Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Most of us, even Philadelphia car accident lawyers, remember taking our driver’s test, palms sweating around the steering wheel and our undivided attention focusing on making sure we did everything right so that we could get the green light to be a licensed driver. While some would argue that new drivers are not as experienced as more seasoned motorists and may be more prone to being involved in an accident, the same can be said about older drivers losing touch with traffic laws and becoming more careless, or even daring, when operating a vehicle.

An annual National Drivers Test organized by GMAC Insurance determined that one in five U.S. drivers don’t meet the basic requirements that are necessary to get a driver’s license. According to the survey, about 36.9 million drivers, roughly 18 percent, in our nation wouldn’t pass the written drivers test if they were to take it right now. This makes anyone wonder, “Would I pass?”

All in all, Kansas came out on top with the best ranking, with drivers getting an average score of approximately 82.9 percent. Washington, D.C., had the worst ranking with an average score of 71.8 percent. Any score below 70 was marked as a fail. The results of the driver survey suggest that a significant amount of drivers don’t have the basic driving knowledge necessary to reflect safe driving habits. Without a firm understanding of how to drive safely and abide by traffic laws, numerous motorists are at a heightened risk of being injured or even killed in a motor vehicle accident in Pennsylvania.

About 5,130 licensed drivers between the ages of 16 and 65, from all 50 states in the nation as well as the District of Columbia participated in the survey. Driver knowledge was calculated through 20 questions from Department of Motor Vehicles exams. For instance, when asked to identify the correct action to carry out when approaching a yellow light, 85 percent of motorists surveyed were not able to and only one-fourth of drivers knew the correct safe following distances. On a national level, the average score of all motorists saw an improvement with a rise from 76.2 percent last year to 77.9 percent this year.

With the results of this survey in mind, give your driving knowledge and habits some thought. Are you doing your part?

The Center for Auto Safety Claims that Jeep Cherokee model years 1993 through 2004 have a design defect, notably a defective fuel tank design, that can cause the gas tank to rupture in a crash. Clarence Ditlow, the Director for Auto Safety claims that these Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokees are the most dangerous vehicles on the road and additionally claims that at least 55 people have died in crashes where fire was the most harmful factor. The Center provided to the government crash test results revealing that the gas tanks failed in rear end impacts due to the fact that the fuel tank is located behind the rear axle.

As an experienced fuel fed fire and defective gas tank lawyer, I believe that placing the gas tank behind the rear axle is extraordinarily dangerous due to the fact that upon a rear impact, the tank can rupture and lead to fire and explosion. In crash tests, the fuel hoses pulled off and the tanks ruptured. Chrysler disputes the test results noting that the test impact conditions were three times as severe as the government standard and that the vehicle meets or exceeds federal standards.

As experienced auto defect and Pennsylvania product liability lawyers, we are well aware that many vehicle fires are caused by design defects, notably improper placement of the fuel tank. Highway vehicle fires account for 17% of all reported fires and 12% of all U.S. civilian deaths. The experienced Pennsylvania vehicle defect lawyers of Reiff & Bily have recently joined forces with the Pennsylvania product liability lawyers of the Beasley Firm and jointly have been awarded over $2 billion dollars on behalf of victims and their families who have sustained catastrophic injuries or wrongful death as a result of defective products, auto defects, and other catastrophic injury causes of action. Our lawyers have been litigating cases against automotive manufacturers for alleged design defects for decades. We always offer a free, no obligation confidential consultation and no recovery, zero fee guarantee. For more information contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

On Sunday June 12, a story was published concerning a family whose vehicle ran out of gas and was thereafter violently and forcefully rear ended by an oncoming car. As an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer, this bad dream is becoming a reality for many individuals who were trying to stretch their dollars in a tightened economy by attempting to fill their tanks at the last possible minute. Many times fuel gauges in cars are not accurate. Today many individuals admit that they keep their gas tank lower than they did in the past and will even “unexpectedly” run out. However, this experienced automotive defect and car accident attorney warns that the highway might be the most dangerous place to be stopped due to running out of gas. Not only are you a sitting duck for a vehicle that might not see you or be unable to stop in time, but I can assure you it will be much more costly to have a service truck come to temporarily refill your car so that you can make it to the next available gas station.

Recently I was driving down the Atlantic City Expressway on a rainy Saturday night when I saw a vehicle stopped on the side of the road with a man waving on the shoulder. Cars were “whizzing by” at unbelievable speeds and I was afraid for this individual and the victims in his car. I am fond of quoting Louis Pasteur who stated that “chance favors the prepared mind”, and please always keep your gas tank full and do not allow yourself to become a sitting duck for a violent collision.

Continue reading " Experienced Pennsylvania Car Accident Attorney Warns That You Are A Sitting Duck For a Catastrophic Accident If You Run Out Of Gas On A Highway " »

As an experienced Philadelphia 15-passenger van rollover attorney , I always lose a part of my heart and soul representing innocent victims and their families who were catastrophically injured or killed as a result of a 15-passenger church van rollover accident. Recently this past weekend yet another single van rollover catastrophically injured and took the lives of church members after returning from an amusement park outing. Members of the church group state that there was a tire failure causing the driver to lose control whereupon the vehicle rolled over. A 19-year old recent high school graduate died in the accident. Eight other children or teenage passengers were ejected from the van with many remaining in critical condition.

I have written many articles and spoken to church groups and school groups about the dangers of 15-passenger vans and the epidemic of rollovers that continue to take the lives of unknowing and innocent individuals. There is not a week that goes by without news of another catastrophic 15-passenger van rollover.

The experienced 15-passenger van rollover lawyers of Reiff & Bily have known for a long time what manufacturers have also known, simply that the 15-passenger van is one of the most unsafe and unforgiving vehicles on the road as they suffer from a multitude of design defects. Most times the 15-passenger van rollover crash occurs due to a defective tire coupled with an inexperienced and untrained driver. The 15-passenger van is extraordinarily easy to roll over when it is fully loaded due to the fact that it has a high center of gravity and the known design defects create unsafe conditions and instability in an accident avoidance maneuver. Extensive research performed by the lawyers of Reiff & Bily together with some of the finest experts in the world has revealed that many manufacturers knew about these van defects which was evidenced in internal and testing documents. Yet they continue to sell them due to high profit margins despite minimal expenditures to fix even though their own test drivers were being injured during testing procedures.

Continue reading " Its Summertime and Experienced 15-Passenger Van Lawyer Not Surprised To Learn More Tragic News About Catastrophic Injuries and Fatalities In Church Van Rollover Accidents " »

I recently had the opportunity to meet with a client who sustained catastrophic injuriesincluding but not limited to multiple fractured vertebrae and a crushed legs. The facts of the accident were simple, the gentleman was crossing the street at the corner when a vehicle pulled from behind a stopped truck and struck the pedestrian. Unbelievably the striking vehicles insurance company is attempting to deny the claim.

As an experienced Pennsylvania car accident attorney with over three decades of experience, I am not sure what “Kool Aid” the insurance adjuster is drinking or is this just part of the continuous deny, delay, and defend policy implemented by many of the automobile insurance companies in tough economic times. Accidents like this just don't happen and are generally caused by inattentive or over aggressive drivers. It is well known that pedestrians have the right of way when crossing in crosswalks. However in many residential areas, crosswalks are often not marked. The positioning of my client at the intersection where a crosswalk should have been painted indicates that the injured victim was acting in accordance with the law and that other vehicles should have been prepared to stop as was the as the truck that was in front of the vehicle that aggressively swung around the stopped vehicle.

All Pennsylvania automobile drivers have an obligation to drive at safe speeds and pay attention to their surroundings, and if you are not paying attention or driving aggressively and hit a pedestrian then there is no way that an insurance company should rightfully deny a claim. Perhaps the posture of the insurance company in this case by denying the claim is why people are forced into unnecessary litigation.

If you find yourself in a situation where an insurance company wrongfully denies payment of your claim in an automobile accident, I strongly advise that you contact an experienced Pennsylvania car accident for help. The experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have over three decades of experience representing generations of Pennsylvanians who have suffered catastrophic injuries and wrongful death as a result of Pennsylvania car accidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a car accident, please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com for a free, no obligation consultation.

As an experienced van rollover attorney, one of the first things I almost always observe after a van accident is that the driver is blamed and cited for unsafe driving. As an experienced van rollover lawyer for over three decades, I can state honestly that van and rollover cases gets in your blood, heart, and head because these vans are probably the most unsafe vehicles on the road and have even proven to be unsafe when operated by skilled test drivers for the manufacturers but yet innocent and unknowing drivers and victims are often blamed for the disaster.

According to news sources, the van accident occurred in the southbound lanes of I-95 in the Churchmans Marsh area at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday in New Castle County, Delaware. Paramedics took 16 people to the hospital for treatment. Thankfully none of the injuries were life threatening. The van rolled over several times on the highway before coming to rest on the shoulder of the highway. The driver claimed he lost control due to something mechanical. Although the driver was cited for operating a vehicle without a driver’s license, proof of insurance, or registration, and the cause of the accident remains under investigation, one thing is for certain, the epidemic of large van rollovers will continue as attorneys and consumer safety groups continue to tackle the manufacturers of these knowingly unsafe death machines. Almost weekly in the summertime, I can predict that we will receive news of another catastrophic van rollover accident that will catastrophically injure and kill innocent and unknowing victims, often church groups or young children. Independent research performed by noted safety investigators, auto defect attorneys, as well as auto safety stalwarts note that there are significant risks in rollovers, death, and catastrophic injuries involving large passenger vans when they are fully loaded. Many times 15-passenger van rollover crashes occur due to defective tires and inexperienced and untrained drivers unfamiliar with the stability and handling characteristics of these vehicles.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families of this unfortunate van rollover accident and we would advise that they should immediately contact an experienced van rollover accident attorney to fully investigate this accident and immediately preserve the evidence. It is essential that there be no spoilation of the van or any evidence. The 15-passenger van is extraordinarily easy to roll over when loaded because they have a high center of gravity and such design defects create unsafe conditions and instability in an accident avoidance maneuver. If a tire problem occurs and the unknowing driver tries to avoid a road or traffic hazard or accident, the chances of a van rollover is more likely than not when the van is loaded.

Continue reading " Individuals Injured In Van Rollover On I-95 In Delaware With Unlicensed Driver - Experienced Van Rollover Lawyer States It Is Probably Not The Driver’s Fault " »

As the economy tightens and insurance companies seem to be getting hit with an unusual string of bad weather, more claims, and a tightened economy, they appear to be short staffed with agents and adjusters and unable to handle claims in a timely and efficient manner. Additionally many of the insurance carriers continue to express their deny, delay, and defend claims policies placing otherwise responsible and honest individuals in a position where they have to compromise their claim or hire an attorney.

To add insult to injury, I have recently learned that many policyholders are being hit with triple digit increases in the last few weeks ranging from 19% to as high as 64%. In one case, I read of a 280% increase.

As an experienced Pennsylvania insurance claim and catastrophic injury attorney, when I speak to many insurance adjusters and insurance company principles who I have gotten to know fairly well over the last three decades, they tell me that many decisions are being made by corporate individuals who do not understand how important it is to treat the policyholders fairly, and frankly state that they have had enough and am getting out of the claims adjustment business. I have witnessed much wide spread, unconscionable, stonewalling, and low balling claims by insurance companies who increasingly fail to live up to their contractual commitments. Repeatedly the insurance companies are failing to give innocent and honest individuals what they deserve when tragedy strikes.

The Pennsylvania catastrophic injury and wrongful death law firm of Reiff & Bily has been committed to representing the interests of consumers for over three decades and has aggressively represented those catastrophically injured or sustained losses against insurance carriers with a successful track record. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation. Contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595. If we decide to take your case, we will only charge a small percentage of the recovery.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident and vehicle defect lawyer for over three decades, I have investigated tens of thousands of car accident cases with many involving a single vehicle. Unfortunately single vehicle crashes tend to occur when there is a product defect or an unpredictable car handling characteristic in an accident avoidance maneuver. It may surprise some to learn that over 60% of all fatalities across the nation in car accidents involved only one vehicle.

In 2009 there were almost 60,000 crashes in Pennsylvania involving one vehicle which was less than the national average of 61% at 47%. A single vehicle car accident can be caused by a highway defect, mechanical failure, product defect, tire blowout or tire defect, stability and handling issues, seat belt failure, airbag defect, faulty or defective brake systems, roof crush, defective parts, or debris such as a tree which falls from another's property onto the road. Many times a single vehicle accident can be caused due to poor highway design, poor highway drainage, or an intoxicated driver who has been served by a restaurant or bar in violation of the Pennsylvania Dram Shop laws.

As statistics indicate, a single vehicle accident generally results in catastrophic injuries and death. As an experienced SUV and 15-passenger van rollover lawyer, I am aware that these vehicles are highly unstable and more prone to rollover crashes than any other vehicle due to their higher center of gravity.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a single vehicle car accident, do not assume it was your fault. It pays to contact a Pennsylvania car accident and auto defect lawyer familiar with automotive design and system failures. Our skilled team of experts and investigators know what to look for and have held major automotive corporations responsible to pay compensation for damages suffered by drivers and passengers of single vehicle accidents. Since 1979, our skilled Pennsylvania car accident and single vehicle car accident lawyers have represented generations of Pennsylvanians with a successful track record. For a free, no obligation consultation, please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Since 2003, motorcycle riders 21-years of age or older could go helmetless in Pennsylvania if they had been licensed to operate a motor vehicle for more than two years or completed a Pennsylvania motorcycle safety course. Unfortunately the helmetless law resulted in many motorcycle accident related deaths and closed head injuries resulting in permanent dysfunction. According to findings head injury deaths from motorcycle accidents increased 66% and motorcycle-related head injury hospitalization increased 78%.

As an experienced Pennsylvania motorcycle rider and motorcycle accident lawyer for over three decades, I agree that despite the freedom of riding without a helmet. Chance favors the prepared man and helmets definitely have their place as they save lives and prevent brain injuries. Studies indicate that three times as many lives would be saved by repeal of the non-helmet law. Recently, I spoke to a family of a young man who had never had a motorcycle accident but lost his life due to the fact that he was not wearing a helmet and died of massive head trauma. Interestingly enough, the victim was an experienced rider with an unblemished safety record for over 15 years.

The new motorcycle safety bills introduced would require additional insurance for motorcycle riders who chose not to wear a helmet and provide special motorcycle license plates for riders younger than 21.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a Pennsylvania motorcycle accident, put three decades of experience on your side by contacting one of the experienced motorcycle accident lawyers (who also happens to be a motorcyclist) at Reiff & Bily. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com for a free, no obligation consultation.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney for over three decades, I have evaluated tens of thousands of car accident cases and there is probably one event that most people never think about. As the price of gasoline reaches limits that put a strain on almost all of our wallets, many people choose not to fill up until the last moment trying to stretch their tank of gas. Unfortunately what many of these individuals do not realize is that if your car stalls or runs out of gas on a busy highway, you are a sitting duck for a potentially dangerous car accident. What many vehicle operators never think about is getting stranded or stopped in the middle of a busy highway or a deserted road where you can potentially be the victim of a vehicle that does not see you. Many also end up stranded in the "middle of nowhere" to be held hostage by road recovery or repair crews. Many times gas gauges are inaccurate or deceiving and you think you can make it to the next gas station when in fact the perception of the fuel indicator does not match the actuality of the circumstances.

Recently a state law enforcement officer was sitting in a stopped vehicle when another vehicle who did not see the vehicle slammed into him at full speed causing his car to burst into flames with the individual trapped inside.

In another case scenario, the occupant of a vehicle whose car had stopped due to a lack of fuel exited the vehicle in the evening and was struck by a passing vehicle whose driver claimed they did not see him. Simply put these tragic car accidents resulted from human error.

Continue reading " Will The High Price Of Gasoline Cause You To Be Involved In An Accident? " »

Over the last six months, there have been a multitude of fatal bus accidents mostly involving discount bus operations. After each accident, there is a news story alleging highlight of safety concerns and woes with investigations noting many times that the bus operators involved had multiple safety violations yet continue their operations.

Enough is enough! How many more victims must be catastrophically injured or killed before real action is taken by government authorities?

As an experienced bus accident who is representing several catastrophically injured victims involved in discount bus accidents, talk is cheap and there should be absolutely no tolerance for passenger bus companies that put passengers at risk. Unfortunately, according to news sources, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Administration allowed Charlotte-based SkyExpress Inc. to keep operating despite numerous safety violations in four previous accidents. Finally, the unsafe practices caught up with the company when a fatigued driver ran into an embankment, rolled over, and killed 4 and injured another 54.

The experienced bus accident legal team of the Beasley Reiff Law Group ask what would it take for the National Transportation Safety Board and various state regulators to shut down common carriers and bus companies with horrendous safety records which put passenger safety at risk. We believe that had the Charlotte-based SkyExpress been shut down due to knowledge of its abysmal safety record an accident may have been prevented and to quote Louis Pasteur, "chance favors the prepared mind". Astoundingly federal inspection records indicate that SkyExpress drivers were cited for 46 safety violations over 2 years including speeding and fatigue. Drivers performed worse than 86.2% of all drivers in fatigued driving and drive too many hours without rest. What is clear, as evidenced from the rash of discount bus accidents, is that the current model does not work. It is time for government regulators and state officials, as well as the public, to demand zero tolerance for cost cutting compromises to safety!

Continue reading " After Every Fatal Bus Accident Many Stories Appear Alleging That "This" Accident Highlights Bus Safety Concerns - Experienced Bus Accident Lawyers Tired of Deja Vu Experience And Weigh In " »

Our experienced bus crash and rollover lawyers and investigators have been busy the last few months investigating various tour bus accidents which catastrophically injured many and killed many individuals. Most of the tour bus operators involved in the fatal accidents were discount bus services. Many had unsatisfactory ratings and were found to be in violation of multiple federal safety regulations.

In this recent bus crash disaster, the New York City bound bus hit an embankment and overturned in Virginia and the driver was later charged with reckless driving and he claimed fatigue was a factor in the crash. Federal documents revealed that this particular bus company had a particularly poor safety record. News sources indicate that over the last two years the small bus company involved in this fatal and catastrophic accident had been involved in several accidents with 46 violations of fatigued drivers over the same time period. Although the bus company offered a relatively inexpensive fare between New York City and North Carolina ($30), our experienced bus accident attorneys and the federal government recognize that safety should always be the number one priority and that carriers such as this, whether they are discounted or not, owe the highest obligation of care and safety to unsuspecting fare paying passengers.

While the bus industry has been a booming business for discounters, a string of fatal accidents has prompted calls for federal regulations. As an outspoken critic of the bus and common carrier industry, I have been writing for years on this very topic. In one of our cases, our investigators were unable to even locate an existing office for one of the discount bus companies despite information provided to federal and state authorities. While the bus industry claims that these problems are limited to a small number of rogue operators, the experienced bus accident attorneys of the Beasley Reiff Law Group understand that until tougher government regulations and enforcement of the regulations are put into effect with strict penalties this situation will continue in epidemic proportion and that many innocent people will put their lives at risk.

Continue reading " Feds Shut Down Another Tour Bus Line After Virginia Bus Crash Kills Four - Pennsylvania Tour Bus Accident Lawyers Wonder Why It Took So Long " »

As a conversion van accident and van rollover lawyer, I understand that safety is a priority particularly when dealing with individuals suffering from handicaps. Many times vans are modified or converted to facilitate an active life style for individuals that are wheel chair bound. Many vans are pone to roll over without modification and therefore, it is important that the conversion complies with all safety standards regarding construction and design. One considering conversion of a van or other vehicle should look into whether or not crash testing was conducted on similar vans that were converted and that the van passed the necessary safety hurdles. Many companies advertise that their handicap van conversions are strong, safe, and reliable and make promises that unfortunately prove to be untrue in a catastrophic accident.

The experienced Pennsylvania conversion van and 15-passenger van accident attorneys of Reiff & Bily are aware of and have investigated many van design and manufacturing defects and understand that vans are susceptible to rolling over in an accident avoidance or over-steering maneuver. Many times modifications made by van conversion companies result in a loss of safety and quality concerns resulting in weaknesses in roof structure and ejection portals. If you are going to purchase a handicap conversion van, please fully investigate the manufacturer and do independent homework as to the safety and testing results of the vehicle in question.

The Philadelphia van accident and van rollover attorneys of Reiff & Bily are committed to consumer and automotive safety and we believe that safety should never trump profitability when it comes to vehicle design and usage.