fault will sometimes attempt to shift the blame for the accident on the victim. That’s when little things, such as absence of skid marks, weather conditions and cell phone records can become vital to your case.

Why Do Rear End Auto Accidents Happen?

1. Distractions– as our cars become increasingly stuffed with technology, it becomes harder and harder to keep your eyes on the road. Texting while driving has been reported to be the leading cause of distracted-driving accidents. Using a cell phone, a tablet, or another portable device while driving increases the risk of getting into a crash by three times. This problem is especially dangerous when it comes to teen drivers. Already a high-risk group, a quarter of all teen drivers report answering their text messages at least once while they drive. 20% of teens admit to engaging in extended SMS-conversations while driving.
2. Intoxication– at any given time, an average driver engages in a complex multitasking process. He or she must keep an eye on the road ahead, estimate the distance to the next intersection before the light changes, watch out for pedestrians, and avoid obstacles in its path. If another driver is distracted and not paying attention, a sober, attentive driver will quickly react to get out of harm’s way. The story is different when alcohol is involved. It affects the brain in such a way as to impair normal control processes and ability to rapidly shift attention from one task to another. It also affects the driver’s peripheral vision, leaving a much narrower area of visibility. Finally, an intoxicated person’s hand-eye coordination becomes impaired with as little as one drink. A drunk driver will not only be unable to avoid an accident, but will frequently be the cause of one due to the diminished ability to focus and perceive the constantly changing road conditions.
3. Road Defectsor defective tires – the consequences of accidents resulting from poorly constructed or maintained roads and highways are disastrous. A driver traveling full speed ahead and running into a gaping pothole, failing to navigate a tight turn, or striking an ill-placed road divider stands little chance of survival. Even if there is another driver at fault for the collision, chances are the government entity may also be held liable for the dangerous roadway. In government claim cases, time is of the essence. Unlike the regular personal injury matter, where the statute of limitations is generally two years from the date of loss, you often only have six (6) months to file your claim.

The Car Accident Was My Fault – What Should I Do?

Unfortunately, no one is perfect. We all occasionally run a red light, text while driving, or are simply distracted on the road. In Pennsylvania, you are required by law to maintain an active auto insurance policy. In case of an accident, you simply notify your carrier, and they will either settle the case pre-litigation, or, if the case ends up in court, provide you with an attorney. Often times parties are unable to settle the case within the two year statute of limitations period, either because the injured party continues treating, or due to disagreements as to liability or damages amounts. In that case, the lawsuit will be filed, and you will have to help the attorney hired by your insurance carrier in answering discovery and attending an occasional deposition. However, the case will most likely settle long before trial. So while this is a very unpleasant process to go through, the only thing for the at-fault party to do in this case is just to sit back and wait.

The Car Accident Was Not My Fault – What Should I Do?

The injured party, on the other hand, will have a lot of work to do after an accident. If the other party was at fault, and you sustained injuries aside from the damage to your vehicle, you should retain a professional Scranton car accident attorney right away. While your attorney is not a medical care provider, experienced personal injury lawyers often know what type of treatment a car crash victim should receive, and what future medical care to expect. Going to the emergency room with the paramedics is always a good idea, simply because there may be a concussion or some other injury that was not immediately apparent. At the hospital, get all of your imaging studies, such as X-Rays, MRIs and CT Scans done, and request a copy of all those records. Follow up with your primary care physician as soon as possible. Make sure he or she sees the hospital records. Listen to your body, and have a course of treatment in place.

Call A Scranton Car Accident Attorney For More Information

After a car accident, your first priority should be stabilizing your injuries. Next, however, you should contact a Scranton car accident attorney at OHDP Law for a free consultation. We will advise you of your legal rights and assistance you through every step of the legal process.

Do you have a case you’d like us to take a look at? Click here for a free case evaluation or call (570) 348-3711 to reach out to us. We specialize in helping victims who have been injured in an auto accident in Scranton or the greater NEPA area. Our experienced Scranton car accident lawyers are available 24/7 for immediate intervention in your personal injury case.