Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

This past Saturday while exiting the parking lot of a shopping center in Northfield, New Jersey, I observed a young man load a few cases of beer into his truck, put a child in the passenger seat and then he pulled out a beer which he proceeded to drink, got in his car and got on his cell phone and pulled out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell, almost striking another vehicle.

Yes, it’s summertime and everybody is in a party mood, but as I have written before, drinking and driving is a deadly combination, and texting and driving is a deadly combination, yet when all three are involved, nothing but danger lurks. Many cars even have a refrigerator in the console to refresh the driver after a stressful day. I have been criticized by many as being an extreme downer due to the fact that I refuse to drink and drive, and in fact, if I have a drink during dinner or before dinner at a restaurant, I always have a designated driver. It is simply because I have first hand seen tragic consequences, wrongful deaths and catastrophic injuries that stem from any of the above, or a combination of any of the above elements, resulting in a car accident. In fact, I lost my dear law partner, a few years back, as a result of a deadly car accident involving alcohol consumption.

I am always amazed at how many people come into my law office who have been under the influence of alcohol when driving, and when I initially question them they tell me maybe they have had one or maybe two beers, but in fact when the questioning intensifies, it turns out they have really had four, five or six beers and yet are behind the wheel of a car. This is one of my pet peeves, so I urge all of my readers when behind the wheel of a car, take your responsibility seriously, because drinking and driving is no different that riding a bomb and in my mind, the equivalent of a weapon of major destruction.

Jeffrey Reiff is an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney who has been representing catastrophically and seriously injured victims since 1979.

Jeffrey Reiff and Raymond Bily Are Again Named As Top Pennsylvania Lawyers

Jeffrey Reiff and Raymond Bily are again honored to have been named as SuperLawyers in Pennsylvania. The evaluation of SuperLawyers is based upon 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement including verdicts, settlements, transactions, representative client experience, honors and awards, special licenses and certifications positioned within the law firm, bar or other professional activity, pro bono and community service and scholarly lectures and writings, education and employment background and other outstanding achievements. Evaluations are based upon information gathered from a variety of sources.

Research reveals a strong link between overweight truck drivers and sleep apnea, and statistics indicate that truck crashes kill more than 5,200 each year and injure more than 100,000 each year in the United States. MSNBC.com just published a story reiterating something that the Philadelphia car accident and truck accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily have written about but I am glad to see that this subject matter is attaining a higher profile.

On September 5, 2008, I wrote an article noting that federal regulations in the near future will mandate that truck and bus drivers in safety sensitive positions be tested for sleep disorders to decrease crash sites and fatalities. I have been a stalwart crusader regarding the duties owed by common carriers to the public to make sure that safety sensitive positions require tests for drugs, alcohol and common sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. These common carriers include commercial bus companies and truck drivers. Obesity is a major public health issue in America and is one of the basic causes and a strong predictor of sleep apnea and generally goes underreported by truckers until it is too late and a tragic consequence occurs.

Continue reading "Big Trucks Are Scary Enough For Car Drivers But What About When The Driver Is Asleep?" »

According to a recent study published by the American Journal of Psychiatry, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common occurrence with multiple possible psychiatric sequelae including problems with cognition, emotion and depression. I am currently representing a client who was in a car accident and she is extremely fearful of being in a car and experiences flashbacks several times a day concerning the accident, experiences daily panic attacks, nightmares, blurred vision, and finds herself in a depressed state mixed with episodes of severe anxiety and agitation. She describes herself as being irritable and short tempered yet displayed none of the symptomology prior to her accident. This kind woman was referred for neurological and neuropsychological assessment to assess the etiology of her cognitive impairment of concentration and memory, as well as additional visual disturbances. An MRI was performed on her brain which revealed abnormalities in the subcortical white matter, one on the right frontal lobe and the other in the left temporal lobe. Additionally, the client reported problems with word retrieval, organizing her thoughts into words and the loss of train of thought since the accident, as well as difficulty recognizing people’s faces and difficulty recalling information. Objective testing indicated that not only had our client sustained orthopedic and internal injuries but also a closed head injury resulting in cognitive and emotional sequelae stemming from the car accident.

Continue reading "Depression And Cognitive Difficulties Often Follow Car Accidents Where The Individual Has Suffered A Mild Traumatic Brain Injury" »

An article published May 31, 2009 at lancasteronline.com addresses an issue that this experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer has been writing about on a consistent basis. Namely that texting and talking on a cell phone while driving is extraordinarily dangerous and has resulted in all too many catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Recently, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a bill aimed at strengthening training requirements for teen drivers and curbing some of the distractions that put them in danger, particularly those addressing texting and cell phone usage.

House Bill 67, which now has to get through the Pennsylvania State Senate would prohibit teens with junior licenses from transporting more than one unrelated passenger under the age of 18. Additionally, teen drivers with junior licenses and learners permits would be prohibited from using cell phones or other wireless communication devices while driving. The Bill also seeks to add 10 hours of night time driving and 5 hours of inclement weather driving to the 50 hours of practice that are currently required of teens preparing to take their driving test. The Bill passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives by an overwhelming margin.

As I have written on numerous occasions in the past, a car operated by young and inexperienced driver who was multi-tasking and on a cell phone can be like a high speed weapon with catastrophic safety consequences. Unfortunately, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in 2008 there were 8,628 crashes involving 16 and 17 year old drivers with 64 fatalities. The experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily are all too familiar with catastrophic injuries and fatalities resulting from inexperienced and multi-tasking drivers operating cell phones and texting when their full attention should be on the road. We applaud the initiative taken by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in passing House Bill 67 and hopefully, the Senate will unanimously approve this Bill which promotes driver and roadway safety.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, please contact one of our experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

At the experienced Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff and Bily often we are contacted by clients who are involved in car accidents where there is no or little visible damage to the involved vehicles yet they claim and are objectively found to have significant injuries. Of course, the insurance companies or defense counsel almost always claim that there was insufficient force in the accident to generate the injury causing mechanism and that our client is looking to “wrongfully” enrich their life following the yellow brick road to riches and the courtroom by exaggerating their injuries.

Continue reading "Although There Is Little Or Visible Damage To My Vehicle, I Was Severely Injured" »

According to a news sources, Meghan L. Obendorfer, 18, was exceeding the speed limit on a rain slicked creek road in East Brandywine Township at 4:30 p.m. on April 14th when she failed to negotiate a curve and slid into the path of a school bus in the opposite lane. Obendorfer’s passenger, Nicholette Pomon, 17, of Downingtown, who was 9 months pregnant, was pronounced dead at the scene and a certificate of fatal death was issued to her nearly full term baby daughter. The driver of the school bus was treated for injuries. The driver of the vehicle was charged with homicide by vehicle, reckless driving and marijuana possession. Phone records indicated that the driver Obendorfer received 39 messages and calls in the hour preceding the crash and text messages indicated she was en route to deliver marijuana.

I have written many times in the past about the dangers of text messaging and using a cell phone when driving and this is an extreme example of the dangers and resulting catastrophic injuries and wrongful death that can occur.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of Nicolette Pomon and the experienced car accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily strongly urge Pennsylvania legislators to follow the lead in New Jersey and other states in banning the use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle.

The family of Nicolette Pomon would be well advised to seek the services of an experienced car accident lawyer who can investigate this matter and protect the rights of Nicolette Pomon and her family. Please contact one of the experienced car accident lawyers of Reiff and Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

The other day I was traveling on Route 80 at approximately 65 mph when a tire delaminated on a truck in front of me causing a large piece of rubber to peel off one of the tires, become airborne, causing me to swerve and almost lose control of my car. There are numerous reported deaths and injuries as a result of tire delamination and resulting tire failure despite the fact that safety features were developed decades ago to prevent treads from peeling off. Fortunately, I was one of the lucky drivers on the road and many times a delamination of a tire results in the loss of control of a vehicle or an accident avoidance maneuver where drivers are not so lucky.

Many trucking companies and tire manufacturers cut costs by failing to take proper safety measures which would cost a minimal amount of money to prevent delamination peel offs. In this tough environment everybody from tire manufacturers to trucking companies and bus companies facing intense cost reduction pressure take short cuts which ultimately lead to catastrophic injuries and many times preventable fatalities.

The experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily are all too familiar with these dangerous situations involving defective or aged tires and have the necessary experience to investigate and prosecute an automotive product liability and defective tire claim. We are passionate advocates for victims of serious accidents and understand the pain, financial difficulties and physical struggles that accompany these injuries. The results we have achieved for our clients and our reputation in the legal community reflect our commitment to consumer safety.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a car or truck accident caused by a tire delamination or peel off or any other automotive defect accident, please contact the experienced Philadelphia product liability and car accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to a recent story I read results from a 2009 GMAC Insurance national driver’s test found that roughly 41,000,0000 licensed American drivers cannot pass a written driver’s test exam if taken today. While Ohio, Idaho and Wisconsin are the most knowledgeable drivers, Pennsylvania scored number 16 on the worst drivers in America. The finding is quite significant and alarming due to the fact that many licensed Americans continue to lack knowledge of the rules of the road, added to the fact that many accidents are occurring involving uninsured motorists/ drivers. Make sure that your automobile insurance policy properly protects you in the event you are a victim of a car accident.

For a free insurance check-up, please contact the experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

I am sure no doubt many of you will agree that a motor vehicle in the hands of an untrained or licensed driver can often amount to a death machine on our highways. Car accidents involving unlicensed drivers or untrained teenagers places a high burden on our society and it is important for parents and others in a position of authority to guide and educate unlicensed teenage drivers who are at high risk for unsafe driving practices.

My son, who is in the 10th grade, returned from school a few weeks ago and had a conversation with me in a half joking fashion that one of his friend’s bragged to him that his father allowed him to take a car out for a spin even though he was under the legal age of driving and not trained behind the wheel of a car. When I pressed my son on the details, he said “Dad, I think it was only in a parking lot” and then backed down from providing more information. The conversation concerned and alarmed me due to the fact that as an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney since 1979, I have become all too familiar with catastrophic injuries and fatalities resulting from improperly trained and unlicensed drivers. Not that teenagers are the only unlicensed drivers. I recently reviewed a story published in the newspaper whereupon it noted that a 74 year old man who had not held a valid driver’s license since August 2001 struck three parked vehicles, including one that was occupied, as well as a Montour County Sheriff’s SUV and then took off in hit and run fashion. Not so surprisingly, lab results eventually revealed that the blood alcohol level of this 74 year old man was twice the legal limit of 0.8. We have also witnessed the situation where an immigrant to America, who was unlawfully in our country, never properly secured the license requirement for Pennsylvania or any other state where he was driving, and operates a vehicle on no license or his native country’s license and is not familiar with the rules of the road in America. One of my clients was recently injured by someone who fit this category and did not even show up for the hearing.

Continue reading "Many Unlicensed Drivers From 9th to 11th Grade Operating Vehicles On Pennsylvania Highways" »

Many innocent victims and families are driving Chrysler and GM cars that have potentially dangerous defects that no one knows about yet. They are “ticking time bombs”. The Chrysler and GM bankruptcy rushes forward in a dangerous fashion to many unsuspecting Americans. The safety of the American public is being compromised by the existence a very dangerous ticking time bomb bankruptcy loophole. The GM and Chrysler bankruptcy plans contain legal loopholes that will shield Chrysler and GM from being held accountable for defective cars and products that are ticking time bombs for families. The bankruptcy plans take away a critical public safety protection that has been used to reduce the number of Americans hurt or killed from defective vehicles. Presently there are 40,000,000 Chrysler and GM cars on the road, some of which tragically will have defects that will injure or kill people. Historical data compiled through the National Highway Safety Administration indicates that 47% of all death and injury claims filed against automobile manufacturers involve Chrysler and GM cars.

In the last five years, research has indicated that these claims involve 3,497 casualties connected to Chrysler cars and 15,284 connected to GM cars. Examples of such casualties include seat belts that fail and strangle children, seat backs that collapse and cause brain injury, unstable vehicles that flip causing roofs to cave in crushing occupants, and cars with gears that “self shift” from park to reverse and end up running people over and gasoline or brake fluid containers that are improperly positioned and catch fire or explode severely burning or killing the occupants.

Continue reading "Experienced Pennsylvania Product Liability Lawyers Claim That Bankruptcy Of GM And Chrysler Severely Compromises Public Safety" »

On May 5, 2009, Arthur Burrus, age 49, tragically lost his life to an intoxicated hit and run driver. According to news sources, Luciano Rios, 30 years old, from Croyden, PA fled the initial scene of the accident, struck a barrier flipping his BMW, struck another car and twice more tried to escape police. Rios was speeding east on Erie Avenue in Philadelphia, PA at 8:30 p.m. when he struck Mr. Burrus who was walking southbound across Erie at 9th Street. Mr. Burrus was struck with such force that he was thrown 173 feet into the air and severed one of his legs, causing the 2007 BMW operated by Mr. Rios to go out of control secondarily striking a Dodge Durango occupied by 6 other people and then turned up right. A search of the criminal docket reveals that on February 19, 2005, Luciano Rios was also previously charged with DUI with a blood alcohol content of .10 to .16 to which he pled guilty.

I am noticing an interesting trend in my practice noting with particular interest that in the last few months we have seen many cases involving repeat DUI offenders with minimal insurance coverage or no insurance at all where innocent victims have been catastrophically injured or killed. In one of our recent cases, a gentleman with a substantial criminal record was traveling northbound on a highway at a high rate of speed while intoxicated and his vehicle flipped over, crossed the highway, killed the driver of the vehicle and placed the passenger in a vegetative coma.

Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill an individual approximately every ½ hour and non-fatally but catastrophically injure someone in America every 10 minutes. Individuals driving while intoxicated, otherwise known as DUI, are responsible for more than 1/3 of all traffic deaths in this country. Believe it or not, the current law actually benefits those who leave the scene of an accident when intoxicated.

Continue reading "Hit and Run In Philadelphia - Enough Is Enough! Penalties Need More “Teeth”" »