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Worthington Law Group
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Car, Truck, Bus and Motorcycle
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Click the heading to learn about:
Automobile Accidents:
Motorcycle Accidents:
Truck Accidents:
Hit and Run Accidents:
Pedestrian Accidents and victims of drunk drivers:
FAQ's:
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Automobile Accidents:
A car accident with serious injuries can create a great many complications. You do not need the worry and confusion of dealing with an insurance company, doctor and hospital billing offices and others. There is an immediate need to get appropriate medical attention and to begin the healing process which needs to be first priority. The injured person and family members need to deal with work, school and other obligations requiring their attention.
Talking to an insurance adjuster can hurt your claim. The adjustor is on the side of the insurance company. The insurance company has a team of lawyers assisting him or her to help the insurance company save money. Your lawyer will be on YOUR side.
Our law firm will review your insurance coverages as well as that of the other drivers involved in the car wreck. You may find out that one or more of the drivers have little or NO insurance. We will determine whether there is uninsured motorist coverage or underinsured motorist coverage which will assist you to get the financial recovery you need!
We will review police reports and hire any necessary experts to determine fault. If defective auto parts or repairs have caused the accident, we will investigate and determine whether a lawsuit should be filed against the manufacturer or the repair garage.
Our personal injury firm works for justice for YOU. Serious injuries, catastrophic injuries and wrongful death have catastrophic costs for the victims and their families. Let us put our knowledge, resources and experience to work for you to help compensate you for your loss.
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Motorcycle Accidents:
In a motorcycle accident, injuries are nearly always serious or catastrophic. Unfortunately, injured motorcycle riders can also face the biases many people have against motorcyclists.
Motorcycle accident injuries can be severe and require extensive medical treatment and often surgery. In some cases, the victim will suffer a lifetime of attendant care and medical complications. We can help you to recover the financial damages you need for recovery.
There are certain problems specific to motorcycle, and sometimes bicycle accidents. For example, car and truck drivers often do not see motorcycles and bikes. Motorcycles and bikes are smaller than cars and drivers just aren't looking for them. Accidents can be caused by a car turning in front of a motorcyclist who has the right of way, or by not allowing road space for an unnoticed motorcycle. Our forensic experts can examine the scene and reconstruct the accident to prove liability.
In addition, witnesses often misjudge a motorcycle's speed. The sound of a motorcycle engine and the perception of speed can lead to estimates of fifty to one hundred percent higher than reality. Let our experts use science and physical evidence to determine the facts.
Multiple broken bones, road rash resulting in scarring and surgeries are often involved in motorcycle and bike accidents. Extensive physical therapy may be required. Emotional injuries and life-changing catastrophic injuries such as closed head injuries and traumatic brain injury often require a lifetime of medical care and attention. You need a lawyer who will understand medical issues and can argue for appropriate financial damages. We will hire experts to project what your future medical needs will cost and what you stand to lose in future income and benefits if you cannot go back to work.
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Truck Accidents:
The weight, energy and momentum of an eighteen wheeler crash can destroy a car or SUV beyond recognition and cause severe injuries or death. You need a lawyer to investigate serious truck accidents to determine causation. For example, was the tractor trailer overloaded with stone, or did the driver fall asleep after too many hours on the road? These are critical facts which need to be established early before evidence gets lost or damaged. We regularly hire experts and investigators to go to the scene, examine the vehicles involved or whatever is required to determine the reason for the accident and to impose liability on the appropriate party or parties.
Trucking companies often have very large insurance policies to cover such accidents.
Our firm will assign experts to examine driver logs, maintenance logs, and driver history. We often employ experts to reconstruct accidents and establish fault and liability.
Catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord injury (paraplegia, quadriplegia) or traumatic brain injury can require a lifetime of medical care and expense. We hand-pick experts who understand the science and biology of complex injuries and who help us to argue your case in the best way possible to prove your pain and suffering and to predict your future care.
A serious injury or the loss of a loved one can wreak havoc your entire life. You should not be burdened with worries about the legal and financial implications of your situation. You deserve an attorney who will assume the legal burden for you and who will ensure your claim is filed promptly and properly. We will apply all our resources to negotiate on your behalf with the insurance company. At the appropriate time, we will give you all the guidance, information and advice you need to make critical decisions about your family's future.
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Hit and Run Accidents:
What if an accident occurs in which you are injured and the driver who caused it leaves the scene? The police investigate but are unable to identify the driver or insurance covering the vehicle. Call us to find out whether you have insurance to cover this situation. We will look at your insurance policy to determine what coverage you have which might help you. If you have purchased uninsured motorist coverage, you may be able to pursue a claim against your own insurance company. If you have this coverage, your insurance company will not raise your rates just because you have utilized a coverage you purchased for this type of contingency. Call us to find out what coverage you may have to handle a hit and run accident.
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Pedestrian Accidents and victims of drunk drivers:
While pedestrians have a great deal of control over their own safety, often the momentary lack of attentiveness can lead to serious injury or death. As adults we hammer into our children the maxim that one must look both ways before crossing the street. However, many adult pedestrians are struck by cars every year and sadly, many children as well.
There are many reasons for pedestrian accidents including ignoring traffic signals, jaywalking, chasing something which has gone out into the street such as a pet or toy, chasing a child who has pursued a pet or toy into the street, walking on high speed or limited access highways.
How many times have you seen a jogger on a narrow highway with an ipod attached to his ears? For all intents and purposes, the jogger may not hear an approaching car. Sometimes, a jogger will be running at night, when lighting is poor and visibility limited. These activities can be a recipe for disaster.
Unfortunately, drivers are also less attentive these days with the advent of complex automobile stereo systems, cell phone use and navigational equipment causing distraction. Drivers may disregard a crosswalk or a traffic control signal, particularly one related to pedestrian traffic.
Sadly, not all drivers remember to stop or simply are in a hurry and decide to disregard the red, flashing lights on a stopped school bus.
Tragically, drunk drivers pose a high risk of serious injury to pedestrians, even sometimes losing control and driving up onto sidewalks or through storefronts, causing injury to pedestrians.
When a pedestrian is struck by thousands of pounds of metal going even as low as 10 miles per hour, serious injury or even death are inevitable. Head injuries as well as broken bones and severe emotional trauma often follow such accidents.
You need legal advice if you or a loved one were injured as a pedestrian. Regardless of the circumstances, call us for a free, no obligation consultation regarding this very serious type of accident. If there is any possible legal claim, you need to have legal advice immediately to ensure all witnesses are identified and all evidence preserved. Seek medical attention immediately but be sure to call us before you call the insurance company! A consultation is free and will only take a short time. You owe it to yourself and your family to get legal advice before talking to the insurance adjuster. Remember that an insurance company is in business to make money, not to protect you and your family from financial distress and catastrophic consequences. The insurance company has a team of lawyers whose sole mission is to defend the at-fault driver and to pay you as little as possible. Certainly, the adjuster may express condolences on a human level, but his or her job is to minimize your recovery. You owe it to yourself and your family to call us to protect your rights!
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FAQ's - IF YOU’RE IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT . . .
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What Should I Do If I Am in an Accident?
See the accompanying article for a helpful checklist of “do’s and don’ts” if you are involved in an accident.
How Are Insurance Claims Handled?
As soon as possible after the accident, contact your insurance company. If the accident was the other driver’s fault, your claim should be paid by his or her insurance company. If the other driver does not have insurance, or does not have enough insurance, your insurance company may pay your claim, depending on what kind of coverage you have.
Some insurance companies will tell you that you don’t need an attorney to represent you if you are injured in the accident. This is bad advice. Never give an insurance company official statements about the accident without consulting with us so that we can protect your rights.
What About Property Damage Claims?
Most property damage claims are handled quickly and efficiently and usually do not require a lawyer. If the accident is not your fault, the other driver’s insurance should pay to fix your car, unless it would cost more to fix your car than it is worth. If this is the case, your car is “totaled,” and you will receive only the market value of your car before the accident. Many repair shops will help you by providing free repair estimates for insurance purposes.
What If I Am Injured?
As with property damage, if the other driver is responsible for the accident, he or she is also responsible for your medical bills. If you have been injured, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. Remember: An injury may not appear until long after the accident.
Do I Need an Attorney?
If you were not hurt, or if the only damage suffered is property damage, you probably will not need an attorney. However, if you have been injured or have missed work, you should contact us immediately to help you get your fair due from the insurance companies. Unfortunately, many insurance companies make it difficult to recover for certain kinds of injuries (such as whiplash) without a lawyer’s help.
How Much Will It Cost to Get Legal Help?
Most attorneys who handle personal injury lawsuits do so on a contingent‑fee basis. This means that you do not have to pay for the attorney’s services out of your own pocket, but instead the attorney will receive a share of the recovery if you are successful. If you don’t win, you don’t pay. We believe that you deserve good legal help even if you do not have a lot of money.
What Is My Claim Worth?
The answer depends on a number of different factors. You should be compensated for your medical bills and lost wages, both past and future. You also should recover something for the pain and suffering the accident has caused you. If your injuries are serious enough, they may affect you for the rest of your life, and so you should be able to recover for your lost earning capacity.
How Long Will It Take to Settle My Claim?
Many cases settle quickly, to everyone’s satisfaction. Others continue for months or even years, depending on whether there are disputed facts and on the amount of medical treatment you require. Still other cases cannot be settled without a trial, which may take longer.
Who Do I Talk to?
If you have been in an accident and have questions about whether you need a lawyer or whether you have a right to monetary damages, call us. Decisions that must be made after an accident are very important. We will be happy to talk to you about your case.
We offer a FREE, no-pressure consultation for all injury and accident cases. If we can help you in any way, do not hesitate to call for a consultation regarding your case.
The insurance company will have a lawyer
... So should you! Call us at (215) 576-5150.
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Your injuries deserve serious representation. You need a lawyer who will listen and get results! You need a firm with the experience and knowledge to handle your injury claim. The Worthington Law Group of Jenkintown, PA, has nearly *25 years of experience and a track record of thousands of compensated clients and millions of dollars in awards. Let us put our experience to work for you! You can trust us because we care about your case and we want to help you.
We offer Center City Philadelphia representation in a comfortable and safe suburban setting with unlimited free parking. If you can't get to us, we will get to you. We are on a convenient SEPTA bus route, but if you are unable to walk or to drive, or your car is undriveable due to your accident, we will come to your home or wherever we need to go to meet with you and answer your questions immediately.
Call us at 215.576.5150 or use our toll free line, 1.866.644.2389.
The Worthington Law Group is here to help you.
Offices; Jenkintown, Berwyn and East Falls.
Offices Serving; Ambler, Cheltenham.
Conshohocken,
East Falls, Fox Chase,
Germantown, Glenside,
Mt. Airy, Norristown,
Philadelphia, Rockledge,
Warminster / Warrington, Western PA and Willow Grove
*includes over 20 years in senior partnership at Stocker and Worthington Law Offices
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- We represent ONLY Plaintiffs.
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- Call us BEFORE you call the insurance company. The insurance company has a lawyer and so should you!
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- For nearly a quarter century our counsel have built a reputation for battling the big insurance companies and winning cases like yours!
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- We do not pass off your case to a less experienced associate. You and your case get the personal attention of an experienced, seasoned attorney.
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- You can trust us because we care about your case, and we want to help you.
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- We work relentlessly to get the best possible result in your case.
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- We offer aggressive representation with unsurpassed integrity.
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Call us at 215.576.5150 or use our toll free line, 1.866.644.2389.
The Worthington Law Group is here to help you.
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©2006, 2007, 2008 Sandra Worthington, Esq.
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