Pittsburgh police officer was hit by a drunk driver who drove away after a traffic stop.
Pennsylvania – May 3, 2022
A Bethel Park police officer was hit by a suspected drunk driver during a traffic stop near the intersection of South Park Road and Pennsylvania Avenue. The officer’s foot and upper torso and arm were hit by the driver who drove away and was pulled over again by officers approximately 75 feet from the traffic stop. The 67-year-old driver was charged with DUI and other traffic offenses according to law enforcement. The injured officer was examined at a local hospital for injuries. United States traffic data reveals crashes killed more than 6,700 pedestrians in 2020, up about 5 percent from the estimated 6,412 the year before, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Many of these accidents are caused by drivers who are distracted, driving recklessly, or exhibiting DUI behaviors. These numbers support legal intervention to provide financial relief to individuals who have lost loved ones or have had their lives negatively impacted by serious injury from a car accident caused by a drunk driver.
Finding legal counsel.
Accident victims or surviving loved ones may ask themselves “Where can I find attorneys near me?” when they need assistance recovering compensation to replace property or pay medical bills and lost wages, or in the worst case scenario, to access insurance funds for funeral and burial costs if fatal injury is the result of a roadway accident. Legal guidance to address anticipated negative changes to a family’s financial stability through personal injury litigation, or insurance compensation may prove beneficial to surviving loved ones.
Insurance rules.
Drunk driving accident lawyers can explain Pennsylvania’s “modified comparative negligence” rule, where an individual can still recover damages in a personal injury lawsuit, but the amount of compensation will be reduced by an amount that is equal to their percentage of fault up to 51%. The state also has a “no-fault” component where victims can access payment from their own insurance companies to cover certain immediate expenses caused by the accident. A car accident attorney can explain the state-specific nuances of negligence laws that are directly related to a client’s case.
Post-accident action may strengthen case.
Certain actions taken by car accident victims can strengthen a personal injury case because of the collection of supporting documentation. They include:
- Evaluate for injuries, call emergency personnel.
- File accident report.
- Gather evidence at the scene, pictures of the cars, tag numbers and surrounding location.
- Collect witness contact information.
- Collect insurance information.
- Seek examination by a medical professional even if there are no obvious injuries at the scene, injury may be masked and only viewed with medical technology in some cases.
- Contact insurance carriers.
- Consult with an attorney.
Discovering fault.
When personal injury, property damage, or death result from single, or multi-vehicle collisions with motor vehicles, pedestrians, and building structures, a reconstructionist specialist and other experts may assist experienced Pennsylvania accident attorneys as they build a case for damage compensation. Attorneys can collaborate with insurance companies and research case specifics to place a value on the personal injury loss impacts, or wrongful death claims for accident victims.
Hire legal counsel.
Experienced accident attorneys can build strong cases with supporting evidence, and objectively speak on a victim’s behalf in court, or with an insurance company’s legal team to yield a positive result. An experienced accident lawyer at Scanlon & Wojton will fight for your rights for a comprehensive insurance settlement, or court award to cover damages.
Scanlon & Wojton, Attorneys at Law
The Mitchell Building
304 Ross Street, Second Floor
Pittsburgh, Pa 15219
Phone: (412) 918-1241
Fax: (412) 235-7275
Sources.
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