the surrounding area, skid marks, road conditions, and any visible injuries. If you notice nearby businesses or homes with cameras, make a note—surveillance footage can be invaluable in proving fault. Seek medical attention immediately, even if you think your injuries are minor. Go to a hospital, urgent care center, or your primary care physician. Early documentation of your injuries connects them to the crash and helps prevent insurance companies from arguing that your pain “came later.” The sooner you act within those first 72 hours, the stronger your claim will be. At HGSK Injury Lawyers, we help clients must pay your medical bills—regardless of who caused the accident. If you don’t have your own policy (for example, as a passenger), the PIP coverage of the vehicle you were in applies. When PIP coverage is exhausted, your health insurance usually becomes responsible for the remaining medical costs. However, many health insurers seek reimbursement or “subrogation” from your settlement—essentially asking to be repaid for bills they covered. Importantly, Pennsylvania’s Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law contains an anti-subrogation provision that prevents certain health insurers from asserting a lien against your recovery. Whether a specific insurer has that right—and the scope or amount of the lien—depends on the type of health insurance plan as well as the language of the plan itself, which can be legally complex. At HGSK Injury Lawyers, we analyze plan language, challenge improper liens, and negotiate reductions so our clients keep as much of their settlement as possible. Understanding how PIP, health insurance, and liens interact is key to protecting your recovery—and your financial future. Uninsured/Underinsured Drivers: How Do UM/UIM and ‘Stacking’ Actually Help Me? Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is vital if you’re injured by a driver who has no insurance or in a hit-and-run crash. In those cases, your own UM coverage may be the only source of recovery for your injuries. Equally important is underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, which applies when the at-fault driver’s insurance limits are too low to fully compensate you. In Pennsylvania, the minimum required liability coverage is only $15,000 per person, an amount that rarely comes close to fully compensating an accident victim. If you or a loved one suffers injuries in a car crash, UIM coverage preserve evidence, document injuries, and protect their rights from day one. Medical Bills, PIP, and Liens: How Do I Keep This from Ruining My Finances? After a crash, medical bills can pile up quickly—but understanding how Pennsylvania’s insurance laws work can help protect your finances. Every Pennsylvania auto policy includes at least $5,000.00 in first-party medical benefits, commonly called Personal Injury Protection or “PIP.” Once you complete a PIP application, your own auto insurer 20 LAWYER MONTHLY DECEMBER 2025 Jeffrey K Stanton - Haggerty, Goldberg, Schleifer & Kupersmith, P.C.
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