FAQs

• Q. What Should I Do After a Pennsylvania Car Accident?

  A.

  Pennsylvania expects its drivers to act responsibly after an accident. This means, above all, that you must not leave the scene of a crash. If you do, you are violating the law, leaving the other driver and passengers in possible danger, and exposing yourself to having your license revoked or suspended.

  Nine Steps to Take After a Motor Vehicle Crash in Pennsylvania

  Here are the other things you should do after a motor vehicle crash:

  1. Stop your vehicle and then move as close to the accident site as possible. Try not to block traffic when you stop. And be aware of the possibility of fire from the crash.
  2. Try to provide help to the other driver and passengers or pedestrians. However, do not try to move injured victims unless necessary. Call 911 if anyone reports injuries.
  3. Call local police, especially if the accident is interfering with traffic or if multiple vehicles are involved.
  4. Refrain from moving if you suffered an injury, unless your vehicle is blocking traffic. Wait for help.
  5. Exchange information with the other driver. This includes name, address and other contact details, driver’s license number, license plates of the vehicles, and auto insurance information. Also, exchange information about the make, model, and body style of the vehicle, as well as the VIN (vehicle identification number) and a description of the damage.
  6. Take photographs of the accident scene.
  7. Try to find the driver if you hit an unattended car or truck. If you cannot find anyone, you must leave a note providing the required information.
  8. Report the accident to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation within five days if there was severe injury, death, or significant damage to vehicles and other property. If the police did not investigate the accident, you still must report it. Do not agree to the other driver’s request that you not report it — you could lose your license if you fail to make a required report. In addition, even if the accident appears minor and the police do not respond, it may be in your best interests to report it -- what seems to be a minor injury at the time may turn out to be more serious later on. Use form AA-600 and follow the instructions.
  9. Report the accident to your insurance company.

  If you were injured or if the crash caused extensive damage to your vehicle, you may wish to consult a Pennsylvania car accident lawyer to find out about your legal rights. You could be eligible for compensation even if you were partly at fault.

  Call Berger & Lagnese If You Were Injured in a Pittsburgh Car or Truck Accident

  If you were hurt or a loved one died in a motor vehicle accident in the Pittsburgh area, call the law firm of Berger & Lagnese, LLC. Telephone 412-275-4122 or use the online contact form to schedule a free consultation. The firm handles motor vehicle accident cases throughout Western PA and beyond.

• Q. How Long Do I Have to File a Wrongful Death Claim in PA?

  A.

  If a loved one died because of the negligence of another party, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim. Known as wrongful death lawsuits, these claims could allow you to obtain compensation for medical and funeral expenses, lost income, loss of future earnings, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium (basically the legal word that covers the affection and support provided by the deceased family member had they lived).

  Two-Year Limit in PA Wrongful Death Cases (and Exceptions)

  In order to obtain this compensation, eligible family members (spouses, parents, and children) are usually required to file a lawsuit within two years of the wrongful death. There are exceptions to this rule. For example, if the death occurred more than two years after the negligence that led to death happened, and the deceased did not file a liability claim while still alive, the deceased’s family is probably not eligible to file a wrongful death claim. An example of this is a long-delayed diagnosis of cancer. If more than two years elapsed between the failure to diagnose the cancer and the patient dying, then the surviving family members may be ineligible to file a lawsuit.

  Two-Year Limit on Filing Survival Cases in Pennsylvania

  This two-year limit also applies to survival actions, which are lawsuits brought by the estate of the deceased on his or her behalf. These lawsuits are for damages that the deceased could have claimed had he or she lived. The most important element of such an action is the pain and suffering of the deceased before death, whether it’s minutes, days, weeks, or months.Claims such as these usually rely on the testimony of medical experts who can testify to the length of time the victim suffered before death and the degree of pain they experienced. It is important to have a Pennsylvania wrongful death lawyer who is able to translate technical medical language into words that can be understood by a judge and jury.

  Call Experienced Pittsburgh Personal Injury Lawyers to Learn More About Wrongful Death Time Limits

  If you have questions about the time available to file a wrongful death or survival lawsuit in Pennsylvania, talk to an attorney at the Pittsburgh law firm of Berger & Lagnese, LLC. Call us at 412-275-4122, or use the online contact form to schedule a free consultation. Our firm handles wrongful death cases throughout Western PA and beyond.

• Q. What Is Mixed Cerebral Palsy?

  A.

  Many children do not fit neatly into the category of Spastic, Athetoid Dyskinetic, Ataxic, or Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy. If your child does not fit into one of these forms of Cerebral Palsy, your child's doctor will consider your child as suffering from Mixed Cerebral Palsy. This is quite common.

• Q. Do I Have a Right to Get My Medical Records?

  A.

  Yes. Pursuant to a federal law called HIPAA, you are entitled to inspect or copy your medical records. If you request a copy of your records, your health care provider is entitled to charge a cost-based fee that includes only the cost of (a) copying; and (b) postage, when you request that the copy be mailed to you.

  If you have a specific question about HIPAA or medical malpractice, please call us at 412-471-4300 or contact us online. At Berger & Lagnese, our lawyers specialize in medical malpractice and work on cases in Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Uniontown, Beaver, Erie, Washington, and all of Western Pennsylvania. Our team of lawyers will find out what happened with your medical care and will get you the answers to your questions. 

• Q. What Is a Colonoscopy?

  A.

  A colonoscopy is a test in which a doctor views the inside of your colon and rectum (large intestine). During the exam, a colonoscope - a long flexible tube about the thickness of a finger - is inserted into your rectum. A tiny video camera at its tip allows your doctor to view the inside of your colon on a TV monitor.Colonoscopy is used to look for colon cancer or growths such as polyps which could develop into colon cancer. If any abnormality is found during colonoscopy, a biopsy is taken and sent for microscopic examination.Like all cancers, colon cancer is much more likely to be cured if it is detected early and treated promptly.At times, your doctor may fail to perform, or refer you to another doctor to perform, a colonoscopy, despite signs and symptoms of colon cancer. At other times, the doctor performing the colonoscopy may fail to biopsy abnormal tissue seen at the time of the biopsy or to take appropriate action to diagnose your colon cancer. In these situations, you may be the victim of medical malpractice.If you suspect that you are the victim of medical malpractice, you may call us at 412-471-4300 or email us. At Berger & Lagnese, we specialize in medical malpractice cases in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Uniontown, Beaver, Erie, and Washington, PA. Our lawyers and doctor will find out what happened during your medical care. There is no cost to you.