When someone else’s mistake leaves you severely injured, figuring out who’s responsible should be a top priority. A crash on I-95, Bristol Pike, or Route 413, for instance, may involve more than the person behind the wheel. If you are injured in Bristol, identifying every potentially responsible party can affect how you pursue compensation. At HGSK Injury Lawyers, our Bristol personal injury lawyers can help you rebuild your life and finances following a serious accident by ensuring you get fairly compensated for your losses.
The Person Who Caused Your Injury May Not Be The Only One Liable
The person who directly caused an accident isn’t always the only person who may be legally responsible. Depending on what happened, your claim could involve a driver, employer, vehicle owner, business, manufacturer, contractor, or another third party.
For example, let’s say a delivery driver causes a collision while making deliveries. The investigation may need to determine not only whether the driver was negligent, but also who employed the driver, who owned the vehicle, and whether another company was responsible for maintenance or loading. Identifying the potentially responsible parties early can affect which insurance policies apply, what evidence needs to be preserved, and how the claim proceeds.
Bristol’s Major Roads Can Create Different Liability Questions
Bristol Township’s transportation network includes I-95, U.S. 13 (Bristol Pike), Route 413, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, along with approximately 173 miles of township roads. The location of a crash can help determine what evidence and responsible parties need to be examined. For instance, a collision near the I-95/U.S. 13/PA 132 interchange may involve complicated merging and traffic patterns. PennDOT has identified operational and congestion issues at that interchange and has planned roadway improvements there.
Commercial truck crashes on these major roads can also put companies and other parties under scrutiny. A truck wreck can involve more than the driver’s conduct. Depending on the facts, potentially liable parties may include the trucking company, vehicle owner, maintenance provider, cargo loading company, or another business involved in the trip.
Commercial insurance policies can also involve substantial coverage issues. Determining who employed the driver, who owned the vehicle, and which companies controlled or maintained it can affect both liability and available insurance coverage.
A Workplace Injury May Involve a Third Party
Workers’ compensation may cover your losses if you were hurt while working. However, if someone other than your employer caused your injury, you may have a separate personal injury claim and source of compensation. For example, a worker making a delivery could be struck by another driver’s vehicle. The worker may have a workers’ compensation claim against the employer while also having a potential third-party claim against the negligent driver. The two claims can involve different rules and deadlines, so you should have considered both before resolving either one.
Pennsylvania’s Comparative Negligence Rules Can Affect The Compensation You Can Receive
Pennsylvania allows an injured person to recover even when that person shares some responsibility for an accident. Under 42 Pa.C.S. § 7102, however, a person’s recovery can be reduced according to that person’s share of fault. If the injured person’s negligence is greater than the combined negligence of the defendants, recovery is generally barred.
For instance, suppose you slip on a wet floor at a store, and the store failed to clean the spill or warn customers about it. The store may argue that you were partly responsible because you were looking at your phone while walking. If you were found 18% at fault and the store 82% at fault, your damages would generally be reduced by 18%.
Let Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Bristol Handle Your Claim
A serious injury in Bristol may involve multiple drivers, companies, insurers, or other parties. If you were injured in a motor vehicle crash, slip and fall accident, pedestrian crash, or another accident, our Bristol personal injury attorneys can investigate what happened and determine who may be legally responsible.
Fill out our online form or call HGSK Injury Lawyers at 267-551-8782 to book your complimentary case review. Talking to our Bristol personal injury lawyers promptly can help preserve evidence, identify the parties involved, and give you a clearer understanding of your options before you deal with the insurance companies.