Pennsylvania Limited Tort vs. Full Tort After a Car Accident: What Injured Drivers Need to Know

The tort option on a Pennsylvania auto insurance policy can affect what an injured person may recover after a crash, especially compensation for pain and suffering.

What Is Full Tort?

Full tort generally preserves the right to seek both economic damages and noneconomic damages after a motor vehicle accident caused by someone else. Economic damages can include medical expenses and other financial losses, while noneconomic damages can include pain and suffering and similar losses.

What Is Limited Tort?

Limited tort can restrict an injured person's ability to recover pain and suffering or other noneconomic damages. A person bound by limited tort may still pursue economic losses, but noneconomic damages are generally restricted unless the injuries qualify as a serious injury or another exception applies.

Limited Tort Does Not Always End the Claim

Being insured under a limited-tort policy does not automatically mean there is no personal injury claim. Pennsylvania law recognizes several situations in which a person otherwise bound by limited tort may be able to pursue damages as though full tort applied. Those circumstances can include certain crashes involving an uninsured at-fault driver, an out-of-state vehicle, or a driver who is convicted of or accepts ARD for DUI arising from the accident.

The Policy and the Injuries Both Matter

After a Pennsylvania car accident, the tort election should be reviewed together with the insurance policies, the vehicles involved, the nature of the injuries, medical treatment, and the circumstances of the crash. Limited-tort cases can involve fact-specific questions about whether a serious-injury threshold or statutory exception applies.

Our Car Accidents page provides more information about how Gersie Law handles Pennsylvania car accident claims.

If you are unsure whether you have limited tort or full tort, or whether an exception may apply to your accident, the firm's FAQ provides additional information about injury claims and insurance issues. You can also contact Gersie Law for a case-specific review of the accident, your insurance coverage, and potential next steps.

Pennsylvania Uber and Lyft Accident Claims: What Injured Riders Need to Know

Rideshare accidents can involve different insurance coverage depending on what the Uber or Lyft driver was doing when the crash occurred.

How Does Rideshare Insurance Work in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania law requires transportation network companies and their drivers to maintain automobile insurance while a driver is using the rideshare network. The amount and type of required coverage depends on what the driver was doing when the accident occurred.

If a rideshare driver is logged into the app and available to receive requests but has not yet accepted a ride, Pennsylvania law requires at least $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 in property damage coverage.

Once the driver is engaged in a prearranged ride, Pennsylvania law requires at least $500,000 in primary automobile liability coverage for death, bodily injury, and property damage. That distinction makes the driver's app status an important issue after a rideshare accident.

What If You Were a Passenger in the Uber or Lyft?

An injured passenger may have claims against one or more parties depending on how the accident happened. The rideshare driver may have caused the collision, another driver may have been responsible, or responsibility may be shared. Determining which insurance policies apply should be addressed early in the claim.

Passengers injured in a rideshare accident may also face questions involving medical bills, lost wages, insurance coverage, and compensation for their injuries.

What If an Uber or Lyft Driver Hits Your Vehicle?

You do not have to be a rideshare passenger for rideshare insurance to become relevant. If an Uber or Lyft driver causes an accident with your vehicle, the insurance analysis may depend on whether the driver's app was off, whether the driver was logged in and waiting for a request, or whether the driver had already accepted a ride.

Pennsylvania law requires rideshare drivers involved in accidents to provide applicable insurance information and disclose whether they were logged into the rideshare network or engaged in a prearranged ride at the time of the crash. Preserving information about the driver's rideshare status can therefore be important when investigating the accident.

What Should You Do After an Uber or Lyft Accident?

Seek appropriate medical attention, report the collision, obtain the drivers' and insurance information, photograph the vehicles and accident scene when possible, and preserve information from the rideshare application.

If you were a passenger, screenshots showing your ride, driver, pickup location, destination, and trip information may later help establish that the driver was engaged in a rideshare trip when the accident occurred. Be cautious about giving detailed statements or resolving an injury claim before you understand the available insurance coverage and the extent of your injuries.

Uber and Lyft Accident Claims Can Involve Multiple Insurance Policies

Depending on the circumstances, a rideshare accident may involve the driver's personal automobile policy, insurance maintained for rideshare activity, another driver's liability insurance, and potentially other applicable coverage. Pennsylvania law also permits a driver's personal automobile insurer to exclude certain coverage for losses occurring while the vehicle is being used in connection with a transportation network.

If you were injured in an Uber or Lyft accident, learn more about how Gersie Law handles Car Accidents throughout Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. You can also contact Gersie Law for a case-specific review.

What Happens If the Driver Who Hit You Has No Insurance in Pennsylvania?

An uninsured at-fault driver does not always mean there is no available recovery. Your own auto insurance coverage may become important.

Your Own Auto Policy May Matter

If the driver who caused a Pennsylvania crash has no liability insurance, recovery may still be possible depending on the coverage available under your own auto policy. Uninsured motorist coverage, commonly called UM coverage, is designed to address certain injuries caused by an uninsured driver.

Locate Your Insurance Documents

After an accident involving an uninsured driver, locate the declarations page and policy documents for the vehicles and household policies that may be relevant. Coverage issues can depend on the specific policy, the people insured, the vehicles involved, and the circumstances of the collision.

Do Not Assume There Is No Claim

The lack of insurance on the other vehicle does not automatically mean an injured person has no path to recovery. There may be first-party benefits, UM coverage, or other issues that require review. Our Car Accidents page provides an overview of how Gersie Law handles Pennsylvania and New Jersey injury claims.

If an insurer is contacting you or you are unsure what coverage applies, the firm's FAQ provides additional information about insurance communications. You can also contact Gersie Law for a case-specific review of the crash, the available policy information, and potential next steps.

Rear-End Car Accidents in Philadelphia: What Injured Drivers Should Know

A rear-end crash may appear straightforward, but disputes over injuries, treatment, causation, and insurance can still affect the claim.

Rear-End Does Not Always Mean Simple

Rear-end collisions are common in Philadelphia traffic, but an injury claim can still become disputed. An insurer may question the severity of the impact, whether the crash caused the reported symptoms, whether treatment was necessary, or how much compensation is appropriate.

Medical Treatment and Documentation Matter

Neck, back, shoulder, and other symptoms may develop or worsen after the collision. Appropriate medical care creates a record of the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment following the crash. Keep medical records, bills, work-loss information, photographs, and insurance communications together as the claim develops.

Insurance Companies Evaluate More Than Fault

Even when liability appears clear, an insurance company may still dispute the nature or value of the injuries. Gersie Law represents people injured in rear-end and other collisions and can handle insurer communications, collect supporting documentation, and pursue the injury claim. Learn more on our Car Accidents page.

You can also review Why Go With Gers! to see how the firm approaches communication and case handling, or visit the FAQ for additional car-accident questions. If you were rear-ended in Philadelphia and are dealing with injuries, treatment, or insurance problems, a case-specific review can help clarify the next steps.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Philadelphia

A few practical steps can help protect your health, preserve evidence, and reduce avoidable problems with the insurance claim after a Philadelphia crash.

Protect Your Health First

After a Philadelphia car accident, getting appropriate medical attention should be the first priority. Some injuries are obvious immediately, while others can become more noticeable hours or days later. If you are experiencing pain or other symptoms, delaying evaluation can make recovery harder and may also leave gaps in the medical documentation connected to the crash.

Preserve Information About the Crash

If possible, keep photographs of the vehicles and scene, insurance information, witness names, police-report information, medical paperwork, and messages from insurers. Those records can become important when fault, treatment, or the extent of an injury is disputed.

Be Careful With Insurance Communications

Insurance companies may begin investigating quickly. Before giving detailed statements, signing broad authorizations, or accepting an early settlement, make sure you understand what is being requested and how it could affect your claim. Gersie Law's Car Accidents page explains more about how injury claims and insurance issues can develop after a crash.

If you have questions about hiring counsel, our FAQ addresses common car-accident issues, and you can also meet the Gersie Law team. If you were injured in a Philadelphia collision, speaking with an attorney early can help you understand the available coverage, evidence, treatment documentation, and next steps.