Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a public transportation provider that services the Greater Philadelphia area. If you were hurt in an accident caused by this organization, you may be eligible for compensation. However, damage recovery in these cases can be complicated.
An experienced lawyer could explain how damages in Philadelphia SEPTA accident cases work. After evaluating the case, we could help you file the necessary documents and build a strong case.
Similar to accidents where public transportation is not involved, victims of SEPTA’s negligence can recover these two types of damages:
Economic damages are the measurable losses that result from an accident. The goal of awarding these damages is to help the injured person handle financial burdens and out-of-pocket expenses. Common economic damages in SEPTA incident cases in Philadelphia are:
To support the injured person’s rights to these damages, their legal team must provide tangible evidence, such as doctors’ bills, prescriptions, pay stubs, and more.
Non-economic damages reflect the personal and emotional impact of the injury. These subjective losses don’t come with a clear price tag. Some examples are chronic pain, PTSD, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Proving the extent of such damages can be more complicated than supporting economic damages. The legal team may need to hire expert witnesses whose testimony proves the injured person’s condition.
If a person dies due to the injuries sustained in the crash, their family can claim wrongful death damages. These include funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of emotional support.
In rare cases, if the public transportation company demonstrates extreme negligence, the court may decide to award the victim punitive damages.
Recovering damages in a SEPTA accident case in Philadelphia is more complicated than in personal injury cases that involve non-government entities.
As a government organization, SEPTA is under the protection of the Sovereign Immunity Act. This limits their liability to $1M per accident. While this may seem like a large amount, if the accident involves a full bus of people, each person may only receive a limited compensation.
Meanwhile, the claim-filing process is different and follows much tighter deadlines than regular personal injury cases. To navigate all these issues, an injured person must consider working with an attorney. Otherwise, it is easy to make mistakes.
If you were injured in an accident that involved SEPTA vehicles, you may be able to recover damages. These damages can include economic damages, pain and suffering, and even punitive damages. However, damages in SEPTA accident cases in Philadelphia have many nuances. To take proper legal action, you must consult a practiced attorney.
At Soloff & Zervanos, P.C., we have decades of experience handling personal injury claims, including SEPTA accident cases. Contact us for a free consultation today.
