Pittsburgh Car Accident Lawyers
After a crash in Pittsburgh or Allegheny County, we help injured drivers and passengers investigate fault, document losses, and review available insurance.
Car Accident Help in Pittsburgh
After a crash in Pittsburgh or Allegheny County, we help injured drivers and passengers investigate fault, document losses, and review available insurance.
Tell Us What Happened
Free consultation. We can review the circumstances and explain the next steps.
A car accident can happen in seconds and create problems that last for months or years. Medical treatment, vehicle damage, missed work, insurance claims, and uncertainty about your recovery can quickly become overwhelming.
Pisanchyn Law Firm represents drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and families injured in motor vehicle accidents throughout Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Western Pennsylvania.
Our Pittsburgh car accident lawyers investigate how crashes happen, identify responsible parties, review available insurance coverage, and help injured people pursue compensation for the losses caused by an accident.
Car Accident Cases We Handle in Pittsburgh
Motor vehicle accidents occur for many different reasons. Our attorneys investigate cases involving:
- Rear-end collisions
- Intersection accidents
- Head-on crashes
- Highway accidents
- Distracted driving
- Speeding and aggressive driving
- Drunk or impaired drivers
- Unsafe lane changes
- Failure-to-yield accidents
- Multi-vehicle crashes
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Uninsured and underinsured motorists
- Rideshare and commercial truck accidents
Determining why a collision occurred is an important part of identifying who may be legally responsible. You can also see where serious crashes happen most often on our Pennsylvania car accident hotspots page.
What Should You Do After a Car Accident?
Your health and safety should come first. Seek appropriate medical attention and report serious crashes to police.
When circumstances allow, you should also:
- Photograph the vehicles and accident scene.
- Obtain contact and insurance information from the drivers involved.
- Get names and contact information from witnesses.
- Keep copies of police reports and insurance correspondence.
- Save medical bills and records related to your injuries.
- Document time missed from work.
- Avoid signing releases or accepting a settlement before understanding the extent of your injuries.
Evidence can disappear quickly after a collision. Vehicles are repaired, surveillance recordings may be erased, and witnesses can become difficult to locate.
How Do You Prove Who Caused a Car Accident?
The police report can be important, but it may not be the only evidence available.
Depending upon the crash, an investigation may involve:
- Accident-scene photographs
- Vehicle damage
- Witness statements
- Surveillance or traffic-camera footage
- Electronic vehicle information
- Cell phone evidence
- Medical records
- Accident reconstruction
Insurance companies may also dispute responsibility or argue that an injured person contributed to the collision.
Our attorneys evaluate the available evidence rather than simply accepting an insurance company’s determination of fault. Here is what aggressive representation actually looks like in a car accident case.
Pennsylvania Car Insurance Can Be Complicated
Car accident claims in Pennsylvania can involve several different types of insurance coverage.
Depending upon the policies and circumstances, questions may arise involving medical benefits, liability coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and an injured person’s ability to pursue compensation from an at-fault driver.
We review the insurance policies involved and determine which sources of coverage may apply.
Common Car Accident Injuries
Even crashes that initially appear relatively minor can cause significant injuries.
Car accident victims may suffer:
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Herniated discs
- Shoulder and knee injuries
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Nerve damage
- Scarring
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Permanent disabilities
Some symptoms may not become fully apparent until hours or days after the collision.
What Compensation May Be Available?
Depending upon the circumstances, a car accident claim may seek compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical care
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Loss of quality of life
- Other accident-related losses
The value of a case depends upon the injuries, evidence, insurance coverage, and the effect the accident has had on the injured person’s life. To see how a claim moves from start to finish, read what happens when you file an injury claim in Pennsylvania.
What If the Other Driver’s Insurance Company Contacts You?
Insurance adjusters may request a recorded statement or offer a settlement shortly after an accident.
Be cautious.
A settlement generally ends the claim, even if additional medical problems develop later. Before accepting an offer, you should understand the extent of your injuries, anticipated treatment, lost income, and other consequences of the collision.
Pittsburgh Car Accident Attorneys Serving Western Pennsylvania
Pisanchyn Law Firm represents car accident victims throughout Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Western Pennsylvania.
Our Pittsburgh office is located at:
Pisanchyn Law Firm
241 Fourth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-261-1212
Pittsburgh Car Accident FAQs
What is the difference between limited tort and full tort in Pennsylvania? Pennsylvania drivers choose between two options on their auto policy. Full tort generally preserves your right to seek compensation for pain and suffering, while limited tort restricts that right unless an exception applies, such as a serious injury. Your tort selection can significantly affect a claim, so it is worth having an attorney review your policy.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Pennsylvania? The deadline for most personal injury lawsuits in Pennsylvania is two years from the date of the accident. Claims against a government entity, such as a crash involving a city or state vehicle, can require written notice much sooner, often within six months.
Who pays my medical bills after a Pittsburgh car accident? In Pennsylvania, the first-party medical benefits on your own auto policy generally pay initial medical bills regardless of who caused the crash, up to your coverage limit. Additional compensation may be available through a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance.
Does it cost anything to talk to a lawyer? No. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless we win. Call 412-261-1212 or 1-800-444-5309.
Talk to a Pittsburgh Car Accident Lawyer
If you or someone in your family was seriously injured in a crash, Pisanchyn Law Firm can investigate what happened, evaluate available insurance coverage, and explain your legal options. Request a free case evaluation.
Call 412-261-1212 or 1-800-444-5309 for a free consultation.
For personal injury matters accepted on a contingency-fee basis, there is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.
What to Do After a Car Accident
Call the police
A police report is a necessary document for any personal injury claim arising from an auto accident. This will not only contain information regarding how the accident occurred and whether injuries were sustained, but also witness information that may be valuable in future litigation. If for some reason you do not call the police immediately, there is a form you can complete to file an accident report after it occurs, which can be found at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation website: PennDOT Driver’s Accident Report (Form AA-600). If police did not investigate a crash that required a report, this form generally must be filed within five days.
Seek medical treatment
If you sustained an injury in the accident, even if you are not sure whether it is serious, you should seek immediate medical treatment and truthfully describe your symptoms to the person who treats you. They may take X-Rays, MRIs, or other diagnostic tests to determine whether you need treatment. It is common to receive a “sprain and strain” diagnosis, which the emergency room physicians may say should improve with rest and over the counter anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen. Hopefully, you will improve. However, if you continue to have problems after the initial visit, you should consider following up with your regular doctor or a specialist to see if the injury is more severe than the original diagnosis would indicate.
Detail the accident
After a crash, you may have a vivid recollection of exactly what happened, or you may not recall the events. Since memories may fade over time, it is helpful to draw the road or intersection where the accident occurred, including the position of the vehicles and any traffic lights or signs. If you recall what speed you were traveling, whether you saw the other driver on a cell phone, or anything else that you think may be important, writing it down can help refresh your recollection later on.
Call your insurance agent
Your car insurance will likely cover your initial medical bills, up to your coverage limit. You may also have wage loss and property damage coverage. It is important to contact your insurance company to open the claim and provide them with whatever information they need.
GET AN ESTIMATE
Obtaining repair estimates is not only helpful for your auto damage claim, but it also supports your claim regarding the severity of the accident and the location of impact. If you were rear ended at a traffic light, thousands of dollars in repairs for the back end of your vehicle could be persuasive.
Talk to a Pittsburgh Car Accident Lawyer
Free consultation with Pisanchyn Law Firm.
