Motor vehicle collisions are an unfortunate reality of living in the U.S. Whether you drive, walk, or ride your bike, you have a very high chance of being in a crash at some point in your life. Even those who take the bus or train, which are the safest modes of ground transportation, are at risk while crossing the street or walking along the sidewalk. If you were injured by another driver while you were driving, walking, riding your bike, or using any other mode of transportation, your next step is to get in touch with an experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorney to seek the highest level of compensation possible to pay for your medical costs, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more.
Three People are Killed Every Seven Hours in Pennsylvania Traffic Collisions
According to Lehigh Valley Live, one out of 43 Pennsylvanians are involved in a reportable crash every year, for data collected in 2016. Not all of these collisions involve injuries or fatalities, but a reportable crash is one that is at least significant enough to have potentially caused property damage. Other startling statistics for 2016, which was actually one of the lowest years for serious collisions in recent history, include the following:
- One out of 10,761 people was killed in a traffic collision;
- One out of 154 people were injured in a reportable traffic collision. This equates to nine injuries every hour;
- Nearly 83,000 people were injured in traffic collisions;
- Nearly 1,200 people died in traffic collisions;
- Crashes caused by distracted driving have increased by at least 20 percent in the past 10 years alone.
Do You Ride a Bike or Walk? Your Chances of Sustaining a Serious Injury are Much Higher than of a Driver’s
Cyclists and pedestrians are much more likely to sustain serious injuries or fatalities than automobile occupants. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 840 cyclists and nearly 6,000 pedestrians were killed by drivers in 2016. These represent the highest numbers since 1991 and 1990, respectively. Statistically, very few trips are made by bike or foot, yet these two user groups account for nearly 7,000 of the 37,000 total fatalities, which includes all modes of road transportation.
Caps on Damages
In the vast majority of personal injury claims involving motor vehicles, there is no cap on the damages that you can seek from the negligent party. However, if a government agency was somehow responsible for your injuries, the personal injury cap is set at $500,000, as per 42 Pennsylvania § 8553. For injuries caused by a Commonwealth party, the cap is set at $250,000 per injured person and $1,000,000 in the aggregate, according to 42 Pennsylvania § 8528.
A Philadelphia Attorney is Here to Help
The Philadelphia lawyers at van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim have extensive knowledge in all matters pertaining to traffic collisions, and are available to take a look at your case as soon as possible. Call us today to schedule a free consultation so that we can get started at once.