SEPTA Accidents: Legal Help for Passenger, Pedestrian, and Motorist Injuries

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) operates a variety of public transit systems in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Its buses, trolleys, and trains safely transport thousands of people every day. However, the massive size and weight of these vehicles make them particularly dangerous in the event of a crash. SEPTA drivers must be extra vigilant, as crashes tend to be devastating.

It would make sense to assume that a huge company like SEPTA would readily and responsibly compensate victims when they and/or their drivers cause accidents. However, it’s often very difficult to get the maximum financial recovery for your injuries. As a state agency, SEPTA has certain legal protections. In addition, its lawyers and insurance adjusters act quickly to protect their interests as soon as an incident happens. That’s why it’s critical to contact an experienced SEPTA injury lawyer as soon as possible if you’re the victim of a crash. You may be able to obtain compensation for their medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, and more. But you need the right help.

At Gay Chacker & Ginsburg, we have spent decades advocating for people injured by Philadelphia transit systems. If it happened to you, call us at (215) 567-7955 for a free consultation about your legal rights. There is no obligation when you contact us. If you do decide to hire us to protect you against SEPTA and seek maximum compensation, we’ll collect no fee unless we win. So, you’ve got nothing to lose by contacting us.

SEPTA Passenger Injured in Accident

Regardless of whether a crash was the SEPTA driver’s fault or another motorist’s fault, injured SEPTA passengers may be able to receive compensation for their medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. We are able to pursue a case against any negligent driver or company that caused the crash.

If you own a motor vehicle and suffer injuries as a SEPTA passenger, your automobile insurance will be the first to pay for your injury-related medical care, even though you were not driving when the crash happened. If you have limited tort on your insurance policy, you will be able to seek full tort damages. That’s because in Pennsylvania, one exception to limited tort is for passengers injured on non-commercial vehicles like SEPTA.

If you are an injured SEPTA passenger and you do not own a motor vehicle (and do not live with someone who owns one), SEPTA can pay for your injury-related medical expenses. There is a limit on how much SEPTA will pay, however, and you will need to apply for compensation quickly and properly.

No matter why your passenger injuries happened, getting the help of an experienced attorney is key. He or she will pursue the right avenue of compensation for you, so all you have to do is work on feeling better.

Pedestrian Injured by SEPTA

Negligence on SEPTA transit systems can catastrophically injure pedestrians. Oftentimes, these incidents are fatal. Running a red light, missing a stop sign, or making a hasty turn without looking are all ways SEPTA drivers have struck and harmed pedestrians in the past.

The attorneys at Gay Chacker & Ginsburg have helped many people who suffered injuries as pedestrians after a commercial vehicle hurt them. In one case, our client was crossing the street with a green light while walking home from college. A bus made a left turn, struck her, and the bus skidded over her. Our firm obtained $4.2 million for our client, who suffered from multiple broken bones because of the collision.

Motorist Injured by a SEPTA Vehicle

If a SEPTA driver hurts you while you’re in your car, your own auto insurance will compensate you for your injuries. However, you may also be able to file a lawsuit against the company to seek more compensation. Doing so requires providing a certain legal notice to SEPTA, and there isn’t much time to do it. If you contact us as soon as possible, we can help ensure you get the right paperwork into SEPTA. That way, you have the opportunity to file suit if you decide to later.

SEPTA’s Immunity as a Government Agency

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania runs SEPTA. Therefore, the company has protections under law in the event of certain kinds of crashes. These immunities vary by the type of transit system involved in an accident, how much an injured victim can recover, and more. It’s all the more reason to contact an experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorney right away. We can help ensure you seek maximum money using the full extent of the law.

We Know Your Rights, and Our SEPTA Accident Attorneys Can Help You

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving SEPTA, life has probably been turned upside down. On top of your injuries, you may have lost income from being out of work, and you’re dealing with medical expenses now and in the future. You should not also have to think about complex legal issues. But to recover your losses, you may need to sue the driver and SEPTA, which is a state agency. That is a big job, but it’s not one you need to take on alone. Let a skilled and seasoned personal injury lawyer work on your behalf, so you can focus on moving forward with life.

Gay Chacker & Ginsburg has represented people throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the surrounding states for decades. We have gotten excellent settlements for clients in cases involving SEPTA, New Jersey Transit, and other mass transit companies. Our skilled attorneys can help you stand up to those responsible for the crash and seek the compensation you deserve.

If you need to file an injury or wrongful death claim, we will investigate the accident, get the reports, and consult with medical experts. We will work hard to get fair compensation to cover your current and future medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you. There is no risk or obligation. If you hire us, we will charge you no legal fees unless we recover money for your damages. Call us at (215) 567-7955 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation.