Understanding Personal Injury Law in Chester County

Each year, hundreds of Chester County residents suffer injuries due to accidents caused by others. Car accidents on busy roads like Route 202, slip and falls in local stores, and even medical mistakes can turn lives upside down.

If you’ve been hurt due to someone else’s carelessness, HoeyLegal is here to help. We are the top personal injury law firm in Chester County, and we know how to fight for your rights.

We invite you to reach out to us today to discuss your claim. And in the meantime, please feel free to join our conversation below to learn why you need a personal injury lawyer in Chester County.

Types of Personal Injury Cases

Personal injury law covers many different situations. Whether it’s a fender bender on High Street or a major accident on Route 30, many types of events can lead to personal injuries. Some of the most common cases we see involve:

Car Accidents

Crashes caused by distracted driving, drunk driving, or reckless behavior. These accidents can result in broken bones, head injuries, and even death.

Slip and Falls

Injuries from falling due to unsafe conditions on someone else’s property. Think wet floors, icy sidewalks, or uneven pavement. These falls can cause serious harm, especially for older adults.

Medical Malpractice

Harm caused by mistakes made by doctors, nurses, or hospitals. This can include surgical errors, misdiagnosis, or medication mistakes. The consequences of medical malpractice can be devastating.

These situations often share a common thread: negligence. Negligence means that someone failed to act with reasonable care, and this failure led to your injury. For example, a driver who runs a red light is negligent, and so is a store owner who fails to clean up a spill.

To win a personal injury case, it’s crucial to prove that the other person was negligent and that their negligence caused your harm. This can be tricky, which is why having an experienced legal team on your side is so important. They can investigate the accident, gather evidence, and fight for your rights.

Chester County Personal Injury Laws: Know Your Rights

Understanding Pennsylvania’s laws will help you whether you are looking for recompense for your injuries or a personal injury lawyer in Chester County. The statute of limits is one fundamental rule. This statute establishes your personal injury claim’s deadline.

In Pennsylvania, you have two years from the date of your accident to launch a case. Should you wait too long, you can forfeit your right to pursue payback.

Comparative negligence is another crucial concept. This implies that you can still be entitled to compensation even if you share some blame for the accident.

The degree of your guilt will determine the amount you get from the court. If the court determines you 20% at blame, for instance, your payout might be cut by 20%.

In a personal injury lawsuit, what sort of compensation is possible? This changes based on the particulars of your case. Common kinds of damages, though, include:

  • Medical Bills: Your doctor appointments, hospital stays, drugs, and other treatments all cost.
  • Lost Wages: Money your injuries and rehabilitation period prevented you from earning.
  • Pain and Suffering: The accident and your injuries have caused emotional as well as physical suffering.

Remember, these are only a handful of Pennsylvania’s fundamental personal injury statutes. Every case is different. That’s why it is advisable to consult a personal injury attorney in Chester County, PA, who can clarify how these rules relate to your particular circumstances.

Why You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in Chester County

After a serious accident, you might feel lost and confused. A personal injury lawyer in Chester County can help you figure things out. They will be on your side and guide you through the legal process. Here’s what they can do:

Investigation

Personal injury lawyers know how to get to the bottom of things. They will investigate the accident to figure out what happened and who caused it. They might visit the place where the accident happened, talk to people who saw it, and look at police reports and medical records.

Evidence Gathering

To build a strong case for you, your Chester County personal injury lawyer will collect evidence. This could include photos or videos of the accident scene, your medical bills, proof that you couldn’t work because of the accident, and opinions from doctors.

Negotiation with Insurance Companies

Insurance companies don’t always want to pay what you deserve. A good personal injury lawyer in Chester County knows how to talk to insurance companies to get you a fair amount of money that covers all your costs and losses.

Going to Court

Sometimes, the insurance company won’t offer a fair amount of money. If this happens, your lawyer will be ready to go to court for you. They will explain your case to a judge and jury and fight to get you the most money you can get.

Finding the right lawyer is important. You need a lawyer who knows about personal injury law in Chester County and has won cases before.

At HoeyLegal, we have a team of lawyers who care about helping people like you. We have won many cases and have the knowledge and skills to help you get the money you deserve. If you’ve been in an accident, we can help you move forward.

Don’t Wait: Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer Today

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Chester County, don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer. The sooner you get legal help, the better. Why? Because evidence can disappear quickly. Witnesses may forget details and important records might get lost.

An experienced lawyer can start working on your case right away to preserve evidence and build a strong case for you. At HoeyLegal, we understand the stress and uncertainty that follow an accident. That’s why we offer free consultations to discuss your case. We’ll listen to your story, answer your questions, and explain your options.

Our goal is to help you get the compensation you deserve and get your life back on track. Remember, you don’t have to face this alone. We are here to help. Contact HoeyLegal today.

Distracted Driving

Pennsylvania defines distracted driving as “an activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving.” Drivers have to focus on driving, so they can react to the information on the road, such as road conditions, hazards and other drivers. Distracted drivers do not react appropriately and thus put others at risk for severe injury or death. Examples of distractions, besides using cell phones and texting, include drinking, eating, adjusting the radio, adjusting climate controls, adjusting seats, combing hair, putting on make-up, daydreaming, reaching for dropped items, engaging in heavy conversations, and focusing on events outside of the car.

Driving Under the Influence

Driving under the influence typically refers to alcohol use, but drug use can also impair drivers and cause severe car accidents.  In either situation, enjoying cocktails at happy hour, celebrating with drugs or alcohol, drinking too much wine for dinner and unwinding after a long week at work results in too many motorists driving under the influence.  Controlled substances impact each person differently, making it common for someone to misjudge his or her level of impairment.  These poor judgments can lead to severe and sometimes fatal car accidents.

Driver Fatigue

Driving without enough sleep is commonplace for many in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and across the nation. Truck drivers, shift workers, and those with sleep disorders are most vulnerable to causing an accident because they are drowsy or fatigued. Not having enough rest slows down reaction time and impairs the senses. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) claims that eighteen (18) hours without sleep impairs a driver to the same extent as someone who has a 0.08 blood or breath alcohol concentration after consuming alcohol.

Speeding

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that one-third of all car accidents involve speeding. Drivers who rush, run late, or simply lack patience may choose to speed when they get behind the wheel. Speeding makes it more likely that a driver will lose control of his or her vehicle and makes it more difficult to react to road hazards and other vehicles. Speeding also increases the impact of a car accident and makes it far less likely that a negligent driver may maintain control of his vehicle sufficient to prevent a collision. High speed car accidents make it far more likely that those involved will suffer severe injuries or death.

OBTAIN NECESSARY COURT ORDERS TO PRESERVE EVIDENCE

At HoeyLegal, we know from our litigation experience that tractor-trailer drivers often operate at least one cellular phone which is in use at, during, or immediately prior to a tractor-trailer accident. Additionally, most tractor-trailers are equipped with data recorders which capture, in real-time, important vehicle operation events including speed, hard braking and other evasive maneuvers taken by the operator and the tractor-trailer.  It is imperative that this evidence be obtained before it is destroyed.  At HoeyLegal, our trial attorneys will obtain any necessary court order to preserve this evidence for trial.

IDENTIFY ALL AT-FAULT DEFENDANTS

Oftentimes, there are several defendants responsible for the tractor-trailer accident. In most cases, at least two defendants are responsible for the ownership and operation of the tractor-trailer.  There may be additional defendants responsible for the hiring and retention of the tractor-trailer driver.  At HoeyLegal, our investigators will promptly identify the responsible defendants and immediately request the preservation of all evidence related to the hiring and retention of the driver, inspection of the vehicles and the supervision and drug/alcohol testing of the vehicle operator.

LOCATE, EXAMINE AND INSPECT THE TRACTOR-TRAILER

Our accident investigators include mechanics who will immediately respond to the accident site and the location where the truck has been impounded in order to photograph the truck and conduct necessary mechanical inspections of the vehicle. In the event that a court order is necessary to examine and inspect the trucks, HoeyLegal Attorneys will promptly file the necessary motions to enable the HoeyLegal mechanics and inspectors to conduct a prompt evaluation of the mechanical function of the at-fault tractor-trailer

ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION

Our expert accident investigators include former Pennsylvania State Police accident investigators and nationally recognized engineers who will carefully photograph the accident scene and conduct all necessary measurements of skid marks, yaw marks, displacement of debris and thoroughly examine the accident site to preserve all evidence for the time of trial.

INTERVIEW ALL WITNESS

Our investigators will promptly interview and record all witnesses that observed the accident and collect all biographical information from the witnesses so they will available to testify on your behalf at trial.

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