Injured on 222? We Can Help.

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Pennsylvania Route 222, which runs through the heart of Berks County, is becoming not only the busiest but also the most dangerous road in the area. 222 has long been a source of economic growth to Berks County and to Reading, but in recent years, it has become more and more dangerous and has resulted in more and more accidents. If you’ve been injured on 222 in a car accident, the personal injury attorneys at the Cornerstone Law Firm can help you.

Pursuing Settlement

Car accidents can be a life-changing experience. Between the surgeries and rehabilitation required, these injuries demand an enormous amount of time and attention from the injured party. Other results of an accident, such as loss of earnings and chronic pain can create significant stress for the injured victim.

Having a personal injury attorney here in Berks County who understands your situation is important in dealing with the insurance company and any responsible party after the accident. The party responsible for your accident and the insurance companies involved—including your own insurance company in many cases—bear responsibility to ensure that you are made whole after the accident. This includes not only covering your medical bills and settling medical liens, but also putting together an appropriate settlement given the pain involved in your accident and the time you’ve lost at work and from the activities you love.

The process of pursuing settlement for your injuries doesn’t have to be as painful as a car accident. Frequently, cases can be resolved without the need of filing suit or going to trial. All the same, it’s important to have a lawyer who is able and willing to take your lawsuit to trial if necessary.

We can help.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident on 222 or elsewhere in Berks County, Pennsylvania, call the personal injury lawyers at Cornerstone Law Firm for a free consultation. We don’t get paid until you get paid. Call us for a risk-free, no-obligation consultation about your case.

I Missed Work Because of My Car Accident: Does Somebody Have to Pay for That?

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After you’ve been in a car accident, there are a lot of details to figure out. In addition to payment for medical bills, surgeries, rehab and so many other things, many victims of injuries find themselves asking, “Who’s going to pay for the time I missed from work?”

Lost wages are a significant component of the cost of a car accident to the injured party. Lost wages from time off from work can result not only in the immediate aftermath of the injury but far down the line, as well.

Lost Time and Wages

Whether attending doctors’ appointments, going to repeated rehabilitation sessions, having consultations with orthopedic specialists, and even in some cases, attending court proceedings arising out of the accident, car accidents result in lost time and wages.

In all of these instances, the wages lost should be calculated as part of the damages that the insurance company is required to compensate you for as a result of your accident. In some cases, insurance companies will tell the injured party that they are not entitled to compensation for lost wages. They may give the victim of an injury a hard time about claiming lost wages, particularly where someone’s job makes wages a little harder to calculate.

For example, a salesperson who is no longer able to do the physical demands of a job, such as getting up on a roof or otherwise doing physical labor to determine the appropriate amount to quote on a job, may see their earnings diminish significantly. Yet an insurance company may claim that these damages are speculative or that they cannot be appropriately quantified.

In another example, an individual who loses out on seasonal overtime pay or a second job for a holiday weekend may be told that they can’t claim these damages from insurance.

Maximize Your Appropriate Recovery

Insurance adjusters are paid to keep your damages at a minimum after a car accident. Shouldn’t you have attorneys on your side to maximize your appropriate recovery?

If you’ve been injured, call the Cornerstone Law Firm to speak with one of our personal injury attorneys. The consultation is free, and we don’t get paid unless you get paid. Call us today to discuss your case.

Who’s going to pay for my car?!

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When you’ve been in a car crash and your car is totaled, one of the first and most frustrating lessons that you learn is that car insurance companies do not put as high a value on your car as you do. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, and our other “toys” of the road often have a special sentimental value to us and a practical long-term value. With care and maintenance, most of us hope to drive our cars forever!

Unfortunately, car insurance companies frequently try to give you the bottom-dollar for your car, truck or motorcycle after an accident. So what do you do when the car insurance company makes a low offer? Worse, what if the insurance company says your car isn’t worth as much as the loan you still have to pay off?

  1. You have a right to insist on the actual value of your car, truck or motorcycle after a crash.

In most cases, your insurance company is responsible for paying for the value of your vehicle. Although value can be subjective, the market value of your car is the proper amount that the insurance should pay you.

So, in other words, don’t be afraid to insist on the full value of your car and don’t be afraid to submit supporting documentation such as the Kelly Blue Book value or other objective measures of the value of your car. The car insurance company shouldn’t get away with undervaluing your car any more than a used car dealer would when you trade it in! So push back and insist on full value.

  1. Property Damage vs. Injury Damage

Your car insurance covers you for very different types of damage. It covers you for your immediate medical bills. It covers you for property damage to your car or belongings. It covers you in the event of an injury and ensures that you will receive compensation for your pain and suffering and the medical cost of your injuries. It also may cover other things such as time that you lost at work.

Sometimes insurance policies can be confusing. The declaration page from your insurance company may break down eight different types of recovery, and despite showing that you have “coverage,” a claims adjuster may tell you there’s no money for your situation. In these situations, you should consider retaining a car accident attorney to help you understand your declaration page and to help negotiate with the insurance company.

  1. A car accident lawyer can help you determine the value of your car—and your injury claim.

When you’ve been confronted with an insurance company that doesn’t believe that the value of your car or the value of your injury is as serious as you do, you should contact an experienced car accident attorney. One value to having an experienced car accident lawyer by your side is that an experienced attorney can tell you what the proper valuation of your claim is.

At Cornerstone Law Firm, we deal with injury claims all the time. We know the ins and outs of dealing with a car accident case, and we can help you determine whether you’re getting proper value for your car and proper value for the injuries that you’ve suffered.

So if you’ve been in a car accident, a motorcycle accident, a truck accident, or any other vehicle crash, call us at the Cornerstone Law Firm today to discuss your case and see how we can help you.

Three Things to do after a Berks County Car Accident

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If you’ve been in a car accident in Berks County, Pennsylvania, there are three things you should consider doing right away. In this video, Attorney David Crossett breaks down immediate steps you should take.

If you’ve been injured in Berks County or elsewhere in Pennsylvania, give us a call. We’d be happy to talk with you about your case.