This calculator estimates what a truck accident injury claim could be worth under Pennsylvania law. It applies Pennsylvania’s 51% bar rule, the two-year deadline to file suit and the insurance that usually pays, then shows the math line by line, including what you might take home after a lawyer’s fee.
Because Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, the calculator first subtracts what your own PIP coverage pays, then asks whether your injury meets the threshold to claim pain and suffering from the at-fault driver.
Pennsylvania rules behind this estimate
Fault. Pennsylvania uses modified comparative fault with a 51% bar. If you are found 20% at fault, your award drops by 20%. At 51% or more, you recover nothing. Insurers know this, so expect them to argue your share up.
Deadline. You have two years from the crash to file a lawsuit in Pennsylvania. A claim against a city, county or state agency usually needs written notice much sooner, sometimes within months. Missing the deadline almost always ends the claim, and with it your leverage to settle.
Insurance. Pennsylvania is a no-fault state. Your own personal injury protection (PIP) pays your medical bills and part of your lost income first, up to $5,000 of first-party medical benefits, whoever caused the crash. To claim pain and suffering from the at-fault driver, you need a serious injury: death, serious impairment of a body function or permanent serious disfigurement. This applies to drivers who chose “limited tort”. Drivers with “full tort” can sue for any injury. Liability minimums are 15/30/5.
Damage caps. No cap on injury damages. Medical malpractice and punitive damages can have separate limits.
Pennsylvania truck accident questions
How much insurance do trucking companies carry?
Interstate trucks hauling general freight must carry at least $750,000 of liability coverage under federal rules, oil haulers $1 million and most hazardous materials $5 million. Many carriers buy more. Trucks that stay inside one state can follow lower state limits.
Can I still claim if I was partly at fault in Pennsylvania?
Yes, as long as you were 50% or less at fault. Your award is reduced by your percentage, and at 51% or more you recover nothing.
How long do I have to file a truck accident claim in Pennsylvania?
two years from the crash to file a lawsuit. Report the claim to the insurers within days.
Do I need to meet a threshold to sue in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, so your PIP pays first. To claim pain and suffering from the at-fault driver you need a serious injury: death, serious impairment of a body function or permanent serious disfigurement.
Does Pennsylvania cap pain and suffering damages?
Not in most injury cases. No cap on injury damages. Medical malpractice and punitive damages can have separate limits.