Philadelphia Laws to Protect Victims in an Auto Accident

Authored by Athena Nagel

The largest city in Pennsylvania State is Philadelphia. As per 2019 population data, the city is home to 1.58 million people. The state has some unique car accident laws.

Though the state follows a no-fault accident policy, the state allows car owners to “opt-out” of the no-fault system while purchasing car insurance policies. Here is some vital information about Philadelphia car accident laws for you to know.

Philadelphia Accident and Compensation Laws

Pennsylvania, the home state of Philadelphia, follows a no-fault insurance system. According to the law, it doesn’t matter who was responsible for the accident. It means in case of a car accident, the injured person’s own insurance company will provide coverage for lost income and medical expenses too.

An auto accident attorney in Philadelphia knows the Philadelphia laws that have statutory instruments to protect victims in an auto accident. If you are a passenger who has had an accident, the driver’s insurance company will pay for your medical expenses and loss of income.

Speed Rules

Philadelphia has strict speed limits when driving within the city or freeways. Here are some important speed rules every motorist should know.

Residential streets have a speed limit of 25 mph, while non-residential streets have a limit of 30 mph. The speed limit when driving on expressways is 55 MPH.

If the driver exceeds these speed limits, which causes an accident, he could be held liable for passenger damages or injuries to other people involved in the accident, including pedestrians.

The Philadelphia Parking Authority has installed 32-speed cameras at eight locations in the city. These locations are dangerous and commonplace for auto accidents. All camera locations lie on Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia. Some of these locations are Red Lion Road, Strahle Street, Southampton Road, Harbison Avenue, Banks Way, and F Street.

Statute of Limitations

Like in most US states, Pennsylvania has also implemented a statute of limitations to auto accident cases. The 42 Pennsylvania Code section 5524 mentions the injured person must file a lawsuit to recover damages for the demise of a person or injuries within two years.

It means you need to contact an auto accident attorney in Philadelphia immediately after an accident to file a case against the party responsible.

Modified Comparative Fault

According to 2019 accident statistics, Philadelphia registered 11,120 auto accidents, accounting for 8.9% of all auto accidents in Pennsylvania. According to accident lawyers, Pennsylvania has introduced a “modified comparative fault” rule where both parties share the fault in an accident.

If you are not at fault in the car accident, you can file a personal injury claim to get the compensation to help you meet medical expenses. If you file a personal injury claim, the judge will consider your total damages in the accident and your share of the fault. The compensation amount is decided by applying the modified comparative fault rule, which takes into account your injuries and share of responsibility in the accident.

Philadelphia laws do allow you to file a personal injury claim to recover damages, so just make sure you hire the best auto accident lawyer to represent your case and get you the compensation to which you are entitled.