There are 120,000 miles of highways in Pennsylvania and over 9 million registered drivers as of 2019. In 2020, approximately 85.3 billion vehicle-miles were traveled on Pennsylvania’s roads and highways.
However, there were 1,060 fatal crashes in Pennsylvania in 2020. Of these, 38% of them were driving in a passenger vehicle at the time of the accident.
If you were injured in a car accident on the highway, then you should speak to Pittsburgh car accident lawyers from Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C. to learn about your rights and what you can recover under state personal injury laws.
Don’t delay. The statute of limitations on highway car accident cases is two years. Contact our Pittsburgh personal injury firm at (412) 471-8500 for your free case evaluation.
Highway Car Accident Injuries
Because of the fast rate of travel at the time of the accident, injuries from crashes on the highway can be severe. Some of the most common catastrophic injuries include head injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, burns, deep cuts and lacerations.
A traumatic brain injury can change a person’s life forever. They can wake up the morning of the accident a completely different person than how they end the day. When the brain shakes inside of the skull after impact, it gets bruised. Important neural connections can be severed. Brain bleeding and other life-threatening brain injuries may result. The brain controls so much of the body, from automatic functions, like breathing, to cognition and mood control. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) require follow-up visits with a neurologist, which can become costly.
Back and spine injuries incapacitate the victim for a period of time before they can walk and move again. Some victims never recover and require a wheelchair and mobility assistance for the rest of their life.
Bone fractures are also common in highway accidents, due to the force of the impact or the person being thrown about in their vehicle. The most common broken bones are the clavicle, pelvic bone, femur, fibula, sternum, humerus, skull and vertebrae. The latter two can lead to traumatic brain injuries or spine injuries, respectively.
All of these injuries result in high medical costs. The ambulance ride, hospitalization, follow-up visits and medications could cost thousands of dollars. You may need additional medical devices as you recover, like a wheelchair or walker.
Types of Highway Car Accidents
There are myriad reasons for highway car accidents but most of them relate back to negligence or recklessness. Drivers travel at fast speeds on highways. Therefore, they need to use more caution. Wet weather, nighttime driving, and roadside construction make driving on highways more dangerous, but drivers are still responsible for adjusting their driving to the current road conditions.
T-bone accidents can happen on highways when a left-turning driver miscalculates the distance another driver is traveling, and crashes into them. The resulting impact makes a T shape, hence the name.
Side-impact collisions occur when one vehicle strikes the side of another traveling next to it. The most common causes of side-impact crashes are changing lanes without looking, and weaving in and out of lanes. Speeding drivers, drunk drivers and aggressive drivers are the most likely to cause these types of incidents.
The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that six percent of accidents are rear-end accidents. Because drivers travel at faster rates on highways, they are in less control of their vehicle. Speeding drivers trying to cut in front of other cars and cause rear-end accidents.
Sometimes accidents are caused by drivers who are confused or not paying attention to changes in traffic patterns in construction zones, or who miss their exit. These accidents can be attributed to distracted driving. Emailing, texting and adjusting radio dials can lead to a devastating highway crash.
You should talk to a car accident attorney today about what type of damages you may be entitled to in your highway accident case. Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C. has the resources to investigate the cause of your crash and identify the liable party.
Damages in a Highway Accident Case
Economic damages compensate you for the costs related to your accident that you would not have incurred had it been for the liable parties actions. You can be compensated for your medical expenses, lost wages, and the damage to your car or vehicle. Additionally, you could be compensated for transportation to see a specialist if your injuries were severe enough to warrant the help of an out-of-town medical specialist.
Highway accidents don’t just cause physical injuries. They cause emotional injuries and can make it difficult for the victim to return to the life that they once knew. Noneconomic damages compensate a victim for non-financial losses, such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, anxiety, and depression.
In some cases, you may be eligible to receive punitive damages. They are awarded in cases of outrageous conduct or reckless behavior, as in drunk driving or aggressive driving cases. Punitive damages punish the driver for their outrageous behavior.
Experienced Legal Representation
Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C. has had a successful track record of getting the settlements that our clients deserve – $6.1 million in settlements for personal injury, in fact. Our goal is to get you the justice you deserve after experiencing a traumatic car accident on a highway. We understand that you have high medical bills, lost wages, and lots of questions. Call us today at (412) 502-5804 to schedule your free consultation with us.
Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C’s main office is located at 245 Fort Pitt Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, only about 8 minutes from Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, just over a mile away from The Andy Warhol Museum, and about 2 minutes away from the Point State Park. Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is only 12 minutes away. Gary Ogg, Mike Murphy, John Perkosky, David Houk, and Ben Gobel, the principal attorneys at Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C, are your trusted source for addressing personal injury, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases. With a proven history of expertise and success, Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky ensures your legal representation instills confidence in every aspect of your case. Call our Pittsburgh law firm today at (412) 471-8500 with further questions.