Will the Insurance Company Pay for Wage Loss after an Accident?

In Pennsylvania, if you lost income or wages due to being in an accident, you can recover. First, say you were in a car accident in Collegeville or Pottstown or Limerick on Route 422 or Route 100 or elsewhere, and it was someone else's fault. you woull have two possible sources of recovering lost wages. You should first check with your own insurance company. If you have wage loss coverage on your own policy (sometimes called "no fault" or "first party" coverage), then you can apply for the wage loss as you lose it. You will need to get proof of your earnings (maybe a W-2 or paystubs from before the accident) and a doctor's note of disability. The advantage of having it on your own policy is that you can get reimbursed as the wage loss happens. It is true that the at-fault person's insurance company would owe you for wage loss-- but they generally won't pay it to you until the end of the case or without a release. If you are having ongoing symptoms, injuries or other losses, you want to be very careful abut signing anything which could affect your rights. If you have any questions, you want to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Car Insurance in Pennsylvania Basics To Stay Protected

AUTO INSURANCE COVERAGE: SOME BASICS


Some items that you may want to check for when buying or renewing your car insurance:

• Full Tort (not Limited Tort)

• Underinsured Motorist/Uninsured Motorist Coverages (UIM/UM)
(Protects you and your family against the other drivers on the road. Acts as excess liability coverage for you if another driver at-fault has insufficient or no liability insurance)

• Medical Coverage
(“No fault”. Regardless of whose fault, your medical covers you up to the coverage limits)

• Wage Loss Coverage
(Also “No fault”. Inexpensive. Advantage: Pays wage loss as you lose it).

• Stacking
(When you have more than 1 vehicle on your policy. Inexpensive. Advantage:
Multiplies your UIM/UM coverage by number of vehicles on policy)

• Read your Policy / “Declarations Page”!

What your lawyer should do for you

Of course, a lawyer should try to get the best result they can for you.
That goes without saying. But, there are more basic things that should be done along the way. Unfortunately, from my view, not all lawyers do these little things, but should.





Your lawyer should:

- keep you updated (you should be informed as to what is going on)
- listen to your concerns and try to solve them for you
- remember that you are the boss, it's your case
- return your phone calls as soon as possible
- treat you with respect (as the saying goes, do unto others as you would want done to yourself)
- be available for meetings with you at your request
- explain what will be happening on your case (and understand this is probably the first time you've ever gone through something like this)
- give you plan of action on your case (there should be a plan for how to accomplish the goals you want

The Truth: Lawsuits declining

You hear it often. Insurance company ads about frivolous lawsuits or too many lawsuits. People who commonly think lawsuit filings are out of control. The facts confirm this isn't true.

The Pittsburgh Business Times, states:

"There were 1,617 med mal cases filed statewide in 2007, compared to 1,693 in 2006 and 2,903 in 2002."

The also confirm that across Pennsylvania, verdicts dropped to 185 from 229 in 2006 and 223 in 2005.
The defense verdicts remained about 82% in medical malpractice cases.

There were 9 verdicts above $10 million between 2000 and 2003 for medical malpractice. From 2004-2008, there were only 5.

"The latest statistics provide additional evidence that the sharp drop in medical malpractice litigation, which began in 2003, was not a temporary correction, but a sustained response to the procedural rule changes adopted by the Supreme Court and the statutory changes enacted by the General Assembly," Chief Justice Ronald Castille said.

Additional statistics from the Supreme Court are expected soon, to confirm the continuation of this trend.

How to make a complaint about a Bar serving a drunk driver

In Pennsylvania, a bar or drinking establishment can not serve someone who is visibly intoxicated. Meaning, someone who is showing visible signs of being drunk. If they serve a visibly intoxicated person who then leaves and causes a car accident, the bar can be held responsible in a "civil" personal injury case.

Unfortunately, the news too frequently involves heart-breaking stories of drunk driving accidents in our area. These often occurred on main highways like Route 422 or Route 100. But also there are local roads as well.


David Schreiber
610-792-3304
www.PAinjurycase.com

The PA State Police have a Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. You can contact them to report a violation or a Problem Bar and request that they investigate.

Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement Headquarters
3655 Vartan Way
Harrisburg, PA 17110

Phone: (717) 540-7410
Fax: (717) 540-7452

Car Accident on Route 562

We have seen increased car accidents on Route 562 in the Boyertown, Amity, Douglassville areas. Why? Not sure if it's been increased traffic, need for changes to the roads, or something else.

There has been more development.

If you have seen or been in an accident on this road, or simply are aware that there have been more car accidents, let us know what you think. Maybe it's time to make suggestions on improving the road or traffic controls.

Re-Check Your Auto Insurance

When you get your renewal in the mail for your car insurance, take a few minutes to actually look at your coverage. Do you have wage loss coverage? Do you need it? Do you need more than you have? The amounts may say "$1,000/$5,000"- that means $1,000 per month for a total of 5 months. Think about whether you have disability (short term or long term) through work. That may affect how much wage loss coverage you want on your policy. Look at the amount it costs- it should be relatively cheap.

Also, take a look at the "underinsured/uninsured motorist" coverage. This is what protects you and your family against everyone else on the road's carelessness. Make sure you have it and have enough of it. Ask your agent or broker or insurance company for quotes on different prices.

There are other coverages that are less obvious such as "stacking" of underinsured/uninsured coverage, collision/comprehensive deductibles and coverage and medical coverage. If you aren't sure, ask your agent or insurance company for more information. As to the medical coverage, consider what type of health insurance you have-- after a car accident, you have to use your health insurance if your auto medical exhausts.

David E. Schreiber
(610) 792-3304
www.PAinjurycase.com