Car Accident

State-By-State Cell Phone Use While Driving Laws

December 20, 2015 by Tim Rayne

Recognizing the danger of cell phone texting and talking, the states in our area have adopted the following cell phone and texting laws:

Pennsylvania

Reading or writing text messages or emails is prohibited. Cell phone use is permitted.
Delaware

Texting, emailing and hand-held cell phone use is prohibited. Hands-free is allowed except for bus drivers and drivers with a learner’s permit or intermediate license holders.

Maryland

Texting, emailing and the use of hand-held cell phones is prohibited. Hands-free is allowed except for drivers under 18.

New Jersey

Texting, emailing and the use of hand-held cell phones is prohibited. Hands-free cell phones can be used except for drivers under age 21 with learner’s permits or probationary licenses.

Here are some ways to keep your family safe from the dangers of Distracted Driving:

• Discuss the topic of distracted driving at the dinner table periodically

• Establish and enforce cell phone rules within your family

• Print out and have each family member sign the family pledge form that you can find on Distraction.gov committing to drive distraction free.

Tim Rayne is a partner in the full-service law firm of MacElree Harvey, Ltd. which has 30+ attorneys in offices located in Doylestown, Kennett Square and West Chester, Pennsylvania, and Centreville, Delaware. Tim focuses his law practice in Car Accident, Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice cases, helping people who have been injured in accidents receive fair treatment from insurance companies. Tim can be reached at 610.840.0124 or trayne@macelree.com. For more News and Information on Personal Injury law, check out Tim’s website at www.timraynelaw.com.

What Compensation Can Be Recovered in a Pennsylvania Car Accident Case

November 23, 2015 by Tim Rayne

One of the most common questions I hear in my law practice as a Pennsylvania Car Accident and Personal Injury Attorney is: What Compensation can be recovered in a Pennsylvania Car Accident Case?

If it can be shown that the other driver caused your car accident due to Negligence, which could include causing a rear end collision, running a stop sign or stop light, failing to yeild the right-of-way, texting or talking on a cell phone leading to a distracted driving accident, speeding or otherwise driving carelessly or recklessly, then that driver has an obligation to pay fair compensation to make up for your injuries and damages.

Since Pennsylvania is a No Fault State, your Medical Bills will be paid by your own insurance company, regardless of who was at fault for causing the car accident. If your car insurance medical benefits are exhausted, then your health insurance will pay for your Medical Bills. If you have any Medical Bills not paid by insurance, then you can make a claim for payment of those expenses by the other driver who caused the accident.

Although No Fault Lost Wage coverage is not mandatory, if you have Lost Wage coverage, your own insurance company will pay your Lost Wages up to the amount of your coverage. If you don’t have Lost Wage coverage or if that coverage exhausts, then you can make a claim for payment of Lost Wages from the other driver.

Assuming that you were wise enough to choose Full Tort, not Limited Tort on your car insurance, you can also make a claim for non-economic damages for recovery of compensation for the negative impact that the accident has had on your life and activities. The specific items of non-economic compensation in Pennsylvania include money for Pain and Suffering, Loss of Life’s Pleasures, Embarrassment and Humiliation and Scarring and Disfigurement. If you chose Limited Tort, then your right to compensation for non-economic damages may be limited.

In order to make sure that you receive all of the compensation you are entitled to after a Pennsylvania Car Accident, it’s important for you to be represented by an Experienced Pennsylvania Car accident attorney.

Tim Rayne is a Pennsylvania Car Accident and Personal Injury Attorney with the Chester County Law Firm MacElree Harvey. Tim has law offices in Kennett Square and West Chester. For over 20 years, Tim has been helping clients receive fair compensation from car insurance companies. Contact Tim at 610 840 0124 or trayne@macelree.com for a Free Evaluation of your Pennsylvania Car Accident Case.

Ten Ways to Ruin Your Pennsylvania Car Accident Case

July 14, 2015 by Tim Rayne

If you have a Pennsylvania Car Accident case, it is critical to get advice from an experienced Car Accident Lawyer. If you do not get and follow proper advice, you can ruin your case. Based upon my experience, the following are Ten Ways to Hurt or Kill Your Pennsylvania Car Accident Case:

Failing to document the car accident with photos of the vehicles and the scene.
Failing to obtain immediate medical treatment if you are injured.
Delaying contacting an experienced Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer.
Dealing directly with the other insurance company.
Not following medical advice.
Hiding past accidents.
Hiding past injuries.
Exaggerating or misrepresenting your injuries or disability caused by the accident.
Hiding subsequent accidents or injuries.
Failing to follow the advice of your experienced Pennsylvania Car Accident Attorney.

If you would like more information or advice concerning your Pennsylvania Car Accident or Personal Injury case, please contact Chester County Car Accident Lawyer Tim Rayne at 610-840-0124 or trayne@macelree.com, or check out Tim’s website at https://timraynelaw.com. Tim has Personal Injury law offices in Kennett Square and West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Injured in a Chester County Car Accident – Why Call a Lawyer?

July 13, 2015 by Tim Rayne

Chester County Car Accident Lawyer Tim Rayne

If you have been injured in a car accident in Chester County Pennsylvania, you may be debating about whether you need to consult with or hire a Personal Injury attorney.

Here are five reasons why it’s a good idea to seek advice from an experienced Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer immediately after an accident:

Advice is free and there is no obligation to hire an attorney. Consultations with Pennsylvania Personal Injury lawyers are free of charge and you are not forced to retain the attorney.

There are mistakes you can make if you don’t get proper advice. For example, giving statements or signing forms can hurt your case.

Education and Advice. An experienced Pennsylvania Car Accident Attorney will educate you on your legal rights and the claims and litigation process.

No more calls from pushy insurance company adjusters. Once you hire a Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer, the insurance company is obligated to leave you alone (no more phone calls, letters or visits from adjusters).

Fair Compensation for your Injuries and Damages. An experienced Pennsylvania Car Accident Attorney is an expert at advocating and fighting with insurance companies to obtain maximum compensation for you (lost wages, medical bills, other expenses, and pain and suffering).

For more information on why it’s important to consult with an experienced Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer as soon as possible after an accident, contact Tim Rayne at 610 840 0124 or trayne@macelree.com or check out Tim’s website at www.timraynelaw.com. For over 20 years, Tim Rayne has been helping injured victims of Pennsylvania car accidents from his Chester County offices in Kennett Square or West Chester.

Three Things To Bring To Your First Appointment With a Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer

July 7, 2015 by Tim Rayne

Tim Rayne Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer — Tim Rayne – Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer

Based on my experience for over 20 years as a Pennsylvania Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer, there are three things that a car accident victim should bring to the first appointment with a Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer: the Police Report, Car and Health Insurance Information and a List of Medical Providers. These documents will assist a Car Accident Lawyer in advising you on your legal rights and how to proceed.

Police Report

The Police Report educates the attorney on the facts of the accident, identifies the drivers and also lists potential witnesses. The Police Report helps a Car Accident Lawyer begin investigating the case and provides the insurance information for the other driver so that the insurance company can be contacted.

Car and Health Insurance Information

Having Car and Health Insurance Information allows a Car Accident Lawyer to advise the potential client on who will pay for medical bills and lost wages and whether or not there will be any issues recovering other compensation due to Limited Tort. An experienced Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer will also want to know whether a potential client is covered by Uninsured or Underinsured coverage in case the other driver has insufficient car insurance to provide fair compensation.

List of Medical Providers

In order to evaluate the value of your Pennsylvania Car Accident Case, a Car Accident Lawyer needs to review your medical records and bills and needs to know if you had any prior injuries. So, one of the things you should bring to your first appointment is a List of Medical Providers.

Tim Rayne is a Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer with offices in Chester County in Kennett Square and West Chester. For 20 years, Tim has been helping Pennsylvania Car Accident victims understand their legal rights and receive fair treatment from car insurance companies. Tim has extensive experience negotiating Pennsylvania Car Accident settlements with insurance companies and trying Car Accident cases in court in Pennsylvania. Tim has been named a Top 100 Attorney in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania by Super Lawyers. Tim has a Masters Degree and is Board Certified in Trial Advocacy. Contact Tim at 610 840 0124 or trayne@macelree.com or check out Tim’s website at https://timraynelaw.com.

What is “Fair Compensation” in a Pennsylvania Insurance Claim or Lawsuit After a Pennsylvania Car Accident?

July 7, 2015 by Tim Rayne

As a Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyer representing Car Accident victims inside and outside of Chester County, one of the most common questions I hear is “How much compensation am I entitled to because of the injuries from my car accident?” The answer is, it depends.

First, in order to have a valid legal claim for Negligence after a Pennsylvania Car Accident, we need to prove that the other party caused the accident and you sustained injuries and damages in the collision. Assuming that both can be proven, then the amount of compensation you are entitled to depends on the severity of your injuries and damages and how they impact your life.

Under Pennsylvania law, a car accident victim is entitled to fair compensation to make up for every way in which the collision negatively impacted their life. Elements of compensation include past and future medical bills, lost wages and other out-of-pocket expenses as well as non-economic damages which fall under several categories, including physical and emotional pain and suffering, embarrassment and humiliation, scarring and disfigurement and loss of life’s pleasures (which is the negative impact that the accident has on your life and acitivities.)

In a car accident insurance claim, a Car Accident Attorney will attempt to negotiate a favorable settlement for the client, obtaining an offer of as much compensation as is possible given the injuries and damages sustained by the client. If a fair and reasonable settlement cannot be negotiated, a Lawsuit will need to be filed.

A Lawsuit can also lead to a settlement or can result in a Trial at which a Jury will reach a Verdict deciding what is fair compensation. An experienced Car Accident Attorney will use the testimony of the injured party, family, friends, medical providers and other witnesses to tell the story of the case to the Jury to maximize the Verdict.

For more information on how to value a Pennsylvania Car Accident Case or get fair treatment from the insurance companies after a Pennsylvania Car Crash, contact Chester County Car Accident Attorney Tim Rayne at 610 840 0124 or trayne@macelree.com or check out his website at https://timraynelaw.com. Tim has Chester County Pennsylvania law offices in West Chester and Kennett Square. Tim is Board Certified in Trial Advocacy and has been named a Top 100 Lawyer in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Tim Rayne

Pennsylvania Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyer