McDonald At Law

ARE INSURANCE COMPANIES ON YOUR SIDE AFTER A CRASH? Auto Accidents If you are injured by a reckless driver who ran a red light on Pennsylvania roads, you think that the last thing you have to worry about is paying for the damages they caused. After all, you pay your auto insurance premiums each month to make sure you get coverage in situations just like this. Regardless of whether you have full or limited tort insurance, you deserve compensation after suffering a serious inju...ry in a car accident. Your insurance company should support you. Unfortunately, insurance companies are not always on your side. They will try to avoid paying you Above all, most insurance companies are businesses. That means one of their primary goals is to minimize their own expenses and increase their profit. Therefore, they rarely want to pay you the compensation you deserve after an accident. Insurance companies and adjusters will work to either diminish or deny your claim altogether even if it is valid. How can they do this? You might wonder: is this legal? Unfortunately, insurance companies often use several undermining tactics to deny claims that are, in fact, legal. For example, they might: Call after you report the accident and try to get a recorded statement before you know the extent of your injuries; Delay contacting you in hopes you will become frustrated and either accept a low settlement offer or give up on your claim; and Offer a settlement that is far below what your claim is worth at first. And that is only to name a few of the tactics they might use to deny your claim. Recent reports also found that life insurance companies even check social media accounts and posts for evidence to calculate premiums. Auto insurance companies could very well do the same thing to reduce your claim. Is there reason to worry? Hearing that the insurance companies are not always on your side can be both stressful and frightening especially after suffering a serious injury in a car accident. However, you should not have to worry. As long as you are aware of these tactics and understand your rights, you have options to recover the compensation you deserve. It is often beneficial to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney to understand all of the options available to you after an accident. Contact A Skilled Personal Injury Attorney At McDonald at Law, our knowledgeable team of personal injury lawyers fight to get injured people in Philadelphia, South Central and throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania their deserved compensation. In addition to his decades of experience, Attorney Michael McDonald is the only Lancaster County lawyer who is certified by the National Board for Trial Advocacy in Lancaster County. He will fight on your behalf and hold the negligent parties and their insurance providers accountable. Call the firm’s Lancaster office now at 717-208-2641 or send us an email.

Limited v. full tort insurance: What is the difference? Auto Accidents If you suffer injuries in a car accident as a result of another’s negligence, you deserve compensation. However, understanding how to pursue that compensation and what your insurance covers can be complex. Pennsylvania requires drivers to have certain insurance coverage by law. Two of those options include limited tort insurance or full tort insurance. But how do these insurance policies work?... What is limited tort insurance? Both limited and full tort insurance allow you to recover losses you suffered after a car accident. However, the type of coverage you choose determines what kind of compensation you can seek. For example, limited tort insurance allows you to recover compensation for the financial losses you experience, including: Medical bills; Lost wages; Property damage; and Other related expenses. Generally, limited tort insurance does not allow you to pursue compensation for pain and suffering. The law does include exceptions. Serious accidents that lead to death or permanent disabilities could warrant compensation for pain and suffering under this coverage. But limited tort insurance often only covers monetary losses. Full tort insurance covers pain and suffering On the other hand, full tort insurance would allow you to sue for all of the damages listed above as well as pain and suffering. This is true no matter how severe the accident was. While full tort insurance is slightly more expensive than limited tort insurance, it is often a good investment to protect your future. Both forms of insurance can help support you after a car accident. The coverage you choose depends on how well each option meets your needs. Get Knowledgeable Insurance Law Help After An Accident At McDonald at Law, our knowledgeable and experienced attorney helps injured people get their deserved compensation after an accident. You can call our Lancaster office now at 717-431-3093 or toll-free at 866-767-6879. We are also available via the contact form. See more

McDonald At Law welcomed Katy Reilly to the firm in February of this year as a litigation paralegal for Michael McDonald. She is a welcomed addition to the team with her cheerful personality and formidable legal prowess. During her thirteen years of paralegal professional experience, Katy has worked with EEOC and PHRC agencies, Federal and State Courts and, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals supporting attorneys advocating for both Plaintiffs and Defendants with workers compensation, employment and, personal injury law. We are so pleased she joined the firm and wanted to share the good news.!

The number one reason why you should hire an attorney after being injured in a collision is so you can focus all of your attention on your health and recovery. You need to get better for yourself and for your family. This is especially true if you are the primary earner in your household. You are not getting back to work if you are spending all day talking to insurance adjusters and chasing down paperwork. The last thing you need is the additional stress of dealing with insur...ance companies, investigators, and appraisers when you’re in pain. Do not think your injuries are not serious enough to contact an attorney. Unless you have made a full recovery and been released from care by your doctor, you don’t know the full extent of your injuries. We’ve had many clients where the injuries did not appear serious in the immediate aftermath of the incident but persisted over time and ultimately required surgery. Even if your injuries do resolve in a short amount of time, you are still entitled to fair compensation for what you went through. If you are ever injured again the insurance companies will use that against you to diminish your compensation. If you didn’t make a claim the first time you’re costing yourself money. A personal injury attorney should act as your guide through the claims process and then be prepared to defend your rights if you have to go to court. An attorney will maximize your recovery by making sure you get all of the benefits available to you under your insurance policy, while also making sure that everyone responsible for causing your injuries is held accountable. Many people are not aware that their car insurance may offer benefits such as payment for medical treatment, payment for time missed from work, and payment for your injuries if the person responsible does not have enough money to fully compensate you. Finally, an experienced attorney should be able to discuss with you the best strategy for making your claim. Questions come up right away such as: who should pay to fix my car? Who pays for the rental while my car is being repaired? They say my car is totaled but I think it’s worth more than they are offering me, what can I do? An experienced attorney can answer all of these questions from the top of their head. An attorney should give you guidance and direction, but most importantly, peace of mind while you focus on getting better. Richard DeFrancesco www.mcdonaldatlaw.com

Martin was recently "released" from the Pups in Prison program (a United Disabilities Services initiative) after spending a year being meticulously trained by an inmate at SCI Houtzdale state prison in Clearfield county. Martin's trainer brought Martin into McDonald At Law to meet Denise and they are pictured below with Janna of UDS, Martin's current handler. Martin is now in phase two of his training, which will eventually match him with a local child with autism or an armed... forces veteran with PTSD. McDonald At Law is honored to have sponsored Martin's annual food costs and service dog vest that he looks so handsome wearing! If you would like to know more about the United Service Dogs and the Pups in Prison programs in Pennsylvania, please take a look at this video about how a dog like Martin changed a young boy's life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faKVl14aSo4 See more

Fault and Liability for Car Accidents Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last updated July 02, 2019 Several different factors, not all of them obvious, determine who is liable for damages or injuries resulting from an automobile accident. For instance, a motorist is seriously injured when another motorist cuts in front of her after turning onto the street. However, she may be found liable if she was speeding or made an illegal lane change prior to the co...Continue reading

McDonald At Law sponsors local United Disability Service Dogs who are trained as pups for over two years by a team of dedicated volunteers and professionals. After the training is complete, they are partnered with people who have a mobility disability, or autism to help them live a fuller life. These dogs are paired with local veterans as well. This little guy was just selected to join this incredible initiative. In addition to being the cutest dogs ever, Labs are particularly suited to working with folks with disabilities because they don't tire of doing the same activities over and over. McDonald At Law is honored to be part of such an amazing program. To learn more, check them out at udservices.org.

We are committed to going above and beyond for our clients. That is why we have redesigned our website! Through this redesign, we hope to enhance our clients’ experience while visiting our website and to strengthen our communication with current clients, former clients, and future clients. Let us know what you think! https://mcdonaldatlaw.com/

What should I do if see a motorist making poor decisions behind the wheel?

Ice and snow can cause severe danger for Pennsylvania drivers.

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There can be serious dangers when underride guards aren't present.

Fault and Liability for Car Accidents Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last updated July 02, 2019 Several different factors, not all of them obvious, determine who is liable for damages or injuries resulting from an automobile accident. For instance, a motorist is seriously injured when another motorist cuts in front of her after turning onto the street. However, she may be found liable if she was speeding or made an illegal lane change prior to the co...Continue reading

McDonald At Law sponsors local United Disability Service Dogs who are trained as pups for over two years by a team of dedicated volunteers and professionals. After the training is complete, they are partnered with people who have a mobility disability, or autism to help them live a fuller life. These dogs are paired with local veterans as well. This little guy was just selected to join this incredible initiative. In addition to being the cutest dogs ever, Labs are particularly suited to working with folks with disabilities because they don't tire of doing the same activities over and over. McDonald At Law is honored to be part of such an amazing program. To learn more, check them out at udservices.org.

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