Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

As a practicing Philadelphia car accident attorney since 1979, I have written many times about the use of cell phones by teenagers for text messaging or speaking while operating a motor vehicle. The two simply do not go together and according to recent surveys often times result in catastrophic injuries or deaths.

I salute the efforts of State Representative Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) who is co-sponsoring House Bill 67 which will impose restrictions on 16 and 17-year olds. If the legislation passes, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will join 18 other states and the District of Columbia putting cell phone limits on young drivers.

Continue reading " Philadelphia Car Accident Attorney Tips Hat To Pennsylvania State Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) For Co-Sponsoring A Bill Which Would Impose Restrictions On 16 and 17-Year Old Drivers Regarding The Use Of Cell Phones While Operating Motor Vehicles " »

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! " »

Philadelphia car accident attorney, Jeffrey Reiff, of the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily wishes to inform seniors that automobile insurance companies doing business in Pennsylvania are required by state law to give a discount of at least 5% to all qualified policyholders who take an 8 hour classroom refresher/defensive driving course.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) offers these courses each year which results in automobile insurance companies providing a discount to qualified policyholders who successfully complete the 8 hour course. The course is open to all drivers in Pennsylvania age 50 or older. There are no tests and membership in the AARP is not necessary. We recommend that you check with your insurance agent for further details.

Continue reading " Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer, Jeffrey Reiff, Informs Seniors How To Save 5% On Automobile Insurance " »

I met with a new client today who was paying what I considered to be an exorbitant amount of money for basic automobile insurance coverage in Philadelphia. Astoundingly as it seems, this person was paying approximately $3,500 for minimal basic $15,000 insurance coverage. More and more I find that my inner city Philadelphia clients are paying through the nose for insurance policies that provide minimal coverage. If one thinks about it, for a policy such as this with a $500 deductible the insured is really paying $4,000 for a policy that at best would pay out minimally.

Surprisingly, if this same individual was in a suburban area of the state, such as Pittsburgh or Monroe County, he could insure the same vehicle for less than one half of the Philadelphia insurance price. What I also should mention is that my client is a working mom, age 68-years old, earning $14 per hour, working 20 to 30 hours a week, which means that a good portion of her income goes towards her automobile insurance. This is a difficult and almost impossible situation for most individuals normally, and especially so in these recessionary times.

Continue reading " Why Am I Paying So Much For Car Insurance in Philadelphia? And Why Are There So Many Uninsured Drivers - Who Is The Fool? " »

My client, who is an honor’s college graduate and works in a medical laboratory at one of the prominent universities of Philadelphia, was rear-ended by a tractor trailer who was merging into his lane of traffic on I-76 westbound in Philadelphia. His car was knocked considerably forward and there was considerable damage squarely to the rear of the bumper. Immediately thereafter, the driver of the 2004 Peterbilt vehicle apologized to my client and told him that the accident was entirely his fault and that he did not see him and could not stop in time. My client accepted his apologies and called the police even though the truck driver told him that it was not necessary to call the police. Shortly thereafter, Pennsylvania state troopers arrived and the trucker then changed his original version of the accident claiming that my client cut his vehicle off and he was unable to stop. Interestingly enough, the damage was squarely to the rear bumper of my client’s vehicle and did not match the truck driver’s story. When the driver was confronted by my client and asked why he changed his story, the driver shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

Continue reading " A Person Rear-Ended My Car Then Lied To His Insurance Company And The Police - What Should I Do? " »

Lawyers at the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily are currently involved in a case where the distracted driver of a vehicle was texting his girlfriend a message, while his close friend and passenger innocently sat in the back seat of the vehicle. The vehicle's driver lost control causing the SUV to rollover and eject all of the occupants resulting in permanent and catastrophic injuries that could have easily been prevented.

As I drive down the highways, I am consistently amazed at how many people are driving while having a conversation on a cell phone. Additionally, you can be sure that many of these drivers have MP3 Players and other electronics also serving as a distraction. Anybody can recognize that a person with a cell phone or PDA in one hand and driving with only one hand will not have his vehicle in complete control if an emergency situation arises.

Continue reading " Pennsylvania: The Distracted Driver - A Major Cause of Car Accidents And Rollovers " »

Philadelphia Dram Shop and negligent alcohol related injury attorney, Jeffrey Reiff, believes that Pennsylvania and New Jersey should follow the lead of 8 other states to pass legislation mandating ignition cut off devices for DUI offenders.

Last week the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee of New Jersey proposed a law that would extend a lock mandate to first time DUI offenders whose blood alcohol content registered 0.15% or higher, nearly twice New Jersey’s 0.8% legal definition.

The proposed law would allow Judges to order ignition locks for first time offenders with blood alcohol levels of 0.8 and 0.15 and set the length of time that locks would be required. A similar bill is pending in the Assembly. The number of DUIs are growing exponentially in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and so are the resulting deaths and catastrophic injuries. This law together with increased sobriety check points by the police would help others bear the grief and spare others the pain suffered by families whose loved ones have been injured or killed by drivers operating motor vehicles under the influence of alcohol.

Continue reading " It’s Time For Pennsylvania and New Jersey To Have A Rule Mandating Ignition Cut Off Devices For DUI Offenders " »

At the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily, we have handled thousands of car accidents cases since 1979. Not so surprisingly, most of the people that we represent in car accident cases suffer spine injuries and many times the spine injuries are so severe that they lead to paralysis or death with resulting life altering consequences.

In the year 2007, 41,000 people in the United States died in car accidents and almost 2.5 million were injured in more than 6 million car accidents. A recent article published in US News and World Report on Friday, February 6, 2009 by “Health Day” reporter Steven Weinberg indicated that car accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injury in the United States for those aged 65 and younger. Spinal fractures are the most significant cause of disability and death according to the research findings. Dr. Marjorie Wang, an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at The Medical College of Wisconsin noted that the incidents of spine fractures increase year by year over the study period from 1994 to 2002. For more information on spinal injuries please visit U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Continue reading " Car Accidents Are Leading Cause of Spinal Cord Injury in the United States " »

Philadelphia car accident lawyer, Jeffrey Reiff, wants to emphasize that the percentage of uninsured motorists operating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as around the country, is increasing at an epidemic rate. According to a recent study conducted by an independent property casualty insurance group, the nation’s recession is triggering an increase in the amount of uninsured motorists.

The Malvern, Pennsylvania based insurance research council conducted the study and found that the economic downturn may push the percentage of uninsured drivers to an all time high in 2010. The study projects that the rate of uninsured motorists will climb drastically over the next year.

The lawyers at the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily join Virginia Chichester, Manger of AAA MidAtlantic Insurance Company and highly recommend that automobile operators and owners immediately get coverage for uninsured and underinsured motorist to protect their families in the event of a catastrophic injury or fatality. This would cover you in the event of a hit and run accident or if you are involved in an accident and the other person does not have the insurance to cover your loss. At least if you have uninsured motorist coverage, you protect yourself. Proper insurance will reduce the financial impact of an unpredicted accident and as Louis Pasteur once said, “chance favors the prepared mind.” Based on unemployment projections, the study concluded that the percentage of uninsured motorists will rise 2.3% from 2007 to 2010. The study examined data from 9 insurers representing half of the nation’s auto insurance market.

Continue reading " Uninsured Drivers Reaching Epidemic Levels " »

Not so surprisingly, a team at the University of Alabama in Birmingham reported on Monday, January 26th that children who talk on cell phones while crossing streets are 43% more likely to be hit by a car than when they are not using their phones or their phones are turned off.

According to doctoral student Despina Stavrinos, whose study appeared in the Journal of Pediatrics, “cell phones clearly offer convenience to safeguard families but they may also pose a risk.” Stavrinos stated that children, as well as others who attempt to multi-task while talking on a cell phone, “reduce cognitive capacity to devote to potentially dangerous activities such as crossing streets.” Not only were the children using cell phones distracted, but also the study noted that it took these individuals about 20% longer to begin crossing the street and they were 43% more likely to be hit by a vehicle or have a close call when they are on their phone. Children also forgot to look both ways at about 20% of the crossings while on the phone and they cut it a bit closer giving themselves about 8% less time to cross safely in front of oncoming traffic.

Continue reading " Children and Pedestrians On Cell Phones Are More Likely To Be Involved In An Accident - Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer, Jeffrey Reiff, Opines " »