Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has become aware of a serious problem involving the sale of counterfeit airbags for use as replacement parts in vehicles that have been involved in a crash. Many of these airbags look identical to certified original equipment parts including bearing the insignia and brand of automakers. NHTSA testing showed consistent malfunctioning rising from non-deployment of the airbag to the expulsion of metal shrapnel during deployment. It is estimated that almost 200,000 vehicles are at risk.

The airbag defect firm of Reiff & Bily is very concerned that many consumers whose vehicles have been in a crash and had their airbags replaced by repair shops that are not a part of a car dealership within the past three years, or who have purchased replacement airbags online, should contact the call centers established by automobile manufacturers to have their vehicles inspected at their own expense and/or have their airbag replaced if necessary. A list of call centers and additional information is available online at www.safercar.gov.

Continue reading " If You Have Had Anyone Other Than a Car Dealer Replace Your Vehicle's Airbags or Purchased a New Airbag Online to Make a Repair, You May Be at Risk " »

The Yokohama Tire Corporation is recalling certain AVID Touring S tires, size 215/65R16 98T SL, produced between February 2009 and April 2009.

These tires may have been produced with an irregular geometry in the casing turn up area above the tire bead in the lower sidewall. This irregular geometry may lead to a lower sidewall cracking resulting in a rapid loss of tire inflation. Rapid air loss while the vehicle is in use may result in a tire failure that could cause a crash.

Continue reading " If Your Vehicle is Equipped with Yokohama Tire Corporation's AVID Touring S Tires, Pay Attention " »

For all too long, the big car manufacturers have made safety a luxury for the rich, offering lifesaving devices such as electronic stability control (ESC), side airbags, and rollover airbags as expensive options. While the technology for these lifesaving devices has existed for a long time, manufacturers have continued to offer these optional safety features at a significant expense and their failure to install them in even the basic model may result in a design defect claim if you or a loved one has sustained a substantial or catastrophic injury or death.

We recently concluded a claim where a vehicle manufacturer possessing technology to install side airbags failed to install them due to the fact that they were only offered as an expensive option. The position that we successfully maintained was that manufacturers have an obligation to put the interests of safety over profitability.

Continue reading " Safety Should Never Be an Option Offered Only to the Rich by Car Manufacturers, Advises Auto Product Liability Lawyer " »

As I drive to and from work every day, I notice more and more red light cameras popping up at many intersections. In fact, I must confess that I have received several notices for running a red light when in fact due diligence as a driver required me to slow down or stop in order to avoid striking the vehicle in front of me. The coffers of many cities are brimming with profits due to the fact that shorter yellow lights make more money when cameras are triggered by “offenders”.

As a Philadelphia car accident lawyer who has handled tens of thousands of accident cases in the last 33 years, it appears to be common sense that those rushing through yellow lights to avoid a ticket are more likely to be involved in an accident.

What prompted me to write this piece is due to the fact that last night as I was driving home, I heard a loud screech behind me at a prominent red light camera intersection that is often cited as being hazardous. I had cautiously brought my vehicle to a slower speed to avoid striking another vehicle when the vehicle behind me literally came inches from slamming into my bumper. Of course, the strobe of the red light camera captured me, even though I could have safely proceeded through the green light but not for cautionary efforts to avoid a crash.

Continue reading " What's the Deal With Short Yellow Lights and Red Light Cameras? Are They Causing More Accidents? Is it a Win Win for Insurance Companies? " »