Bernard Tully Personal Injury Lawyer. Phone: 412-281-8700
Something you might want to consider doing is reviewing your auto policy. I just had a situation happen last week where a client called us asking for help because they were in a rear-end auto accident and they had to go to the emergency room. The first thing we asked them, as we do for any auto accident inquiry, is if they have limited or full tort.
Limited vs Full Tort
Limited Tort
After an accident, limited tort law permits a motorist to only seek compensation for genuine financial damages, such as out-of-pocket medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, or other related costs. Limited tort prevents drivers from bringing additional claims (lawsuits for pain and suffering, for instance). Limited tort coverage makes it challenging to get money for damages unless the accident caused death or severe harm.
There are some exceptions such as if the person was driving drunk or if the vehicle that rear-ended you had an out-of-state license plate. However, if you picked limited tort, you pay a little bit less in terms of your premium, but you do not have the right to sue whenever you’re involved in an accident for pain and suffering.
This is what happened to the client I mentioned above. They said, and thought, they had full coverage. Sometimes insurance adjusters say a person has full coverage, but they don’t. Low and behold, our client was in one of those situations where they had selected limited tort. As much as I wanted to help this client, it was going to be an uphill battle. With limited tort in Pennsylvania, you have to show you have a serious injury and that’s not always easy to do.
Full Tort
Regardless of the severity of the accident, full tort coverage enables a driver to pursue damages for pain and suffering following a not-at-fault collision. The motorist is not required to demonstrate that their pain and suffering exceeded a specified amount. Drivers with full tort insurance are able to sue for continued discomfort and inconvenience.
Full Tort Is Crucial
The one crucial thing you need to have in your auto policy if you’re injured is to make sure you have full tort. Bernie Tully Esquire recommends checking your auto policy, if not today, as soon as possible. The reason why it’s so important in an auto accident case is that they look at the date of the accident and compare it to the date your tort was set. So now that you know the difference between limited vs full tort, you need to be cautious about insurance adjusters because they may only want your money, not always what’s best for you.
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Bernard Tully Allegheny County Personal Injury Full Tort Lawyer. Phone: 412-281-8700 and 1-800-518-0050