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- Over 50 Years of Experience
- Over 100 Million Dollars Recovered
- Injury Cases: No Fees Unless We Win
- Award-Winning Attorneys
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Find Out What Your Case Is Worth
Schedule Your Free ConsultationFender Bender Lawyer in Philadelphia, PA, Offering Tailored Representation
You might have been sitting at a red light on Broad Street when someone bumped you from behind. The impact wasn't hard, just a small dent. As a Philadelphia fender bender attorney, we've seen how these "minor" car accidents can become major problems.
Your neck might feel a little stiff, but nothing terrible. The other driver's insurance company has already called twice, offering to cut you a check right now to make this easy. Something doesn't feel right about how fast they're moving.
You're wondering if you even need a lawyer. You don't want to overreact, but you also don't want to get taken advantage of. That uncertainty is exactly what insurance companies count on.
We can help you understand your rights and pursue the maximum compensation available for your injuries and losses. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Find Out What Your Case is Worth
We invite you to reach out to us today to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team. Call (215) 486-0123 or contact us online to learn more.
Why You Might Need an Attorney Even After a Minor Accident in Philadelphia
Insurance adjusters love the term fender bender. It sounds harmless. Small. Not worth worrying about.
They use that language on purpose. When they call it a fender bender, they're already minimizing what happened to you. They're framing the entire situation as no big deal before you've even had time to think.
But what feels minor today can turn into chronic pain six months from now.
- That stiff neck you're brushing off could be whiplash that needs physical therapy for the next year.
- The headache you've had since the accident might be a concussion that gets worse before it gets better.
Medical problems from car accidents don't always show up immediately. Soft tissue injuries, herniated discs, and traumatic brain injuries can take days or even weeks to fully develop. By the time you realize how hurt you actually are, you may have already signed away your right to fair compensation.
Insurance companies know this. That's why they rush to settle.
And the settlement they're offering? It might cover the dent in your bumper, but it won't touch your medical bills, lost wages, or the pain you're dealing with. They're betting you'll take the quick money and leave thousands of dollars on the table.
Your Options for Getting Compensation After a Fender Bender in Philadelphia
If you’re injured in a car accident in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania law gives you multiple ways to recover compensation. How your claim proceeds depends on the type of insurance coverage you carry and the severity of your injuries.
Use Your Own Insurance
Pennsylvania requires all drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection, also called PIP coverage. This pays for your immediate medical expenses after a car accident, regardless of who caused the crash. This allows you to get medical treatment, such as doctor visits, X-rays, or physical therapy, right away, without waiting for fault to be determined.
PIP coverage is limited and typically applies only to medical expenses (and sometimes partial wage loss, depending on your policy). It does not cover pain and suffering or property damage. Despite its limitations, your PIP coverage gives you breathing room to get treated now and figure out the bigger picture later.
File a Claim with the At-Fault Driver's Insurance
You may also pursue a claim against the at-fault driver’s liability insurance for damages such as medical bills not covered by PIP, lost wages, property damage, and, depending on your policy, pain and suffering.
Your ability to recover pain and suffering depends on whether you selected full tort or limited tort coverage on your auto insurance policy. If you carry limited tort coverage, you must generally meet Pennsylvania’s serious injury threshold to pursue non-economic damages.
Claims against the at-fault driver often take longer but may result in greater compensation, especially if your injuries turn out to be more serious than they first appeared. A Philadelphia car accident lawyer can help you understand your rights and navigate the claims process.
The Fender Bender Insurance Trap You Need to Avoid
Here's how the trap works.
Within hours of your accident, an adjuster from the other driver's insurance company calls you. They're friendly, sympathetic, and seem genuinely concerned about making things right. They tell you they want to take care of this quickly so you don't have to deal with the hassle.
Then they offer you money. Sometimes $500, sometimes $1,500. They make it sound generous.
But there's a catch. Once you accept that check and sign their release form, you're done. You can't come back for more money even if you wake up next week unable to turn your head. Even if your doctor tells you that you need $8,000 worth of treatment. Even if you miss three weeks of work and lose your paycheck.
You signed. They're off the hook.
We've seen this play out hundreds of times. Someone accepts $800 to fix their bumper and cover what they think is minor soreness. Two months later, they're in physical therapy three times a week with $15,000 in medical bills and no way to pay for it.
The insurance company isn't trying to help you. They're trying to close your file as cheaply as possible.
Your Policy Might Affect Your Fender Bender Compensation Claim
If your injuries go beyond bumps and bruises, if you're dealing with real pain that affects your daily life, then the type of auto insurance policy you have matters a lot.
Pennsylvania gives you two options when you buy car insurance:
- Full tort
- Limited tort
Full tort
Full tort means you keep your right to sue for pain and suffering, no matter how minor or serious your injuries are. You can pursue compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the way your injuries have disrupted your life. This gives you the most protection.
Limited tort
Limited tort reduces your insurance premium, but it also restricts your ability to sue for pain and suffering unless your injuries meet Pennsylvania's definition of "serious." Under limited tort, you can still recover your medical bills and lost wages, but you've given up the right to be compensated for the suffering the accident caused you.
That said, limited tort has three important exceptions. You can still pursue full compensation for pain and suffering if:
- Your injury is considered "serious" under Pennsylvania law (broken bones, permanent disfigurement, permanent impairment).
- The at-fault driver was convicted of DUI.
- The at-fault driver was driving a vehicle registered in another state.
Many people don't even know which policy they have. But it makes a massive difference in what your case is worth. Our Philadelphia fender bender attorney can review your policy and tell you exactly what rights you have.
What Your Fender Bender Claim Can Actually Be Worth
Your compensation falls into two categories:
- Economic damages
- Non-economic damages
Economic damages
Economic damages are the bills and losses you can add up on paper.
- Medical expenses for emergency room visits, doctor appointments, physical therapy, prescription medications, and future treatment you'll need
- Lost wages from the work you've missed and the income you'll lose in the future if you can't return to your job at full capacity
- Property damage to repair or replace your vehicle
- Out-of-pocket costs like Uber rides to medical appointments because you can't drive
Non-economic damages
Non-economic damages cover everything that doesn't come with a receipt.
- Physical pain
- Emotional distress
- The loss of enjoyment in activities you used to love but can't do anymore because of your injuries
- The way chronic pain affects your mood, your relationships, and your ability to sleep at night
These damages are harder to calculate, but they're often worth more than the economic damages.
What your case is actually worth depends on the severity of your injuries, how they've impacted your life, the strength of the evidence, and whether you have full tort or limited tort coverage.
Don't accept the first lowball offer from insurance. Contact our Philadelphia fender bender attorney to find out what your case is really worth. Consultation is always free.
How We Fight for Full Compensation in Your Fender Bender Case
Insurance companies have teams of adjusters, investigators, and lawyers working to pay you as little as possible. You need someone on your side who knows how to fight back.
Here's what we do.
- We handle all the paperwork so you don't have to figure out confusing insurance forms and legal documents. We file your claim properly and on time, making sure every deadline is met and every requirement is satisfied.
- We gather evidence that proves what happened and how badly you were hurt. Police reports, witness statements, photos of the accident scene, medical records, and expert testimony if needed. We build a case that's hard to argue against.
- We negotiate with insurance companies using the leverage we've built through evidence and legal strategy. We don't accept lowball offers. We push for settlements that actually cover your losses.
And if the insurance company refuses to be reasonable, we take your case to trial. We're not afraid of the courtroom. We've been doing this for over 50 years, and we know how to win in front of a jury.
You focus on healing. We focus on getting you paid.
Insurance companies count on you not having a lawyer for "minor" accidents. Our Philadelphia fender bender attorney levels the playing field and make sure you get every dollar you deserve. Contact us today.
"Greatest firm I’ve ever dealt with. I’ll inform all my friends. Was very informative throughout the case!"
— Darren Baugh, Former Client
Why Philadelphia Drivers Trust Our Fender Bender Attorneys
We built this firm to represent families and people who've been hurt.
Our approach starts with listening. Before we talk about legal strategy or compensation numbers, we sit down and talk to you about your life. What do you do for work? Who depends on you? How has this accident thrown everything off balance?
We can't help you unless we understand you, so we take the time to get to know who you are and what you need.
We see people on their worst days. You're hurt, confused, and dealing with insurance companies that don't seem to care. Our job is to guide you through a process you've never been through before and make sure you understand what's happening every step of the way.
We ask about your relationships with your family and your coworkers. We talk about everything that's going on in your life because your case isn't just about the accident. It's about getting your life back to normal.
The people who work here care deeply about our clients. This isn't a nine-to-five operation where you get sent to voicemail after business hours. When you call us at 7 p.m. on a Saturday because you're worried about something, you talk to a lawyer. One of our lawyers. Not an answering service.
What matters to us is winning your case and making sure you come out on top.
We've been doing this for over 50 years. We've recovered more than $100 million for clients across Pennsylvania.
We've been recognized as Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, named to America's Top 1000 Personal Injury Attorneys, selected for The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and ranked in the Top 25 Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers.
You have nothing to lose and thousands to gain by talking to us. Talk to our fender bender lawyer in Philadelphia, PA, today.
Contact Our Philadelphia Fender Bender Attorney at van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim Today for a Free Case Review
You didn't ask for this. You might be just sitting at a stoplight, and now you're dealing with insurance adjusters, medical bills, and a nagging worry that you're about to make the wrong decision.
We can help. We've guided hundreds of Philadelphians through this exact situation, and we know how to protect you from the insurance company traps that catch people every single day.
We look at your situation, explain your options, and tell you exactly what your case could be worth. No pressure.
Don't let the insurance company convince you this is "just a fender bender." Let us show you what your case is really worth.
For help from a fender bender attorney in Philadelphia, reach out to van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim online or call today.
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Call 215-486-0123 or Fill Out Our Online Contact Form
