What You Need to Know About Changes in Personal Injury Cases
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Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) provides public transport in the Greater Philadelphia area, with connections to New Jersey and Delaware. SEPTA has seen an increase in accidents involving its vehicles over the past several years. SEPTA accidents can range from minor fender benders to catastrophic incidents with multiple fatalities. In response, SEPTA says that it has taken steps to improve safety on its buses, trains, trolleys, and in its stations by introducing new technologies and stricter safety protocols. However, accidents continue to happen, posing a risk to passengers, SEPTA employees, and pedestrians.
If you have been involved in an accident with a SEPTA bus, train, or trolley, you may need a Philadelphia SEPTA accident attorney, like the team at Solnick Lawyers, to ensure that your rights are protected and that you get the compensation you deserve.
Common accidents involving SEPTA vehicles include collisions between trains and cars, buses hitting pedestrians or other objects, and trolleys derailing. These incidents can occur due to a variety of factors, including driver error, mechanical failure, poor vehicle maintenance, inadequate security, or other negligence. In some cases, the victims are able to walk away with minor injuries, but in others, they may suffer serious harm including broken bones or even death. The injured victim then faces a complex legal claim system when they look to SEPTA for compensation for their injuries.
Pedestrian accidents involving SEPTA vehicles can be devastating and often result in serious or fatal injuries simply due to the size of the SEPTA vehicle relative to the unprotected pedestrian. Pedestrians who are injured in an accident with a SEPTA vehicle, whether someone who is struck by a bus on the street or a person visibly crossing train tracks, may be entitled to compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, pain, and suffering. If you are injured in an accident involving a SEPTA vehicle, you should contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
Car accidents with a SEPTA bus, train, or trolley are common and can result in severe injuries and vehicle damage. A claim after a car accident with SEPTA will involve your own auto insurance company as well as the SEPTA claim system, which can be overwhelming for an injured driver or passenger to navigate when they need to focus on their own recovery. If you are involved in a car accident with a SEPTA vehicle, you should seek legal advice from an attorney experienced in handling these types of cases who will be able to assess the situation and guide you on the road ahead.
Passenger injuries in SEPTA accidents from sudden stops (“jerk and jolt”), collisions, or other accidents, can include broken bones, head trauma, and other physical and psychological harm. Depending on the circumstances, SEPTA can sometimes be held liable when a passenger is hurt in an assault on a SEPTA vehicle or property as a result of security failings. It is important to get legal advice from a SEPTA injury lawyer when considering a lawsuit against SEPTA for passenger injuries.
A SEPTA train and rail accident often involves multiple injured victims and requires a major investigation into the circumstances and causes of the accident. SEPTA injury lawyers are familiar with the SEPTA investigation and claims process, and the need for a victim to gather their own evidence about the accident. An injured victim will need to provide evidence of their injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and other items to bring a claim against SEPTA. An experienced SEPTA accident lawyer, like those at Solnick Lawyers, will handle this process for you and ensure that you develop and present a strong case.
Another common situation leading to SEPTA injuries are those caused by vehicle movement or collision. Buses and trains jolt and jerk, a SEPTA vehicle is involved in a crash with a car, or a pedestrian is sadly hit and injured by a SEPTA vehicle. However, sometimes victims are injured due to a dangerous condition on SEPTA property, such as a fall on a slippery surface at SEPTA station, or they are physically or sexually assaulted on SEPTA property. These injured victims may be entitled to compensation from SEPTA for their financial, physical, and emotional harm.
SEPTA cases are unique in a number of ways. They can involve multiple parties, including SEPTA itself, other government-funded entities, insurers, individual victims, and private companies. This complexity can make pursuing a claim challenging as victims must often navigate different processes and protocols for each of these organizations. They can also involve very severe injuries and significant financial losses due to the size and speed of SEPTA vehicles.
SEPTA cases are also unique because SEPTA operates a public transport system and therefore, legally, is known as a common carrier. The legal standard of care expected of a common carrier is higher than the reasonable standard of care which applies to the everyday person. Therefore, when pursuing a personal injury claim against SEPTA, a court will hold SEPTA to a higher standard when determining whether or not they have been negligent.
In addition, SEPTA is protected by the Sovereign Immunity Act which limits a government entity’s liability. SEPTA’s liability in a personal injury claim is limited to $1,000,000 per accident and $250,000 per victim. In addition, the legal deadlines and the legal standards and requirements for bringing a claim (known as the statute of limitations) are different when dealing with SEPTA. An injured victim must notify SEPTA of the claim, including details about the accident and injuries, within 6 months of the accident and file a legal claim within a short deadline.
SEPTA may be liable for your injuries in a SEPTA accident and required to pay you compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. However, SEPTA Is protected by the Sovereign Immunity Act which limits its liability in an accident. If you are pursuing a claim against SEPTA, it is important that you follow the procedure required for SEPTA claims, meet the deadlines, and provide adequate proof of their negligence and your harm to maximize the compensation that you receive. You may also be entitled to compensation from your auto insurance company if you are involved in a car accident with a SEPTA vehicle.
The deadline for filing a lawsuit against SEPTA is different from other personal injury cases and requires a different procedure. You must first file a notice with the SEPTA accident claims department. In addition, a detailed legal claim form must be filed which may have a deadline as soon as 6 months after the accident. If you have been injured in a SEPTA accident, you should consult with an experienced SEPTA accident attorney as soon as possible to ensure that you do not miss any deadlines and perhaps lose your ability to bring a legal claim.
It is crucial to work with an experienced SEPTA accident attorney when bringing a claim against SEPTA. SEPTA cases are entirely different from standard personal injury cases because they involve different deadlines, different procedures, and different legal standards. Mistakes made by an inexperienced lawyer could result in inadequate compensation or even the dismissal of your case. When you are considering pursuing a claim against SEPTA, find an attorney who is familiar with these cases and can get you the compensation you deserve, like the team at Solnick Lawyers.
Solnick Lawyers has been representing SEPTA accident victims in the Greater Philadelphia area, and throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, for more than 20 years. We are not intimidated by the tactics of aggressive corporations, insurance companies, or government agencies. We face them day after day in negotiations and courtrooms to secure justice for our clients, and we will do the same for you. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Stay calm and remain in your vehicle unless it is too dangerous to do so.
Turn on your hazard lights to warn other drivers.
Even in cases in which an accident seems minor, call 911 and have the police come to the scene. Unless it is absolutely necessary to move them, leave vehicles where they are until the police arrive.
When medics arrive on the scene, make sure you are examined if you have injuries. There might be something serious going on that you are unaware of because shock is masking your pain. If you have serious injuries, you should accept medical attention at the scene and/or be transported to a hospital.
Write down the names and contact information of all parties involved in the SEPTA accident, witnesses, names and badge numbers of police officers, and information about the SEPTA driver or operator.
Take pictures of all vehicles involved in the accident from different angles. It is also a good idea to take pictures of any injuries.
Even if you think you may be at fault, do not admit fault. The authorities and representatives of the parties involved will determine fault after evaluating the entire situation. Deciding who is at fault is not your job.
Immediately contact your auto insurance carrier to notify them about the accident.
Do not provide any statements to anyone other than the police and your own insurance company.
Anyone else asking questions may be trying to either build a case against you or simply trying to protect their own interests or financial assets.
Most importantly, never leave the scene of an accident!
Injuries from a SEPTA accident can occur while riding on a bus, in a train derailment, falling on SEPTA property, or even while driving your own vehicle or while walking or biking. For example, a bus driver, train operator, or trolley driver may:
Any or all of these issues can lead to accidents that injure SEPTA passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers and passengers of other vehicles.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a public transportation authority operated essentially as an arm of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and there are specific rules, procedures, and time limitations that must be followed if you believe that SEPTA is liable for your injuries. Because SEPTA receives government funding, it is provided with certain legal protections that other drivers and companies do not have.
Because SEPTA is considered to be a government agency, they must be notified of your personal injury claim within six months from the date of the accident or you may lose your right to pursue a claim or sue altogether.
The notice must include specific information including the date that the accident occurred, the injuries that you sustained, your address, and other information that may pertain to the accident.
Because of these legal protections and notice requirements, the process of pursuing a claim against SEPTA can be challenging. Other laws may also affect the process, such as rules related to common carriers.
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