When you purchase car insurance in Pennsylvania you have to choose Full Tort or Limited Tort. Full Tort costs more, but your full legal rights are protected if you are injured in a car accident caused by someone else. You can recover Economic Damages for Medical Bills, Lost Wages and Out-of-Pocket Expenses and Non-Economic Damages for Pain and Suffering and the negative impact on your life and activities. If you select Limited Tort, you save money on your premiums, but in exchange, you give up your right to make a claim for Non-Economic Damages if you are injured in a car accident unless a Limited Tort Exception applies.
Pennsylvania Limited Tort Exceptions
Even if you select Limited Tort, there is a chance that you can still recover Non-Economic Damages if an Exception applies.
The following are the Pennsylvania Limited Tort Exceptions:
1- Serious Injury – If you suffer a “Serious Injury” which is defined as Death, Permanent Serious Disfigurement, or Serious Impairment of a Bodily Function, then Full Tort applies and you can recover Non-Economic Damages.
2- Pedestrians, Motorcyle or Bicycle Riders – Limited Tort doesn’t apply to pedestrians, motorcycle or bicycle riders.
3- Occupant of a non-private passenger motor vehicle – Limited Tort doesn’t apply if you are injured in a commercial vehicle, like a bus, taxi or commercial truck.
4- Drunk Drivers – Limited Tort does not apply if the driver who injured you pleads guilty or is convicted of drunk driving.
5- Intentional Acts – If a driver intended to cause the crash, then Limited Tort does not apply.
6- Uninsured Driver – If the person who caused the car accident has no insurance, then Limited Tort does not apply.
7- Out-of-State Registered Car – If the other driver was driving a car registered outside of Pennsylvania, then Limited Tort does not apply.
For more information on Pennsylvania car insurance choices or for advice after a Pennsylvania car accident contact Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyer Tim Rayne at trayne@macelree.com or 610 840 0124. For over 20 years, Tim has been helping injured car accident victims receive fair treatment from insurance companies.