Allentown Personal Injury Lawyer
Most injured victims have two years to file lawsuits, so do not hesitate to reach out about your case. We can immediately review any evidence you collected, like photos, and launch an investigation to collect even more useful evidence for your case.
We need evidence of fault to prove the defendant is liable for your damages, including hospital bills, lost wages, property damage costs, and other expenses. Your testimony helps prove subjective non-economic damages, which compensate you for pain and suffering. Some personal injury lawsuits take longer than others, especially if defendants are stubborn and refuse to settle. Let us handle settlement talks and fight with the insurance companies on your behalf.
For a free case assessment from Cardamone Law, call our personal injury lawyers today at (267) 651-7945.
How Long Do You Have to File an Allentown Personal Injury Lawsuit?
You have two years to file your personal injury lawsuit in Allentown. That is the statute of limitations under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524 unless a tolling exception applies.
A tolling exception pauses the statute of limitations, whether because the victim is a minor at the time of injury, the defendant leaves the state after injuring the victim, or the victim discovers their injuries later.
Citing a tolling exception may enable you to sue, even if two years have passed since the date of injury. Ask our lawyers for clarification, and do not assume a tolling exception automatically applies
If you miss the statute of limitations, you miss your chance to get compensation. Contact us right after your accident so our personal injury lawyers have as much of those two years as necessary to prepare and file a claim.
What Evidence Can You Collect Right After an Accident in Allentown?
You can collect some evidence after an accident by photographing it. Use your phone to take pictures of property damage, lacerations, debris, or anything else that seems relevant. Photos preserve accident scenes, which otherwise get cleared away.
You can also survey the area for eyewitnesses and ask them for their contact information. You need not discuss the incident in detail; just ask for their names and phone numbers or emails.
Victims with severe injuries may lose consciousness or otherwise be unable to get eyewitnesses’ contact information. If 911 is called and the police arrive, law enforcement may put eyewitnesses’ information and other details in a police report, which we can obtain.
You can collect evidence of your immediate injuries by taking photos and going straight to the hospital if your injuries require it. We can get these medical records from the hospital and any others that come from your treatment.
What if You Stop Medical Treatment During Your Personal Injury Claim?
Stopping medical treatment before your injuries fully heal might jeopardize your claim. Missing appointments or delaying procedures creates gaps in medical records and might worsen your injury. The defendant may then argue against covering additional medical damages, so avoiding this situation is crucial.
If you stop your medical treatment, you may not have enough evidence of your injuries and medical damages. Attending doctor appointments, following physicians’ advice, and adhering to your treatment plan should be your top priority during your lawsuit.
What Economic Damages Can You Recover from an Allentown Personal Injury Lawsuit?
A personal injury lawsuit can cover all economic damages due to negligence, including lost wages, medical expenses, and other out-of-pocket costs.
Medical Damages
Medical damages are typically the most consequential for victims. Most injuries require some medical treatment, and even mild fractures may cost thousands of dollars, require physical therapy, and be distressing.
Your lawsuit should cover all medical damages, including anticipated upcoming losses. We can get your physicians to testify about future procedures, ongoing prescriptions, or other damages to prove you deserve them.
Lost Wages
A personal injury lawsuit should also pay you for income you have missed out on. Whether you cannot work at all or have a lower earning capacity since an accident, we can calculate and prove your lost wages.
Miscellaneous Expenses
We can seek compensation for any other out-of-pocket expenses we can trace back to the defendant’s negligence. If your personal property was damaged, you incurred childcare services, or you have suffered other economic damages since an accident, tell our attorneys.
How Do You Prove Non-Economic Damages Proven in Personal Injury Cases?
While we can prove economic damages with bills, income records, and concrete evidence, we must prove non-economic damages through other means. Mental anguish, suffering, physical pain, emotional distress, and other non-economic damages are often best proven through testimony.
When personal injury lawsuits go to trial, victims may testify to convince the jury of their pain and suffering. They can explain their depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other struggles since an accident. They can discuss embarrassment from disfiguring facial injuries, physical pain from debilitating fractures, and other intangible harms on the stand.
Mental health experts who evaluate and diagnose victims may also testify during a trial. They can speak to a victim’s pain and suffering, anxiety, or other difficulties, helping them get non-economic damages.
How Long Will Your Personal Injury Lawsuit Take in Allentown?
How long your specific case takes depends on its unique facts. Defendants faced with overwhelming evidence might agree to settle soon into negotiations, while some lawsuits will go all the way to trial, taking longer.
Even if you need compensation as soon as possible, refrain from accepting the first settlement offer. It will most likely be too low and may leave out compensation for non-economic damages or future economic damages.
We can estimate how long your case may take when we review it, and can keep you updated on its progress throughout.
Call Our Allentown Personal Injury Attorneys
Call Cardamone Law at (267) 651-7945 for a free case analysis from our personal injury lawyers.
