Single-vehicle crashes get filed under ‘driver error’ by default — by police codes, insurers, and embarrassed drivers themselves. The legal analysis is better: one car doesn’t mean one cause, and several recurring causes create claims the default framing buries.
- The phantom driver: forced off the road by a vehicle that never touched you — a recognized claim, proven by witnesses and cameras, paid by UM coverage when the phantom stays anonymous.
- Road defects: shoulder drop-offs, washouts, missing barriers, and signage failures implicate road owners — with the six-month government notice rule making speed essential; PennDOT standards frame the duty.
- Vehicle failures: tire, brake, and steering defects run through product liability — preserve the vehicle unrepaired until inspected.
- The passenger’s claim: passengers injured in single-vehicle crashes claim against their own driver’s liability coverage — awkward when the driver is family, routine for insurance, and too often forfeited to politeness.
Frequently Asked Questions
I was the passenger and my friend was driving. I don’t want to sue them.
You’d claim against their auto policy — the coverage priced for exactly this. Friendships survive insurance claims; unpaid medical bills are harder on them.
I swerved for a deer and crashed. Any claim at all?
Wildlife swerves are usually your own collision coverage — but road conditions, barriers, and what other drivers did still get one honest look before the file closes. The consultation costs nothing.
What does hiring you cost?
No attorney’s fee unless we recover; the contingency percentage and cost handling are in the written fee agreement. Consultations are free.
Questions about your situation? Call (215) 464-4600 or contact us online — free, confidential consultations, contingency-fee representation.