FREQUENTLY ASKED LEGAL QUESTIONS.

Accidents happen in the blink of an eye. One mistake, one misstep -- that's all it takes. But what if your injuries were out of your control? What if the accident wasn't your fault? You may be faced with some of the most stressful times in your life and feel completely alone. Most victims of accidents (and their families) have questions. They're not sure what to expect, what to do, how to deal with the insurance companies, or who to even contact for answers to their questions.

At Edgar Snyder & Associates, we want to help. We've answered some of the most common questions we hear all the time from accident victims and our past clients.

Do I Have a Case?

The best and fastest way to find out is by contacting the personal injury lawyers at Edgar Snyder & Associates. With no cost to you, the first thing we’ll do is figure out if you have a case by analyzing the unique details of your accident, including:

  • The extent of your injury or illness.
  • Hospital stays.
  • Past and future surgeries.
  • Scarring or permanent damage to your health.
  • Future medical needs.
  • Accident evidence.
  • Who was at fault?
  • And more.

Be aware, there’s a limited amount of time to file your claim. The sooner you call, the sooner we can go to work for you. We'll handle the hassle of filing paperwork and dealing with insurance companies, so you can focus on getting better.

Call us today for a free case review. When you hire Edgar Snyder & Associates, you never pay a fee unless we recover money for you.

Do I Need a Lawyer?

If you think you have a case, then you probably need a lawyer. The reason is simple. When injured, your main job is to get better. That means leaving the legal work of an injury case to the personal injury lawyers at Edgar Snyder & Associates. We’ll help protect your legal rights while handling all aspects of your case, including:

  • complex legal claims process.
  • confusing paperwork.
  • insurance companies that have their own army of lawyers.
  • legal deadlines that, if missed, could jeopardize your case and ability to recover money for your injuries.

Plus, not having legal representation can lead to some serious unintended consequences. Here are just some:

  • Social Security benefits application or appeal could be denied.
  • Workers' Compensation benefits could be stopped.
  • You could miss important deadlines.
  • you could fall victim to insurance companies' "settlement policies." In some cases, they may offer you a quick settlement for much less than you deserve.

Call us today for a free case review. When you hire Edgar Snyder & Associates, you never pay a fee unless we recover money for you.

How Much Will it Cost?

Your case review is free. When taking your case on, Edgar Snyder & Associates pays for all costs such as:

  • Gathering evidence.
  • Locating witnesses.
  • Paying legal filing fees.
  • Hiring expert witnesses to help prove your case, if necessary.
  • And more.

So, at Edgar Snyder & Associates, when we say, “There’s never a fee unless we get money for you,” we mean it!

Call us today for a free case review. When you hire Edgar Snyder & Associates, you never pay a fee unless we recover money for you.

What's My Case Worth?

Unfortunately, there's no formula we—or any other law firm—can use to accurately predict how much your case may be worth. Every case is unique, and the worth of each accident claim must be considered on a case-to-case basis. In fact, it would be wrong to give you even a rough ballpark figure (and we caution you not to put your trust in anyone who does).

The amount of money you could potentially receive by filing a legal claim is dependent on many factors, including:

  • The type of injuries you suffered, and the medical treatments and surgeries you've undergone, and will need to undergo in the future.
  • The length of time it will take you to recover, and whether or not you must miss work because of your injuries.
  • The amount of your unpaid doctor and other medical bills.
  • Whether or not you were permanently scarred or disabled.
  • Whether there were any witnesses to your accident.
  • The opinion of medical experts.

By answering these and other questions, we’ll get a clear understanding of the monetary damages you’re entitled to for your injuries. Then we’ll get to work to make sure you receive the best settlement possible.

Call us today for a free case review. When you hire Edgar Snyder & Associates, you never pay a fee unless we recover money for you.

Who Pays My Medical Bills?

Serious injuries can lead to hefty medical bills. That’s why turning to the personal injury lawyers at Edgar Snyder & Associates is so important. Based on your case, we can determine who’s responsible for paying your medical bills and much more.  

Injured In A Car Accident?

If you or someone you care about were injured in a car accident, the details related to the crash will largely determine not only if you have a case, but who is liable for paying associated medical bills.

If you were in an accident, you may be eligible for compensation for lost wages depending on the insurance coverage you carry. If you have disability benefits at work, your employer will cover you.

Injured On The Job?

If you've been hurt on the job, the parties liable for paying your medical bills and compensating you for lost wages depend on the details surrounding your injury. In most cases, you will be eligible for Pennsylvania workers' compensation benefits, and in other cases you may be entitled to compensation from a personal injury case.

That said, if a company other than your employer caused your work-related injury, you could have a third-party claim. Examples could be the manufacturer of a defective machine or another contractor working on your job site. These are accidents that result in an injury that occurs at a worksite but are not the responsibility of your employer.

Injured In A Slip-And-Fall Accident?

Slip-and-fall accidents can lead to emergency room visits, time off work and even life-long medical appointments, which is especially frustrating when it was due to the negligence of someone else.

The bottom line is that property owners need to ensure their facilities are free of hazardous conditions such as:

  • Wet floors
  • Improperly lit areas
  • Tripping hazards

This is called premises liability, and there are three basic kinds—homeowner liability, business owner liability, and renter and landlord liability.

Call us today for a free case review. When you hire Edgar Snyder & Associates, you never pay a fee unless we recover money for you.

How Can I Protect My Rights?

Accident victims have legal rights, and the best way to protect them is to understand what they are. Whether you were the victim of a motorcycle, auto, or slip, trip, and fall accident, you have a right to:

  1. Take photos. If you've been injured in an accident, you have the right to take pictures of the scene of the accident, your injuries, as well as any damage to your personal property (such as your car or home).
  2. Ask that the incident be documented. As an accident victim, you have the right to ask the police officer to file a report. You also have the right to a copy of the report.
  3. Remain silent. Make no mistake: Accident injury victims have the right to refrain from giving a recorded statement to the insurance companies—both yours and those of the other party—until you've had the opportunity to seek the opinion of an experienced injury attorney. In fact, we recommend that you never say anything to or sign anything from an insurance company until you've contacted a lawyer.
  4. Contact an attorney. As an accident victim, you have the right to seek advice from a lawyer and potentially collect compensation for your injuries—money for medical bills, time off work, and pain and suffering.

Your Rights As Our Clients.

Your rights are critically important to us. That’s why at Edgar Snyder & Associates, accident

injury victims have the right to:

  • A free case review. When you contact our law firm, we will give you a free legal consultation that will help determine whether you have a case. We'll answer your legal questions—and you'll be under no obligation to use our services.
  • Be treated with respect and dignity at all times. Our clients are people, not case numbers. You can rest assured that all of our attorneys and legal staff members will always be honest with you.
  • A house call. We understand that when you've been seriously injured in an accident, traveling to one of our five office locations could be inconvenient. That's why, at Edgar Snyder & Associates, accident victims have the right to ask an attorney to come to them.
  • Ask questions. Our attorneys and legal staff will take the time to answer any and all questions you have. You have the right to be updated about the status of your case—and to be told the truth, whether it's good or bad. At Edgar Snyder & Associates, you also have the right to have your lawyer explain the fees you will owe if we settle your case in your favor.
  • Settle your case on your own terms. You have the right to settle your case when you're ready—not before. It's always your choice to make.

Contact our Client Services Department with any problems. At Edgar Snyder & Associates, we're proud of our track record of success. Since 1982, we've helped over 75,000 people get the compensation they deserve—money for medical bills, missed paychecks, and even pain and suffering. However, if you're unhappy with the service you're receiving at our law firm, you have a right to contact our Client Services Department at 412-912-2358.

How Do You Prove My Case?

When you decide to hire Edgar Snyder & Associates, we go to work for you, using our experience and every available resource to prove your case and get you the money you deserve.

Here are a few things we do to prove your case (depending on your accident and your injuries):

  • We document your injuries.
  • We get copies of your medical bills, police reports, incident reports, etc.
  • Our investigators go to the scene of the accident, take photos, and gather evidence.
  • We deal with the insurance companies and protect your rights.
  • We hire experts when needed.
  • And more.

We’re Here To Do A Lot More Than Prove Your Case.

Our attorneys and legal staff treat you the way we'd want our family and friends to be treated. We don't just prove your case – we go a step further and do the following:

  • We help you understand your medical bills
  • We deal with the time-consuming paperwork
  • We keep you informed throughout the process
  • We answer your questions, without the legal jargon
  • We travel to you if you can't come to us

From a dedicated legal team to a 24-hour Client Services hotline, we go above and beyond to make your time with us as easy as possible.

How Much Time Do I Have to File a Claim?

People injured in an accident need to know this: time is not on their side. That's because they

have strict deadlines to file legal claims. These deadlines are known as statutes of limitation.

Statute of Limitations:

The time prescribed by law in which a plaintiff can bring a lawsuit.

Every second counts following an accident. To ensure your legal case meets all legal deadlines, it's best to contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Edgar Snyder & Associates is available 24/7—call us today for a free case review.

Call us today for a free case review. When you hire Edgar Snyder & Associates, you never pay a fee unless we recover money for you.

What is Compensation for "Pain and Suffering"?

“Pain and suffering” is a key element of most personal injury cases. In Pennsylvania, an accident victim may be compensated for the pain and suffering they have already endured, as well as the pain and suffering they may experience in the future.

Pain can be divided into two categories: physical pain and emotional pain.

Physical Pain and Suffering

Physical “pain and suffering” may include:

  • A broken bone
  • Loss of limb
  • Muscle pain and weakness

Emotional Pain and Suffering

Emotional pain and suffering may include:

  • Mental anguish
  • Emotional distress
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Embarrassment and humiliation

Personal injury claims involving pain and suffering demands are complex, so call us today for a free case review. We'll discuss the nature of the injury you or a loved one suffered, let you know if you have a case, and if you do, what the next steps will be.

Call us today for a free case review. When you hire Edgar Snyder & Associates, you never pay a fee unless we recover money for you.

What Should I Know About Social Media to Protect My Rights?

If you've been injured in an accident and are considering filing a legal claim, it's important to understand that what you publish on those platforms can potentially affect your case.

That's because insurance companies and even opposing counsel members are in some instances permitted to monitor your social media to access posts and photos —sometimes going to great lengths to obtain information that can skew the case in their favor.

In a perfect world, we'd advise every client to simply deactivate their social media accounts, but we understand that isn't always possible.

4 THINGS NOT TO DO ON SOCIAL MEDIA DURING A CASE

If you must continue to post on social media during your case, DON'T:

  • Post information about your accident or any photos that may suggest the injury you suffered is not as serious as you claim—even the simplest actions can be taken out of context
  • Make comments that can be perceived as accepting responsibility for your accident or placing blame on another party.
  • Badmouth other people or companies involved in your case—complaints or other negative language may enhance the insurance company's case.
  • Accept friend requests from people you do not know personally—insurance investigators often create fake online profiles for the express purpose of spying on you.

4 SOCIAL MEDIA DO’S FOR INJURY VICTIMS

If you continue to have a social media presence as your case proceeds, DO:

Check your privacy settings.

Instagram - set your account to private, and don’t accept follow requests from people you don't know. 

Facebook - set your privacy settings to "friends only" instead of "friends of friends" or "public." 

Twitter - make your account private, so people will have to send you a follow request—allowing you to decide whether they can access your tweets.

What if I Can't Travel to Your Office?

We understand that injury can make travel out of the question.  But at Edgar Snyder &

Associates, we won’t let that get in the way of your case.

We’ll Come To You

When you hire our firm, members of our legal team will come to you—wherever you are.

We’ll Provide Case-Related Transportation

Our legal team includes several van drivers. These caring employees will pick you up in one of our firm's vans and ensure you get safely where you need to go—whether it's to a hearing, a deposition, or other appointment associated with your legal case.

What if I Can't Work?

It doesn’t matter if you were employed full-time, part-time, self-employed, or worked as a casual employee at the time of your accident—you can file a legal claim to recover for:

  • Wages lost from the job you held at the time you were injured
  • Missed earning opportunities

More specifically, you are eligible for reimbursement for:

  • Lost wages from missed days of work
  • Missed overtime opportunities
  • Vacation and sick days taken to avoid unpaid time off work
  • Bonuses
  • Money you would have made from missed business meetings, special projects, or job interviews
  • Non-monetary perks you missed while you were off work

How Do I Recover Lost Wages?

In order to recover for lost wages, you must be able to prove two things:

  1. That you missed work because of injuries suffered in your accident.
  2. How much money you would have made if you had not been injured.

Proving that you missed work because of your injuries will require careful documentation of income.

You will also need documentation of your injuries from your doctor. If you worked full or part-time, you will need a letter on company letterhead from your supervisor or human resources department with the following information:

  • Your name and position.
  • Your rate of pay at the time of the accident.
  • The number of work hours missed (including overtime opportunities.)

Hiring an Attorney To Recover Lost Wages

It's in your best interest to contact an experienced accident injury attorney to determine the best way to recover lost wages. The legal claims process is confusing—there is complex paperwork and strict deadlines.

Call us today for a free case review. When you hire Edgar Snyder & Associates, you never pay a fee unless we recover money for you.

Do I Have a Case?
Do I Need a Lawyer?
How Much Will it Cost?
What's My Case Worth?
Who Pays My Medical Bills?
How Can I Protect My Rights?
How Do You Prove My Case?
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Claim?
What is Compensation for "Pain and Suffering"?
What Should I Know About Social Media to Protect My Rights?
What if I Can't Travel to Your Office?
What if I Can't Work?
Review my case for free.

Review my case
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