What’s the difference between Full Tort and Limited Tort car insurance policies in Pennsylvania?

In this article we will explore the difference between a full tort and limited tort car insurance policy in Pennsylvania.

In Pennsylvania, you have the option to purchase two different types of car insurance policies. These options are either a “limited tort” policy or a “full tort” policy. Each policy type determines the kinds of damages you can recover, if the accident wasn’t your fault. Therefore, to understand the difference between “limited tort” and “full tort,” let’s begin by understanding each type of damages. Generally, there are two categories of damages we can recover for car accident victims in Pennsylvania:

• “economic” (or “special”) damages
• “non-economic” (or “general”) damages

Economic (or “Special”) Damages

Economic damages include things like:

• past and future medical bills
• co-pays for medical treatment
• medications
• tow truck bills
• rental car fees
• past and future lost wages

Kitay Law Offices can calculate these damages for you. So, be sure to keep track of medical bills, receipts and the number of days that you missed from work because of your injuries. As part of your tort case, the car accident attorneys in Pennsylvania at Kitay Law Offices will request all of this information from you, your doctors, and your employers. This way we can calculate and recover all the money you lost because of your car accident. Importantly, you can recover economic damages in both full tort cases and limited tort cases.

Non-economic (or “General”) Damages (also known as “Pain and Suffering”)

If the car accident is not your fault and your injury is causing you to suffer, you may also be able to receive damages for:

• your physical pain and suffering
• stress
• inconvenience
• embarrassment
• loss of ability to enjoy life

These are “non-economic” (or “general”) damages. Unlike “economic” damages, these damages are not so easy to calculate. The value of these damages usually depends on several factors like your age, the severity of your injuries, the amount of medical treatment you receive, and how your injuries have impacted your life. The car accident attorneys at Kitay Law Offices will maximize the amount of non-economic damages recovered in your case. Although there can be some exceptions, you can usually only recover non-economic damages in full tort cases.

“Limited Tort” Insurance Policies

Generally, if the car accident is not your fault, you are suffering from an injury, and you have a “limited tort” car insurance policy, you can only recover your “economic” damages. For example, this could include the amount of your unpaid medical bills and lost wages. However, there are certain exceptions to this rule. If you have a “limited tort” car insurance policy, you may be able to get paid for your “non-economic” damages:

• If the other car involved in the accident was registered in a state other than Pennsylvania
• When driver of the other car is convicted of driving under the influence (DUI)
• You suffer a serious injury to one or more of your body parts

The car accident attorneys at Kitay Law Offices have many years of experience representing car accident victims with “limited tort” car insurance policies. As a result, we can help you get the maximum amount of money for your damages.

“Full Tort” Insurance Policies

If you are a Pennsylvania car accident victim with a “full tort” car insurance policy, you have the right to get paid for all of your damages. This includes both “economic” and “non-economic” damages. This means you can recover money for things like your unpaid medical bills and lost wages. You can also seek money for your pain, suffering, stress, and inconvenience. Furthermore, you do not need to prove that the other driver was DUI or that you suffered a serious injury.

Although “full tort” car insurance policies are usually more expensive than “limited tort” car insurance policies, when you buy a “full tort” car insurance policy you are protecting YOUR rights and YOUR ability to recover all of YOUR damages if you are the victim of a Pennsylvania car accident. The car accident attorneys at Kitay Law Offices have recovered millions of dollars for their clients with “full tort” car insurance policies.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a Pennsylvania car accident, contact Kitay Law Offices for a FREE case strategy session with one of our experienced car accident attorneys.