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Auto Accident Attorney Perspectives on PA Auto Insurance Options
Significant ChoicesPennsylvania automobile drivers must choose between Full Tort and Limited Tort when selecting automobile insurance. What might at first glance seem to be an easy choice is in truth, a significant choice. Some people are lured to the limited tort option because of its appearance of having a cost savings, but in the event of an accident, the limited tort option could be the worse choice you ever made.
Defining Limited Tort InsuranceThe limited tort option limits the items of damages you may otherwise be entitled to if you had selected the full tort option. Limited tort generally limits a person who has been injured in an auto accident to recovering only economic damages:
- Medical Bills
- Lost Wages
- Out of Pocket Expenses
Since most people have adequate medical coverage, a person who selects the limited tort auto insurance option receives little or no recovery for their injuries.There are a few rare exceptions to the limited tort restriction in being awarded damages in the event of an automobile accident in Pennsylvania.The exceptions to the limited tort restrictions are as follows:
- If you have suffered a serious injury (the seriousness of the injury, however, is determined by a court and the threshold for seriousness is not easily reached),
- If you are hit by a drunk driver (the driver must be convicted in order to be considered a drunk driver for this determination),
- If the at-fault driver is driving a vehicle from another state or if you were injured in an accident while driving in a commercial vehicle.
Given the rarity of the exceptions, the limited tort option may not be worth the risk.Defining Full Tort Auto Insurance OptionThe full tort auto insurance coverage option allows you to recover compensation for all of the following items:
- Medical Bills
- Lost Wages
- Out of Pocket Expenses
- Physical Pain and Suffering
- Emotional Distress, Anxiety
- Inconvenience and Interruption of Activities
It is important when making a decision between limited tort and full tort not to underestimate the horrific stress, grief, physical pain and emotional turmoil that an automobile accident can wreak on you and/or a loved one and by default, your entire family. The extent of this suffering can last years, perhaps even a lifetime. What you might save in the short-term with a limited tort option selection will pale in comparison to the compensation you may be entitled to receive under the full tort option – compensation critical to your need to recover.To make the most informed decision, seek the advice of a Pennsylvania attorney who may answer all of your questions regarding the limited tort versus full tort option for automobile insurance in Pennsylvania. In fact, our personal injury attorneys provide free consultations to help you decide between the limited tort and full tort option.
Peter Paul Olszewski, Jr., a shareholder and managing partner at Scartelli Olszewski, P.C., brings 37 years of litigation experience. He is a renowned trial lawyer in Pennsylvania, specializing in medical malpractice, personal injury, and criminal defense. Peter's notable achievements include securing multi-million-dollar verdicts and serving as District Attorney and Judge. He is committed to community involvement and is actively engaged in various legal associations.
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