A head-on collision is one of the most destructive types of car accidents you can experience in your life time. From physical injuries to mental anguish, a car accident can be a life-altering experience. If you or a loved one has been injured in a head-on collision, or if you have lost a loved one due to injuries sustained during a head on motor vehicle crash, a Philadelphia head-on collision lawyer is here to help.
At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, our Philadelphia car accident lawyers have been helping accident victims for more than 60 years. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Philadelphia is home to some of our state's most famous and popular landmarks and destinations. A busy hub for industry, home to one of America's oldest shipping centers, The Port of Philadelphia, which is the heart for some of the east coast's busiest maritime commerce. Everyone knows Philly's famous Liberty Bell, the homes of Philadelphia's Phillies and Eagles, world class museums, theaters, night life and more. Of course Philadelphia's roadways are among the busiest and most congested. With traffic, unfortunately, comes car accidents.
All car accidents, even a fender bender with minor injuries is incredibly stressful. However, when you are involved in a sudden head on collision with another driver, you are at a much greater risk for serious injuries. If a tragic car accident took away a loved one through the negligence of another driver, the pain and trauma is compounded.
Philadelphia car accident statistics
Philly is the largest city in Pennsylvania. More than 1.5 million people live in Philadelphia and many more commute in and out daily from surrounding towns and cities. According to PhillyCurbed.com, more than 253,000 people commute into Philadelphia every day for work. On weeknights and weekends people from New Jersey and PA suburbs flock into the city for restaurants, sporting events, theater and music venues and more. There are almost 2,500 miles of roads in the city.
Thousands of car accidents happen in the city every year, many causing catastrophic injuries to drivers and passengers.
If you or a loved one was a victim of a head on collision in Philadelphia you need to contact an experienced Philadelphia head on collision lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys. All accidents are stressful, but a head on collision can be particularly terrifying. Head on collision traffic accidents frequently cause more severe injuries.
You want to seek maximum possible compensation to the extent of Pennsylvania law. You will want successful legal representation to help you receive fair compensation from the at fault party and their insurance company. You might have life altering injuries, reduced future earning capacity, medical bills, and non economic damages such as pain and suffering. In the event the head on collision resulted in the death of a loved one, you might be considering a wrongful death claim.
You have so much to recover from and it will take all of your energy to do it. Let us handle the insurance adjusters, the police report, the insurance claims and if necessary, the legal battle to earn your fair compensation that you are entitled to.
Philadelphia car accidents by the number
- Philadelphia County has the most reported traffic accidents and sees the most car accident-related fatalities out of all Pennsylvania counties.
- There are nearly 1,6000, 000 individuals living in Philadelphia county
- There are more than 10,1o0 car accidents every year
- There are more than 6,200 injuries and more than 150 car accident related deaths each year
- There are six deaths per 100,000 in Philadelphia city compared to about 3 in New York City. Even Los Angeles experiences less car crash related deaths than Philly.
Most Dangerous Intersections and Roadways in Philadelphia
Of course a car accident can happen anywhere there are cars but in Philadelphia, as in any city, some roads and intersections are more dangerous when you consider car accident data.
Among the most frequently-cited in reported car accident data:
Dangerous roads
- Broad Street
- Roosevelt Boulevard
- Delaware Expressway
- The Schuylkill Expressway connecting Philly to King of Prussia
- Northeast Philadelphia's Bustleton Avenue
Dangerous intersections
- The intersection of Grant Avenue and Southwest 49th Street
- The intersection of Grant Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard
- The intersection of Red Lion Road and Roosevelt Boulevard
- The intersection of Fifth Street and Olney Avenue
- The intersection of Market Street and 40th Street
- The intersection of Market Street and 11th Street
- The intersection of Broad Street and Race Street
Common injuries sustained in Philadelphia head-on collisions
Generally, head-on collisions can lead to fatalities. The driver and passenger often suffer severe injuries which can require surgery for the treatment and a year-long physical or occupational therapy. Costs for such care could exceed hundreds of thousands.
What are the most common types of injuries resulting from head on crashes?
All car accidents can cause a vast range of injuries, but among all possible traffic accidents, head-on collisions can cause some of the most severe injuries, including serious head and neck injuries.
- 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 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 side 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 that occurs as a result of an accident such as this is devastating. If you or one of your loved ones has been hurt as a result of a truck accident, please, seek the aid of an experienced car accident attorney. Your Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Philadelphia head on collision lawyer will be committed above all else to fighting for your and your rights. We will win you the compensation you are owed for your immense suffering, and we don't get paid until we do so.
What can my Philadelphia head on collision lawyer do for me after my car accident?
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys 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
Causes of head-on crashes 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 assure their products to the public.
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 were 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.
Your Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys have decades of experience litigating car accidents including head on collisions.
Unsafe road conditions
Philadelphia city 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 failings that require them to make dangerous moves in order to escape potholes, fallen trees and debris in the road. These maneuvers can result in an head on collision.
Distracted driving
Any act that takes your attention off the road and off of 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
Cognitive: taking your mind off driving
However, the following actions are responsible for most car accidents:
- Reaching for objects or children in the back seat
- Programming or reading a GPS/navigation app
- Adjusting radio or climate controls
- Talking
- Texting
- Eating or drinking while driving
- Reading or responding to emails or social media messages
- Browsing/using social media
- Creating or watching videos on phones or other devices
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.
Wrongful Death Claims
What if my loved one was killed during a head on collision?
All accidents are traumatic. But if your loved one died as the 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 the 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.
You think: “I don't want money. I just want to heal. I just want to put the memory of the accident behind me and memorialize my loved one.”
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 an 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 from not only the emotional strain of this loss, but 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 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 in proving 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 claim after my Philadelphia head on collision?
In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations for a wrongful death case is two years from the date of death. 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 I do immediately following my head on collision?
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 make sure a police report is made. 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.
How long do I have to file my personal injury lawsuit following a Philadelphia head on collision?
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, you have two years after the date of injury to file a personal injury claim. Although that may seem like a long time, it can go by in the blink of an eye, especially if your days are filled with medical appointments. And, the legal process involved in filing a lawsuit can take time.
Evidence disappears and memories fade. That's why the sooner you contact a car accident lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys for your claim, the more likely you can collect compensation for your injuries. Call now to schedule a free consultation with our auto accident attorney today.
Even if you think it's too soon to know whether you have a case, an attorney at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys will listen to your story and advise you about what to do next.
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 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 of you so you can focus on your and your family's recovery.
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.
