Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

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 & 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 & 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.

Nine individuals were hospitalized with injuries after a high speed crash scene involving an SUV went wrong on the set of a film in New York featuring Nicholas Cage. An SUV operated by a well trained ans skilled stunt driver went out of control and smashed into a parked car on the set in Times Square in Manhattan, injuring crew members. This accident calls to note what the Philadelphia SUV rollover and car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have known for many years, mainly that SUV’s are more likely than other vehicles to be involved in accidents and rollovers.

SUV’s are more prone to tipping over even during normal driving maneuvers because they have heavier bodies and heavier centers of gravity. They are the only motor vehicle with a rollover fatality rate higher than any other category of fatality. Even with trained stunt drivers operating them, accidents are likely to occur.

SUV accidents normally result in catastrophic injuries and often result in a fatality. Not so surprisingly, SUV rollover victims are two times as likely to die or suffer serious and catastrophic injuries than motor vehicle collision victims involved in normal flat crashes.

Continue reading " Even Stunt Drivers Have Problems Controlling SUVs " »

I learned of a second hit and run car accident death in Philadelphia in just over two days. As an experienced hit and run car accident attorney in Philadelphia practicing since 1979, I believe that the number of hit and run deaths and injuries in Philadelphia is rising to almost epidemic proportions. This time a victim in his mid-20's was struck at about 2:00 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Roosevelt Boulevard at 9th Street in Logan. On Tuesday night, another innocent pedestrian was struck and killed on Erie Avenue in the Tioga Nicetown section of the city and was hit so hard by a speeding BMW that one of his legs was ripped off. Thankfully, the police were able to apprehend and charge an allegedly wasted driver identified as Luciano Rios of Croydon, Bucks County, in that fatality.

In Pennsylvania, a ”hit and run” accident is a crime committed by a fleeing driver. In most instances, the experienced Philadelphia hit and run accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily find that drivers may choose not to stop after being involved in a car accident for a number of reasons, including but not limited to, the driver may be driving without auto insurance or a driver’s license or there may be an outstanding warrant for the driver’s arrest or that the driver may be so wasted on drugs or other mind-altering substances that if he stopped he would be convicted of a crime. There is never a good reason for not stopping after being involved in a car accident.

Our hearts and prayers go out to these unfortunate victims of hit and run accidents. The Philadelphia hit and run injury law firm of Reiff & Bily has received many accolades from highly regarded organizations and has developed expertise in investigating and representing individuals and victims who have been catastrophically injured or killed in hit and run accidents. The experienced hit and run injury lawyers at Reiff & Bily are the recipients of Martindale Hubble’s prestigious “AV” rating. We work on a contingent fee basis, charging only a small percentage of the recovery.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of a hit and run accident, please schedule a free consultation with the experienced Philadelphia hit and run accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily by contacting us at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

The experienced personal injury and car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have successfully handled thousands of cases since 1979 and have investigated or queried tens of thousands of potential insurance claim cases.

Reiff & Bily focuses its practice on serious personal injury claims throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and works with other law firms throughout the United States. When cases are presented to our office we provide a free initial consultation to review the merits of each personal injury and wrongful death claim and afterwards our staff thoroughly screens and investigates each potential case to evaluate its merits. We are extraordinarily selective in the cases that we accept so that we can fully dedicate our resources to cases that have the highest probability of achieving a successful outcome.

Lately, an interesting phenomena has started to occur with increasing frequency. I find that the downturn in the economy has resulted in an increase of calls by people whose claims have no merit and who are looking to a personal injury lawyer or the legal system as a quick fix for their economic troubles. Unfortunately, many of these claims are of a frivolous nature and scream of insurance fraud or “little white lies” that cause an increase in premiums for the responsible people who do not bring such claims. When I receive one of these calls, I think to myself “Are you serious?” It is quite unsettling to this writer how unscrupulous and how dishonest many people can be which ends up costing those who do the right thing more money. Even telling a small white lie to an insurance company constitutes fraud in the opinion of this lawyer.

Continue reading " Something Strange But Really Not So Strange In The Current Financial Environment Is Occurring With Regard To Increased Number Of Frivolous and Meritless Insurance Claims Being Filed " »

There have been an increasing number of defective trailer cases in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and nationwide. On May 7, 2009, a wayward trailer slowed traffic after it became unhooked, spun out and flipped over, dumping its contents on the roadway. The trailer was being hauled by a Dodge Durango. Although no other vehicles were involved in this accident, what would have happened if this trailer hit another vehicle or a school bus? Fortunately, this accident occurred at 5:00 a.m. when the roads are normally empty.

Unfortunately, the defective trailer and car accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily have participated in cases where other victims were not so lucky and there were multiple catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident involving a loose trailer, defective trailer, or has sustained catastrophic and serious injuries as a result of a car accident, please feel free to contact the Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Michelle Kott of North Strabane Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania died after the car she was driving was hit by a trailer which came loose from a pickup truck and crossed over a median on Route 19. An investigation by the police revealed that the trailer became dislodged from the truck as the driver of the pickup truck applied his brakes causing the trailer to rotate around the driver side of the vehicle, causing it to break free of the truck and cross over a cement median. The truck went up over the hood of the Kott vehicle and through the windshield. The young mother sustained massive head fractures, eye and ankle injuries, and an abdominal blood clot. The driver of the pickup truck, Ryan Bier, told investigators in North Strabane that he “felt the trailer pulling hard on the side and then heard a loud pop”. Our hearts go out to the family of Michelle Kott and the passengers in her vehicle.

The experience defective trailer lawyers at the Philadelphia defective trailer law firm of Reiff & Bily have had extensive experience representing victims that have been injured or killed as a result of trailer accidents.

Continue reading " Trailer Breaks Free From Pickup Truck And Kills Woman After Going Through Her Windshield " »

According to my research, there have been approximately 5,000 cases of drivers leaving the scene of a car accident through May 3, 2009. Last year, there were 14,707 hit and run accidents where drivers left the scene. As an experienced hit and run accident and car accident lawyer since 1979, I can honestly state that I have never been so depressed with the state of affairs surrounding hit and runs as I have been lately. There is nothing more upsetting than when I am contacted by a parent who has lost a child or a family that has lost a father, mother or grandmother. In my opinion, nothing comes close to the loss of a child. A recent hit and run death in Philadelphia took the life of Calvin Wilkerson, an 18-year old, who was run down by a van on 9th Street and Hunting Park Avenue as he walked home last week.

Unfortunately, the current state of affairs with regard to Pennsylvania law encourages somebody to leave the scene of an accident. Under the current Pennsylvania law, the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident is one year in jail. But if the same driver stays at the scene to render assistance and is found to be under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating substance, the penalty can be as much as five years. Obviously, a person irresponsible enough to drive under the influence of alcohol is irresponsible enough to leave the scene of an accident and if that person is apprehended after they have sobered up, they would be facing a much lesser penalty. Representative David Reed recently sponsored a piece of legislation raising the minimum sentence for fleeing the scene of an fatal accident from one to five years.

As an experienced car accident lawyer investigating hit and run accidents for over 30 years, I have noticed that many people leave the scene of a hit and run accident for many reasons. Most likely they have outstanding warrants, no car insurance or are drunk and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of an intoxicating substance. The applicable motor vehicle statute in Pennsylvania clearly states “the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in the injury or death of any person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close thereto as possible but shall then forthwith return to and in every instance remain at the scene of the accident so as to fulfill the requirements of Section 3744 of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code relating to the duty to give more information and render aid. Every stop should be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.”

Continue reading " Philadelphia Hit And Run Car Accident Epidemic And The Loopholes That Act As Enablers - Its Now Run Baby Run! " »

As springtime prom season and summer is upon us, more and more teenagers will be driving their vehicles. Many of them will be doing so irresponsibly and unlawfully under the influence of mind-altering substances or alcohol. As we all know, a car or other motor vehicle in the hands of an inexperienced operator brings with it its own set of problems and can be viewed by some as a weapon.

Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, The University of Pennsylvania and State Farm Insurance Companies commenced a massive effort known as the Keeping Young Drivers Safe project. The conclusion of the project was that most of the crashes involving teenagers are caused by distractions and/or inexperience. One of the biggest distractions to teenage drivers is the presence of other teens in the car and one study found that carrying one teenage passenger almost doubled the fatal crash risk of teen drivers. The risk increased unbelievably to five fold when two or more teenagers were in the car. As for inexperience, 16-year old drivers have crash rates three times higher than 17-year old drivers and 5 times higher than 18-year old drivers as the rate drops with age.

Continue reading " Car Accidents Are The Leading Cause of Death Among Teenagers " »

As noted in my previous blogs, the hit and run epidemic continues to plague innocent pedestrians and motorists on the streets and highways of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. Early this week an allegedly drunk driver from Bucks County tried three times to flee authorities after fatally striking a Philadelphia man crossing the street. According to news sources, Luciano Rios, 30 years old, from Neshaminy Road in Croydon, Pennsylvania fled from the initial accident on Tuesday, May 5th flipping his BMW, striking another vehicle, and twice more trying to escape police. Sources reveal that Rios was speeding east on Erie Avenue in Philadelphia at 8:30 p.m when he struck a man who was walking southbound across Erie at 9th Street. The victim was struck with such force that he was thrown 173 feet into the air and one of his legs was severed, after which the 2007 BMW operated by the hit and run driver went out of control secondarily striking a Dodge Durango occupied by six people, and turned upright causing it to stop. Mr. Rios, the operator of the hit and run vehicle, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and involuntary manslaughter, homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and related offenses according to authorities. Philadelphia police noted that the hit and run driver had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath when apprehended. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of Arthur Burrus, age 49, who tragically lost his life to an intoxicated hit and run driver.

I have mentioned in many of my earlier blogs that hit and run accidents are reaching epidemic levels in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. Many times people fail to take responsibility for their actions most particularly when driving while intoxicated. We urge the family of Mr. Burrus to consult with an experienced hit and run car accident lawyer to fully investigate his case. There is a good chance that there is an underlying Dram Shop cause of action, as well as an action for third party negligence which would entitle his estate and survivors to receive financial compensation from the negligent party for injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost income and other associated damages.

Continue reading " Allegedly Drunk Driver Commits Hit and Run Accident Killing Philadelphia Man Crossing The Street And Tries To Flee Authorities Three Times - Hit And Run Epidemic Continues In Philadelphia " »

The experienced Philadelphia vehicle rollover lawyers at Reiff & Bily extend our deepest sympathy to the family of Zachary Stasik, an honor student at Kings College, who tragically lost his life in a single vehicle rollover crash on Interstate 81 in Pittston Township, Pennsylvania. According to news sources, Zachary Stasik and his girlfriend and another friend were on their way for an evening of enjoyment at the Scranton Cultural Center in Pennsylvania. Zachary Stasik, who was a back seat passenger in the car, was ejected when the car began rolling over a grassy median. I hope and pray that the other injured victims and passengers will get through this tough time and make a complete and quick recovery. The family of Mr. Stasik and the other injured victims would be well advised to contact an experienced car accident and rollover attorney who can help determine who was negligent and at fault for this single vehicle accident. It may turn out that there was a defect with this motor vehicle which caused the rollover.

A skilled car accident and rollover attorney will conduct an extensive investigation and accident reconstruction to determine who was at fault and will provide a free no obligation comprehensive consultation to any of the passengers and their families. Single vehicle rollover accidents are not uncommon and often result in catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths. A rollover also increases the chances that a victim such as Zachary Stasik will be ejected from the motor vehicle.

The Philadelphia based lawyers at the law firm of Reiff & Bily represent clients throughout the United States and Pennsylvania and work on a contingent fee basis, charging a small percentage of the recovery. We do not get paid unless there is a successful recovery. We have handled thousands of automobile accidents since 1979 and multiple rollover cases with significant outcomes and have fought hard against the automobile manufacturers for catastrophic injuries and emotional damages sustained as a result of single vehicle rollovers. Please contact one of our experienced rollover attorneys if you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident or single vehicle rollover at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

At the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily, our experienced lawyers have been handling traumatic brain injury cases for almost 30 years. Many times when one is involved in a serious car accident, an impact to the head results in an injury to the brain where it is located opposite to the side of the impact. While many people who sustain a traumatic head or brain injury appear to be fine after their accident, just as the recent case of Natasha Richardson revealed, many of these individuals will rapidly develop a variety of symptoms including headaches, nausea, dizziness, ringing in ears, blurred vision and problems with memory and concentration.

A brain injury can have a life-altering impact and long term consequences if not treated or properly diagnosed. Many times an injured individual is not even aware that he or she has suffered a traumatic brain injury and is often mis-diagnosed at an emergency room or by
a family physician.

Statistics reveal that over 50% of those who sustain a traumatic brain injury are diagnosed improperly which is a most frightening factor. It is stated that in excess of 53% of patients in the emergency room for the first time with a brain injury will fail to be diagnosed properly and may suffer an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage according to a study published by The New England Journal of Medicine. Many times negligence of the health provider involves a failure to obtain or accurately interpret a diagnostic test which would have revealed a brain injury.

Continue reading " Rising Car Crash Statistics Across The Nation Also Results In Increasing Rate Of Traumatic Brain Injury " »

With the recent and growing economic downturn, many Americans, particularly those in Philadelphia and in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, have taken steps to reduce expenditures and it appears that one of the first areas being cut is automobile insurance. I find that many people have increased their insurance deductibles as well as selected lower coverage points and many motorists have opted not to purchase uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage often resulting in disastrous consequences for otherwise innocent and unsuspecting victims.

I had a situation with a client yesterday who sustained catastrophic injuries with the proper estimation of her case valued in excess of $1 million dollars. Unfortunately, the wrongdoer had minimal assets and our client had erroneously selected not to purchase uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage which would have paid her the full value of her claim in the appropriate forum. Obviously, this client was unhappy with her insurance agent and her attorney and could not believe that she was in this situation due to her own choice. Unfortunately, we find ourselves dealing with this scenario with increasing frequency.

A recent study has revealed that at least 16% of those with one vehicle households reported canceling or not renewing coverage for a vehicle in response to the economic downturn. Additionally, almost one third of those canceling automobile insurance coverage also reported selling their vehicles as a way to save money and an additional 14% of renters declined insurance coverage.

Continue reading " The Rate of Uninsured Motorists Is Increasing At An Alarming Rate In Philadelphia and Pennsylvania " »

For many years, the experienced Philadelphia car accident attorneys at Reiff & Bily have been representing catastrophically injuried individuals, as well as wrongful death cases resulting from people driving a vehicle while on a cell phone and not paying attention to the rules of the road.

Last week, the legislators of Pennsylvania, for some reason which I cannot comprehend, voted to add a $50 fine for drivers who are caught using a cell phone while driving carelessly. This experienced car accident attorney would have preferred to have seen a law with more teeth in it.

I salute the efforts of Republican Josh Shapiro, a Montgomery County Democrat, who stressed that he wanted to enable police to give a driver a $50 ticket if they were caught chatting on a hand cell phone or sending text messages while driving. However, a majority of his colleagues did not agree. As Representative Shapiro is aware, there have been thousands of accidents that have occurred on Pennsylvania roads due to cell phone usage since 2002. As I have previously blogged studies such as The New England Journal of Medicine has noted that being on the phone while driving makes people four times as likely to crash as those who are simply driving.

I am personally involved in a case at the moment where a gentleman has lost his arm due to the fact that he was a passenger in a vehicle where the driver was sending a text message while operating his vehicle, causing the vehicle to roll over and eject the passenger. Any person can understand that usage of a cell phone while driving causes a cognitive distraction significant enough to degrade the driver’s performance.

Continue reading " Philadelphia Car Accident Attorney Strongly Disagrees With Pennsylvania Legislature’s Choice Not To Ban Cell Phone Use While Driving " »