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  • BETHLEHEM, PA
    Northampton County
    Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018
    610-866-0469
  • STROUDSBURG, PA
    Monroe County
    Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 18360
    570-421-0893
  • PERKASIE, PA
    1282 Route 113
    P.O. Box 178
    Bucks County
    Perkasie, Pennsylvania 18944
    215-257-4842
  • ALLENTOWN, PA
    Lehigh County
    Allentown, Pennsylvania 18104
    610-432-4160
  • EASTON, PA
    Northampton County
    Easton, Pennsylvania 18042
    610-258-6470
  • LANSDALE, PA
    Montgomery County
    Lansdale, Pennsylvania 19446
    215-368-5545
  • LEHIGHTON, PA
    Carbon County
    Lehighton, Pennsylvania 18235
    610-377-2134
  • QUAKERTOWN, PA
    Bucks County
    Quakertown, Pennsylvania 18951
    215-538-5350

Speak with ME today!

610-462-8853

or e-mail me:
AttorneyNewell@NewellLaw.com

Speak with ME today!

610-462-8853

or e-mail me:
AttorneyNewell@NewellLaw.com

UNINSURED MOTORIST FAQs

Pennsylvania Uninsured Motorist (UM) Attorney links

UNINSURED MOTORIST SETTLEMENTS

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UM CLAIM ATTORNEY

Why is it important to hire a Pennsylvania uninsured motorist attorney?

  • The UM insurance adjuster is paid to do 2 things: settle your PA uninsured motorist claim as soon as possible and, for the LEAST settlement amount.
  • Isn’t it critical for you to have an experienced Pennsylvania uninsured motorist lawyer aggressively representing you?

Why should I consider hiring Attorney Newell to act as my PA uninsured motorist lawyer?

  • EXPERIENCE : He has been representing Pennsylvania car accident victims since 1981
  • EXCLUSIVITY : Attorney Newell does NOT represent insurance companies because all of his clients are personal injury victims
  • SERVICE : Visit CLIENT REVIEWS to see how over 50 of his clients describe his dedication to personal service.

How much is my Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claim worth?

  • A defense adjuster may use these factors when negotiating a UM claim:
    • The personal injury experience of your PA UM lawyer
    • Proof of objective injuries in your medical records – such as surgeries, broken bones, herniated discs and stitches
    • Length of medical care
    • Work disability
    • Whether your auto insurance company believes your UM attorney will demand an arbitration hearing if they don’t make a fair settlement offer.

How soon after I was struck by a hit & run driver should I hire my PA uninsured motorist attorney?

  • The earlier you hire a UM lawyer, the sooner he/she can:
    • obtain the Police Report and property damage documents necessary to prove your UM claim
    • contact your insurance company’s uninsured motorist claim adjuster
    • guide you to obtain the necessary medical care for your injuries.

Please CONTACT ME to have a Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claim attorney with over 30 years of experience review your PA uninsured motorist claim.

UM CLAIM DEFINED

What is a PA uninsured motorist claim?

  • Pennsylvania uninsured motorist insurance is an optional automobile insurance coverage that applies if you are injured due to the negligence of a driver of an uninsured motor vehicle or an unidentified driver as in a hit and run case.

Against whom am I making the Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claim?

  • You are making a PA UM claim against your own auto insurance company under the terms of your contract with them.
  • The wording of your contract determines whether the UM case is litigated in front of a jury or an arbitration panel made up of 3 Pennsylvania attorneys.

A phantom vehicle came into my lane.  I avoided him by turning to the right.  I crashed into a ditch, he fled the scene and there was no actual contact between our vehicles.  Do I have a UM claim?

  • Yes.  Even though there was no contact, the phantom driver caused your accident.
  • It is necessary that you immediately report the incident to the local police and your automobile insurance company.
  • Your Pennsylvania uninsured motorist attorney will make sure all the necessary insurance documents are obtained and/or completed.

Please visit UNINSURED MOTORIST SETTLEMENT for case settlements and verdicts in Pennsylvania car crashes where the injured victim makes a claim for PA uninsured motorist benefits from their own car insurance company.

UM COVERAGES/RATES

I was rear-ended by an uninsured motor vehicle on Rt. 309 near Quakertown, PA. If I make a Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claim against my insurance company, will my insurance rates go up?

  • No. Your car insurance company can’t raise your insurance premium. They are not making a PA uninsured motorist payment due to any negligence on your part – the car crash was the total fault of the uninsured driver.
  • His insurance company would initially be responsible to make a payment for your Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claim. If your injuries are worth more than his uninsured motorist policy limit, then your PA uninsured motorist lawyer would be able to make an additional PA uninsured motorist claim against your own insurance company.

I live in Easton, PA. Can I buy PA uninsured motorist coverage limits higher than the bodily injury liability limits for my automobile?

  • No. The maximum coverage for Pennsylvania uninsured motorist protection would be equal to your bodily injury liability coverage for situations when you might injure others.

Are there situations when a car insurance carrier can properly deny a Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claim?

  • In some fact situations, the Pennsylvania Supreme and Superior Courts have upheld a denial of a PA uninsured motorist claim due to a “regularly used, non-owned vehicle” exclusion.
  • Your Pennsylvania uninsured motorist lawyer must be constantly reviewing PA law and the latest judicial opinions to accurately evaluate your UM claim.

Our insurance company says my son can not make an uninsured motorist claim because of a “household exclusion.”  Are they right?

  • There are some circumstances where Pennsylvania’s judges have denied a UM claim because of a household exclusion.
  • There are other fact/legal situations where our judges have dismissed the insurance carrier’s claim and permitted the UM case to move forward.
  • Hiring an experienced Pennsylvania uninsured motorist attorney who stays current on PA UM law is a necessity if you want to win your fight against your insurance company.

Please go to CLIENT REVIEWS to obtain information regarding the experiences of over 50 of Attorney Newell’s former PA personal injury clients.

UM MEDICAL BILLS

I was hit by an uninsured motorist on Rt. 313 near Perkasie, PA. Who pays for my medical bills?

  • If you own a car, your car insurance company pays your medical bills no matter who is at fault for the UM crash.

If my auto insurance company pays my medical bills after a collision with an uninsured motorist in the Lehigh Valley, will my car insurance rates go up?

  • No. Pennsylvania is a “no-fault” state.
  • Pennsylvania law prohibits an insurance company from raising your rates if they make a “first-party benefit” payment on your behalf – such as for medical bills.

I was a passenger in a friend’s automobile when we were struck by a hit & run driver on Rt. 209 in Lehighton PA.  Whose insurance company pays for my medical bills?

  • Pennsylvania law requires your own car insurance company to pay for your medical bills after a PA car accident no matter whose car you were in at the time of the crash.

Please visit HOME for information concerning Attorney Newell’s experience and qualifications to represent Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claimants.

UM HIT & RUN/ATV

I was run off the road by a hit and run driver on Rt. 22 by Allentown, PA. Do I have a PA uninsured motorist claim for my injuries?

  • If you paid for Pennsylvania uninsured motorist coverage, the answer would be yes as long as you promptly reported the auto accident to both the local police and your automobile insurance company.

A golf cart darted out onto the road from a golf course in Bethlehem, PA causing an accident with my wife. Can she make a Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claim against our automobile insurance company?

  • Attorney Newell represented a Stroudsburg area uninsured motorist victim who was also injured in an accident with a golf cart. He won the PA uninsured motorist case by successfully arguing that the golf cart was both unregistered and uninsured.

My son was an ATV passenger riding on a public road when the driver lost control and crashed.  Do we have a PA uninsured motorist claim?

  • It is likely that your insurance contract has an exclusion for UM claims for off-road vehicle occupants.
  • However, the uninsured motorist contract language should be reviewed by an experienced Pennsylvania UM attorney as any ambiguities in the contract must be interpreted in your favor.

UM REJECTION FORMS

My car insurance company says that I cannot make a PA uninsured motorist claim after a car crash on Rt. 202 in Doylestown, PA because of a form I signed. Can you help?

  • Insurance companies make mistakes! Sometimes they deny a Pennsylvania uninsured motorist case when their waiver forms do not meet the technical requirements of PA Law. An experienced Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claim lawyer knows the exact language the documents must contain so the insurance carrier cannot wrongfully deny your UM claim.

Please see Why Attorney Newell for more details regarding his qualifications to serve as your Pennsylvania uninsured motorist lawyer.

UNINSURED ARBITRATION

I was hit by an uninsured motorist on Route 611 by Stroudsburg PA.  If we can’t settle my case, how do we litigate my UM claim?

  • In 2005, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued the Koken Decision which stated that insurance companies were not required to include mandatory arbitration clauses for their uninsured & underinsured option coverages.
  • Your Pennsylvania uninsured motorist lawyer will need to carefully review your car insurance policy language to see if private arbitration or Court of Common Pleas litigation applies to your UM case.

What is the process for a PA uninsured motorist Arbitration Hearing?

  • Your uninsured motorist attorney and your insurance company will each select a lawyer to serve on the uninsured motorist Arbitration Panel.
  • Those 2 lawyers will then select a neutral arbitrator who will serve as the Chairman of the Arbitration Panel.
  • The 3 attorneys will then hear the evidence provided by your PA uninsured motorist lawyer and the UM insurance carrier.
  • They will then enter a damage award which can not exceed the limits of your uninsured motorist coverage.

UNINSURED TORT OPTION

I was struck by a hit and run driver on Route 309 in Montgomery County PA.  Does my limited tort selection on my car insurance policy apply to my uninsured motorist claim?

  • Yes.  The victim’s choice of limited tort or full tort applies to all individuals making Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claims.

I was a passenger in a family car when we were hit by an uninsured motorist on Rt. 611.  Our family has 2 automobile insurance policies – one is full tort and the other is limited tort.  Which tort option applies to me?

  • Various factors need to be analyzed and then applied to PA law and your automobile insurance contract before a conclusion can be made regarding the tort option that applies to your PA uninsured motorist claim.
  • Isn’t your UM claim important enough to have it reviewed by a personal injury attorney with over 30 years of experience?

UNINSURED STACKING

Can you explain, what is uninsured motorist stacking?

  • Simply put, if you have 3 cars insured on your auto policy and you’re hit by an uninsured driver, the stacking option would allow you to multiply your uninsured motorist coverage by 3.
  • So, if you had paid for stacking and had $15,000.00 of UM coverage per car, your total uninsured motorist coverage would be $45,000.00.

UNINSURED CLAIM CONSULT

Will Attorney Newell come to my home to meet with me regarding my Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claim?

  • UM claim victims in the Lehigh Valley, Poconos, Bucks County PA and Montgomery County PA have relied upon Attorney Newell to aggressively represent them for their personal injury claim.
  • Whether you live in Bethlehem or Easton, Stroudsburg or Bushkill, Lehighton or Allentown, Quakertown or Perkasie, Doylestown or Lansdale – Attorney Newell will provide you with a free HOME consultation for your PA uninsured motorist claim – no matter where you live in Eastern Pennsylvania.

A car crash on Rt. 309 near Lansdale, PA was caused by an uninsured motorist. When should I hire an experienced PA uninsured motorist lawyer?

  • As soon as possible. Your Pennsylvania uninsured motorist attorney will want to promptly obtain evidence to prove that the other vehicle caused the crash and was uninsured.

Please see UNDERINSURED MOTORIST RESULTS for case verdicts & settlements in PA car accidents where the personal injury victim makes a claim for Pennsylvania underinsured motorist benefits against their own insurance carrier.

DISCLAIMER

Attorney Thomas Newell provides the content of this website for informational purposes only. Nothing provided in this website should be interpreted as being legal advice. The laws regarding Pennsylvania uninsured motorist claims are constantly evolving and changing. You are strongly advised to hire an uninsured motorist claim lawyer licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

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    PA Uninsured Motorist Claim
    Issues & News

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    Hit & Run Driver On I-78

    On October 25, 2014, a man hit a car twice on Interstate 78 in Northampton County before fleeing the scene of the crash sites. The hit and run driver was captured by police near the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA. Multiple criminal charges are expected.

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    Hit & Run Charges After Route 22 Car Crash

    On 3/7/14, the Palmer Township Police charged a Virginia driver with multiple crimes after a March 5 hit and run accident on Route 22. According to Allentown’s Morning Call newspaper, the hit & run driver rear-ended a Walnutport woman as she was driving eastbound on Rt. 22. Both the driver and passenger were treated at Lehigh Valley Hospital for their car crash injuries.

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    2 Hit & Run Accidents Being Investigated on Route 22

    A 10/22/13 article in The Morning Call highlighted 2 investigations by Pennsylvania State Police regarding hit and run accidents on Rt. 22.  The first crash took place eastbound on Route 22 near the Route 33 exit.  The 2nd hit & run crash was westbound on Rt. 22 near the Airport Road exit.  Anyone with information regarding either Lehigh Valley hit & run accident should contact the Bethlehem Barracks of the PA State Police.

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    Lehigh County Hit & Run Driver Sought

    A July 11, 2013 article in The Morning Call reported on a Pennsylvania State Police investigation of a hit and run accident in the Lehigh Valley.  On June 19th, a female driver of a yellow Hummer backed into another vehicle in the parking lot of a Walmart in Lower Macungie.  The woman gave a non-working telephone number and a fictitious name to the victim.  Anyone with information should call the police at 610-395-1438.

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    Luzerne County Hit & Run Driver Gets Jail Time

    On June 10, 2013, a Luzerne County driver who fled the scene of a fatal accident, was sentenced to a prison term of 6-1/2  to 25 years.  The Luzerne County Judge ordered such a lengthy sentence due to the fact that the defendant killed 2 occupants of a motorcycle and then left the scene of the fatal crash without rendering aid or waiting for the police.

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    Bethlehem Police Hunt for Hit & Run Driver

    On May 14, 2013, at 2:50 p.m., a driver of a tan pick-up truck was involved in hit and run crash at the intersection of Center and Market Streets in Bethlehem.  Bethlehem Police say that the driver fled south on Market Street after the crash.  The pick-up truck had damage on the driver’s side rear quarter panel.  Anyone with information on the hit and run driver can call police at 610-865-7187.

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    Bucks County Woman Charged in Hit and Run

    A May 20, 2012 article from phillyburbs.com described a Bucks County PA hit & run accident which resulted in criminal charges for a Trevose driver. The woman was attempting to make a left turn onto Second Street Pike when she hit a Hyundai Elantra. The driver fled the scene of the hit and run crash, but later surrendered to Upper Southampton Police.

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    Montgomery County PA Hit & Run Defendant Gets Jail Time

    On April 15, 2011, a Montgomery County PA judge sentenced a hit and run driver to 1 year in jail after the death of a pedestrian.  As reported in dailyjournal.net, the PA hit & run driver had pled guilty to fleeing the scene of an accident involving death or personal injury.  The driver had hit a pedestrian who had just left Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School after celebrating the school’s state basketball championship win.

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    Pike County Hit & Run Under Investigation

    A Feb. 25 2011 hit and run on Route 309 near Fairview Lake in Pike County is being investigated by the Blooming Grove Pennsylvania State Police Barracks. According to the Wayne Independent, a Chevrolet Silverado crashed into a PP&L telephone pole and then fled the scene of the Pike County accident. PA State Police believe there is considerable damage to the front end of the automobile.

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    Hit & Run Driver Strikes Pottstown Fire Station

    On Jan. 3, 2011, a hit and run driver crashed his Grand Am into a Pottstown PA fire station and then fled the scene of the crash. As reported on wfmz.com, some firefighters were relaxing in their station when they heard a loud bang. When they investigated, they discovered that a car had slammed into one of the garage doors. The hit & run driver had fled the accident scene by the time the firefighters arrived at the front of the station.

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    Lehigh County Hit & Run Accident Results in Charges

    On Dec. 21, 2010, a Lancaster County driver was charged with a hit & run offense and a DUI as the result of a Dec. 20th crash on Cedar Crest Boulevard. As described in The Morning Call, the alleged drunk driver crossed into oncoming traffic, struck 2 vehicles and then fled the scene. Area police were able to apprehend the hit and run driver after his car became disabled.

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    Hit & Run Motorist Sought in Tobyhanna PA

    On Sept. 4, 2010 a hit and run driver struck ornamental lighting at a home in A Pocono Country Place in Tobyhanna PA.  According to the Pocono Record, the driver crashed into a tree, then fled the scene of the Monroe County PA crash.  Silver/gray paint particles were left at the scene.  Anyone with information regarding the hit and run driver is urged to call the Pocono Mountain Regional Police at 570-895-2400.

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    Hit & Run Accident in Tobyhanna PA

    On August 4, 2010, a Warminster man was working at a construction zone near A Pocono Country Place when he was struck by a hit and run driver.  As described in the Pocono Record, an 80 year-old man from Canadensis will be charged with multiple violations of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code including careless driving.  The Bucks County PA hit and run victim was taken to the Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg for treatment of a possible broken wrist.

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    Delaware County Driver Pleads Guilty to Hit & Run Charges

    On July 2, 2010 a Delaware County driver admitted to striking a bicyclist and fleeing the scene of an accident.  According to the Norristown Times Herald, the hit and run victim suffered hearing loss in one ear, as well as fractures in his head and leg, along with facial scars.  Evidence was presented which indicated that after the driver fled the crash site, she covered up the property damage to her car.

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    Arrest After Rt. 422 Hit & Run

    On June 1, 2010, Pennsylvania State Police arrested a Royersford PA driver who caused a hit and run accident on Route 422 on Memorial Day.  As described in the Pottstown Mercury, the 21 year old driver was westbound on Rt. 422 when he lost control of his motor vehicle and hit guard wires in the center median of Route 422.  The crash sent debris into the eastbound lanes of Rt. 422 damaging 2 vehicles.  The driver fled the scene but was later apprehended by police.

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    Montco Hit & Run Arrest After Bethlehem Pike Crash

    On May 31, 2010, a Warrington resident fled the scene of a car accident at the intersection of Bethlehem Pike and Pennsylvania Avenue.  As described in the Montgomery News, the hit & run operator struck a vehicle in the southbound Bethlehem Pike lane and then fled the scene of the crash.  He later crashed at Dager Road and was then apprehended by Upper Dublin police.

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    Allentown PA Hit & Run Fatality – Prison Sentence

    On April 21, 2010, an Allentown PA hit and run accident death resulted in a criminal sentence of 4-1/2 to 10 years in a Pennsylvania state prison.  According to WFMZ, the defendant had plead guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter as a result of the deadly 2006 crash on Union Blvd. in Lehigh County.

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    Montgomery County Hit & Run Causes Serious Injuries

    A March 19, 2010 hit and run in Lower Gwynedd PA resulted in serious injuries to a Montgomery County pedestrian.  There was an argument between 2 groups of students at the Wissahickon High School dance.  As one group left the dance and was walking home, a driver of an automobile apparently intentionally ran them down.  One pedestrian was hit by the car and dragged 30 feet before he fell to the ground and the auto sped away.

    The Montco hit and run victim was treated at Abington Memorial Hospital for fractures to his shoulder, arm and leg.  Surgeries were needed which included the installation of rods and plates.  Police recovered the hit & run vehicle in Philadelphia and their investigation is ongoing.

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    Proposed New Law to Increase Penalties for PA Hit & Run Drivers

    On March 10, 2010 the Pennsylvania State Senate held a hearing on the ongoing problems with hit and run drivers in Pennsylvania.  As noted on philly.com, there are currently 2 bills under consideration to significantly increase jail time for hit & run drivers who seriously injure or kill others: S.B. 522 and S.B. 1177.

    Senate Bill 1049 would result in more jail time for hit & run drivers who are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash.  Currently, the PA Motor Vehicle Code does not punish hit & run drivers who are impaired more than sober drivers.

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    PA Hit & Run Crashes in 2009

    At a March 2010 hearing of the Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee, a PA State Police representative testified that his officers investigated 7,345 hit and run accidents in 2009.  454 of those hit & run crashes resulted in death or serious injury.  As reported on neastphilly.com, numerous witnesses testified and all requested stronger penalties to decrease Pennsylvania hit and run collisions.