Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

As the recent Toyota litigation has emphasized, Toyota as well as any other manufacturers, have routinely engaged in questionable, evasive, and deceptive legal tactics when sued. Frequently they claim they do not have information that they are required to turn over and sometimes even ignore court orders to produce key documents according to an Associated Press investigation. The Associated Press indicated in their investigation that a review of lawsuits filed around the country involving a wide range of complaints (not only the sudden acceleration problems that led millions of Toyotas to be recalled) indicated the automaker has hidden the existence of tests that would be harmful to its legal position and claimed key materials were all too difficult to get from headquarters in Japan. The major automakers have withheld potentially damaging documents and refused to release data stored electronically in its vehicles. The tactic is not so unique to Toyota and is encountered frequently by our Pennsylvania product liability lawyers and Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers in high stakes litigation.

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Internal emails from Toyota executives acknowledged the sudden acceleration issue and urged the company that it was time to come clean. Company executives even went so far as to say, “We are not protecting our customers by keeping this quiet.” “The time has come not to hide on this one.” The email appears to be a response to one earlier in the day from Katsuhiko Konagei, Communications Coordinator. In Konagei’s email, he stated that Toyota should not mention the mechanical failure of the accelerator pedals because the company had not yet clarified the problem or settled on a remedy. This email was among 70,000 pages of documents requested from the company by the Transportation Department and Congressional Committees which are investigating Toyota’s recalls (The New York Times).

The judicial panel indicated in a decision on Friday, April 9th by the U.S. Judicial Panel Multi-district Litigation that a single judge will hear all important pre-trial motions for all Toyota cases.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration fined Toyota with a 16.4 Million Dollar civil penalty which in this experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney’s opinion will bolster legal claims that Toyota committed consumer fraud and racketeering. We believe that this will assist the plaintiffs’ attorneys in obtaining thousands of documents for use in our cases and factually it validates the legitimacy of our allegations that Toyota has been misleading the government and innocent consumers as far as the severity of their problems with their sticky pedals and their whole electronic throttle system.

The experienced car accident and auto product liability lawyers at Reiff & Bily and others believe and will allege that Toyota committed fraud against consumers by hiding problems associated with its accelerator pedals and we would even go so far as to insist that Toyota violated the Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organization Act by conspiring to mislead consumers and the federal government about the extent of its safety problems. Toyota has recalled more than 8 million vehicles worldwide because of sudden acceleration problems. The penalty is the largest penalty ever brought against an automobile manufacturer in the United States according to the U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood who further went on to state “We now have proof that Toyota failed to live up to its legal obligations. Worse yet, they knowingly hide a dangerous defect for months from U.S. officials and did not take any action to protect millions of drivers and their families.”

The experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have been representing injured consumers in product liability cases against manufacturers since 1979 with a successful track record. If you or a loved one has been involved in a Toyota accident or any other accident involving an allegedly defective automobile, truck, or other motor vehicle, please contact us for a free no obligation consultation with a no recovery, no fee guarantee at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

When we are representing the interests of a catastrophically or severely injured individual who was the victim of someone else’s negligence, the issue always arises what can we do to help the victim support himself or herself during the pendency and until resolution of a case. At the experienced Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily, we handle first party wage loss and recovery of medical bills at no charge to our client. We charge a fee only on the third party portion of the case, namely compensatory and/or punitive damages. If there is not first party wage loss available, and such is the case with many motorcycle cases, the client must normally wait until the negligence case is settled to receive compensation. Many times a person is likely to turn to family or friends to borrow money and more and more victims are turning to independent non-recourse lawsuit funding companies.

Non-recourse lawsuit funding occurs when specifically independent companies provide a cash advance on the lawsuit on a non-recourse basis during of the pendency of the lawsuit. The monetary advance is solely contingent upon the outcome of the case and if you lose the case, the money provided is completely forgiven and is yours to keep. The only collateral that matters to the lawsuit funding company is the quality and possible success of the pending lawsuit. Of course, the funding company will consider your lawyer’s track record of success and credibility to make sure that they can count on an honest return of the advanced capital at the conclusion of the case.

The typical process for obtaining this type of financial assistance is quite simple. The independent financial company would have a brief intake conversation with you and your attorney to determine if your case has a high probability of success. They then want to review the records of the case to determine if the claim is meritorious and valid, and if so, for how much. This process can normally be handled in a 24 to 48 hour time period. After initial approval, the lawsuit funding company will ask your attorney for periodic reviews of the case to determine whether the case can afford additional or ongoing funding. Almost all of the companies that we have dealt with in the past do not obligate the client to repay the money unless and until you win or settle the case and the attorney collects the settlement proceeds. The lawsuit funding company asserts a lien against the settlement and works closely with the lawyers to relieve the financial pressure to settle the case too early for too little. This helps the client and the attorney, and hurts the insurance company who will attempt to make lowball offers recognizing the financial desperation of the client.

The human condition dictates that when we seek out the services of a professional, whether it be a doctor or lawyer, we want the best. The reality of defining who is the best Philadelphia lawyer is the other person’s idea of how he thinks affairs should be handled. When one seeks the best attorney, it is with the belief that he or she will achieve a positive outcome relating to the events and circumstances in one’s life. The adverse circumstances of a personal injury claim introduces a man to himself.

In seeking who the best lawyer is to represent their legal interests it is important to select a lawyer who understands and respects the value of hope. The best Philadelphia car accident lawyer should communicate the loss of the plaintiff’s dreams and hopes to insurance companies and ultimately to juries who hear the case. It is important for the best attorney to prove what a catastrophically injured plaintiff was capable of doing prior to the incident and to identify and fully recover all of the compensation necessary for the plaintiff to recognize the fulfillment of his dreams and goals. Hope was personified in Greek mythology as Elpis. When Pandora opened Pandora’s box, she let out all of the evils except one known as hope. Selfishly I say that the best Pennsylvania personal injury and car accident lawyer should be greedy. Greedy for justice.

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According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, last year there were 4,193 wrecks, 4,077 injuries, and 237 accident deaths in Pennsylvania involving motorcyclists. Per mile traveled, bikers are more than 35 times more likely to die in a crash than people driving in cars. These statistics are quite sobering.

As an experienced Pennsylvania motorcycle attorney (since 1979) and biker since the age of 13, it is no surprise that the danger and risk of death and injury to a motorcycle driver is most likely from other drivers who don’t see the motorcyclist. There is a very informative website www.livefreeridealive.com which is owned and sponsored by PennDOT and is worth checking out and has some great safety tips and information.

Chance always favors the prepared man and always the prepared biker. As biking season gets into full swing, always inspect your bike, keep it in good working order, make sure it is inspected, that your tires have no microcracks and always watch out for the other guy who may not be watching you.

If you or a loved one has any questions regarding motorcycle safety and the laws of Pennsylvania or are involved in an accident while operating a motorcycle, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyers for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer since 1979, I have been witness to many catastrophic accidents and wrongful deaths due to the result of texting or operating a cell phone while driving. A person trying to chat or read and send text messages while driving might find his cell phone disabled thanks to new technology coming on to the market. Distracted drivers have been a major concern for commercial carriers and there is a public and legal outcry over rising safety issues. The new technology will enable cell phones and other personal communication devices to be shut down if movement is detected. Outgoing text messaging would be shut down and both incoming text messages and voice messages would be saved until all motion has stopped, with key pads locked to prevent drivers from typing. Recently many cell phones have utilized technology that would make motion tracking possible such as global positioning systems, accelerometers and WIFI transceivers. Zoom Safer in Reston, Virginia automatically launches on some phones once a hand set’s GPS detects motion in excess of 10 mph. The baseline settings which cannot be altered prohibit outbound text and emails.

As a Philadelphia catastrophic injury lawyer who has been battling insurance companies since 1979, I am familiar with the hardball tactics of insurance companies and their multiple attempts to “screw” their insureds. Taking this literally, I can not help but chuckle when I reviewed a story entitled, “Two Million Dollar Lawsuit Blames Insurer for Couple’s Breakup.” The article alleged that a woman launched a two million dollar lawsuit against an insurance company due to the fact she claims her marriage was destroyed after one of its employees ended up in bed with her husband. The woman launched a two million dollar lawsuit against Great West Life Insurance Company and a former senior benefits representative claiming that the company was negligent and failed to supervise its employee properly. The Superior Court Judge stated that this was novel issue which deserved a proper hearing and added that the courts have decided that insurance company employees can be sued for negligence in dealings with clients. Through his lawyer, the husband of the distressed wife alleges that the claims in the lawsuit are “false and unfounded.”

The law firm of Reiff & Bily is committed to prosecuting claims against insurance companies for unfair claims practices and bad faith. We have over 30 years experience challenging the insurance companies claims handling practices.

Recently a 16-year old mentally challenged teenager stole a bus from SEPTA and damaged 20 cars. One of the victims, Judy Farley Friday raised the same question that I had raised: “How does a 16-year old boy just walk in there and take a bus?” Ms. Farley’s vehicle, a 2009 Camry, was damaged in March after a SEPTA bus was stolen from the SEPTA Victory depot at 69th Street and Victory Avenue in Upper Darby, PA. Farley further added, “If I had left a minute sooner, I would have been in the car and probably the bus would have got me before I got to the car.” That’s how fast he was going. According to the teenager, he informed authorities that the bus was left unattended with the keys in the ignition. SEPTA claims they are trying to figure out what happened. Richard Maloney, A SEPTA representative, stated, “We are still sorting it out and it’s going to take some time. The insurance and the lawyers and all the rest of that.” Maloney suggested that victims file claims through their own insurance companies.

As an experienced Philadelphia bus accident lawyer since 1979, I am somewhat alarmed at the situation and just as alarmed at the response of SEPTA’s spokesperson Richard Maloney. Bus companies such as SEPTA owe the public the highest duty of care to prevent bus accidents whether they be property damage or serious injuries to pedestrians or passengers. It was quite lucky that no one got catastrophically injured or killed as a result of this negligent behavior by SEPTA and it is a warning shot that safety procedures are not proper. We urge a closer investigation into this matter by SEPTA and law authorities so that future injuries or fatalities do not occur to other innocent victims.

If you or a loved one is a victim of bus accident, please contact one of our experienced Philadelphia bus accident lawyers for a free no obligation consultation.

As I have been blogging for the past few years, there seems to be an epidemic of hit and run accidents in Philadelphia and the surrounding communities. Unfortunately, an innocent 17-year girl was killed by a mini van that struck her as she crossed Cheltenham Avenue last night at approximately 10:00 p.m at its intersection with Old Oak Lane Road. Police stated that the 17-year old female was struck by a light colored mini van that fled westbound on Cheltenham Avenue. Police suspect that the vehicle has damage to its front end.

As the economy continues to worsen, the episodes of deadly hit and run accidents in Philadelphia and surrounding communities is growing with geometric magnitude. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to the family of this innocent 17-year old victim and once again this tragic incident calls to question what legislators are doing to close the hit and run loopholes that exist under Pennsylvania hit and run laws. For information concerning this topic, please see my previous articles and blogs written at the following site www.reiffandbily.com.

The family of this individual would be well served to seek the service and experience of a Philadelphia car accident and hit and run lawyer to fully investigate this claim and work in conjunction with the police to make sure defendants are prosecuted to the full extent of the law, as well as recover to the maximum amount of civil remedies and compensatory damages available.

A 13-year old was killed as he traveled into the path of a Lanta bus in Lehigh County and was hit and run over causing catastrophically fatal injuries. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to the families of those involved in this accident.

The experienced bus accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily are all too familiar with these unfortunate situations and, in fact, successfully represented the family of another Lehigh Valley teenager killed by a Lanta bus. The family would be well served to seek the services of an experienced bus accident attorney to fully investigate this case and work with authorities to properly insure that their legal interests are protected to the maximum of their ability.

Bus companies owe the highest duty of care to passengers and pedestrians to protect against injuries and death due to the ever increasing congestion of roads, particularly in urban satellite cities. The number of deaths and injuries from bus accidents is also rising. Bus accidents should be properly investigated to determine if the cause was bus driver negligence, improper bus maintenance, improper driver training or background check, roadway design or defect, or many other possible causes.

If you were a passenger on a bus or a pedestrian injured in a bus accident, whether public or private, you are owed the highest and utmost duty of care associated with a common carrier to properly protect your rights. It is best to consult with an experienced Pennsylvania bus accident lawyer.

Honda is the latest Japanese automobile manufacturer to issue a recall of over 400,000 vehicles due to an alleged brake problem. Models including the 2007 to 2008 Honda Odyssey minivan and Honda Element small truck. According to Honda, the brakes may become soft due to inadequate sealing which allows air to intrude in the mechanism. While only a small quantity of air may enter the mechanism over time, the quantity of air will compound resulting in soft or low brake pedal. This requires the driver to apply more pressure to the brake pedal pushing it closer to the floor to stop the vehicle and if the problem is not fixed, braking power may be greatly minimized or lost completely and the loss could lead to an accident possibly causing catastrophic injury or death. There have been three reported crashes due to this issue and according to Honda, they have resulted only in minor injuries. The recall begins April 19, 2010.

Since November 2008, Honda has recalled over 1.5 million vehicles. The first vehicle recall involved over 500,000 vehicles due to faulty airbags. In February 2010 an additional 473,000 were recalled due to that issue. Recall cases involving Hondas, Toyotas or other automobile manufacturers are being handled by the Philadelphia automotive product liability defect law firm of Reiff & Bily. Our experienced Philadelphia car accident and vehicle defect lawyers are committed to consumer safety and can give you guidance to help you deal with a recall issue or if you or a loved one has sustained a serious injury or death as a result of a problem noted in an auto defect recall.

When a car accident happens, it often results in catastrophic injuries and many times, unfortunately, in fatalities. It is important when investigating a catastrophic car accident case that the attorney leave no stone unturned. Investigators should check surveillance cameras in the area of the accident, as well as promptly interview any and all witnesses. This experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer will often subpoena the cell phone records of the driver alleged to be at fault to determine whether or not that person was texting or speaking on a cell phone and not paying full attention to the rules of the road.

As noted in regard to a recent high profile school bus crash in Perkiomenville, surveillance videos, as well as videos on the bus depicted multiple traffic violations and the offending fatigued driver blew through ten stop signs before making a sudden and darting left turn in front of another vehicle, killing that car’s passenger with a student-filled bus. A careful background check of a defendant will indicate prior offenses and many times reveal that defendants believe that the rules of the road do not apply to them.

It is also important to note where the defendant driver was prior to the accident. For example, if that person had been in a bar, restaurant or night club drinking, there may be a potential Dram Shop action. A careful examination of the car and a black box download should be made in certain circumstances to determine whether there was an automotive product liability defect which contributed to the accident and the resulting injuries.

The experienced car accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily have been successfully representing seriously injured victims of car accidents since 1979 with a successful track record. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, please feel free to contact us for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.