Lancaster Auto-Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one have been injured due to an auto-accident, you are not alone! Throughout the U.S. every year, more than 5 million auto-related accidents take place – this, according to the National Highway Traffic Administration. The damage associated with auto accidents ranges from emotional trauma to physical injuries to death. Out of those who survive serious auto accidents, almost 40% develop PTSD, so the effects are long-lasting.
There are five main causes of auto accidents in the US – intoxication, distractions, speeding, recklessness, and inclement weather. Regardless of what the contributing factor(s) might be, those in Lancaster who have been injured or who have lost a loved one due to a car collision or crash, are in need of emotional support, financial compensations, justice, and closure – enter Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C. – where compassion and skill combine to ensure clients feel much-needed assurance and receive substantial compensations for their losses.
Types of Damages Related to Auto-Accident Injuries
Auto-accident victims experience understandable anxiety regarding their injuries. For example, how will bills get paid if one is unable to return to work? Our Lancaster auto-accident lawyer team utilizes solutions-driven strategies that make the difference between minimized awards and those that are significant. Monetary awards can cover what are known as economic damages, including:
- Emergency treatments – services from emergency medical personnel, ambulance transport, etc.
- Hospitalization – this could include intensive care
- Surgical interventions – for compound fractures, internal injuries, etc.
- Rehabilitative therapies – physical therapy, occupational therapy, and more
- Medications – pain killers, infection preventatives, etc.
- Medical equipment – wheelchairs, crutches, etc.
- Ongoing care – if permanent, this can run into millions of dollars
- Modifications – altering one’s residence due to compromised mobility, etc.
- Personal finances – missed wages, plus money the victim has spent or will need in the future, due to injuries
There are, also, non-economic damages that are, often, awarded for:
- Pain and suffering – physical pain may 1) prevent one from working as usual 2) prevent one from partaking in previous activities such as sports or playing with children/grandchildren and 3) compromise a personal relationship with a spouse or significant other. Mental anguish could include PTSD symptoms, depression, and more.
- Embarrassment or humiliation – injured victims may require assistance with personal hygiene/grooming or experiencing sexual dysfunction.
- Loss of life’s pleasures – this can overlap with pain and suffering and, also, include compromised everyday activities such as the inability to travel or sit through a movie or a sports event.
- Disfigurement – scars, burns, amputations, deformities, and more can devastate a person not only physically, but psychologically.
Noneconomic damages are, often, quite hefty. They address subjective, non-monetary losses, and our auto-accident lawyer team will fight for every penny you are entitled to receive!
Insurance Will Automatically Cover Me, Right? – Don't Bank On It!
The role of insurance companies after an auto-accident is to cover whatever damages an auto-accident victim is faced with. The real question is, what is their intent? Unfortunately, claims can get very messy when insurance companies become involved. In a nutshell, insurance companies are running a business, and like all others, they are protecting their bottom line and monetary assets.
In the world of auto-accident damages, just about the only way a claimant will receive the most substantial pay-out is if he or she is represented by strong legal counsel. Insurance companies are very opportunistic and will make every attempt to delay, diminish, or deny claims if they can get away with it – don’t let that happen to you!
If an insurance company refuses to pay you or attempts to settle for a reduced amount – not commensurate with your injuries and expenses – you need to fight back. But how do you fight back if you are not familiar with the myriad of intricate nuances of the law? You can try, but chances are you would be where the insurance company would want you to be – accepting a mere fraction of what you would, otherwise, have received had a powerhouse legal team been on your side.
Keep this in mind: insurance companies have compelling lawyers who will work hard to keep your money in insurance companies’ pockets. Shouldn’t you have the same type representation on your side to ensure they don’t succeed?
Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C. is ready to listen to the details of your claim and advise you on your next move forward. Don’t call the insurance company – call Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C., instead, at 1-800-HURT-NOW – it’s the first critical step towards justice!
What You Do or Say Can Help You or Hurt You
All too often, claimants who place their trust in insurance companies are very eager to share information about their auto accident and answer questions posed by an insurance representative. The truth is, one wrong word or one wrong statement from a claimant can, profoundly, damage one’s defense.
Keep the following, in mind:
Seek medical attention – you may feel fine, but never assume you are OK. Some symptoms of a serious injury could take days or weeks to manifest, indicating something more serious. A tolerable twinge in your neck may prove to be a spinal injury. Seeking medical attention, immediately, is critical for your well-being and to, possibly, bolster the defense of your car-accident claim.
If there is no doctor visit soon after an auto accident, the insurance company could argue that your injuries were too insignificant to be treated. Also, if you wait too long to receive a medical diagnosis, it would give an insurance adjuster an opportunity to assert that your injury happened due to something you did after the accident. Seeking medical attention, and seeking it quickly, can support your case.
Be prudently silent about the accident – what you say can and will be used against you! If it is reported that you said, “I’m fine!”, the insurance company will downplay the severity of your injuries and attempt to throw out your claim. Additionally, don’t ever apologize for the accident since this could be misconstrued as your admission of guilt with contributing to the cause of the accident.
Realize that time is of the essence – crucial evidence can, quickly, disappear. If the other party, for example, was using a mobile phone and became a distracted driver and plowed into your vehicle, he or she may get rid of their phone to hide a text or phone conversation that may have caused a distracted-driving accident.
Also, in Pennsylvania, you must meet the two-year timeframe as outlined in the state’s statute of limitations. Filing a claim after that time period would, most likely, cause your case to become null and void. Call our legal team, immediately, at 1-800-HURT-NOW to schedule a free consultation.
Ignore the insurance company – never agree to a quick settlement and never agree to sign anything the insurance company might place in front of you! A release from the insurance company, signed by you, could strip you of further recoveries. Our Lancaster auto-accident lawyer team will handle any communications and negotiations with the insurance company, on your behalf.
Get a copy of the police report – in Pennsylvania, reporting a car accident is, legally, mandated. Also, if a police report determines that any drivers violated the law – such as a DUI – it could strengthen the defense of your case. Our auto-accident lawyer team can prove liability of the other party based on police-report information.
Keep a tight lip on social media – as the adage goes: loose lips sink ships. Insurance adjusters will scan social media in hopes of destroying one’s defense. Telling your friends, you are feeling better, or displaying photos of good times with your friends after the accident has occurred, would give the insurance company the ammunition it would be looking for to discredit your claim.
Our Accident Lawyers – Award Winning
At Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C., we offer a track record of success regarding injury and accident claims. Our legal team works, tirelessly, with every case to ensure every penny is awarded. From a $2,350,000 motorcycle-accident recovery case to a $1,500,000 a commercial-vehicle claim settlement to a $300,000 dog-bite award and a $165,000 slip-and-fall settlement, our Lancaster clients know what justice feels like.
Our law firm has handled more than one-hundred injury trials and thousands of personal-injury and work-related claims. Our law firm has recovered more than $70,000,000 for Lancaster County’s injured workers and accident victims.
Our skills and our strategies make all the difference regarding auto accidents of all types:
Auto Accident Involving Vehicle Crashes
An auto accident might involve a truck, SUV, semi, commercial van, cycle, or other type of vehicle. Whether vehicle collisions and crashes are due to intoxication, distractions, poor road conditions, or other factors, you can bet the insurance company will waste no time to limit what it might pay to the car-accident victims. Our auto-accident lawyer team will fight any insurance company which might attempt to limit your full financial recovery. Give us a call to discuss your claim!
Auto Accident Involving Motorcycle & Bicycle Collisions
Are your accident-related injuries due to your car being hit by a motorcycle or a bicycle? Or, as a cyclist, were you hit by a car? Our accident lawyers possess a commanding knowledge of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code, and we will cover every nuance related to your case. We will take up the battle against slick insurance-company attorneys. As your potent legal ally, we’ll have your back!
Auto Accident Involving Pedestrian Mishaps
Pedestrians must obey the rules of the road as much as those who are behind the wheel. Jaywalking, texting while walking, or running through traffic can lead to tragedies. When pedestrians fail to take oncoming traffic seriously, drivers of oncoming cars may have no opportunity to stop in time.
Perhaps, as a pedestrian, you were hit by a car. Any injuries you received could lead to medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. You want an auto-accident lawyer team who will fight for every financial recovery you are due!
Auto Accident Involving Distracted Driving
Distracted-driving accidents can happen so easily when motorists use their mobile phones. If your car accident involved a distracted driver, the other party’s phone data can be the pivotal piece of evidence that could determine who was at fault. Our auto-accident lawyers can utilize relevant mobile-phone evidence to strengthen the details of your case.
Other distractions can include eating, searching for a lost item, dealing with a GPS location, using headphones, etc. We’re ready to partner with you to determine liability and damages.
Auto Accident Involving Work-Time Incidents
You may have been traveling in a car or other vehicle during the course and scope of your employment. In this case, your claim would be handled differently than a traditional car accident. In cases like these, Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation system does not permit claimants to recover, or be compensated for, non-economic losses unless there is a third-party liability.
If an entity, other than your employer, is held legally liable for your losses and damages, our auto-accident lawyer team will work to maximize your recovery on the third-party bodily-injury component of your claim as well as the workers’ compensation component.
Being the Best Means Giving It Your All
Our trial lawyers are credited with winning more than 99% of their cases! Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C. is very proud to have been voted the #1 law firm in Lancaster County, PA – as part of Lancaster County Magazine‘s Best-of-Lancaster Survey, for 8 years running!
Our prestigious team includes two former Lancaster County Assistant District Attorneys, a former Philadelphia Insurance Defense Lawyer, and the former President Judge of the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas. You have the opportunity to choose the most commanding and authoritative accident lawyers Lancaster has to offer. Don’t settle for less, select the best – Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C..
Part of being the best also includes being, continually, available for our Lancaster clients to address their questions, update the progress of each case, and calm any concerns. Our auto-accident lawyer team is available evenings and weekends. We can visit your home, office, the hospital, or rehab center.
Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C. knows the medicine, the courtroom, and the insurance companies. We are master litigators within the arena of auto accidents of all types – there is no substitute for experience!
Lancaster Clients Pay No Out-of-Pocket Fees
Our Lancaster clients will never receive a bill for our time and services utilized for their cases. Only if we succeed in getting you compensated through litigation or protecting your benefits by defending you in litigation, do we receive a fee from the financial proceeds. Don’t allow a lack of legal representation be the reason you walk away with far less than you deserve!
Contact Our Legal Team, Right Now
Our Lancaster neighbors can connect with our team, in various ways:
Drop by our office and speak with us, in person. Our building location is right off Route 741 in Lancaster, PA. Our address is 2168 Embassy Drive.
Enhanced COVID-Safety Measures Remain in Place
At Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C., we are committed to optimized safety during the COVID-19 crisis. Click Coronavirus and Your Personal-Injury or Workers’-Compensation Case, to learn more.
As always, our top priority is ensuring the well-being of our Lancaster, PA clients and our team members. Our auto-accident cases continue to receive the utmost care and efficiency. Our Lancaster clients can take advantage of video conferencing and other options that leave the lines of communication open and flowing. We remain diligent with utilizing proactive safety measures for everyone involved.
