A Mount Airy row-home collapsed after a truck crashed into the side of the building. The multi-vehicle accident occurred around 7:15 a.m. on Monday morning, as reported by the Inquirer News. The flatbed truck was traveling on Pleasant Street. The truck driver, who reportedly had the right of way, lost control of his truck in an attempt to avoid an accident. He then ran over a street sign and plowed into the East Mount Airy row-home. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt in the accident. Clearly, this accident is no fault of the homeowner. The homeowner has two options in making a recovery for their damages.
Homeowner’s Insurance Claim
If the homeowner has homeowners insurance, they can report the loss to their insurance company. The insurance company will send an adjuster to the home to assess the damage and also advise as to other non-property damage benefits such a temporary housing, etc. Ultimately, the insurance company of the homeowner will pay for the damage to the house. The homeowner’s insurance will, in turn, make a claim against the responsible party. If the homeowner chooses to go through their own insurance policy, they will be responsible for their deductible. There are ways, however, to ultimately recover the deductible from the responsible party. Going through your homeowner’s insurance is the fastest way to get your damages repaired and make a recovery. You know what your homeowner’s coverage is, and if it will cover the amount of damage.
Claim Directly Against the Responsible Party
The second option is to make a claim directly against the responsible party, however you will not know the amount of coverage carried by the vehicles. In this case, you will not have a deductible. Then the question becomes, who is the responsible party, or is their partial negligence on both parties? It has been reported that the flatbed truck lost control because of another vehicle’s failure to yield to a stop sign. If this is the case, the claim has to be made against the party who caused the accident. If the flatbed was comparatively negligent, Pennsylvania joint and several liability law will come into play. This essentially states that each party will be responsible for their proportionate percentage of responsibility, unless one party is found to be 60 percent or more at fault. In that case, the insurance company for that party will be responsible for the entire amount of the claim, if there is sufficient coverage. If there is insufficient coverage, they may draw from both policies. This option takes much longer and should be avoided if your homeowner’s insurance has stepped in to handle the claim. If the homeowner’s insurance pays the claim, it is highly likely that the insurance company will assert a claim for reimbursement from the responsible parties.
Unfortunately, neither option will result in a quick repair to the home in light of the substantial damage. In the meantime, a GoFundMe page has been set up for the homeowner and her family, who are grappling with the sudden loss of their home.
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