Car wrecks in Delaware County, PA can happen in seconds, but the fallout can stretch for months or even years. One careless moment on I-95, Route 1, or a local Media side street can leave you with pain, bills, and a wrecked vehicle. On top of that, insurance companies often move fast to protect their own bottom line, not your future.
A car accident lawyer in Delaware County, PA steps in to protect you from day one. The firm behind this page has spent more than three decades helping crash victims across Delaware County, Philadelphia, Chester, and surrounding communities recover money for medical care, lost wages, and long-term harm.
Round-the-Clock Help After a Crash
Serious crashes do not follow a 9-to-5 schedule. They happen in the middle of the night, at rush hour, on weekends, and on holidays. That is why this auto accident team offers 24/7 confidential consultations. Whether you are calling from an emergency room or from home the next day, you can reach an attorney who will explain your rights and your next steps under Pennsylvania law.
From your first conversation, the car accident lawyer will want to know where the crash happened, how it occurred, what medical treatment you have had so far, and what the insurance companies are already saying. That early guidance can keep you from making mistakes that hurt your claim, such as signing forms too soon or giving a recorded statement before you understand the full extent of your injuries.
Types of Motor Vehicle Crashes We Handle
The Delaware County, PA car accident lawyers on this team handle nearly every kind of road collision, including crashes involving commercial vehicles and even watercraft.
Car and truck crashes, including multi-vehicle, head-on, rear-end, T-bone, and single-vehicle wrecks
Commercial vehicle collisions, such as tractor-trailers, delivery trucks, buses, taxis, and rideshares
Motorcycle and ATV incidents, from lane-change impacts to road-hazard and parking lot crashes
Pedestrian and bicycle accidents caused by careless or distracted drivers
Other motor vehicle incidents, including boating, jet ski, and construction vehicle accidents
Even if your situation feels unusual, a quick call with a local lawyer can help you figure out whether it fits into one of these categories or another kind of injury claim.
Why Crashes Happen: Negligence, Bad Roads & Unsafe Vehicles
Most auto accidents in Pennsylvania trace back to some mix of driver error, unsafe vehicles, or dangerous roadway conditions. The firm’s attorneys see many of the same patterns over and over again.
Common driver mistakes include texting or scrolling while driving, talking on the phone, eating behind the wheel, speeding, aggressive lane changes, tailgating, falling asleep while driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Crashes also stem from mechanical problems such as worn brakes, bald tires, steering failures, and defective safety equipment like malfunctioning airbags or faulty seatbelts. When a part fails because it was poorly designed or manufactured, you may have a product liability claim against the maker or distributor, in addition to a claim against the driver.
Road conditions play a role too. Potholes, broken pavement, missing signs, confusing markings, broken traffic lights, and poorly set up construction zones can all contribute to serious collisions.
A car accident lawyer looks at every piece of this picture to find all parties who may share responsibility for what happened.
Common Injuries After a Car Accident
Even a “minor” crash can leave lasting damage. High-speed impacts and truck collisions often cause life-changing injuries that require long medical care and major lifestyle changes. The firm’s auto accident page lists a wide range of serious harm the lawyers see in their cases:
Traumatic brain injuries can range from concussions to severe brain damage that changes memory, mood, and thinking for life. Spinal cord trauma may cause herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, or paralysis that requires wheelchairs, lifts, and home changes. Broken bones in the arms, legs, ribs, pelvis, and face sometimes need surgery and hardware, followed by months of therapy.
Neck and back injuries, including whiplash and cervical or lumbar damage, can cause burning pain, numbness, and reduced movement. Burn injuries from fires, hot metal, or chemicals often lead to skin grafts, scarring, and emotional trauma. Internal organ damage and bleeding may not show up right away but can quickly become life-threatening.
Psychological injuries are just as real. Many crash survivors develop anxiety, depression, nightmares, or a fear of driving. Post-traumatic stress disorder can interfere with work, school, and relationships long after bruises fade.
A Delaware County, PA car accident lawyer works with medical experts to understand how these injuries will affect the rest of your life, not just the first few weeks after the crash.
What To Do After a Car Accident in Pennsylvania
The steps you take right after a collision can make a big difference in your claim. The original auto accident guide on this site highlights several key actions that protect both your health and your legal rights.
Get medical help right away and call 911 if anyone might be hurt
Call the police so an official crash report is made
Take photos and video of vehicles, road conditions, signs, and visible injuries
Exchange insurance and contact information and write down witness details
Speak with an experienced car accident lawyer before talking in detail with insurers
Once you leave the scene, it is just as important to follow up with doctors, keep copies of bills and records, write down how you feel each day, and avoid posting about the crash on social media. A lawyer can walk you through these steps so you do not feel like you are guessing.
Compensation Available After a Pennsylvania Auto Accident
After a serious crash, you may be staring at a damaged car and a growing stack of medical bills. The law allows you to seek payment for both financial losses and personal harm caused by another driver, a company, or another responsible party.
Economic damages usually cover things like emergency care, hospital stays, surgery, rehab, therapy, medications, and medical equipment. They also include lost wages while you cannot work, reduced future earning ability if your injuries are permanent, property damage, and added costs such as rides to appointments while your car is in the shop.
Non-economic damages cover pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and permanent scarring or disfigurement. If your injuries changed how you interact with your spouse or family, there may be claims related to the impact on those relationships.
When a crash leads to a fatality, Pennsylvania law allows certain family members to pursue wrongful death damages for funeral costs, lost income and benefits, loss of guidance and companionship, and other losses tied to the death.
A car accident lawyer in Delaware County, PA reviews your medical records, work history, and future needs to calculate a fair settlement range before any serious talks with an insurance company.
Why Insurance Companies Are Not On Your Side
Insurance companies market themselves as friendly and helpful, but their main goal is to pay as little as possible on claims. The Schuster Law auto accident page lists several tactics insurers use to reduce what they owe: quick lowball settlements, flat denials based on policy fine print, blaming the victim to cut payments, monitoring injured people, digging through old medical records for “pre-existing” issues, and dragging out the process so you feel pressure to accept less.
An experienced car accident attorney knows these moves and steps in between you and the adjuster. The legal team can handle phone calls, letters, forms, and settlement talks so you are not worn down or tricked into an unfair deal.
Key Pennsylvania Auto Accident Laws You Should Know
Pennsylvania has some unique rules that affect car accident cases. The firm’s guide explains several of the most important.
The state uses a “choice” no-fault system. Depending on the coverage options you picked, you may have to turn first to your own insurer for certain benefits, and you might need to meet specific injury thresholds before you can pursue pain-and-suffering damages from the at-fault driver.
There is also a strict time limit, called a statute of limitations. In most Pennsylvania auto injury cases, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. Wait longer than that, and you can lose the right to compensation, no matter how strong your case would have been.
Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence rule. You can still recover money if you are partly at fault, as long as your share of blame is less than 51 percent. Your total damages, however, are reduced in line with your share of fault.
State law also sets low minimum insurance limits: $15,000 for one injured person, $30,000 per crash for bodily injuries, and $5,000 for property damage. Serious injuries often cost much more than that, which is why your lawyer looks for every possible policy, including underinsured motorist coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accident Claims
How much is my Delaware County car accident case worth?
There is no simple chart that sets values. The size of a settlement or verdict depends on how badly you were hurt, the length and type of treatment, your future medical needs, the impact on your work, and how much the crash has changed your daily life. The firm offers free case evaluations to give you a realistic range based on similar cases.
How long will my case take?
Simple claims may settle in a matter of months. Complex cases with serious injuries, disputed fault, or multiple parties often take a year or two. The legal team works efficiently but will not rush you into a low settlement that does not cover your needs.
What if I was partly at fault?
Because of Pennsylvania’s comparative negligence rule, you may still recover compensation as long as your share of fault is not greater than 50 percent. A lawyer can review the facts and push back if insurers try to exaggerate your role in the crash.
Should I accept the insurance company’s first offer?
Usually not. The first offer is often far below fair value. The firm’s auto accident page notes that experienced attorneys often secure settlements several times higher than those early offers.
What if the other driver had no insurance or not enough coverage?
Your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may help fill the gap. A car accident lawyer can examine your policy and file the right claims so you do not miss out on benefits you have already paid for.
How do car accident lawyers get paid?
This team works on a contingency fee. That means you pay no attorney’s fee up front. The firm only gets paid if they recover money for you, and the fee is a percentage of that recovery. Initial consultations are free.
The Car Accident Legal Team & Their Approach
The auto accident practice at this firm is led by attorney Ken Schuster, who brings more than 35 years of Pennsylvania trial experience to the table. That experience in local courts and in front of local judges helps the team build strong cases and push for better settlements.
Their step-by-step approach includes close investigation of the crash scene, work with reconstruction experts, consultation with medical and economic specialists, aggressive negotiation with insurance carriers, and trial-ready preparation from the beginning.
On the injury page, the firm also highlights a simple but powerful three-part promise: investigate every claim thoroughly, represent you through the entire process, and help you get your life back with as much peace of mind as the legal system can offer.
Serving Auto Accident Victims Across Delaware County & Beyond
Although many clients come from Delaware County communities like Media, Chester, Upper Darby, Havertown, Springfield, Swarthmore, Broomall, and Radnor Township, the firm also represents crash victims from Philadelphia, Chester County, Montgomery County, and Bucks County.
Wherever your Pennsylvania crash happened, a car accident lawyer from this team can review your situation, explain how local and state rules apply, and map out a plan tailored to your case.
Free Car Accident Consultation – No Fee Unless You Win
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car, truck, motorcycle, or other motor vehicle crash in Delaware County, PA or anywhere in southeastern Pennsylvania, you do not have to deal with insurance companies on your own.
The firm offers a free, confidential consultation with an experienced auto accident attorney. During that conversation, you can expect a careful review of your crash, an explanation of your legal options, a rough estimate of what your claim might be worth, and clear answers to all of your questions about the process.
You pay no attorney’s fee unless they recover compensation for you. With strict time limits and evidence that can fade quickly, it is smart to speak with a car accident lawyer in Delaware County, PA as soon as you are able, so your rights are fully protected while you focus on healing.
