Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Another church van rollover has left 10 people injured. According to the Toledo Blade, an Ohio-based church van rolled over on U.S. Route 23 injuring 10 occupants on Sunday, January 10, 2010. Not so dissimilar from other church outings, this church van was coming back from a church retreat in southwest Michigan when the van allegedly veered left off of the road onto a snow covered shoulder causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The van rolled over twice before landing on its wheels in a ditch on the side of the highway and many of the young group members were thrown or ejected from the vehicle during the incident. Although the Michigan State Police report indicates that it appears as though the driver of the van fell asleep at the wheel of the vehicle, I have seen the same claim made in cases where that was not actually the situation.

As a strong advocate against the use of these large vans by church groups and educational groups, I feel compelled to warn once again that these vehicles are simply not safe and often an accident avoidance maneuver and over-correction results in accidents such as this with catastrophic injuries and fatalities.

To this experienced rollover and 15-passenger van attorney, the 15-passenger van is perhaps the most unsafe vehicle on the roadways today and it often claims unknowing victims from church and school groups.

The jury at a coroner’s inquest into the deaths of three women in a 15-passenger van crash in Canada recommended that large passenger vans be classified as high risk vehicles. At the 15-passenger van and SUV rollover law firm of Reiff and Bily this is something we have known and adamantly warned consumers about for many years. When a 15-passenger van is loaded with more than six people, it can become unstable. As more people are loaded in the van, the instability increases to dangerous proportions with an increased unsafe handling and rollover risk. Every year people are killed in 15-passenger vans and unfortunately most of the time it involves students or churchgoers who are unaware of safety issues involving these vehicles. 15-passenger vans have long been the subject of debate over safety yet reports indicate that there are close to one million on the roadways of the United States.

Recently West Chester University in Pennsylvania issued a directive attempting to prevent the increased risk of accidents and injuries associated with the operation and occupancy of 15-passenger vans. This directive is posted on my website and should be read by anyone considering riding in the same, although this experienced 15-passenger van rollover attorney would advise one to avoid driving or occupying a 15-passenger van under any circumstances.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has warned that 15-passenger vans from all domestic manufacturers have a significantly increased risk of rollover much more so than other vehicles under certain driving and occupancy conditions. Accident avoidance maneuvers and overloading is often a major factor contributing to 15-passenger van accidents. Our investigations in these cases has revealed that the manufacturers knowingly put these vehicles on the streets with understanding and knowledge that they had a high potential for catastrophic accidents resulting in fatalities but the large sales and profitability of these vehicles outweighed their regard for consumer safety. We believe that these vehicles are perhaps one of the most unsafe vehicles on our highways.

As an experienced 15-passenger van rollover attorney and outspoken critic of the continued use of these vehicles, I find myself reporting on yet another disaster of a 15-passenger van crash. The 15-passenger Ford van was carrying 16 people from New Life Worship Center in Federal Heights and crashed in eastern Oregon this morning killing at least two people and catastrophically injuring several others. Those in the van were aged 18 to 22 years old and studying to be ministers at the Federal Heights church. The van was noted to be a 2002 Ford van and many of the passengers were ejected in the multiple rollovers. These vehicles have an extremely high roll over rate of 85% in a single vehicle crash with 10 to 15 occupants vs. 28% for vans carrying fewer than 5 people. 15-passenger vans are commonly used by church groups and student groups and have a high center of gravity when loaded with passengers. The operation of these vans requires specific knowledge and experience and an accident avoidance maneuver or a sudden driver action often results in a catastrophic loss of control.

Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the individuals injured and killed as a result of this tragic accident. I recommend that they seek the services of an experienced 15-passenger van rollover attorney to fully investigate this claim and recover proper damages that may be due to them as a result of a defective auto product design.

Twenty children were overloaded in a 15-passenger van operated by a driver from Kids Clubhouse Daycare that did not have a license. The full capacity of the van was actually 14 people. Additionally, the children were not seat belted. According to news source, the driver will face multiple traffic charges including running a red light and allowing children to sit in the van without seat belts. As a result of an intersectional collision, the van flipped over causing catastrophic injuries to the children inside of the van.

As I have written and spoken about for many years now, 15-passenger vans used to transport church groups and children are simply not safe and in this experienced 15-passenger van rollover lawyer’s opinion, simply death traps and their inherent defective vehicle design is the cause of accidents waiting to happen. 15-passenger vans have been banned by many governmental authorities and most states, as well as military authorities. As a matter of fact, many insurance carriers refuse to provide insurance for the same.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims in this unfortunate 15-passenger van rollover accident and they would be well advised to seek the services of an experienced 15-passenger van rollover attorney to help them investigate the claim and prosecute the wrongdoers.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a 15-passenger van rollover accident, please contact one of our experienced Philadelphia 15-passenger van rollover attorneys for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As the school year opens, regretfully I still see many 15-passenger vans transporting children, our precious cargo, despite being called a “death trap” by the Safety Forum, a U.S. consumer watchdog. Although more than 30 American states prohibit schools or day care providers from using them, there are still 20 other states that use them for transporting school children and there is still an ever increasing number of church groups or convention groups using a 15-passenger vans while unaware of the dangers.

The 15-passenger van was originally designed to carry cargo and was never modified in a proper fashion for passenger safety. In the 1970s the major automobile manufacturers Chrysler, Ford and General Motors took cargo vans and expanded them to carry more than 10 passengers, yet they never modified them to include steel plates, roof reinforcement or laminated windows to protect passengers during a rollover collision.

As an experienced Pennsylvania SUV rollover and 15-passenger van rollover lawyer, I am all too aware of the safety inadequacies of the 15-passenger van and how they fail to protect their occupants in a rollover accident. As a matter of fact, automobile manufacturers have knowledge of the design flaws but have failed to fix them calculating that it was cheaper to pay out claims rather than modify the vans with a safe and proper fix.

Continue reading "15-Passenger Van Death Traps Still Transporting Students As Schools Reopen: Experienced Rollover Attorney Weighs In" »

Our thoughts, hearts and prayers go out to the families of individuals who were catastrophically injured and killed as a result of a single vehicle15-passenger van rollover. According to news sources, the 15-passenger van rolled over several times and came to rest on its top in a ditch on the south side of I-70 in Columbia, MO. According to news sources, Evonne Manner-Wilson, 49, of Sanford, Florida was killed in the crash. Ms. Wilson was allegedly a passenger in the vehicle, seated in the third row on the passenger side. She was still inside the vehicle when it came to rest. The vehicle was a 2001 Dodge Ram van and the driver was identified as Kevin Leeks of Leesburg, Florida. He was inside the van as well and had to be extricated from the van by fire personnel. There were a total of 13 occupants in the van at the time of the crash and 7 of the occupants were transported to the hospital. The 15-passenger van was part of a caravan traveling from the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota back to Florida. News sources state there was no indication that the driver was impaired by alcohol or any other substance.

For many years, the experienced 15-passenger van accident and SUV rollover lawyers at Reiff and Bily have been representing passengers who have been catastrophically injured or killed by traveling in a 15-passenger van that is perhaps the most unsafe vehicle on the roadway today. The rollover risk proposed by the 15-passenger van, including those predominantly used by church groups, school groups and other unsuspecting groups, makes it beyond question one of the most dangerous vehicles out on our roadways.

Continue reading "Another 15-Passenger Van Rollover Claims The Life Of An Occupant And Catastrophically Injures Others - Experienced Rollover Attorney Weighs In" »

The experienced SUV rollover and 15-passenger van accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily salute the Board of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic schools who recently approved a motion to discontinue the use of 15-passenger vans for transporting students and staff. The decision was a long time coming and based upon a rash of rollovers involving 15-passenger vans according to sources involved with the decision.

For many years, the 15-passenger van accident and SUV rollover lawyers at Reiff and Bily have been representing passengers that have been catastrophically injured or killed while traveling in 15-passenger vans that have flipped over. The rollover risk proposed by 15-passenger vans, including those predominantly used by church groups, school groups and other unsuspecting groups is the most dangerous on the road today. 15-passenger vans started out as cargo utility vehicles in the early 1970’s and they are still essentially cargo vans with modifications made to accommodate passengers.

If a 15-passenger van is fully loaded, it is 6 to 7 times more likely to flip over than a van containing only a driver. As a matter of fact, NHTSA has noted that fully loaded 15-passenger vans are more likely to roll over than any other passenger type of vehicle, including cars, mini vans, SUV’s and trucks.

Continue reading "Catholic Schools Wisely Decide To Ban The Use Of 15-Passenger Vans For Transporting Students And Staff" »

On Friday, May 8, 2009, a woman was killed and four other people were injured in a single vehicle SUV rollover accident. The driver of a Ford Explorer lost control, crossed over the center line, left the roadway whereupon the SUV flipped over multiple times before striking a fence and landing on its side. All of the occupants of the vehicle were ejected during the crash. A female passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition.

Marketing campaigns indicate that SUVs are safe and family friendly but the experienced SUV rollover lawyers at Reiff and Bily will tell you that they are anything but safe. SUVs are highly prone to tipping over, even during normal driving maneuvers because they have heavier bodies and higher centers of gravity. SUVs are the only motor vehicle with a rollover fatality rate higher than any other category of fatality indicated by this unfortunate situation. SUV rollover accidents are catastrophic and most often result in fatalities. Rollovers increase the chances that victims will be ejected from the motor vehicle. When someone is ejected the odds are normally increased that a victim will sustain a head injury or spinal cord injury with permanent catastrophic consequences.

If you have been injured in an SUV rollover or 15-passenger van rollover accident, you are legally entitled to financial costs. The experienced Philadelphia-based SUV rollover lawyers at Reiff and Bily represents clients throughout Pennsylvania and the United States in conjunction with other law firms works on a contingent fee basis, charging a small percentage of the recovery. We have successfully handled thousands of car accident and rollover accidents. Please call us for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced rollover attorney, I have noted on my blog in the past that all utility terrain vehicles are extraordinarily dangerous and improper usage often results in catastrophic and disabling injuries including amputations and death.

Recently a report entitled “Citizen Report On UTV Vehicle Hazards ”(report) was submitted by victims of UTV rollovers including the parents of children who were injured or killed in automobile accidents, as well as adult victims to The Trauma Foundation and The Center For Auto Safety.

In our opinion, the Yamaha Rhino is one of the most unsafe of the UTVs and reports have been sent to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Consumer Products Safety Commission and to key members of Congress, as well as The Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association which represents UTV manufacturers. Many lawsuits have been filed against Yamaha, the manufacturer of the Rhino, claiming that it is rollover prone with numerous safety defects. Yamaha was aware of problems and risk of injury and offered to install half doors free of charge for all 2004 to 2007 Rhinos. Yamaha never issued a recall of the vehicle and as a result, it is estimated that there are many Rhinos being operated with a design inadequate to prevent many injuries that Yamaha knows occurs when these vehicles rollover. Yamaha rollover accidents often lead to catastrophic injuries. These injuries are life altering and can leave the victim unable to work, making costly medical bills even more of a financial burden.

If you have been injured in a Yamaha Rhino rollover, SUV rollover or 15-passenger van rollover, you are legally entitled to hold the manufacturer responsible for your physical injuries and associated costs. Reiff and Bily has achieved an excellent reputation in the area of product liability and rollover accidents and in recognition of their accomplishments both Jeffrey Reiff and Raymond Bily have been named Superlawyers for seven consecutive years by Law and Politics Magazine and Philadelphia Magazine. If you have any questions regarding a Yamaha Rhino rollover, you can reach an experienced rollover attorney at Reiff and Bily by calling us at 1-800-21-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Experienced 15-passenger van rollover attorney Jeffrey Reiff who is familiar with the design defects and the unfortunate instances of catastrophic injuries and fatalities resulting from the operation of 15-passenger vans recently became aware of a directive posted by West Chester University and attached hereto addressing an attempt to prevent increased risk of accidents or injuries associated with the operation and occupancy of 15-passenger vans.

As the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) has long been aware, 15-passenger vans have a significantly increased rate of rollover than other vehicles under certain driving and occupancy conditions. We urge all of our readers to avoid the use of 15-passenger vans if at all possible but in the event that you are required to occupy one of these vehicles I recommend that you follow the policies set forth by West Chester University which we are reprinting here. We commend the safety initiative taken by West Chester University and strongly recommend that any church group, educational organization group or for that matter anybody who must operate or occupy 15-passenger vans follow these guidelines which will diminish many of the inherent risks involved in the operation of these vehicles.

Continue reading "Philadelphia 15-Passenger Van Rollover Attorney Salutes West Chester University’s 15-Passenger Van Policy – Others Should Take Notice!" »

According to sources, on January 29, 2009 a 15-passenger van that was pulling a trailer left from Hobe Sound Bible College heading up I-95. The original plan was to drive to a youth convention in Pennsylvania. In the van were siblings Paul and Julia Stetler, school secretary, Karen Hoffman, and two students, Luke Brinkman and Ally Lavy. About 60 miles down the road, the tire tread separated from the rear tire causing this already defectively designed and unstable vehicle to cross over three lanes of traffic, completely turn around, and exit the roadway in a strip of land that was miraculously cleared of trees two weeks ago. The van turned on its side, all the windows on the driver’s side broke out and one of the passengers was ejected out of the window and rolled from the van.

I have all too often written about the dangers of 15-passenger vans and the incredible number of miles being logged on these by church groups, school children, as well as campers. Miraculously, none of the passengers were killed in this accident. Normally these types of crashes result in the most catastrophic injuries and fatalities and usually all too often the victims leave in body bags. This is truly a miracle.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a 15-passenger van accident, please feel free to contact the experienced 15-passenger van lawyers at the 15-passenger van rollover law firm of Reiff and Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

The Philadelphia 15-passenger van rollover attorneys at Reiff and Bily salute the State Department of Health and Human Resources of West Virginia which now requires daycare centers to make sure all vehicles used to transport large numbers of children meet the same safety requirements as school buses.

Even though this mandate does not go into effect until September 1, 2012, the State of West Virginia has recognized the hazards of 15-passenger vans. Upgrading to the new standards will make sure that the vehicles transporting our precious cargo (children) are less prone to rollovers. According to information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rollovers are reported in 63% of all fatal accidents involving 15-passenger van occupants between 1997 and 2006. NHTSA data revealed a significant increase of rollovers when the vans were fully loaded. Most of those killed in 15-passenger van rollovers were not properly restrained. Other factors contributing to rollover incidents include improperly inflated tires, poor tire condition and inexperienced drivers.

Continue reading "Philadelphia 15-Passenger Van Rollover Lawyer Applauds West Virginia Law Requiring Daycare Centers To Replace Or Upgrade Passenger Vans" »