Car Crash Realities in Southeastern Pennsylvania
A fender‑bender on Roosevelt Boulevard. An 80,000‑pound tractor‑trailer jackknifed on the Turnpike. A motorcyclist cut off on Route 202. When steel meets flesh, lives change fast, and insurance companies scramble to protect their bottom line. Our Philadelphia car accident attorneys stop the run‑around, force carriers to the table, and fight for the fair compensation you’re owed.
From our Center City office, we fight for injured Pennsylvanians across the Greater Philadelphia area, including Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester Counties.
Pennsylvania Crash Snapshot
- 115,938 reportable crashes and 1,179 traffic deaths in Pennsylvania during 2022. That’s about one crash every five minutes. Philadelphia County topped the chart with 8,714 crashes and 127 fatalities.
- Philadelphia County alone logged 8,714 crashes and 127 traffic fatalities, the highest in the Commonwealth.
Those numbers fuel our fire and our results.
Why Drivers Trust the Law Offices of Craig A. Altman After a Wreck
Insurance adjusters cruise the Schuylkill looking for quick, cheap releases. We don’t let them. From our 21st Street war room, we line up black-box data, doctor reports, and case law, then make the carriers pay full freight. When they stall, we file. When they low-ball, we try the case. That’s “Tough Cases. Tougher Lawyers.”
Decades of crash‑case wins – We’ve squared off against GEICO, State Farm, Progressive, and every big trucking insurer. They know we won’t settle for pennies.
Rapid scene preservation – Our investigators secure dash‑cam footage, EDR black‑box data, and 911 tapes within hours, evidence that can vanish if you wait too long.
Commercial vehicle experience – Hours‑of‑Service logs, CDL records, FMCSA violations, our Pennsylvania truck accident lawyers expose rogue carriers.
Full‑stack medical support – Orthopedists, neurologists, and PTs treat on liens so you get care now, not after a fair settlement or verdict.
Bilingual team – Our Spanish‑speaking staff keeps every client in the loop regarding their car accident case.
Motor Vehicle Accident Cases We Handle Every Day
Big rig, bike, bus, or family SUV, if it rolls on Pennsylvania pavement, we’ve seen it wreck. Below is a snapshot of the car crash cases our team tackles every single day, plus the most common scenarios that demand fast evidence work and experienced car accident lawyers.
Accident Type | Common Scenarios |
|---|---|
Passenger Car Collisions | Rear‑end, T-bone, head-on collisions, and multi‑vehicle accidents involving multiple insurance companies |
Commercial Truck Accident Claims | 18‑wheelers, delivery vans, tanker spills, underrides, and rollovers |
Motorcycle Wrecks | Left‑turn cut‑offs, road debris, and distracted driving accidents |
Bicycle Accidents | Doorings, right‑hook turns, bike‑lane merges |
Pedestrian Injuries | Crosswalk violations, parking lot impacts, and curb‑jumping vehicles |
Rideshare, Bus & Taxi Collisions | Uber, Lyft, SEPTA CCT vans, limos, and other accidents involving public transportation |
Uninsured & Hit‑and‑Run | The car accident claim is filed with your own insurance company using your Uninsured Motorist / Underinsured Motorist coverage |
If another driver’s negligence caused severe injuries to you or a loved one, our Philadelphia car accident lawyers have you covered. From medical expenses to lost wages and non-economic damages, we will get you the maximum compensation allowed by law.
Types of Compensation We Chase
Getting healthy costs money; getting justice should not cost a dime from your pocket.
Pennsylvania personal injury law calls these losses “damages,” and every overlooked receipt is a gift to the insurance company. We build a spreadsheet on day 1 and update it with every co-pay, PTO slip, and missed gig so nothing leaks out in the settlement.
Medical expenses – ER, surgery, rehab, prescriptions, mileage
Future medical treatment – prosthetics, home‑health aides, spinal hardware revisions
Lost income – lost wages, gig‑work earnings, pension contributions, future raises
Vehicle & property damage – repair or total loss, plus diminished value
Pain, suffering & loss of life’s pleasures – the human cost insurance companies ignore
Punitive damages – available in drunk driving, texting driver, and reckless trucking accident cases
Why the detail matters: carriers cut checks from line items they can verify. The more documentation we hand them, the fewer excuses they have to underpay.
Pennsylvania Laws for Personal Injury Claims after an Auto Accident
Our Philadelphia personal injury lawyers understand the complexities of Pennsylvania law that can trip up car accident victims and cost them leverage.
Statute of Limitations: Under 42 Pa. C.S. § 5524, you have two years from the crash date to file suit. Wrongful death lawsuits run two years from the date of death.
Modified Comparative Negligence: 42 Pa. C.S. § 7102 states you can recover if you’re ≤ 50 percent at fault; your award shrinks by that percentage. At 51 percent, you collect nothing.
Minimum Auto Liability Coverage: Under MVFRL 75 Pa. C.S. §§ 1701-1711, drivers are required to hold a minimum policy of $15k / $30k / $5k (bodily injury per person / per crash / property damage). With medical bills sky‑high, stacking UM/UIM coverage is critical.
Full vs. Limited Tort: Limited‑tort drivers often can’t claim pain and suffering unless a serious injury (75 Pa. C.S. § 1705), a drunk driver, an out‑of‑state vehicle, or a commercial truck is involved. Motorcyclists are always full tort.
Helmet & Seat‑Belt Rules: Under 75 Pa. C.S. §§ 3525 & 4581, riders over 21 may go without a helmet only if they’ve held a license for two years or passed a safety course. Failure to buckle up or strap on a helmet can reduce damage.
Commercial‑Truck Regulations: FMCSA rules cap a trucker’s drive time, mandate electronic logs, and require regular inspections. Violations = negligence on a silver platter.
Knowing these rules early keeps insurance companies from gaming the system and positions your legal representation to demand full and fair value.
What To Do After Any Car Accident in Pennsylvania
Call 911. A PSP or local police report is the backbone of every claim. Ask the officer for the incident number before leaving the scene.
Get medical care the same day. Concussion and soft-tissue injuries can hide for 48 hours; early records stop insurers from claiming you “weren’t really hurt.”
Capture proof. Snap skid marks, traffic-cam locations, and every plate. Then back up the photos to the cloud so they can’t be lost if your phone breaks.
Notify insurers and do not provide a recorded statement alone. Politely give date, time, and location, then insist that your lawyer be present for any further questions.
Track expenses & pain. Keep a mileage log for PT, save receipts for meds, and jot daily physical pain levels (0-10) in a notebook or phone app.
Call Altman (215-569-4488). Evidence spoils fast; we lock it down while you focus on healing.
Car Accident Claim FAQs
How long will my car accident case take?
It’s challenging to provide a precise timetable because every crash is unique, and every insurance company follows its own rules. The severity of your injuries, the pace of medical treatment, the insurer’s willingness to bargain, and the court’s calendar all affect the clock. Some cases settle in the claims stage, while others require discovery, depositions, and a jury date. Whatever road yours takes, we lock down evidence early and push hard at every step so you’re never waiting a day longer than necessary.
What if the other driver has no insurance or flees?
Your own Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage steps in first, and Pennsylvania lets you “stack” limits across vehicles unless you signed the specific waiver found in 75 Pa. C.S. § 1738(d).
If no policy applies, the Pennsylvania Financial Responsibility Assigned Claims Plan can supply limited medical and wage benefits.
We pursue either route with the same intensity we use against an at-fault driver’s carrier.
Do motorcycles count as limited tort?
No. Limited-tort restrictions apply only to four-wheel “private passenger motor vehicles.” Because a motorcycle has two wheels, it is automatically full tort, allowing riders to recover pain-and-suffering damages even for "minor" injuries under 75 Pa. C.S. § 1705.
How much does a Pennsylvania car accident lawyer cost?
Nothing up front. We advance every expense and work on a contingency fee approved by Pennsylvania Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(c). If we don’t secure a recovery for you, you owe nothing, period.
Can I switch car accident lawyers mid-case?
Yes. Pennsylvania clients may change counsel at any point in the legal process. We file documentation to substitute appearance and handle any fee issues with prior counsel, so the transition costs you no extra money and causes no delay in your car accident lawsuit.
Ready to Crash the Insurance Company's Playbook?
For over 35 years, our Philadelphia personal injury attorneys have turned insurance stall tactics into six‑ and seven‑figure recoveries. Click below for a free, no‑pressure consultation.
$10 Million
Burn Injury in Pennsylvania
$1.3 Million
Bar Patron Assault in Pennsylvania
$750,000
Injury Caused by an Exploding Thermos
$550,000
Neck & Back Injuries
$400,000
Motor Vehicle Accident
$300,000
Minor with a Broken Leg
$300,000
Injuries Resulting From a Trip & Fall
$250,000
Pedestrian Accident
Injured? Tell Us Your Story. We’ll Handle the Rest.
Call To Speak To A Lawyer For A Free Case Evaluation.
Cases We Handle in Pennsylvania
Hurt in a car crash, trucking accident, slip-and-fall, or other negligence-based mishap in Southeast Pennsylvania?
The Altman Team focuses exclusively on personal injury law, leveraging a deep command of Pennsylvania tort statutes to win maximum compensation for residents of Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware Counties.
You owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you.