A Philadelphia head-on collision lawyer at Munley Law helps victims and families recover after some of the most devastating crashes on Pennsylvania roads. When another driver’s negligence causes a head-on collision, we step in to protect your rights and pursue full compensation.
Head-on crashes tend to be high-impact and often result in catastrophic injuries, such as brain trauma, spinal damage, or permanent disability, or the loss of life. Munley Law’s Philadelphia head-on collision car accident lawyers move quickly to investigate the accident cause, preserve all evidence, and handle the insurance companies on your behalf, so you can focus on recovery.
For nearly seven decades, Munley Law has represented injured Pennsylvanians in complex auto accident cases, earning national recognition and securing significant verdicts and settlements. We understand what is at stake and build every case with the expectation that it may go to trial, fighting for the outcome you need to recover.
Call Us At 844-686-5397 How Common Are Serious Car Accidents in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia remains one of the most dangerous places in Pennsylvania for serious traffic crashes. PennDOT’s 2024 Crash Facts and Statistics report shows that Pennsylvania recorded 110,765 total crashes and 1,127 traffic deaths in 2024.
Philadelphia County ranks third in Pennsylvania for the number of crashes in 2024, reporting 7,413 accidents and accounting for 6.7% of the state’s total. Unfortunately, 137 people lost their lives on Philadelphia roads in 2024, accounting for 12.2% of the state’s traffic fatalities, making Philadelphia the county with the highest rate of severe accidents in the state.
According to Philadelphia’s Vision Zero Action Plan, 80% of traffic fatalities and serious injuries occurred on the High Injury Network (HIN), a corridor that makes up only 12% of Philadelphia’s road network.
Philadelphia also has the highest traffic fatality rate amongst peer cities, with a rate of 8.48 deaths per 100,000 people compared to New York’s rate of 2.75.
The most common severe crash types in Philadelphia are as follows:
- Hit pedestrian – 45%
- Angle crashes – 29%
- Hit fixed object – 10%
- Rear-end collisions – 5%
- Head-on collisions – 4%
- Sideswipe accidents (same direction) – 4%
- Sideswipe accidents (opposite direction) – 1%
- Non-collision accidents – 1%
What Injuries Are Common After a Head-On Collision in Philadelphia?
In many cases, head-on collisions can lead to fatalities and cause some of the most severe injuries, including serious head and neck injuries. Wearing a seatbelt helps curb catastrophic injuries, but the impact from a head-on collision can cause the restraint to damage your torso area, too.
- Disc injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries (or paralysis)
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Internal injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
When a head-on collision occurs, there will almost doubtlessly be injuries. Head-on collisions are serious accidents. Unfortunately, many head-on collisions cause even more extensive head injuries and deserve even more substantial financial compensation. Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, are a devastating and extremely complex type of injury often associated with motor vehicle head-on impact crashes. Symptoms, as outlined by the CDC, include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Sensitivity to light
- Lethargy/tiredness
- Loss of memory
- Change in emotion, such as increased agitation, sadness, or anxiety
- Confusion/difficulty thinking clearly
Any injury resulting from an accident such as this is devastating.
How Can a Philadelphia Head-On Collision Lawyer Help After a Crash?
After a head-on collision, we move quickly to protect the evidence that can make or break your case. Munley Law will handle all of your communications with your insurance company and other parties, greatly reducing the pressure and stress following the accident. You can focus on getting better and getting your life back. We will explore every possible avenue to win your claim.
Your attorney will also:
- Investigate the accident, collect evidence, and gather witness statements, police and accident reports, traffic camera footage, and medical records
- Prepare a personal injury claim, if necessary
- Manage all communication with your insurance company on your behalf to protect your interests
- Research case law and state statutes
- Prepare documents necessary for the case
- Find, interview, and hire expert witnesses if the case needs to go to trial
- File an appeal to a higher court if the case goes to trial and the judge does not rule in your favor
- File a wrongful death case if the car accident results in the death of a loved one
What Causes Head-On Collisions in Philadelphia?
How is a head-on collision caused? There can be a variety of causes:
Mechanical Failure
Before selling their product to the general market, car manufacturers must ensure their products meet safety standards.
Often, the parts, such as brake pads or steering columns, are damaged or manufactured with defects and may malfunction and cause an accident or loss of control.
Reckless Driving
This is a serious offense that involves the at-fault party blatantly and willfully ignoring the rules of the road, driving too fast, not signaling, turning the wrong way down a one-way street, ignoring traffic signals, disregarding traffic law, and anything else done intentionally without any regard to other drivers on the road, which can lead to a car accident.
If a reckless driver caused your head-on collision by speeding the wrong way down a one-way street or taking any action that caused them to lose control of their vehicle, or was ignoring weather or traffic signals, such as running red lights or speeding on icy streets, you may be entitled to seek compensation for losses related to your car accident.
Unsafe Road Conditions
The city of Philadelphia is responsible for maintaining its roads in an adequate manner for safe use by all motorists.
However, governments often don’t meet their duties. Many drivers in Philadelphia face government failures that force them to take dangerous measures to avoid potholes, fallen trees, and debris on the road. These maneuvers can result in a head-on collision.
Distracted Driving
Any act that takes your attention off the road and off the act of driving can cause a car accident. Distracted driving accidents are as diverse as the number of drivers on the road, and distraction falls into three main categories: visual (taking your eyes off the road), manual (taking your hands off the wheel), and cognitive (taking your mind off driving).
Other actions responsible for distracted driving car accidents include reaching for objects or children in the back seat, programming or reading a GPS/navigation app, talking, and texting.
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
Driving while intoxicated or under the influence of prescription drugs, cold medicine, or illicit drugs causes reduced reaction times, recklessness, such as ignoring traffic signals, failing to account for weather or traffic conditions, and more.
Fatigued Driving
Fatigued driving or drowsy driving has been shown to be as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.
Can I File a Wrongful Death Claim After a Fatal Head-On Collision?
All accidents are traumatic. But if your loved one died as a result of a head-on collision traffic accident, you are dealing with the aftermath of the accident on one more profound level.
In addition to medical bills, property damage, dealing with impersonal insurance companies, police reports, and all of the stress of the financial losses, as well as possible lost wages in the event of the loss of a household partner, losing a loved one due to severe injury as a result of a car accident can change your life literally in an instant.
Now you are dealing with the overwhelming grief from your loss, as well as the financial burden of planning a funeral nobody had anticipated. You might not know where to begin.
But you may be burdened with these financial responsibilities for medical bills, lost wages, and funeral expenses for years to come. If your loved one was killed in a head-on collision and the other driver was to blame, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys is a close-knit family of Pennsylvania lawyers. We know how important family is. We want to help you recover not only from the emotional strain of this loss, but also from the future financial strain. When you are ready to consider a possible Wrongful Death claim, your Philadelphia head-on collision lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys will have the experience and passion to fight for you.
What Compensation Can the Family Receive in a Wrongful Death Claim?
As the spouse, child, parent, grandparent, or legal guardian of someone who died as a result of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit. An experienced wrongful death attorney can help you receive compensation for:
- Medical and funeral costs
- Lost earnings and benefits of the deceased
- Loss of care and companionship
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of security for those dependent on the deceased
- In cases involving gross negligence, punitive damages are designed to punish the negligent party
While no amount of money will ever truly compensate for the loss of a loved one, the purpose of a wrongful death lawsuit is to recover damages to help relieve the financial burden placed on a family in the aftermath of an accident. Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys works to collect evidence to prove negligence so you can seek damages to secure your financial future, so that you can grieve and begin to move forward for your family.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Head-On Collision in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations for a personal injury case is two years from the date of the accident or injury. That said, when it comes to a fatal accident, time is of the essence. While you generally have two years to file a lawsuit, it is still best to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
Wrongful death lawyers work with you long before the filing of a lawsuit. For example, critical evidence can be lost or destroyed in the days and weeks following a fatal accident. A lawyer can help ensure this evidence is retained and prepared for use in proving your claim.
What’s more, wrongful death lawyers may be able to resolve your claim without filing a formal lawsuit. Early action by an experienced attorney can get you the results you deserve with a wrongful death settlement. This could save much of the expense and burden imposed by a formal court case.
The bottom line, the sooner you speak with a wrongful death lawyer, the sooner we can pursue justice for your family.
What Should You Do After a Head-On Collision in Philadelphia?
Even if you believe you have only suffered minor injuries, immediately seek medical attention. The stress and adrenaline immediately after an accident can mask potentially serious injuries. Whiplash can take weeks to become fully evident.
You also want a record of necessary medical attention for head and neck injuries, contusions, internal injuries, and more.
- Contact the police at the scene of the crash and ensure a police report is filed. The police report will be crucial to your case if you need to take legal action in the future. When speaking with the police, report the events as you saw them as calmly as possible. Do not attempt to place blame, and do not admit to even partial fault for the crash.
- Take down the names and badge numbers of any officers who reported to the scene
- Exchange insurance and contact information with the other driver. Do not admit fault.
- Do not give any statements to the insurance companies.
- If possible, take photos of the scene and of the damage to your vehicle.
- Contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions About Head-On Collision Lawyers in Philadelphia
Where Do Most Head-On Collisions Occur in Philadelphia?
Head-on collisions can happen anywhere, but they are more likely on high-speed roads, undivided roadways, and routes with sharp curves or complex traffic patterns. In Philadelphia, roads such as Roosevelt Boulevard, Lincoln Drive, and Kelly Drive have long been associated with serious and fatal crashes due to heavy traffic, speeding, limited visibility, and challenging roadway design.
These accidents also frequently occur when a driver crosses the center line because of distraction, fatigue, impairment, or reckless driving. While no road is inherently unsafe, motorists should exercise extra caution on these corridors, especially at night or in poor weather.
Are Head-On Collisions Usually Considered More Serious Than Other Car Accidents?
Yes. Head-on collisions often cause more severe injuries because the force of impact is concentrated at the front of both vehicles, and the combined speed can dramatically increase the damage. Victims frequently suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, internal bleeding, fractures, and other life-changing harm.
These crashes also tend to produce longer recoveries, higher medical costs, and greater disruption to a person’s ability to work and care for family members. That is one reason insurance claims involving head-on accidents are often heavily contested.
Can I Still Recover Compensation If the Other Driver Claims I Was Partly at Fault?
Possibly. Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which means an injured person may still recover damages if they were not more than 50% at fault. However, any compensation can be reduced based on the person’s share of responsibility.
Insurance companies often try to shift blame in serious crashes to reduce their payouts. A lawyer can use physical evidence, vehicle damage, witness testimony, and crash reconstruction to challenge those arguments.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Head-On Collision in Philadelphia?
A head-on collision claim may include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, future treatment, reduced earning capacity, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, and other losses tied to the crash. In especially severe cases, a claim may also account for permanent disability, disfigurement, and long-term care needs.
If the crash caused a fatality, the family may also be able to pursue wrongful death and survival damages. The value of the claim depends on the injuries, liability evidence, insurance coverage, and long-term impact on the victim’s life.
Do I Need a Lawyer If the Insurance Company Offers Me a Settlement?
You should be very careful before accepting any early settlement offer. Insurance companies often try to resolve claims quickly before the full extent of injuries, treatment needs, lost income, and long-term limitations are known.
Once you accept a settlement, you usually give up the right to ask for more money later. A lawyer can review the offer, calculate the full value of the claim, and negotiate for compensation that reflects the real cost of the crash.
Hire a Head-On Collisions Car Accident Lawyer
The aftermath of a head-on collision car accident is something you should not have to navigate alone. This is especially true if you have suffered a life-altering injury, or worse, a family member’s wrongful death, that was caused by someone else’s negligence. Personal injury law is complex, and the legal process after an accidental death is certainly difficult.
At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, our Philadelphia car accident lawyers have been helping injury victims recover for nearly seven decades. Our team will investigate your case, answer your questions, deal with insurance companies and their paperwork, and more. We want to take the burden off you so you can focus on your own recovery and your family’s.
Some of our major recoveries for serious auto crashes, including head-on collisions, include:
- $26 million truck accident settlement
- $17.5 million jury verdict for a teen’s death caused by a car accident
- $9.95 million settlement for a mother hit head-on by a tractor-trailer
- $4.3 million jury award for a motorcycle accident victim
- $3.8 million settlement for a man injured in a tractor-trailer crash
We will also not collect a fee unless we win your case. You will not owe us anything up front or out of pocket. And our initial consultation is absolutely free. So, you risk nothing by contacting us to speak with our car accident lawyers about your unique situation and whether a personal injury claim makes sense.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
