purchase, george & murphey.
purchase, george & murphey.
An estimated 108.4 billion miles are driven by vehicles on Pennsylvania roadways each year, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.*
If you were hurt in an accident, are facing medical bills, or find yourself unable to work, you’ve come to the right place for help. Making things right again is what we do.
Given the extensive use of PA roads, it is impressive that only 125,327 reported accidents occurred. However, the aggregate number of accidents is of little importance to the 88,709 people injured or to the families of the 1,468 people killed in Pennsylvania crashes every year.
If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a car accident, then you need experienced Pennsylvania car crash lawyers to represent you. Eric Purchase, Tim George, and Craig Murphey are experienced Erie car accident attorneys who can represent you from the initial investigation of your accident all the way to the resolution of your case.
Contact us at 814-273-2010 for a free consultation and please download our book, the Pennsylvania Car Accident Handbook, if you’ve been hurt or lost a loved one in an accident. You can also read our What to Do After a Car Accident page or our Car Accidents FAQ page.
This form is fully confidential. We will safeguard your privacy and reputation. We will contact you within 24 hours. If you need immediate assistance, please call our office: 814.402.8826
Were you involved in a car accident on a road or highway in Pennsylvania? You should read this book BEFORE you talk to an insurance adjustor and BEFORE you talk to a lawyer! If an insurance adjustor is calling you and wants you to sign just a few forms, or just wants to talk to you on the phone because he’s concerned about you, you definitely need this book now.
Although we take great pride in our excellent case results, our greatest satisfaction comes from the kind words shared by our clients. Read what others say about us here.
Reported car accidents are investigated by either local police departments or the Pennsylvania State Police. While law enforcement can provide valuable information about your accident, our experience has demonstrated that there is often more to learn about the cause of a crash. Accordingly, our lawyers work with private investigators, many of whom are former law enforcement professionals and insurance adjusters. Our investigators closely examine and carefully analyze the cause(s) of your accident and help us identify all potentially liable parties.
It is not just our thorough investigation strategies that set us apart from other Erie car crash lawyers. We have a unique combination of legal experience that benefits our clients. Mr. Purchase spent 15 years working as an insurance defense lawyer and handled many cases for Erie Insurance and State Farm Insurance. He taught insurance adjustors and claim professionals and is a highly sought after speaker at Supreme Court-approved Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars. Most importantly, he understands how insurance companies work and he knows how to encourage them to settle cases for fair and just amounts.
Mr. George is a former prosecutor, assistant public defender, and military lawyer. He understands the ins and outs of the courtroom and knows how to prepare cases for trial.
Mr. Murphey has focused his practice on insurance coverage, bad faith claims, and civil litigation for over 20 years. This experience makes him uniquely qualified to obtain excellent results for clients in insurance coverage matters.
This experience qualifies us to teach seminars to lawyers and insurance adjusters – and to represent you.
Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. has a strong commitment to making things right for our clients. We get to know each one of our clients, as well as their families, and we limit the number of cases that we take in order to give each client the personal attention that he or she deserves. We have experience handling all types of Pennsylvania auto accidents, including:
Erie County is our home. We are all involved in the community and we all raise our families here. Additionally, as leaders in local bar associations and community groups, we are committed to using our legal skills to further the legal profession and to pursue justice to help our neighbors.
Call Erie County auto accident attorneys who have more than 60 years of combined legal experience, who teach other lawyers and insurance companies about Pennsylvania car accident law, and who genuinely care about the outcome of your case. We welcome your call at 814-273-2010 or via our website’s contact form.
We are committed to providing you helpful information about Pennsylvania car accidents. In addition to offering a free book on PA car crashes, we’ve provided other car accident information on this site, including:
At Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C., our experienced Erie, PA accident lawyers have been helping car accident victims recover fair compensation for decades.
If you’d like more information, contact the Erie, PA car accident and personal injury lawyers of Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C.*Source: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 2008 Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Statistics Booklet
Most of us in Western Pennsylvania rely heavily on our private cars for nearly all of our transportation needs. It’s no surprise that car accidents are such a common occurrence in our communities. However, even though car accidents happen every day, they still are not common in your life—until you are actually involved in an accident.
At Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C., our experienced car accident lawyers know that the time following a car accident can be overwhelming—especially if you are injured. We are here to help you understand your legal rights and make sure you get the compensation you deserve from the at-fault driver. Here are some of the most common questions and answers about car accidents in Western Pennsylvania:
Do I really need a lawyer if I was injured in a car accident? +
Although you can negotiate with the insurance companies without a lawyer, your odds of recovering fair compensation improve dramatically with the help of a lawyer. In fact, car accident victims recover three times more in compensation, on average, with a lawyer than without a lawyer. Insurance companies always have lawyers on their side to minimize their own financial exposure. Having an experienced lawyer on your side evens the playing field. Plus, your lawyer might be able to help you recover compensation that you might not know you deserve—such as compensation for your anticipated future medical expenses and lost wages.
But what if I can’t afford a lawyer after a car accident? +
Most reputable accident lawyers work on a contingency basis. This means that you pay your attorneys’ fees at the end, once you have already recovered compensation for your injuries. It also means that you do not pay attorneys’ fees unless your lawyer wins compensation for you. Your attorney will also advance the funds necessary for things like expert witnesses and investigations that can provide the evidence needed to win the most compensation possible.
What if I was in a car accident but don’t think I was hurt? Do I really need to go to the doctor? +
Yes. Even if you seem okay after a car accident, only a trained doctor can really know whether you sustained any injuries. It’s important to see a doctor either way. For example, if something goes wrong a week after your car accident, the insurance companies might try to claim that the car accident did not cause your injuries by arguing that something else happened during the weeklong period to injure you.
I was injured in a car accident a few days ago. What should I be doing to protect my rights? +
In addition to speaking with an experienced injury lawyer and following doctors’ orders, begin documenting how you feel on a daily basis. Write down things about how your injury and treatment are progressing, and how the accident has impacted your daily life—including whether you can work. You should also obtain:
– A copy of the police accident report,
– A property damage valuation from your insurance company,
– Copies of all documents that your doctor gives you,
– Written copies of your test results, treatment plans and prescriptions.
Details matter in determining your final compensation award. Make sure you keep track of all of your out-of-pocket expenses (in writing, saving receipts) even if they seem minor. If a spouse has to take time off work to drive you to a doctor’s appointment, write it down.
I was driving in bad weather and injured in a serious car accident. Can someone be held responsible if poor weather was a contributing factor? +
Yes. What equals careful driving in good weather can amount to negligence in bad weather. Drivers have a duty to drive carefully. Careful driving involves considering the conditions in which you are driving. If the at-fault driver was going the speed limit, for example, but that speed limit was much too fast for the snowy roads on which you were driving, that driver can be held responsible.
What are some of the most common causes of car accidents in Western Pennsylvania? +
One of the most common causes of car accidents today is distracted driving—and that includes texting while driving. When drivers take their hands off the wheel, their eyes off the road and their minds off driving, accidents are bound to happen. Other common causes include:
– Fatigued driving,
– Bad weather,
– Hazardous road conditions,
– Drunk or impaired driving,
– Speeding and other traffic violations,
– Road rage,
– Defects in the car itself.
What is the difference between limited tort and full tort car insurance? Why does my choice of insurance matter? +
Under Pennsylvania’s modified “no-fault
insurance law, drivers can choose between limited tort and full tort car insurance. Limited tort, while generally cheaper, also restricts the types of compensation you can recover after a car accident. In limited tort insurance cases, you are not entitled to sue for pain and suffering unless an exception applies. Some examples of exceptions include:
– The at-fault driver was drunk,
– You were in a commercial vehicle at the time of the accident,
– Your injuries were “severe”, meaning that they resulted in: (1) permanent disfigurement, (2) the permanent or severe impairment of a bodily function or (3) death,
– The at-fault driver was driving an out-of-state vehicle,
– You were a pedestrian,
– A spouse or relative living in your house was driving at the time of the accident, and they had full-tort car insurance.
What if the at-fault driver does not have car insurance and I was injured in the car accident? +
You can recover first-party benefits from your own car insurance policy. Our lawyers can also explore whether your car insurance contains uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
What if the at-fault driver’s car insurance company made me a settlement offer after the car accident. Do I still need an accident lawyer? +
Yes. You should always have an experienced accident lawyer review any settlement offer that you are given. We can explain whether the offer is fair or not and help negotiate a higher settlement if the award is a lowball offer.
Where can I find more information about car accident lawsuits? +
Please check out our Car Accident FAQ page for more information.
Can I File a Claim if I’m at Fault in an Accident? +
★★★★★
"Professional, honest, hard-working and made the entire process a lot less stressful."
Gregory F., July 2021 / Former Client
★★★★★
"We really appreciate Tim taking the time to consult with us. He was very professional and had great advice. We really appreciate it."
Leonid K., May 2021 / Former Client
Although we take great pride in our excellent case results, our greatest satisfaction comes from the kind words shared by our clients. Read what others say about us here.
