Personal Injury & Auto Accident Info

Auto Accident - Pennsylvania Prescription Discounts

"Pennsylvania CVS Pharmacies Refuse to Fill Prescriptions for Auto Accidents"

Since 1990, Pennsylvania state law has required pharmacies to give a 20 percent discount on any drugs sold to auto accident crash victims. Pennsylvania Attorney General Jerry Pappert told the Associated Press in September 2004 that the law was created to indirectly lower the cost of auto insurance , but the inability for some drug store chains to afford the discount led them to announce they would no longer sell medications to auto accident victims rather than comply with the law.

After Pappert alleged that CVS Corp. was not adequately informing customers about both the discount and its decision not to fill the auto accidents prescriptions, CVS agreed to post signs in its PA pharmacies advising customers of its policy. CVS said its auto accidents prescription policy has been in place for more than ten years (1993). Since many auto accident customers were unaware of the policy, the state has claimed people were unnecesarily filling their prescriptions at CVS at full price.

Auto Accident - Fraud Claims

Auto Claims Fraud

I previously worked for one of the large automobile insurance companies as a fraud investigator.  I handled all theft claims in one of the largest markets in the United States.  You cannot begin to imagine the insane claims that would cross my desk.

Possibly one of the dumbest was the guy who had a Toyota 4Runner that was about to come off lease and he was way over the allotted miles.  He was going to have to pay several thousand dollars in lease fees when it came due.  Major red flag.  Couple that with the fact that he wasn’t even able to make the lease payment the previous few months and no shocker that his truck ended up getting totaled in a fire, is it. 

Only problem for him is that he wasn’t the brightest criminal.  He claimed an electrical fire started from within the dash as he was driving along on the freeway.  He pulled over and the truck proceeded to burn to a crisp.  Had that been the case, he would have happily been out from under his lease.

However, this guy started the fire with rolled up newspaper under the seat and torched it right there on the side of the freeway.  It was almost laughable to see the pictures of the car showing newspaper torched under the seat.  He didn’t even remove the remains of some of the rolled-up, unburned paper.  It was almost painful to have to pay a fire investigator to determine the source and origin of the fire when it was so obvious.  Bottom line is the claim was rejected and this guy was now responsible for the full value of the vehicle.  Moral of the story:  Don’t be a complete retard…

Auto Accident Attorney - Settlement Time

How long does it generally take to settle an auto accident claim if you file a lawsuit?

It may be 13 months after the accident before you see a realistic settlement. If you go to trial, the pace is significantly slowed even further.

In medium-sized jurisdictions with populations of around 250,000, it may take 2½ years before a trial is completed. In larger cities, such as Cleveland, New York, or Miami, a verdict issued three or four years from the date of the accident is common.

Auto Accident Attorney - How Much Do They Take?

Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis and don't charge a fee for an initial consultation. However, you should expect to give them at least 25% of your settlement.

Most lawyers take one-third of the settlement agreement, but if you go to trial, expect your attorney's cut to reach 40%. Some lawyers even take as much as 50% of the settlement after a trial.

In a few cases, lawyers will even charge an hourly rate. The fees attorneys can take may seem exorbitant, but they are within the limits of law. Most states have authorized personal injury lawyers to take up to 40% of a settlement they negotiate.