Cordisco & Saile the longtime approved partner for FOP Lodge 5, per the Union leadership committee, and our goal in this relationship is to offer support and keep you informed about important legal matters. The role of Philadelphia police officers is to protect and serve citizens. In the pursuit of this goal, police officers often find themselves in harm’s way, especially when driving police cars.
So, does a police officer injured in an automobile accident have the same compensation right as other ordinary citizens?
Of course, they do. If an officer is injured in an auto accident behind the wheel of a police car in the course of his or her duties, the officer is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. But in most cases, the benefits are not as extensive as they should be. The good news is that there are legal remedies to ensure that the injured officer is rightfully compensated.
The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) represents more than 14,000 active and retired police officers in Philadelphia. Philly FOP Lodge 5 is an active labor union that helps to protect and promote Philadelphia police officers’ working conditions, salary compensation, and other legal rights.
However, to ensure that you get the best possible compensation for injuries suffered in an auto accident while performing your police duties, you need the help of an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer.
The High Prevalence of Auto Accident Injuries in the Police Force
Auto accidents and other motor vehicle-related incidents are a leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for law enforcement officers in the US. Statistics show that between 2005 and 2017, 775 police officers lost their lives in incidents involving motor vehicles such as crashes and being hit by a vehicle. According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 37% of all line-of-duty deaths involved motor vehicles.
On average, in the past 10 years, more than one police officer nationwide was killed in a motor vehicle-related incident every week. Philadelphia police officers are often injured in motor vehicle incidents such as crashes while pursuing suspects or getting hit by moving vehicles while performing their duties on foot.
In 2016, deaths due to motor vehicle-related incidents nationally came second to officer deaths due to firearms. Auto accidents are a leading cause of injuries among police officers, only second to firearms.
What to Do After a Car Accident
Given the high prevalence of auto accident injuries among police officers, it is important to know what you are supposed to do after you are involved in a car accident in the line of duty.
The most important thing is to take care of your health and well being by seeing a doctor and keeping up with your medical appointments as well as therapy and rehabilitation therapies. You should focus on making a full recovery from your injuries. The next important thing is to file insurance claims for compensation for injuries you suffered in the line of duty.
You’ll need the help of an experienced car accident and workers’ compensation lawyer to help you file a strong case for compensation and ensure that you get the best possible compensation benefits.
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help?
The best course of action for Philadelphia police officers who have been injured in an automobile accident due to the negligence of another driver or in the course of their duties is to pursue a personal injury claim with the help of a skilled lawyer.
The police officer can be eligible for more compensation benefits beyond what is provided in a no-fault claim and suffer less stress in his or her post-accident financial life.
Auto accidents are traumatic experiences, to say the least. Recovery from injuries can be a long and painful experience. Medical expenses can also soar to unmanageable levels depending on the extent of your injuries.
Some injuries such as spine and head injuries may require a lengthy stay and care at the hospital. You, therefore, deserve to be fully compensated for the pain, stress, and financial losses caused by the accident.
However, insurance companies will usually lowball on the expenses and find ways to either deny your claim or pay as little as possible. Considering the size and resources that these companies have, going against them alone may not yield the expected results.
You need help from a lawyer with skills and experience in fighting big insurance companies if you hope to get compensation benefits for your injuries.
At Cordisco & Saile LLC, we are proud to say that we have been a longtime supporter of the Philadelphia FOP Lodge 5 Union, and we strive to help police officers get compensation benefits after a car accident. We’ll help you fight all types of compensation including medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and even wrongful death where a dear one has died in an accident. We handle every aspect of your compensation claim from beginning to end. We fight to get justice for the once that uphold justice!
Contact us today to learn more about our workers’ compensation for the police officers service.
