Automobile, Car, Truck, Motorcycle, Bus, and Train Accidents

William C. Skye represents clients who have suffered injuries from automobile, car, truck, motorcycle, bus, and train accidents. We understand how important it is to our clients that their claims be handled competently and professionally.

We understand auto insurance and can explain to our Pennsylvania clients the difference between full tort and limited tort, why it is important to have uninsured and underinsured motorist benefits on your auto insurance policy and why you should purchase more than the minimum insurance required.

We can explain to our New Jersey clients what the "Limitation on Lawsuit" option and the "No Limitation on Lawsuit" option means and again why it is important to have uninsured and underinsured motorist benefits on your auto insurance policy and why you should purchase more than the minimum insurance required.

We represent clients who have suffered injuries ranging from death and catastrophic losses to those with less severe losses. We treat the claims of all clients equally. We will aggressively pursue your claims against the responsible party’s insurance company and we won't hesitate to go to court if a claim cannot be settled to your satisfaction.

We also understand that some vehicle accidents are caused by other reasons, including manufacturing defects (such as defective brakes or air bags that inflate when they are not supposed to); defective highway design; or by drunk drivers. At the Law Firm of William C. Skye, we know how to handle these cases so that the responsible parties are held accountable for their actions, whether that means suing the manufacturer of a vehicle, the government agency who designed the road improperly, or the bar that served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person, we can handle your case.

If you, a family member, or friend, has suffered injuries as the result of an automobile, car, truck, motorcycle, bus, and train accidents, contact William C. Skye for a consultation at no cost to you at (856) 451-7707.

As always, William C. Skye’s Clients Pay No Fees and No Costs Unless a Recovery is Made.

*Please remember that every case is different, and will need to be evaluated and handled on its own merits. The information on this website is informational and is not intended to create an expectation about the results our lawyers can achieve on any particular case.

Every car and truck in Pennsylvania and New Jersey must be insured, and buying automobile insurance can be one of the most confusing things you will ever do. Fortunately, the Law Firm of William C. Skye can help you become informed so that you make the right choice and buy auto insurance that protects you and your family if you are injured.

Pennsylvania - Why To Choose Full Tort Auto Insurance Over Limited Tort Auto Insurance

Our first advice is to purchase as much insurance coverage as you can afford. Do not purchase the minimum insurance allowed by Law. This insurance is very expensive for the amount of coverage provided. For a relatively small additional premium charge, you can purchase thousands of dollars in additional insurance coverage that will help you if you are involved in an accident.

The next most important decision you have to make is whether to buy "full tort" or "limited tort" coverage. At the Law Firm of William C. Skye, we recommend that all of our clients purchase full tort auto insurance coverage in Pennsylvania; if you buy limited tort coverage, you and other members of your household will not be able to recover for pain and suffering and other non-economic damages if you are injured in an auto accident unless you suffer a very serious injury or fall within one of the limited exceptions to limited tort.

Who Should Choose Full Tort Coverage?

At the Law Firm of William C. Skye, we recommend that everyone in Pennsylvania who can afford to purchase "full tort" coverage should buy it. In our experience, the small amount you save by choosing the limited tort option is not enough to compensate you for giving up your right to sue in most cases.

What's the Difference Between Full Tort and Limited Tort?

In Pennsylvania, vehicle owners must purchase either "full tort" or "limited tort" automobile insurance coverage. When you choose the "full tort option," you, your family and other resident relatives of your household will have the legal right to be compensated for pain and suffering if injured in a car accident, regardless of how serious the injury is. If you have full tort coverage, you, your family and other resident relatives of your household will be entitled to receive compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills, wage losses, loss of enjoyment of life, permanent injuries, scarring and spousal support from the negligent party who caused the injuries. Regardless of the severity of the injury, a person with full tort coverage has the right to sue the responsible party. Your choice of "limited tort" or "full tort" applies not only to you, but also to all resident relatives of your household, including your minor children. Your choice also generally applies when you are in someone else's vehicle as well. If you choose the "limited tort option," you only save about 10 percent on your insurance bill. In exchange for saving about 10 percent on your insurance bill, you give up your right to sue for pain and suffering - regardless of whether the other driver was at fault - unless:

You suffered a "serious injury." Under the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law, a "serious injury" is defined as a "Personal injury resulting in death, serious impairment of body function or permanent serious disfigurement." The Courts have consistently ruled that a "serious injury" means a very serious injury. In other words, whiplash injuries and other injuries that get better in a few months are not generally considered to be serious injuries and you give up your right to sue for pain and suffering if you chose the "limited tort option;"
The other driver is convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance or accepts ARD, which is a program generally given to first-time offenders;
The other driver committed an intentional act which caused your injuries;
The other driver was operating a vehicle that was registered in a state other than Pennsylvania;
The other driver had no insurance. Of course, in that case, you probably will never be able to collect a judgment against the other driver - and if you file a claim against your own auto insurance company for uninsured motorist coverage, you will still be stuck with the limited tort option.

Pennsylvania - What Other Coverages Should I Purchase - uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and underinsured motorist (UIM)?

At the Law Firm of William C. Skye, we recommend that, in addition to full tort coverage, everyone who can afford to purchase uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage on their auto insurance policies should do so. Again, do not purchase the minimum uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage insurance allowed by Law. For a relatively small additional premium charge, you can purchase thousands of dollars in additional insurance coverage that will help you if you are involved in an accident. The amount of insurance coverage you buy will determine the amount of uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage included with your policy. Purchase the highest level of coverage you are able to afford.

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you in case you, your family and other resident relatives of your household are injured in an accident in which the responsible party was NOT insured.

Underinsured motorist coverage protects you in case you, your family and other resident relatives of your household are injured in an accident in which the responsible party does not have enough insurance to compensate you for your injuries. Also, when you select uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, ask for "Stacked Coverage," which allows you to get the largest recovery available to you.

At the Law Firm of William C. Skye,, we can help you make the right auto insurance decision, and we can represent you when you are injured in an accident.

New Jersey – Limitation on Law Suit Option

Our first advice is to purchase as much insurance coverage as you can afford. Do not purchase the minimum insurance allowed by Law. The "minimum" insurance is very expensive for the amount of coverage provided. For a relatively small additional premium charge, you can purchase thousands of dollars in additional insurance coverage that will help you if you are involved in an accident.

The next most important decision you have to make is whether to select "Limitation on Lawsuit" option or the "No Limitation on Lawsuit" option. There is a considerable savings on your insurance premium if you select the "Limitation on Lawsuit" option but you and other members of your household will not be able to recover for any damages in a law suit unless you suffer a very "serious injury."

This means that if you select the option for an unlimited right to sue under the “No Limitation on Lawsuit” option, you retain the right to sue the person who caused an auto accident for pain and suffering for any injury.

If you select the option for a limited right to sue by choosing the “Limitation on Lawsuit” option, you agree not to sue the person who caused an auto accident for your pain and suffering unless you sustain one of the permanent injuries listed below (Note: Choosing this option does not affect your ability to sue for economic damages such as medical expenses and lost wages):

loss of body part
significant disfigurement or significant scarring a displaced fracture
loss of a fetus
permanent injury (Any injury shall be considered permanent when the body part, or organ or both, has not healed to function normally and will not heal to function normally with further medical treatment based on objective medical proof.)
death

New Jersey clients should also be aware that insurance companies or their producers or representatives shall not be held liable for your choice of lawsuit option.

At the Law Firm of William C. Skye, we recommend that all of our New Jersey clients carefully consider whether they can afford the additional insurance coverage in New Jersey for the “No limitation on lawsuit” – it is often a considerable amount. If you can afford to purchase the coverage, we recommend that you do so. You must be aware at when you select the "limitation on lawsuit" option - you are giving up your right to sue in most cases – except very serious injures – and that you or members of you household could suffer injuries for which you will have no remedy or recovery!

In New Jersey, when you choose NOT to take the "Limitation on Lawsuit" option and you elect to pay the additional premium for the "No Limitation on Lawsuit" option, you, your family and other resident relatives of your household will have the legal right to be compensated for pain and suffering if injured in a car accident, regardless of how serious the injury is. You, your family and other resident relatives of your household will be entitled to receive compensation for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, permanent injuries, scarring and spousal support from the negligent party who caused the injuries. Regardless of the severity of the injury, a person who takes the "No Limitation on Lawsuit" option, retains the right to sue the responsible party. Your choice applies not only to you, but also to all resident relatives of your household, including your minor children. Your choice also generally applies when you are in someone else's vehicle as well.

New Jersey - What Other Coverages Should I Purchase - uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and underinsured motorist (UIM)?

At the Law Firm of William C. Skye, we recommend that when you select your policy limits for liability that you match those same limits for uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. Again, do not purchase the bare minimum liability coverage or the bare minimum uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage insurance allowed by law. For a relatively small additional insurance premium charge, you can purchase thousands of dollars in additional insurance coverage that will help you if you are involved in an accident. The amount of liability insurance coverage you buy will often determine the amount of uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage included with your policy. Purchase the highest amount of coverage you are able to afford and be sure that your insurance agent applies the same coverage you can afford to both liability coverage and uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage.

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you in case you, your family and other resident relatives of your household are injured in an accident in which the responsible party was NOT insured.

Underinsured motorist coverage protects you in case you, your family and other resident relatives of your household are injured in an accident in which the responsible party does not have enough insurance to compensate you for your injuries. The amount you can recover with your uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) insurance will be limited by the amount of coverage you purchase.

When you need a strong advocate to represent your interests, contact William C. Skye for a consultation at no cost to you at (856) 451-7707.

As always, William C. Skye’s Clients Pay No Fees and No Costs Unless a Recovery is Made.