Monroeville Car Accident Lawyers

Monroeville, PA is the location of several major highways: I-76, I-376, and Rt. 22, which runs right through town. All of these roads see numerous traffic accidents each year.

With an auto accident comes a whole new world of inconvenience—medical bills, insurance calls, car repairs, and more. And that’s if you’re lucky. Unlucky victims could be left with permanent injuries, a loss of mobility and independence, and mental health issues from the trauma of the crash.

Knowing all that you could lose in a car crash, it just makes sense to seek full and fair compensation afterward. Doing so can help minimize the financial damage of the collision and help you get back to normal as quickly as possible.

Having the right attorney on your side can make a huge difference. Call Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman at 412-391-9860 to set up a consultation with our Monroeville car accident lawyers now.

Important Accident Statistics in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s roads see a considerable number of crashes every year. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, there were nearly 105,000 crashes in 2020. That amounts to an average of 12 crashes every single hour.

On average, there were about seven car crash injuries every hour. However, the statistics are moving in the right direction in some ways. Although there were 1,129 fatalities in 2020, that is the second-lowest number of traffic fatalities in the state in the previous 93 years.

The statistics also break down the different types of crashes. The most common type of crash involved hitting a fixed object. Hitting another car at an angle was the second most common, followed by rear-end crashes and sideswipe collisions.

State highways saw the greatest share of collisions in Pennsylvania in 2020. This includes Monroeville roads like U.S. Route 22, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and I-376.

The majority of crashes were caused by human error. Crashes were often attributed to speeding, unsafe turns, distracted driving, failing to check for other vehicles, and driving while impaired.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Pennsylvania

The sudden, jarring sound of crushing metal. The immediate shock of impact. In an instant, your day is derailed, and you find yourself amid the wreckage, adrenaline surging. You’ve become one of the thousands of Pennsylvania drivers affected by car collisions every single year. These moments are disorienting, but what you do in the minutes, hours, and days following the crash is crucial—not just for your immediate safety, but for your eventual physical and financial recovery.

Whether the incident was a minor fender-bender on Route 22 or a severe multi-car collision on I-376 near the Turnpike, having a clear, structured plan is vital. Following these steps can help ensure you seek proper care after a crash and establish the strongest possible foundation should you need to pursue financial recovery for your losses.

Phase 1: Securing the Scene and Gathering Essential Information

The period immediately following an accident is often chaotic. If you are physically able, take a moment to breathe and then begin this critical sequence of actions.

1. Report the Crash

Your first and most urgent action is to notify the authorities. Call 911 immediately if the crash is serious, involves significant property damage, or if anyone appears injured, unconscious, or requires immediate medical assistance.

Even if the crash seems minor, it is almost always beneficial to involve law enforcement. In the Monroeville area, you can report the collision to the Monroeville Police Department.

It is necessary to obtain an official police report if you plan to file an insurance claim or pursue a legal claim later. Make sure you get the reporting officer’s name, badge number, and the specific event or report number assigned to the incident. This number is your key to tracking the official documents later. Never assume the police will automatically file a report for a minor crash; always confirm this detail at the scene.

2. Exchange Contact and Insurance Information

Regardless of who you believe is at fault, you and the other driver (or drivers) should exchange contact and insurance information. Do not rely solely on the police report for this data, as it may take time to process. Write down or take photos of the following:

• The other driver’s name, phone number, and address.
• The make, model, year, and license plate number of their vehicle.
• Their insurance company name and policy number.
• The location, date, and time of the crash.

If the driver states they are borrowing the car, ask for the name of the vehicle owner as well. This meticulous record-keeping will make it significantly easier for all insurance companies involved to determine liability and process the claim without unnecessary delay.

3. Provide Input for the Police Report

The official police report is often a cornerstone of how insurance companies determine liability, making it an invaluable piece of evidence. When the investigating officer arrives, make sure that your side of the story is clearly communicated and accurately reflected.

Be factual and concise. Stick only to what you know to be true. Do not guess, speculate about speed, or admit fault—even if you suspect you made an error. Simply describe the sequence of events as you perceived them. For example, “I was traveling eastbound on William Penn Highway, and the other vehicle failed to stop at the red light at the intersection of [Street Name].” You do not want to let the other driver’s narrative become the only one documented, as this can severely prejudice your claim before you even begin the recovery process.

4. Get Evidence from the Scene

Modern smartphones are powerful tools for documentation. Use yours to capture detailed evidence of the collision scene. If you think of it, also take a video showing the collision from multiple angles and distances.

Specific Photo Checklist:

• Vehicle Damage: Take close-up photos of all damage to both your vehicle and the other vehicle(s). Also take photos from a distance to show the relative position of the cars.
• The Scene: Capture the immediate surroundings. Include road signs, traffic signals, skid marks, debris on the road, and any weather or road conditions (like standing water or ice) that might have contributed to the crash.
• Identifying Marks: Photograph the license plates, insurance cards, and driver’s licenses (if permitted) of the parties involved.
• Injuries: Take pictures of any visible injuries you or your passengers sustained, such as cuts, bruises, or broken bones.

If anyone stops to provide help, even just to direct traffic, get their contact information. If they saw the accident unfold, they may be a good eyewitness, and their testimony can be impartial and extremely helpful later in confirming your version of events. Gather names, phone numbers, and email addresses.

Phase 2: Prioritizing Your Health

A car accident involves enormous physical stress, and the rush of adrenaline often masks pain. Never assume you are fine.

5. Seek Immediate Medical Care

Local facilities like UPMC East, Forbes Hospital, and MedExpress Urgent Care are good resources for you to consider. You want to get checked out promptly to rule out any life-threatening or latent injuries.

The necessity of a medical checkup after a car crash cannot be overstated. Beyond the obvious need for diagnosis and treatment, seeking care promptly creates an official medical record that links your injuries directly to the accident date. A gap between the crash and your first doctor visit provides the at-fault party’s insurance company with an immediate opportunity to argue that your injuries were caused by something else.

Common Injuries and Latent Symptoms

A lot depends on what type of crash you’re involved in, what speed both parties were driving at, and where you were sitting in the car. While some victims are fortunate enough to walk away without a scratch, others don’t fare quite as well. They report injuries like:

• Skeletal and Muscular Damage: Broken bones, sprained and strained muscles, and ligament tears (like whiplash).
• Internal Trauma: Organ damage, internal bleeding, and fractures to the ribs or sternum.
• Neurological Injuries: Spinal cord injuries, nerve impingement, and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), ranging from concussions to severe, life-altering damage.
• Surface Wounds: Cuts, scrapes, and bruises, which carry the risk of infection in open wounds.
• Amputations.

While most severe injuries are immediately noticeable, others are a bit sneakier. For example, internal bleeding is rarely visible right away. It may not be identified until a victim starts feeling fatigued, looking extra pale, and noticing purple bruising around the abdomen. Internal bleeding is fatal if not caught and treated immediately, which is exactly why a medical checkup is always necessary after a car crash. It could save your life.

Furthermore, soft tissue injuries like whiplash may not manifest until 24 to 48 hours later, once the initial shock wears off. Symptoms like persistent headaches, dizziness, neck stiffness, and radiating pain should be taken seriously and require immediate follow-up care with your primary physician or a specialist. Documenting all symptoms, even seemingly minor ones, is critical.

Phase 3: Engaging Legal Representation

6. Talk to a Monroeville Car Accident Lawyer

Before you have a chance to talk to the other party’s insurance company, talk to a car accident attorney in Monroeville. Making this initial contact serves as the first layer of protection in what can quickly become an adversarial process.

In Pennsylvania, drivers have options regarding “full tort” or “limited tort” coverage, which can impact their ability to recover non-economic damages (like pain and suffering). A knowledgeable legal team can explain these complexities and assess how your specific policy and the facts of the crash impact your rights to recovery.

Legal counsel can handle all communication with the insurance party for you, giving you more time to rest and minimizing your stress. This step is not about being overly aggressive; it is about leveling the playing field against large corporations whose primary goal is to minimize payouts.

Phase 4: Understanding the Insurance Battleground

At Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman, we have seen how car accidents can have a negative impact on people’s lives. Not only do you have to seek medical treatment and take time out of your day for that, but you also may not even be able to work and provide for your family. This becomes even more stressful when the medical bills start showing up at your door.

You may wonder, like many do, why you even need a car accident lawyer. It’s obvious that the other party was wrong, so why doesn’t their insurance company just pay up and wrap up the whole situation? The simple answer is that insurance companies are businesses. They are hoping to protect their profit margins by delaying a full payout and limiting what they must cover. Their adjusters are adept negotiators whose sole instruction is to resolve claims for the least amount possible.

Insurance Adjuster Tactics

Insurance adjusters have a long list of tricks they’ll use to deny victims their fair compensation. You may notice that they try to:

• Blame Preexisting Conditions: They will demand access to your full medical history, searching for any old injury or condition they can tenuously link to your current symptoms, thereby trying to avoid paying for the new trauma.
• Deny or Downplay Liability: They may claim that something you did caused or contributed to the crash, or they may downplay the very real pain you are feeling.
• Pressure for Recorded Statements: An adjuster might call and ask for a recorded statement “for the file.” This is a trap. They are trained to ask leading questions designed to elicit statements they can later use against your claim. You are under no obligation to give a recorded statement to the other party’s insurer.
• Offer a Lowball Settlement: You might even believe they have your best interests in mind and go on to accept their first settlement offer. This initial offer is almost always significantly less than the true value of your claim, designed to be attractive enough to make you waive your rights quickly.

By the time you realize you took far too little—perhaps months later when long-term rehabilitation costs appear—they are long gone with their signed liability waiver and all the money they saved for their company.

The legal professionals at Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman are committed to helping you avoid traps like these. We focus on the facts of the case, using the evidence you gathered and the medical records you generated to establish a clear and compelling connection between the crash and your injuries. We are committed to making sure you get the compensation you deserve, allowing you to focus completely on your recovery journey.

Phase 5: The Path to Financial Recovery

Once you have secured legal representation, the process shifts from immediate response to detailed investigation and negotiation.

Establishing Negligence

To receive compensation, your legal team must establish that the other driver was negligent. This generally involves proving four key elements:

1. Duty: The driver had a duty to operate their vehicle safely (e.g., following traffic laws).
2. Breach: The driver violated that duty (e.g., texting while driving, speeding, running a red light).
3. Causation: The breach of duty directly caused the accident.
4. Damages: You suffered measurable losses (injuries and financial costs) as a result.

Comprehensive Guide to Recoverable Damages in Monroeville Car Accidents

Following a motor vehicle collision in Monroeville, the path to recovery often feels overwhelming. Beyond the immediate physical pain, victims are frequently met with a cascade of financial pressures and emotional hurdles. In the realm of Pennsylvania personal injury law, the compensation a victim seeks is referred to as “damages.” These damages are designed to “make the plaintiff whole” by addressing every facet of their loss.

Understanding what you are entitled to is the first step toward securing a fair settlement. The attorneys at Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman categorize these losses into two primary groups: Economic and Non-Economic damages.

1. Economic Damages: Quantifying Your Financial Losses

Economic damages are the tangible, “out-of-pocket” costs resulting from an accident. Because these losses usually come with a receipt, invoice, or pay stub, they are the most straightforward to calculate, though projecting future costs requires expert analysis.

Past and Future Medical Expenses

This is often the largest component of a claim. It begins with the initial emergency room visit and diagnostic tests (like MRIs or CT scans) but extends far beyond.

• Past Expenses: Every hospital stay, surgery, and prescription medication you have paid for since the crash.
• Future Care: For serious injuries, recovery can take years. We work with medical experts to project the costs of future surgeries, ongoing physical therapy, medical equipment (like wheelchairs or oxygen), and long-term rehabilitation needs.

Lost Wages and Diminished Earning Capacity

If your injury forced you to miss work, you are entitled to the wages you lost during that time. However, a car accident can also impact your long-term career.

• Lost Wages: This includes base salary, overtime, bonuses, and even unused vacation or sick time.
• Earning Capacity: If your injury results in a permanent disability that prevents you from returning to your previous profession or working full-time, you can seek compensation for the “loss of future earning capacity.” This accounts for the money you would have earned over the remainder of your career had the accident not occurred.

Property Damage and Out-of-Pocket Costs

In Monroeville accidents, vehicle repair costs are standard. If your car is “totaled,” you are entitled to the fair market value of the vehicle. Additionally, economic damages cover necessary life adjustments, such as:

• In-Home Care: Hiring help for daily tasks you can no longer perform.
• Home Modifications: Installing ramps, widening doorways, or modifying bathrooms to accommodate a new disability.

2. Non-Economic Damages: Addressing the Subjective Toll

Non-economic damages address the intangible impact of a crash. While these don’t have a fixed price tag, they are often the most devastating aspects of a victim’s experience.

Pain and Suffering

This category compensates for the actual physical pain endured during the accident and throughout the recovery process. It also covers “loss of life’s pleasures”—the inability to participate in hobbies, sports, or activities that once brought you joy.

Emotional Distress and Mental Anguish

A violent collision on the Parkway East or Route 22 can leave lasting psychological scars. Victims often suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Compensation for emotional distress acknowledges that mental health is just as vital as physical health.

Loss of Consortium

When a car accident severely impacts a marriage or a parent-child relationship, the family members may be entitled to “loss of consortium” damages. This recognizes the loss of companionship, affection, and support that the injured person can no longer provide to their loved ones.

The Pennsylvania “Tort” Factor

In Monroeville and throughout Pennsylvania, your ability to recover non-economic damages often depends on your insurance selection: Full Tort vs. Limited Tort.

• Full Tort: You retain the unrestricted right to sue for pain and suffering regardless of the severity of the injury.
• Limited Tort: You generally waive the right to seek non-economic damages unless your injury meets the “serious injury” threshold defined by the law (typically involving permanent impairment or significant scarring).

However, there are several exceptions to the Limited Tort rule—such as if the at-fault driver was operating a vehicle registered in another state or was driving under the influence—that an experienced attorney can help you navigate.

How Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman Can Help

The attorneys at Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman are dedicated to thorough preparation, understanding the significant financial and emotional toll these crashes inflict. We don’t just look at the bills currently on your desk; we investigate the full scope of your losses.

By obtaining detailed documentation, consulting with vocational experts, and working with life-care planners, we build a case that accounts for your current reality and your future needs. Our goal is to ensure that the insurance companies see the human being behind the claim, ensuring you receive the full compensation required to rebuild your life.

The Legal Process

While most car accident claims resolve through settlement negotiations, your legal team must be prepared to proceed to litigation if the insurer refuses a fair payout. The process typically involves:

• Investigation: Collecting all evidence, including the police report, medical records, and eyewitness testimony.
• Demand: Presenting a formal demand package to the insurance company outlining liability and damages.
• Negotiation: Engaging in discussions with the adjuster to reach a mutually acceptable settlement figure.
• Filing a Complaint: If negotiations fail, a lawsuit is filed, formally beginning the litigation process.
• Discovery: A phase where both sides exchange evidence and information.
• Mediation/Trial: Attempting to settle the case with a neutral third party (mediation) or proceeding to a jury trial.

By seeking prompt medical care, diligently documenting the scene, and consulting with legal professionals who understand the complexities of personal injury and insurance practices, you can navigate the aftermath of a car accident with confidence and work toward securing the comprehensive recovery you deserve.

Common Injuries

A lot depends on what type of crash you’re involved in, what speed both parties were driving at, and where you were sitting in the car. While some victims are fortunate enough to walk away without a scratch, others don’t fare quite as well. They report injuries like:

• Broken bones
• Sprained and strained muscles
• Organ damage
• Spinal cord injuries
• Cuts, scrapes, and bruises
• Infection in open wounds
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Amputations

While most injuries are immediately noticeable, others are a bit sneakier. For example, internal bleeding is rarely visible right away. It may not be identified until a victim starts feeling fatigued, looking extra pale, and noticing purple bruising around the abdomen. Internal bleeding is fatal if not caught and treated immediately, which is exactly why a medical checkup is always necessary after a car crash. It could save your life.

How a Monroeville Car Accident Lawyers Can Help

At Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman, we have seen how car accidents can have a negative impact on people’s lives. Not only do you have to seek medical treatment and take time out of your day for that, but you also may not even be able to work and provide for your family. This becomes even more stressful when the medical bills start showing up at your door.

You may wonder, like many do, why you even need a car accident lawyer. It’s obvious that the other party was wrong, so why doesn’t their insurance company just pay up and wrap up the whole situation? In short, they are hoping to protect their profit margins by delaying a full payout as long as possible.

Insurance adjusters have a long list of tricks they’ll use to deny victims their fair compensation. You may notice that they try to blame your injuries on a preexisting injury, claim that something you did cause the crash, or downplay the very real pain you are feeling. You might even believe they have your best interests in mind and go on to accept their first settlement offer.

By the time you realize you took far too little, they are long gone with their signed liability waiver and all the money they saved for their company. The attorneys at Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman are committed to helping you avoid traps like these. We are committed to making sure you get the compensation you deserve.

Don’t Wait Any Longer—Contact the Monroeville Car Accident Lawyers at Caroselli, Beachler & Coleman Now

Ready to start your personal injury claim and fight for fair compensation? So are we. Call us at 412-391-9860 or get in touch online and we’ll set up a consultation.