Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

In another move of attempted economic muscle and intimidation, many of the nation’s largest insurance companies have informed their policyholders and customers that they will refuse to insure their automobiles unless they also bundle the coverage with homeowner's insurance coverage. Of course, major car insurance companies claim that this will enable them to deliver better service. However, as an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer familiar with the intimidating tactics of many of the insurance companies, I can assure you of one thing, the most likely and only motive is to improve the profitability of the stockholders bottom line.

Recently, Robert Hunter, a Director of Insurance for The Consumer Federation of America stated that insurance companies were “simply cherry picking more lucrative customers who can bundle their home and auto insurance with the company.” Many attorneys and insurance experts believe this newly appearing activity regarding bundling by the insurance companies may be a violation of state insurance laws and constitute an unfair trade practice in many states. Based on my experience as an insurance claims, Philadelphia catastrophic injury, and car accident lawyer, the average consumer has a very limited idea of the insurance laws, available coverage, and preferred policies and is easy prey for savvy insurance company sales agents. I believe that the only reason a consumer should bundle home and auto coverage would be to save on out-of-pocket premiums and believe that most customers should carefully shop, review, and analyze their alternatives when purchasing insurance. Make sure that you get a couple of quotations on insurance premiums from different insurance companies and don’t just assume that you have to bundle your coverage.

The experienced Philadelphia car accident and insurance claims lawyers of Reiff and Bily always offer a free, no obligation insurance policy checkup, and are always glad to review your policy with you to make sure that you are not taken advantage of by the almighty insurance companies and their sales forces who seemingly exercise concerted efforts to put profits over policyholders’ interests. Make sure that you have purchased the proper car and home insurance coverage so it is available when you need it.

As the CEO of a major insurance company once said “Our obligation is to earn a return for our shareholders.” Unfortunately that dedication to shareholders interest may come at the expense of policyholders.

In one of my recent Philadelphia car accident cases, my client was severely injured and notified his insurance company of the accident. Immediately, he received a notification in the mail with a carbon copy to my law firm that stated in effect the following, “This notification is to advise you that in the event you are injured as a result of an accident, you have available to you the services of _________ medical provider. You can call _______ phone number of visit them online at _________ to find out which medical providers are included in this health network. You may also have available to you the services of a different medical provider as a secondary medical provider network in the event a provider is not available in the first health network.” The letter goes on to explain that this program is designed to provide better customer service and that you are under no obligation to use the network and are free to use a medical service provider of your choice. This notice is for informational purposes only and using a provider within the network should not be considered confirmation of coverage.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer who has handled thousands of catastrophic car accident injury cases over the last 30 years, one thing I am certain of is that insurance companies will continue to delay, deny, and defend any claim and do whatever it takes to improve their bottom line despite the fact that we all pay a lot of money to insure our homes and automobiles expecting that all damage claims and medical bills will be paid promptly.

I have found that when clients go to automobile repair shops recommended by their insurance company or repair shops on the insurance company’s approved list, the prices are controlled by the insurance companies who steer the clients toward their “preferred businesses” that bid for the work. Many times this leads to repair shops that do superior work losing business to shops that use substandard parts and do inferior work. The insurance industry tells us that every year they try to figure out who can do the best work for the lowest cost and yet I have been engaged in continuous battles with insurance companies over the price and quality of auto repairs necessary to satisfy the client. Many shops that sign on to do business with insurance companies claim they are fearful that they will be left in the cold if they do not participate , and as one owner of a body shop claimed, he views the insurance company as his customer and not the customer who owns the car.

Imagine what the situation will be when it comes to health coverage. It is important to note that as an educated consumer, you have the right to choose the physician or health provider you want. Under most car insurance policies your bills must be paid no matter where or from whom you receive medical treatment and get your car repaired. Understand that you may choose any doctor, hospital, or health provider for your care and the bill must still be paid by your insurance company.

When selecting a healthcare provider or physician, I advise my clients to always select the best possible health provider and not the cheapest.

If your insurance company tries to force you to utilize a particular health provider or auto repair shop, it is time to speak up and exercise your rights. Do not let them pressure you.

The Philadelphia car accident and catastrophic injury law firm of Reiff and Bily has been representing injured consumers for over 30 years and always offers a free, no obligation consultation to victims and their families injured in serious car accidents. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

I am now 57 years old and have been practicing catastrophic injury and car accident law in Philadelphia since 1979. Over the last three decades, our Philadelphia car accident law firm has had the privilege of successfully representing tens of thousands of victims who were catastrophically injured or wrongfully killed in car accidents due to someone else’s negligence, defective roadway design, or through the fault of a corporate or private entity. In short, many of the victims have had the wind knocked out of their sails financially, emotionally, and physically and will never be the same as they were prior to the accident. A piece of the total pie has been taken away and they have a right to expect that a competent and experienced catastrophic injury lawyer will passionately and diligently represent their legal interests in an attempt to make them whole via compensatory and punitive damages.

When I meet with victims and their families, it still shakes me to the core and imposes a sense of responsibility and diligence to do whatever it takes to make these well deserving clients as whole as possible. I recognize now more than ever that life is fragile and understand that my battles with insurance companies have increasingly become more difficult as they continue to engage in a pattern of delay, deny, and defend: delaying payment on claims, denying claims, and defending their actions against claims that they rightfully owe injured victims and their families. I find myself working harder and more driven than ever with an indescribable passion and demand justice for my clients.

I remain convinced now more than ever that despite the unjust attempts of my opponents and insurance companies, the justice system will always allow the truth to surface. An ancient proverb states that “one hour of justice is worth a hundred of prayer”, and yes that place of justice is a hallowed place that the skilled and experienced catastrophic injury and car accident lawyers of Reiff and Bily and their staff will continue to work towards.

Over the last few years, I have seen the hit and run car accident epidemic in Philadelphia increase to the point where law enforcement officials and legislators really must take a much more aggressive stance to address the situation. Just this morning on the way into my office, I was traveling southbound and was the third car in line stopped at a red light when a vehicle in the lane to the right of me also traveling southbound made a left hand turn from the right lane and clipped off the right front quarter panel of another vehicle and kept going despite the protestations evidenced by the horn blasts of the victim’s vehicle. The victim who was struck by the hit and run vehicle obediently did not move his car through the intersection as he was lawfully stopped for the red traffic signal. Despite the loud and most obvious collision, the striking vehicle kept proceeding eastbound once it made the left hand turn. Infuriated, I sat in my vehicle and imagined how the victim felt. As an experienced Pennsylvania automobile accident lawyer, I have investigated and handled all too many cases involving life altering catastrophic injuries and wrongful death that occurred due to the irresponsibility and negligence of another. Oftentimes drivers who leave the scene of a hit and run car accident in Philadelphia do not have mandatory automobile insurance coverage required under Pennsylvania law.
While the news coverage seems to get more voluminous concerning hit and run car accidents in Philadelphia, I have yet to see a satisfactory response by legislation creating or enforcing laws so that strict penalties are sustained by offenders. In my mind, the streets of Philadelphia have become like the “wild west”. Obviously there is never a good reason for anyone to leave the scene of a car accident, and until strict legislation with meaningful enforcement guidelines is passed, this epidemic will continue, greatly affecting the lives of innocent victims.
If you have been involved in a Philadelphia hit and run car accident, the experienced Philadelphia hit and run car accident lawyers of Reiff and Bily always offer a free, no obligation consultation. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Imagine this scenario, you were in a violent automobile collision where both vehicles have to be towed from the scene, occupants taken to the hospital and diagnosed with significant and permanent injuries. A few days later, a representative of the insurance company comes to your house and offers a small sum of $250 to settle the claim and tries to disclaim responsibility in an attempt to intimidate the claimants. Does this sound strange? Indeed it does, but unfortunately it is true.

I recently met with clients who were witnesses and participants in this scenario only to learn that they had sustained severe and permanent debilitating injuries which require surgical intervention and due to the fact they were naïve and immigrants to America, a representative of the insurance company for the striking vehicle clearly tried to take advantage of them when the justifiable and proper resolution of their claim could be worth a multiple of hundreds of thousands more than the original settlement offer.

Why does this continue to happen? Because the main objective of insurance companies is to try to avoid payments of justified claims or settle early before claimants have a chance to educate themselves and seek the advice and opinion of an experienced car accident lawyer who understands the stonewalling and low balling techniques increasingly utilized by insurance companies. It is imperative to fight back against the insurance companies if you are injured in a Philadelphia car accident caused by the negligence of another.

Experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney Jeffrey Reiff has witnessed such despicable insurance company behavior for over three decades and distinctly remembers one claim over 30 years ago where an adjuster for a large company visited a wonderfully naïve and polite elderly “old school” Italian woman, bringing her lunch and offering her a check for $100 to settle her claim that was ultimately resolved later for over $100,000. Initially the client was going to accept the $100 to fully settle her claim after she was seductively encouraged to do so by the “kind claims representative” who befriended her with lunch and polite small talk about her family. Chance favors the prepared mind and I advise anyone involved in a serious automobile accident who sustains a serious injury to contact an experienced car accident lawyer for a free, no obligation consultation to discuss their rights and remedies.

Car accidents in Pennsylvania are one of the leading causes of injuries and deaths. It is important to level the playing field by seeking the assistance of a lawyer who has dealt with insurance companies and tens of thousands of cases involving cars, buses, and truck accidents.

Reiff and Bily is an experienced Pennsylvania catastrophic injury and car accident law firm and always offers a free, no obligation consultation and can be reached toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com. We always offer a zero recovery, no fee guarantee.

Earlier this year, Allstate Insurance Company opened what they are calling “The Insight, Design, and Innovation Center” which studies ways to better serve policyholders. An Allstate Senior Vice President of this division allegedly asked “Why can’t I use the phone to take pictures of my damaged car and generate an automated claim?” Allstate then began what it calls a “collaborative program.” The first product offered by the Allstate Insight, Design, and Innovation Center is called “Drivewise” an auto insurance product that includes a device embedded in the vehicle that tracks certain motoring habits and makes consumers eligible for discounts if they engage in low risk behaviors.

Notably other car insurance providers such as Progressive and State Farm are also providing similar products.

Another concept that Allstate is working on involves an automated claims process which involves multiple systems combining the use of cameras, lasers, and scanners to assess the vehicle’s damage and enable the vehicle owner to submit a claim without help from a claim center, representative, or agent. According to an Allstate representative, “We have lasers and photo equipment taking pictures of your damaged vehicle to understand how we can automate the process so you can do it on your terms, drive up, and have it all done without needing a person to inspect a damaged car.” While the Allstate Vice President recognizes that “standard cameras make it difficult to see a dent of a millimeter or two”, I am more concerned as an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer that damage may lurk beyond the surface of the vehicle or in the frame of the vehicle that may not be picked up by lasers or cameras.

In the current climate of delay, deny, and defend strategies being increasingly utilized by more and more insurance companies together with computerized settlement programs, I am somewhat concerned that this will be just another hurdle for claimants to jump in the proper resolution of their claim. While I salute efforts to move the claims process forward with the use of technology, I remain skeptical that these innovations will be utilized in the best interests of the consumer in paying the maximum value of the claim they are due.

The experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff and Bily are committed to consumer and automotive safety in the just and fair processing of insurance claims. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, we always offer a free, no obligation consultation. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

In an important decision for many workers involved in Pennsylvania car accidents with an underinsured party, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed a ruling of the Appellate Court striking down an exclusion on a car insurance policy which claimed that if an individual received workman’s compensation benefits, he was not eligible for underinsured motorist benefits. The facts of the case revealed that a police officer in the course and scope of his employment was injured in an automobile accident with a minimally insured driver and sustained severe injuries. Workers’ compensation paid the plaintiff’s medical expenses and two-thirds of his salary. The injured police officer recovered $25,000 policy limits from the third party insurance carrier, Allstate, (the insurance company responsible for the accident), however, due to the fact that losses and damages far exceeded the liability coverage, the plaintiff pursued an underinsured motorist claim for additional monetary damages and sought underinsured motorist benefits. The underinsured motorist carrier denied plaintiff’s claim for recovery pursuant to a policy exclusion stating that UIM coverage did not apply to anyone eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. The Supreme Court disagreed with the insurance carrier and stated “We conclude that the workers’ compensation exclusion in an employer sponsored insurance policy violates public policy and is therefore unenforceable. According, we reverse the Order of the Commonwealth Court.” Moreover, the Court stated that where a third party tortfeasor or offender causes a work related injury, Pennsylvania law dictates that the ultimate burden for payment of benefits must rest upon the tortfeasor or UM/UIM carrier.

As an experienced Philadelphia and Pennsylvania car accident lawyer who specializes in uninsured and underinsured motorist car accident claims, I believe that this decision is significant in enabling those injured in car accident in the course and scope of their employment to receive all benefits available.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer for over 30 years who has handled thousands of car accident cases, I have all too many times seen clients make statements that will be used against their interests to another party or witness after a car accident. If you have been in a car accident, the best thing to do is calmly exchange information with the other party and not to say anything about fault or too much about injuries. Don’t make any excuses that you are on medication, lost your job, or having a personal crisis. These statements can be used against you when the insurance company denies liability or tries to settle the case as cheaply as possible.

Many times, so many of the insurance companies assign a claims adjuster to contact you immediately and they will attempt to take a statement. Do not talk to any adjusters without speaking to a lawyer, and if he is there to look at your car, just let him look at your car. No need for commentary or cross examination or questions about fault at this stage. Many times these insurance adjusters will try to settle on the spot for a cheap price or coerce you into using a preferred insurance company repair shop which may use secondary market non-original or used parts. The claims adjuster knows many tricks in the book to try to settle the case on behalf of the company as inexpensively as possible and most of them are not looking out for your interests but rather for the bottom line profitability of their company. I have seen all too many cases compromised by people making statements that they wish they had not made after it was too late. It is best to only relay the basic information about the case and to contact an experienced car accident attorney to act as your mouthpiece when dealing with the insurance companies.

The experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have been assisting tens of thousands of victims and their families injured in car accidents since 1979. Recently we joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm to create the Beasley Reiff Law Group and together our attorneys have been awarded over $2 billion dollars since 1957. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

I don’t know how many times people come into our office after a catastrophic car accident or truck accident and tell us that they have purchased full insurance coverage. Now more than ever, insurance companies continued to delay, deny, and defend claims and offer what I consider to be almost worthless insurance policies that were never fully explained to the policyholder at the time of purchase. More and more insurance company business is being conducted over the internet, and unfortunately many of the agents only consider what it takes to sell you a policy, never explaining full benefits or interpretation of various clauses that can be very important in the event of a car accident.

We were able to demonstrate that many agents did not even know the difference between liability or collision coverage or uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance coverage despite the fact that they were selling the same. Many times after an accident when we contacted the agent, the agent was unaware that the client had not purchased uninsured or underinsured coverage. It seems to me that insurance companies don’t do a very good job training the people who deal with the public when it comes time to explaining policy benefits. Not all companies or policies are created equal, and if you have any doubts about whether you are fully covered or not, it is best to have a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney who understands how insurance companies will look to avoid paying claims and what you can do about this unconscionable and widespread behavior. Today more than ever, you need to be smart and savvy and have an experienced advocate on your side when dealing with an insurance company.

The experienced Philadelphia car accident insurance claims lawyers of Reiff & Bily always offer a free, no obligation consultation to those victims and their families involved in car accidents. We always offer a free review of your car and truck insurance policy. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

With the tightened economy and diminishing budgets, many people jump at the chance to save money on car insurance. I agree that many of the TV commercials touting cost savings of various car insurance products are very appealing. However, as an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney for over 30 years, one thing is certain you get what you pay for and that chance favors the prepared man. What good is car insurance if it does not fully cover you when you need it most.

Now more than ever, more drivers in Philadelphia are operating uninsured or underinsured vehicles which means that if you are in a car accident and sustain a serious injury resulting in extensive medical bills, loss of wages, and other economic and emotional distress to your family, you may not be covered if you purchased the cheapest policy out there.

With over 30 years of expertise, experience, and understanding car insurance and risk management, I am well aware that many victims of accidents do not recognize that they did not have the proper level of auto insurance coverage until it is too late. We highly recommend full tort coverage for a minimal difference in premium, as well as substantial underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage.

Our experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers have represented the rights of victims after car accidents and have fought automobile insurance companies for decades who will constantly attempt to deny, delay, and defend a victim their rights.

We always offer a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your insurance options whether or not we represent you for a car accident or not. We can review your policy to determine whether or not you understood what you purchased and whether or not you have sufficient uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, as well as purchased full tort. For a free, no obligation consultation contact one of our experienced Philadelphia car accident attorneys toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an attorney who has represented car accident victims in Pennsylvania since 1979, I am increasingly frustrated that insurance companies and their lobbying efforts continue or attempt to cut benefits to consumers, as well as bury exclusions so deep in policies that the average consumer is not aware of the same until a problem occurs. Additionally, by virtue of joint and several liability, passengers injured in intersectional collisions are faced with a potential reduction and the ability to obtain full compensation. The insurance limits of 15/30 are so antiquated and behind the times that unfortunately many victims who are seriously and catastrophically injured in an accident and do not have sufficient underinsured motorist coverage may pay a price with their health and economic deficiencies for the rest of their life. Now more than ever, I recommend a careful review of your insurance policy to make sure that you are fully protected in the event of a catastrophic car accident.

Philadelphia ranks among one of the highest cities in the United States with uninsured vehicles on the highways and if we consider the uninsured motorist crisis, the results are somewhat alarming. Unfortunately as a long time practitioner of car accident law, I see more and more clients frustrated when they are confronted with a review of the policy when it is too late after the accident and note that they did not have the proper coverage even though their agent told them they had full coverage and never explained exclusions or full tort option. Louis Pasteur once stated that “chance favors the prepared mind”, and for that reason, the law firm of Reiff & Bily always offers a free, no obligation consultation to those involved in a car accident, as well as a free, no obligation review of your car insurance policy.

The experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily are committed to consumer and auto safety, and have successfully represented claimants injured in car accidents since 1979. Our skilled auto accident lawyers are some of the most highly rated lawyers in Pennsylvania and the United States and have received top accolades and reviews on behalf of their work for victims and their families that were catastrophically injured or killed in car accidents. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Philadelphia is recently noted as having some of the most accident prone drivers among the 200 largest cities in America according to a recent report issued by All-state Insurance Company. The typical U.S. driver is involved in a car accident approximately once every ten years yet Pennsylvania residents were found to get into collisions at an alarmingly greater rate.

Each year in America, more than 32,000 individuals are killed as a result of car crashes according to the National Highway Safety and Traffic Administration, and most accidents are caused by errors in human behavior. Philadelphia residents were determined to be 60.2% more likely to be in an accident than other drivers in America and the average years between collisions was determined to be 6.2%.

For over three decades, the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily has been committed to protecting the interests of those injured or wrongfully killed due to the negligence of others in a car accident or those injured or killed due to automotive product defect. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation. For more information, please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As many municipalities are in a tightened and deficit state, crash taxes and accident response fees seem to be sweeping the country. Thankfully as a Philadelphia and Pennsylvania accident attorney, I am glad to reassure Pennsylvania citizens that Pennsylvania and 12 other states have outlawed accident fees and taxes preventing cities from billing victims of motor vehicle accidents for fire and police response services. In some states, a car accident with injuries is billed at $490 to the driver. If there is a fire without injuries, bills are in the amount of $415, and in an accident without injuries, motorists are assessed a $365. The thought process was to shift the burden from the tax payers to those responsible for the accident. Of course, this begs the question as to how do we determine who was responsible on the spot?

It is my understanding that insurance companies are often refusing to pay these taxes when the consumers try to pass them on which leaves the motorist in the position that not only have they been the victim of a car accident, but they must now foot the bill or litigate over the matter just to even pay the tax. When you are involved in a car accident, the last thing you want to think about is being taxed.

In Philadelphia many times the police are not even responding to car accidents due to budget cutbacks, and it is important that you secure information from all of the individuals involved in the car accident. If you are injured, it is best to contact an experienced Philadelphia or Pennsylvania car accident attorney who will work with skilled investigators to fully investigate your claim. Of course, the best Philadelphia car accident attorneys never charge for an initial consultation and will always handle your case on a percentage basis meaning that if you win, you will be charged a fee and if you do not win you will not be charged anything at all including the costs of investigation.

Continue reading "It’s Bad Enough You Are A Victim In A Car Accident But Some States Now Want To Tax You With A “Crash Tax”" »

What initially appeared to be a multi-car rear end collision with so low an impact that it was hard to see any damage on plaintiff’s vehicle grew into a $7.2 million dollar settlement for a plaintiff. The plaintiff described as a 35-year old athletic and healthy man visited a chiropractor after his collision and within six months was described as regressing to the point where he was losing his ability to walk without assistance. The plaintiff’s attorney made a demand to settle for $100,000 policy limits; however, the defendant’s insurance carrier Liberty Mutual denied. The original trial attorney demanded $100,000, the limits of the policy about a year after the accident, and in his demand informed the carrier that he thought the value of the case was in excess of $300,000. The lawyer worked diligently and as he described, tried to bend over backwards in an attempt to get Liberty Mutual to pay the contracted policy amount of $100,000. The insurance carrier continued to drag its feet requesting more and more information including plaintiff’s work history and medical records for the last five years. The attorney supplied the insurance company with full information and every opportunity to pay. The insurance company argued that the plaintiff’s medical condition was caused by a pre-existing condition rather than the car accident and also argued that another car accident in which the plaintiff had been involved two years earlier caused the damage. The plaintiff’s attorney continued to make new demands and in December 2010 demanded $3.5 million dollars, after which point Liberty Mutual offered their policy limits of $100,000 which was denied at that point. Thereafter in April 2010, another demand was made, this time for $5.5 million dollars. The insurance company again rejected the demand and proposed mediation and plaintiff’s lawyer said no. The insurance company’s attorneys asked for more time to review documents and depose experts.

News sources indicate that the insureds had to hire their own counsel to put pressure on their insurance company Liberty Mutual. Pressure by the insurance company to resolve the case was credited with boosting the settlement value.

Continue reading "$100,000 Policy Limits Turns Into $7.2 Million Dollar Settlement For Client Due To Insurance Carrier’s Foot Dragging During Settlement Negotiations In A Personal Injury Case" »

According to a story published on July 13, 2011, recent research conducted by an independent company in the United States uncovered a number of car owners who claim that their sports cars were being used for farm use in order to save money for car insurance. Investigators revealed that owners of sports cars such as Ferrari, Porsche, and Audi registered their vehicles as farm vehicles and were benefiting from discounts up to 20% on car insurance policies. The insurance industry claims to have lost approximately $159.00 a year and has called for outside investigations to start verifying data supplied by policyholders. Obviously if the policyholder represents the car is being used as a farm vehicle, the insurance company would think there is less of a risk and that it was statistically less likely to be stolen or involved in a road traffic accident.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney for over three decades, I can say without question that insurance companies will look for any and all excuses to avoid paying claims in a delay, deny, and defend manner. I am currently involved in prosecuting a claim against an insurance company who is refusing to pay benefits due to the fact that a vehicle was registered for corporate purposes and being driven for personal business. Insurance companies continue to increasingly stonewall and low ball car accident claims and instigate fraud investigations at the drop of a hat. The advice of this experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer is to always tell the truth and make accurate representations to your insurance company when insuring your vehicle if you want to get paid if your vehicle is in a car accident.

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If you have been seriously injured in a Philadelphia car accident, it is important that you consult with a Philadelphia car accident attorney immediately. The law in Pennsylvania indicates that you may be entitled to monetary payment for your injuries, which is not limited to physical injury but may also include psychological injuries, frustration, humiliation, loss of life's pleasures and even a loss of affection and/or companionship of your spouse.

At the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily, we have been leveling the playing field for car accident victims for almost thirty years. We are experienced and dedicated Philadelphia trial lawyers with a passion for protecting injured victims' rights and we collect the monies that victims are legally entitled to.

In today's tough economic climate, insurance companies are fighting harder than ever to hold on to what they consider to be their money. We find that the insurance companies are quick to take your money when they sell you a policy, but when it comes time to collect, they will find every excuse under the sun not to pay. At Reiff & Bily, we have experienced the attempted unethical behaviors of many insurance carriers and their adjusters and we know how to combat their attempts to intimidate victims who are entitled to a full monetary recovery. Our record of success and published results speaks for itself.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, please call us for the free consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to the Pennsylvania State Police there were over 1,000 car crashes, 17 fatalities, and 348 injuries during the Thanksgiving holiday period from Wednesday to Sunday. 79 of the crashes were alcohol related. Additionally there were 41 DUI arrests, 783 citations for speeding, 7 child seat citations, 113 seat belt citations, and 670 other traffic related citations. The results indicate a significant increase in fatalities from last year to this year. Last year only 3 people were killed versus 17 killed this year and there was a 14% increase in injuries.

As a Philadelphia and Pennsylvania car accident lawyer, I am somewhat concerned due to the fact that when we are contacted by individuals who have sustained injuries in these accidents, the insurance policies were “iron age” minimal. We were recently retained by the family of an individual who sustained a coma as a result of a violent traffic accident caused by a young woman speaking on a cell phone. Unfortunately there were minimal policies on both sides and the medical bills and compensatory damages far exceed any availability of insurance coverage. Now more than ever, it is important to carry adequate insurance to protect you and your family from a catastrophic incident such as a car accident.

The Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily always offers a free, no obligation consultation for an insurance policy checkup or a free case evaluation if you or a loved one has been in a car accident. Please contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595.

As an experienced Pennsylvania car accident attorney, I am concerned about a trend among many of our clients who feel that in an effort to cut back on their expenditures take the bare minimum “iron age” era insurance policies in Pennsylvania. Thereafter when they are in an accident and their medical bills and lost wages scream way beyond the limits, they moan and groan about who is going to pay their damages.

Unfortunately, the law of Pennsylvania only requires minimum coverage in the amount of $15,000 for third party coverage and $5,000 for medicals. Obviously if one sustains a significant injury, those medical expenses will easily skyrocket past $5,000 almost quicker than it took to purchase the insurance policy. Additionally, if the individual has sustained a catastrophic injury and is unable to work and did not purchase underinsured motorist coverage then one can imagine the bills piling up with no avenue of remedy to follow.

In Philadelphia, almost 70% of the drivers have minimal coverage or no coverage at all which means that you literally put your life and assets at risk every time you drive on the streets if you are not properly insured with more than the minimum limits and you do not purchase uninsured/underinsured coverage. It is also important to recognize that one should always have full tort insurance.

As a special courtesy to all of our clients and potential clients, the experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily offer a free insurance checkup which means that we will evaluate your policy for free and make suggestions based upon our experience in handling thousands of catastrophic incidents involving a car accident. Please feel free to contact us for a free consultation toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced Pennsylvania car accident attorney, I am somewhat concerned that Pennsylvania has one of the lowest state minimum insurance requirements for car insurance in the nation. What this means is the amount of insurance necessary to keep one legal. Although Pennsylvania is a major northeastern state, I ask you to compare a small sampling of the following states by state auto insurance minimums.

Alaska................50/100/25
Arkansas.............25/50/15
Kansas................25/50/10
Maine.................50/100/25 (one of the poorest states in the country)
Minnesota............30/60/10
North Carolina.......30/60/25
Wisconsin............25/50/10

In fact, as far as I can determine, only two states have limits lower than Pennsylvania – Ohio and Oklahoma. One thing is for certain, that in this tightened economy, the minimum amount of car insurance that is necessary to be maintained in Pennsylvania (15k) is totally inadequate even if you are involved in the most minimal car accident. While there has been a lot of debate and talk from politicians about raising Pennsylvania’s state minimum insurance limits and doubling it, it seems that the insurance companies are fighting this because in this experienced car accident attorney’s opinion, they are simply getting away with murder by limiting their exposure. In the last few years many bills have passed in neighboring states including Maryland and Wisconsin which increased the minimum rates to 50/100/15. Believe it or not, minimum coverage levels can be raised with minimal cost to the policyholder.

I recommend to all my clients that they obtain much more than the minimal limits, and of course, always check full tort automobile insurance if operating a vehicle in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, I have seen all too many cases where someone is struck by an uninsured vehicle or a vehicle carrying the minimum limits, and if they had not purchased, underinsured motorist coverage then they are left to pay all of the outstanding medical bills and other financial liabilities resulting from the accident out of their own pocket. Quite frankly, this defeats the purpose of insurance. As Louis Pasteur once said chance favors the prepared mind, and anyone realistically in touch with today’s environment should contact their insurance agent and load up with proper car insurance.

The Philadelphia and Pennsylvania car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily offer a free, no obligation consultation and would be glad to give you a free insurance checkup. If you or a loved one has been involved in a Philadelphia or Pennsylvania car accident, we always a no recovery, zero fee guarantee which means we don’t get paid unless we win your case. Please contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595.

Recently a woman came into the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily after being rear-ended in a car accident where she sustained substantial injuries. The insurance company for the car that rear-ended her promptly informed our office that they were not paying the claim due to the fact that the driver operating the vehicle was allegedly a non-authorized driver and therefore not covered under the policy. Of course, further investigation by our office investigator revealed that the insurance company had not properly done their homework, and in fact, the driver was authorized, providing no basis for disclaimer.

With the help of her car accident attorneys at Reiff & Bily, the claimant fought back against the company forcing them to provide coverage that they wrongfully attempted to deny. Additionally, the company added further insult to injury by trying to low ball the value of the client’s valid claim. The insurance company, one of the nation’s largest, was laying the platform of what we consider to be a classic bad faith, double dealing scenario. The insurance company was being dishonest, non-objective, and frankly unfair in the handling of this claim. If my client had not chosen the services of an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer who has been fighting insurance companies for more than 30 years with the necessary resources to properly investigate this claim, then she would have been left at the mercy of the insurance company’s lack of integrity where they put profits ahead of integrity. Unfortunately, just as insurance companies like to point the finger at claimants for fraud, they often time are in the big bad business of committing the same offense.

If you have been in a car accident and would like a no obligation, free consultation concerning your rights, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Philadelphia car accident attorneys at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Once again the powerful insurance industry and their lobbyists are at it attempting to limit claimants’ recovery from car accidents lawsuits. Under the pending legislation passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, the lawyer for the claimant would be permitted to argue a lump sum or mathematical formula to a jury concerning how much the jury should award the injured party for pain and suffering resulting from a car accident which can include physical and emotional stress as well as humiliation, loss of lifetime employment, scarring, and disfigurement. Of course, the insurance industry argues that this legislation will increase jury verdicts and result in higher insurance rates.

Well, 30 other states of this country of ours permit attorneys to make these arguments. Yet, the insurance industry appears to be frantically lobbying against allowing the same in Pennsylvania. Of course, the monetary recommendation is optional and can be used both by defense or plaintiff’s counsel. The reality of the situation is that this bill would probably raise jury awards a little bit only in the smallest of cases but reduce awards in large cases. Once again this seems to an unconscionable attempt by the insurance industry to try to avoid paying claimants what they are rightfully owed.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer for over 30 years, I believe in the jury system and believe that it would be injurious to public welfare to have insurance companies dictate what can and cannot be argued to juries. The most important thing a car accident lawyer can do in Pennsylvania, as well as in this country, is to become an advocate of otherwise powerless citizens fighting corporate interests.

Currently Pennsylvania’s minimum required liability limits for automobile insurance is 15/30 which is a shorthand way noting that expenses caused by an accident are covered up to $15,000 for the injury of one person in an accident and $30,000 if two or more are in the accident and $5,000 for property damage from one accident. The Pennsylvania legislature is currently considering proposed legislation which would raise Pennsylvania minimums to 30/60/10 respectively. Recently, Pennsylvania ranks very low relative to other state minimum insurance requirements and as an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney since 1979, I am all too familiar with scenarios where the value of the compensatory damage or available money recovery far exceeds the minimal policy limits, placing both claimants and defendants in a precarious financial situation.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners states that the minimal levels set by states are “generally low” and that levels of coverage can be raised with minimal cost to the policyholder.

As an experienced Pennsylvania car accident attorney who has handled thousands upon thousands of car crash claims, I think it is very important to review your insurance policy and pay a minimal increased charge to have more than minimal coverage together with full tort and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. As I am fond of saying, “Chance favors the prepared man.”

If you or a loved one has been involved in a Pennsylvania car accident and would like a free no obligation consultation to explore your rights with a no recovery, no fee guarantee, please contact us at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced Philadelphia personal injury and car accident lawyer since 1979 whose law firm has handled thousands of cases, I have never before witnessed anything as extreme as what the insurance companies are manifesting by their tactics in order to deny and delay rightfully obligated legal claims.

When I first started practicing law in 1979, deals were able to be effectuated with a hand shake and a conversation with an insurance adjuster or insurance defense attorney. In those days, a hand shake and contract stood for something. When one purchased insurance with hard earned dollars, it was understood that an insurer’s main objective was to protect you. Today, in fact, many insurance companies have instituted a campaign of misinformation and will do anything possible to try to avoid payment of even the most justified claims. I have spoken to many adjusters and defense attorneys who quite frankly have misrepresented coverage issues and look for every loophole in the policy and even use language that was not set forth in the policy in an effort to wrongfully deny a claim.

In one case that I am currently handling, one of my clients purchased insurance for over 20 years with a reputable insurance company and yet when he was catastrophically injured, losing limbs, his company claimed that he never purchased the coverage that he was seeking to recover from under the policy. In fact, the company was dead wrong and we currently have filed a lawsuit taking a very aggressive stance against his insurance agent and the company seeking bad faith damages in the courts of Pennsylvania.

The misrepresentation campaign that seems to be gathering momentum among the insurance companies and their agents, servants, and employees is unconscionable and widespread. The harsh reality of the situation is that now more than ever if you are involved in a catastrophic accident, product liability case, or car accident, you need to have a fearless and well funded advocate on your side to get you the monies that you deserve.

If you have been involved in a Pennsylvania car accident, truck accident, or sustained an injury from a defective product, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers for a free no obligation consultation and always remember we offer a no fee, no recovery guarantee. For further information, you may reach us at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

This phrase was never more true than it is today in hardball personal injury litigation. If you have sustained a catastrophic injury whether it be due to a defective product, amusement park accident, swimming pool accident, defective automobile, or even for that matter a simple car accident, it has become unquestionably true that now more than ever, in view of a tight economy, corporate defendants are taking extreme measures to hide the truth resulting in a surge of unnecessary litigation.

As an experienced and practicing catastrophic injury lawyer since 1979, I am all too aware that the tort reformers, defense attorneys, and insurance companies like to blame the greedy trial lawyers for this problem. The unquestionable truth is that if a person is catastrophically injured or wrongfully killed as a result of someone else’s negligence or fault, then that person is due protection of his or her rights which is in the greatest interest of every man or woman on earth. In this age of emphasizing corporate profits over consumer welfare and safety, the lawyers at the experienced Philadelphia personal injury law firm of Reiff & Bily are calling for government regulators to pay more attention to, rather than turn a blind eye to, holding manufacturers accountable on a stringent basis for product defects.

The recent Toyota sudden acceleration debacle calls attention to the fact that while Toyota boasts that it achieves favorable safety outcomes, consumer complaints of unintended acceleration continue to grow despite ample evidence provided to the government noting the contrary. Even in a simple car accident case that was recently handled by our firm and successfully tried to verdict, we were told by a prominent defense attorney representing a prominent insurance company that he had marching orders to appeal every win by plaintiffs and eventually discourage them and their lawyers by forcing them to spend more time and money on cases.

As an experienced Philadelphia trial lawyer who grew up on the streets, I have always believed in fighting for the little guy and taking a David vs. Goliath approach to big business, fighting on behalf of my clients against big insurance companies and corporate defendants. If we continue to let corporate defendants and over-indulged insurance companies engage in this game of greed while pointing the finger at trial lawyers and injured claimants, the government will continue to side with these big business interests and the revelatory greed of the recent Wall Street debacle will continue to repeat itself in this vicious cycle.

The experienced Pennsylvania car accident and catastrophic injury law firm of Reiff & Bily has been committed to protecting consumers rights since 1979 with a successful track record. For a free no obligation consultation and to inquire about our no fee, no recovery guarantee, please contact us at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney since 1979, many times I am confronted with tragic situations where there simply is not enough insurance to pay for the injuries and resulting damages caused to a victim. However, when one buys a policy, particularly in this tight economy, insurance companies will do anything to get you to pay a premium, but after they collect the money, they fight you tooth and nail to pay a claim. If you have a minimal insurance policy on your vehicle, and by some stroke of bad luck or negligence you happen to injure another person catastrophically, then your assets could be on the line and you could be driven into personal bankruptcy. If you are struck by an individual who has minimal insurance and you did not purchase full tort or underinsured motorist coverage, you could be stuck with a lifetime of endless medical bills that could bankrupt your family.

After 31 years of experience, the cheapest car insurance almost always ends up costing more in the long run whether you are a victim of someone else’s negligence or by some stroke of bad luck you have caused an accident due to your, your child’s, or your spouse’s negligence.

If you have any concerns about your auto insurance or have been in a car accident and want to know your rights, please contact us for a free, no obligation auto insurance checkup at 1-800-421-9595.

Many times after a Pennsylvania car accident, a client will come to my office claiming that his insurance agent told him that he purchased “full coverage.” When I review the policy or contact the agent, unfortunately many times the insured has not purchased “full tort” coverage and claims that the difference between full tort and limited tort insurance coverage was not explained to him by his agent. Representation by an insurance company or agent that you are getting “full coverage” does not necessarily mean that you actually have full coverage when you are in a car accident. Many times insurance companies pay their agents a higher commission and have other incentives for selling a limited tort policy instead of a full tort policy which provides minimal coverage. Customers often purchase insurance from the agent and are told they have “full coverage” and they are many times presented with waivers that they never read listening to the insurance agent’s sales pitch claiming they are buying “full coverage” but “limited tort.”

When you purchase a limited tort policy, you give up the right to receive compensation for pain and suffering if you are injured in a car accident in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania car accidents can lead to injuries and long-term disabilities that last for months and even years and until you are in an accident, you may not recognize the pain and suffering that you will go through. People unfamiliar with limited vs. full tort threshold chose limited tort basically because the insurance agent tells them it will save them a few dollars which is really only approximately 10 to 15% on the premium or they feel that they will never be injured in an automobile accident. If you buy limited tort insurance, you sacrifice full protection for you and your family members who are covered under your insurance policy. Limited tort puts you and your family at risk in your own car but even applies when you or your children are injured as passengers in someone else’s car or as a pedestrian. Of course there are exceptions to limited tort but they are strictly interpreted against the insured. If you purchase full coverage insurance, which many people mistake as full tort coverage – beware of the consequences.

If you would like a free insurance policy review, please contact one of our experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com for a no obligation, no fee consultation.

When you purchase a policy of insurance and spend your hard earned dollars, you expect that by paying those premiums every month you should be guaranteed the necessary help when you most need it. More and more I am noting that insurance adjusters are misrepresenting coverage, as well as denying benefits based on outright falsehoods. It is unconscionable and becoming more widespread.

Recently I was retained to represent a man who was rear-ended by an intoxicated driver. My client and his passenger required extensive medical treatment and yet his own insurance company who was responsible for medical payments told him that his vehicle was not covered under the policy even though my client had a letter to his agent registering the vehicle at least six months prior to the accident and had a policy noting that the vehicle was covered. Of course my client was from a small town in upstate Pennsylvania and perhaps the insurance adjuster thought that he could take advantage of this gentleman. Unfortunately, the denial of my client’s medical benefits and property damage claim forced my client to enter into litigation due to the fact that the company by the actions of its agents, servants, or employee adjuster failed to live up to their contractual commitments to their insured. In the immediate case, the insurance adjuster tried to blame his actions on the agent and the agent, of course, pointed the finger to the insurance adjuster.

The bottom line is that no matter what type of warm and fuzzy feeling you get from insurance television commercials, trust me the insurance companies are not your friends. Truthfully, your insurance company is nothing more than a business and its relationship with you is nothing more than a business relationship and the only way they can make a profit is to keep costs down. Therefore, there is an incentive to pay you late, little, or nothing when you file a claim. In a report prepared by The American Association for Justice, a former Allstate adjuster Jo Ann Katzman reported, “We were told to lie by our supervisors. It is tough to look at people and know you are lying.” For more information, see an article by David Dietz and Darrell Preston, “The Insurance Hoax”, Bloomberg News 2007 or “The Ten Worst Insurance Companies in America” published by The American Association for Justice.

You need to be smart and savvy to deal with your insurer and you have to fight back and thwart the aggressive and abusive tactics by insurance carriers. The experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have engaged in tens of thousands of fights against insurance companies and are not afraid to put on the boxing gloves to place you on equal footing. Our record of success speaks for itself. If you or a loved one has been involved in a Pennsylvania car accident, please contact one of our experienced car accident lawyers at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer since 1979, I am astounded by the hardball unreasonableness taken by many insurance carriers if and when the claimant has a definitive and objective injury.

I recently had a discussion with an insurance adjuster regarding a client who sustained a fracture of her left foot, was treated for six months, and was casted. Believe it or not, the initial offer from the adjuster to this client was in the amount of $2,500 to $3,500 max. Not only was this offer most offensive, but it forced the client to litigate her claim. Any experienced Pennsylvania car accident lawyer would value this claim with at least a ten or twenty fold multiple

According to a recent survey conducted by a major news network, the hardball game is being played by car insurance companies with increasing frequency. This recent trend of “play hard” is a strategy adopted and imposed by two of the largest insurance companies in the country, namely State Farm and Allstate. According to a CNN poll, the results of this strategy have been extraordinarily profitable for the insurance companies, but have caused harm to consumers. When they tell you, “You are in good hands,” maybe they are only giving you part of the hand, the middle finger.

What I have learned after 31 years as a Philadelphia car accident lawyer with a very successful track record is that if you disagree with an insurance company, fight back. Don’t let a lowly insurance adjuster insult you. You only get one bite at the apple and it better be a big one. You can contact an experienced Pennsylvania car accident attorney who will take your case on a no recovery, no fee basis and pay the attorney a small percentage of the recovery. CNN spoke with Roxanne Martin of Santa Fe who sustained injuries to her back and neck on minimal impact. Allstate initially offered her a minimal settlement. Yet when she took control of her own destiny, a jury awarded her $167,000.

We recently completed a case where the initial offer was $10,000 and the case was resolved well into the six figures. The truth is that car accidents have a devastating impact on one’s life and it never makes sense to haggle with an insurance adjuster for several months. They have selfish interests to maximize profits and minimize the value of your valid claim.

Put an experienced team of lawyers on your side and place yourself on equal footing with your insurance company. If you or a loved one has been involved in a Pennsylvania auto accident, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Pennsylvania car accident lawyers at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to a recent report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the number of staged automobile accident claims has risen in recent years allegedly due to nationwide economic hardship situations. Questionable claims are up 46% from 2007 through 2009. Typically a staged car accident involves drawing an unsuspecting motorist into a collision and then filing a claim. Other examples include parties intentionally colliding with each other to file property damage and medical claims resulting in the loss of money to the insurance carriers which typically gets passed on to other drivers. One common scenario involving staged accidents many times results in fatalities or catastrophic injuries as a result of violent collisions and staged accidents. The states reported to have the most staged car accidents are Florida 3,306, New York 16,080, California 1,619, Texas 792, and Illinois 743. Prominent cities for staged accidents are New York City, Tampa, Miami, Orlando, and Houston.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer since 1979, I have no tolerance for insurance fraud or staged accidents. Consumers should visit www.nicb.org to review the site's library of valuable theft and fraud awareness information as well as examine specific brochures describing staged accident fraud.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau headquartered in Des Plaines, IL is the nation’s leading non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting, and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft. Insurance fraud is a crime to be taken seriously. Help prevent it.

Two weeks ago, I was consulted by a woman whose vehicle was rear-ended while her son was with her and thankfully she suffered no injuries. However, her vehicle sustained rear-end damage. She was advised by her BMW dealer that the cost of repairs would be approximately $2,400 and another shop wrote the estimate at close to $2,000 allowing for a supplement. The insurance adjuster for the defendant’s company evaluated that it would cost approximately $1,100 at most for the repair and wanted to use used parts. The property damage adjuster is responsible for writing the repair estimate for your vehicle after a car accident. The insurance company is liable for all property damage related to the accident. In this scenario although liability was clear, the insured attempted to settle on his own without his insurance company for a fraction of a fraction offered by his insurance company.

Simply put, if you are involved in an automobile accident through the fault of another, you are entitled to be paid full value for property damage and do not have to use used parts. You are also entitled to reasonable automobile rental charges incurred as a result of the accident, as well as the costs attributed to the accident such as towing, storage, etc. In the defend, delay, deny culture embodying the mentality of insurance companies these days, if there is a tremendous disparity between the estimates of your body shop, another shop, and what the adjuster writes, a red flag should go up. In most cases, the insurance company is trying to negotiate on an uneven playing field and if you are not injured and do not have an attorney to take your case, they are betting that you will accept the lowest fee and that they can get away with using used parts. In fact, don’t be bullied by these individuals. You can even file a small claims court complaint if the matter in question is under $10,000.00. If in fact you were seriously injured you should contact an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer as well.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with a very nice woman who was catastrophically injured as a result of a car accident. This educated woman and single mom had been attempting to negotiate her claim with her insurance company for many months and despite clear cut liability and the most catastrophic injuries, I was astounded that the defending insurance company did not immediately tender their full policy limits. Quite frankly, the limits of the insurance policy were only worth a small fraction of her actual loss based on my 31 years as an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney.

When I met this very nice woman, she was emotionally distraught and felt guilty hiring an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer. Added to the scenario was the fact that her mother and siblings made her feel like a bad person for hiring a lawyer to recover compensatory damages for her car accident. An immediate read of the situation left me to recognize that this woman would indeed be suffering from permanent injuries and was clearly entitled to significant compensatory damages. What she and her family members also failed to understand it that the insurance company’s main objective was not to protect her, but in fact to increase their profitability and their shareholders’ return by minimizing claims and payments and avoid paying even justified claims.

Obviously, the experienced insurance company adjuster knew that the company would ultimately be forced to pay their minimal policy limits and yet repeatedly failed, refused, and neglected to make an offer in good faith. The actions of the insurance company forced the unknowing claimant to hire a lawyer to enter into litigation.

My personal belief is that the action of the adjuster and the insurance company is unconscionable and may rise to bad faith. However, after over 30 years of experience, I am well aware of this wide spread situation of insurance companies trying to take advantage of situations such as this with an inexperienced player on an uneven playing field. Insurance companies are more and more failing to live up to their contractual commitments to their insured, focusing instead on their return to shareholders and their bottom line. It is important that claimants not be afraid of insurance companies and hire experienced car accident lawyers who know how to fight back and thwart aggressive and abusive tactics. You need to be on even ground when dealing with such scoundrels.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured as a result of a car accident, don’t be afraid to call one of our experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily for a free no obligation consultation. We offer a no recovery, no fee guarantee.

I recently read author Jay Feinman’s book Delay, Deny, Defend and give it a 5 star review. As an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer since 1979, I have been combating insurance companies with great success and have been well aware that an insurer’s main objective is not to protect you but to avoid paying justified claims in the name of profits. Unfortunately the tactics of an insurance company force claimants to enter into litigation to fight on even ground and thankfully, from a selfish perspective, the law firm of Reiff & Bily has been extraordinarily successful representing injured claimants who were wrongfully denied their rights by insurance companies.

Professor and expert Jay Feinman explains in detail the infuriating and systematic abuses insurance companies use to delay, deny, and defend against your claims. He explains how computer programs arbitrarily cut the settlements offered to automobile accident victims on a take it or leave it basis. He notes how claims adjusters receive cash incentives to reduce the amount paid by the insurance company on each claim. Professor Feinman shows you how to fight back, explaining how to choose a carrier that won’t take advantage of you, how to file a claim so that your provider cannot avoid paying you, and what to do when your insurer disputes your claim. He also details steps that lawmakers need to take to protect consumers and thwart aggressive and abusive tactics. As the book’s folder indicates, no matter what advertisements say, your insurance provider is not your friend or your good neighbor. You need to be smart and savvy to deal with your insurer and Delay, Deny, Defend tells you what you need to know.

I highly recommend this book.

As of this date, you should know that Philadelphia police officers are not required to respond to minor fender bender car accidents in the City of Philadelphia. This experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer predicts more chaos and increased litigation as insurance companies who do not have police reports already seem to use this lack as a reason to litigate and assess credibility of the players and parties in the accident.

Worse yet, consider the scenario where it is late at night, your car is in an accident and you are afraid to get out of the car to exchange information due to the fact that the other vehicle is loaded with gangster type characters or if you are a woman and a man is in the other car, a frightening situation may also prevail. I recently read an article by Solomon Jones in the Philadelphia Daily News who stated that “If you are among the conscientious drivers who have real insurance, you don’t want a police report.” He claims that that little piece of paper just helps the uninsured people who hit your car to get a neck brace through your insurance company and drive your rates sky-high.” I firmly disagree. If you are in a car accident that is not your fault, you have the right to recover compensatory damages not only for bodily injury but also for property damage to your vehicle and many people do not have proper coverage for damage to their auto.

In many of the cases that I have been involved with since 1979 involving car accidents where there was no police report, the insurance adjusters signaled the case with a fraud alert. They use this tactic to deny, delay and defend non-payment of otherwise valid claims. The litigation process can be costly and if the case does not have serious enough damage in terms of physical injury, you may have a difficult time finding a lawyer to accept the case and prove which party is credible.

I will be curious to observe how this situation plays out over the next few months and years.

In many of the car and truck accident cases that I have handled since 1979, I am often called by the client after the client has given a damaging or inappropriate statement to an insurance company. Many times the unknowingly injured client will give an inappropriate statement which is extraordinarily damaging to an otherwise excellent claim. One always has to remember that insurance companies are in the business of remaining extremely profitable and will fight tooth and nail when it comes time to pay out claims and will look for every excuse in the book to deny the insured what they are rightfully owed under the terms of the policy.

I recently encountered an investigator from a defendant’s insurance company who sought to bully my client and myself into giving a statement when in fact I informed him that he was not entitled to the same and we would only have one bite at the apple after deposition where my client was represented by an attorney. Although he seemed to be persistent, he finally backed down after I asked him if he would permit his client to give a statement to my company and he replied no. He told me “You can’t blame me for trying” and told me that most times he is able to charm a statement out of a claimant or otherwise unknowledgeable claimant’s attorney.

Many times insurance companies will make false promises or have you sign a document without legal representation which gives them the right to settle your claim for a fraction of its true value. We have found that on average a client who retains a knowledgeable and experienced attorney after a car accident or truck accident will likely recover multiples of the offer made to him without legal representation. I would hesitate for anyone to represent themselves without a lawyer and always remember the saying “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” Liability laws can be extremely complex and insurance company executives and their team of adjusters are experts at calculating new ways to defend, delay, or deny payment in the interest of company profitability.

As a catastrophic injury and bad faith insurance claims lawyer who has been battling insurance companies since 1979, I am very familiar with the tactics that private insurance companies use to deny, delay, and defend claims. While I hate to bring politics into my articles, the recent healthcare debate which has been examined closely indicates how many ill people are at the mercy of insurance companies. I have seen first hand many cases where sick people are told their insurance is canceled even though they received no notice or a case where somebody is on their way to surgery and their insurance is rescinded because the insurance company can get away with it and the person does not have the dollars or time to fight back. The victims in need of medical care are told “you have a pre-existing condition which is not covered” and you can’t have health insurance nor the required medical procedure or surgery.

Recently I became involved in a significant catastrophic injury case and after we placed the health insurance carrier on notice, we were told that the policy was in fact canceled prior to the accident despite the fact that my client had correspondence indicating the contrary. Frankly, had the insurance company and its adjuster been honest with the client, there would have been no need for my client to hire a lawyer and incur additional expense.

I practice law with the motto that is simply stated, “without integrity nothing stands.” The U.S. insurance companies comprise one of the most powerful industries in the world and they often commit widespread and systematically driven illegal bad faith insurance practices and schemes at the expense of their policyholders who pay hard earned dollars to purchase a policy. I have spent the last 31 years of my life handling legitimate claims with individuals that were denied by insurance companies many times in a bad faith manner and I probably have litigated against most of the major insurers in the United States. I have been witness to their abusive, deceptive, and illegal merry-go-rounds that they put their insureds and defendants on as they attempt to use the litigation process to their advantage while they collect interest on monies that remain in reserves or while successful verdicts are on appeal. It seems that the goal of many insurance companies and their lawyers is to intentionally delay and drag out cases putting off payment for as long as possible.

Since 1979, the catastrophic personal injury law firm of Reiff & Bily has successfully represented thousands of consumers by aggressively fighting against insurance companies for bad faith. We are committed to fighting insurance company abuse and understand the tactics of the insurance industry and the roadblocks that they put in the path of justice. If you need a bulldog lawyer ready to employ a hardball boxing strategy against an insurance company, please feel free to contact one of our experienced bad faith industry lawyers.

If you live in Philadelphia, which is being crippled by the recession, your auto insurance costs approximately 3 to 4 times what it would cost other cities. Philadelphians traditionally have paid more for insurance than their counterparts in Baltimore, Chicago, and Cleveland despite much higher theft rates in those other cities. So, why is insurance in Philadelphia much higher? The answer is simple. Many Philadelphians have few assets and no insurance and therefore, people involved in car accidents with an uninsured motorist have to collect from their own insurance company through their uninsured or underinsured motorist policy. The theory is that uninsured motorists and drivers cause premiums to be higher and when premiums are higher more people opt out against buying car insurance thereby creating a vicious circle.

At the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily, we are seeing more and more uninsured motorist cases coupled with bankrupt defendants who have no assets. Unfortunately, state regulatory agencies and law enforcement officials are not doing a great job enforcing mandatory insurance laws. Simply enacting a mandatory insurance law, which a majority of the states have already done, is not the same as enforcing a mandatory insurance law. Now more than ever, it is important to completely review your automobile insurance policy to make sure that you are properly covered as chance favors the prepared mind.

The experienced Philadelphia hit and run and uninsured car accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily offer a free no obligation consultation to review your policy and have represented thousands of uninsured and underinsured motorists since 1979.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney, I am normally one of the first calls made by a victim after a car accident when someone is seriously injured. As I have handled over 10,000 car accident cases since 1979, I have witnessed numerous changes in the automobile insurance and car accident laws of Pennsylvania and the in way that automobile insurance companies are doing business. Unfortunately, many of the low cost carriers will throw every obstacle in the way of an insured when it comes time to process a claim. Most times they emphasize their own profitability rather than their insureds interests.

Just last week, our office resolved a bad faith insurance case against one the nation’s major low cost carriers due to the fact that the carrier repeatedly failed, refused and neglected to pay proper attention to their insured’s cause of action and looked for every excuse in the book to delay, deny and defend against the insured’s claim at a time when their insured most needed a helping hand and coverage. Although many times the advertisements for these carriers are warm and fuzzy, it is often best to shop around and seek the opinion of someone well versed in insurance claims to determine which insurance carrier is best at handling claims.

At the experienced Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily, we offer free no obligation consultations and we would gladly open our telephones and doors to give you a free car insurance check up. If you buy an insurance policy, you expect security. Don’t fall into the no pay zone.

According to a December 4, 2009 article in the Philadelphia Legal Intelligencer, a Philadelphia judge denied Matthew J. Adamitis uninsured motorist benefits from his personal insurer, Erie Insurance Exchange, after he had an accident in a work vehicle. The judge ruled that the public policy goal of the Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law is not to protect the insured but the insurer. Adamitis argued that denying a worker underinsured motorist coverage by his private insurer when his work did not purchase UIM coverage was contrary to the public policy goals of the MVFRL. Judge Frederica A. Messiah-Jackson stated that the regular use exclusion in Adamitis’ insurance policy was not against public policy. According the judge’s opinion, “The purpose and policy of the MVFRL is not to protect employees, rather UIM functions to protect insurers against forced underwriting of unknown risks that insureds have neither disclosed nor paid to insure.”

While Judge Messiah-Jackson’s opinion is consistent with hundreds of other similar Appellate Court rules on the issue, attorneys in the case commented that it comes down on the opposite side of a ruling in an Allegheny County Common Pleas Court that was issued a month earlier. In that case, Ciminel v. Erie Insurance Exchange, Judge Timothy P. O’Reilly issued a one page Order granting a Motion for Summary Judgment ordering Erie to pay Ciminel’s UIM benefits. Judge O’Reilly wrote in that Order that he was persuaded by a 2007 Opinion out of Lackawanna County in Decker v. Nationwide Insurance Company. In that case John Decker was a police officer injured by an underinsured motorist while driving his cruiser. The attorney for the insurance company stated that it was important that the Judge in the Adamitis case found that the exclusion was both valid and enforceable. More details of this case can be found in the case of Adamitis v. Erie Insurance Exchange.

On November 30, 2009, representatives from the government of Michigan announced an automobile insurance reform proposals that would shine a spotlight on the auto industry’s unfair pricing practices and make insurance more affordable by giving the state’s insurance commission final say over rate increases, as well as the power to order refunds for consumers who were charged excessive rates. Michigan drivers pay the second highest auto insurance rates in the United States not so far behind drivers in Pennsylvania. Under the Michigan plan, all low income drivers would be required to purchase a bare bones $600 policy whereupon the government would force insurance companies to reduce their auto insurance rates. Not so surprisingly, auto industry executives claimed that such a proposal would create more law suits and cost the insurance industry jobs.

Unfortunately as we see from the hit and run car accident epidemic in Pennsylvania, many people are unable to afford insurance, causing accidents and leaving the scene fearful of legal ramifications. The excessively high rates now enforced in Pennsylvania and many states results in more motorists driving without coverage. The Michigan proposal would allow the insured to buy less medical coverage.

This Philadelphia car accident lawyer salutes the efforts of the Michigan legislature and recommends that the legislature of Pennsylvania view this proposal closely and give thought to the same in order to help improve the number of uninsured motorists driving on our roadways and help make an impact on the hit and run epidemic that is affecting our citizens.

I am currently involved in an exciting case against one of the nation’s major insurance carriers who we feel has breached their fiduciary obligation to their insured in failing to handle a claim in good faith. Since 1957 through the present, there has been a stream of cases in Pennsylvania highlighting the progression of bad faith law. 42 Pa C.S. '8371 sets forth that the term bad faith concerns the duty of good faith and fair dealing by an insurance company in the party’s contract and the manner by which an insurer discharges its obligation of defense and its obligation to pay for a loss.

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has held that while an insurer has no absolute duty to settle a claim, the insurer “must act within the utmost good faith” when handling a claim against its insured and if it does not and an excess verdict results, the insurer may be held liable. The Pennsylvania statute notes that in an accident arising under an insurance policy, if the court finds that an insurer has acted in bad faith towards the insured, the court make take all of the following actions:

1. Award interest on the amount of the claim from the date the claim was made by the insured in the amount equal to the prime rate of interest plus 3%.

2. Award punitive damages against the insurer.

3. Assess court costs and attorneys’ fees against the insurer.

Continue reading "Prosecuting Bad Faith Claims against Insurance Companies Makes Me Proud To Be a Lawyer" »

A Connecticut jury returned a $15 million dollar verdict in a class action suit brought by auto body shops against an affiliate of The Hartford Insurance Co., which was accused of unfair trade practices. The Stamford Superior Court jury found in favor of the Auto Body Association of Connecticut which has been battling the Hartford Fire Insurance Company for 6 years over appraisals and labor costs for vehicle repairs according to a story published in the Associated Press. The owner’s group stated that the insurer’s labor rates were artificially low and the company discouraged the use of independent appraisers in favor of its own appraisers in order to control all aspects of car repairs. Not so surprisingly, The Hartford states it will appeal the verdict. I am sure that many of our readers have been told by their insurance company that they must go to an insurance company “approved shop” or direct repair shop or have non-original parts used on their auto repairs.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney who is constantly battling with insurance companies on these and many other issues, I am confident that the jury spoke loud and clear. Many insurance companies disregard their customers’ best interests and try to use their “muscle” against the little guy. I tell my clients that I am a greedy lawyer, a lawyer greedy for justice. In this case, justice prevailed.

The Connecticut Attorney General joins with this unfair insurance practices lawyer in calling for more stringent laws regulating how insurance companies deal with car repairs and claims in general.

As an experienced personal injury and car accident lawyer, I am dismayed that a court in Miami by a three judge panel ruled that a person cannot sue his or her insurance company for failing to provide an explanation of benefits on a personal injury protection claim. It would seem to this experienced car accident lawyer that the insurance company owes their insured a duty and obligation to explain the benefits once they have taken payment for the policy. Local counsel for the insurance company claimed that this court’s decision would likely decrease frivolous lawsuits against insurance companies. He claimed that such lawsuits were legal tactics by plaintiff’s insurance that turned court claims for personal injuries into law suits for bad faith. Frankly, I believe that many of the policies are so ambiguous and written in such an unclear fashion to benefit the insurance carriers that this decision is poor and reveals the “muscle” that the insurance companies try to use against the interests of their insureds.

The Florida court stated that insured people cannot sue their insurance company for not providing an explanation for benefits on a medical claim and claimed that this will reduce frivolous lawsuits related to PIP auto insurance claims. It seems to this experienced car accident attorney that this decision is a step in the wrong direction in that you should always have the right to question the insurance carrier regarding the terms of the policy it has issued once they collect a premium and the courts are the only proper venue to seek proper redress once they have failed to adhere to the terms of their contract with their insured or if an ambiguity arises. The unfair insurance practice lawyers of Reiff & Bily are committed to fighting back against insurance carriers who put profitability over fair dealing.

As an experienced insurance claims lawyer who has been litigating bad faith and unfair insurance claims practice since 1979 in conjunction with our catastrophic injury law practice, I have seen that insurance companies have increasingly taken a deny, delay, defend posture with even the most valid and clearest of insurance claims. Many times this arises as a potentially nightmarish situation for the insured as they have paid their premiums and been profitably exploited by the insurance company. Unfortunately most individuals lack the experience or know-how to fight the large insurance company who believes that the insured will back down or be intimidated and settle for cents on the true dollar value of their claim.

In our unfair insurance claims practice we have noticed an increased amount of unfair practices, bad faith, and outright fraud on behalf of the insurance companies. We have been filing bad faith claims against these insurance companies claiming they are breaching their contract with their insured and it is only when these cases start to heat up that the representatives of the company at a corporate level start to pay attention.

All insurance companies owe their insured a fiduciary obligation to act in good faith.

In many cases, insurance companies have hidden relationships with third party administrators or reinsurers while engaged in a back room “fight” with the separate entities pointing the finger at each other which unfortunately comes at the expense of the insured. In many of these cases, we have been able to determine that false information was supplied to one of the hidden third parties in applications or documents whereas the insured was kept in the dark and ultimately successful in a courtroom proceeding. It is important that if you are wrongfully denied a claim by your insurance carrier or you are not offered fair value for your claim, that you fight back and never, never give up.

The unfair insurance claims practices lawyers and bad faith insurance lawyers of Reiff & Bily are committed to protecting consumers wrongfully injured by the deny, delay, defend tactics of insurance companies.

Insurance companies for a long time have put profits ahead of their insured’s best interests. It seems to this experienced bad faith insurance lawyer that claim denial rates have been increasing to the point where government regulation of the insurance industry is more critical and necessary. It would be helpful for the average consumer to know the rate at which his or her selected insurance company denies claims when purchasing the policy. Most insurance companies do not release this information and they are not required to release this information by law.

To identify the worst insurance companies for consumers I suggest that one review The American Association for Justice report entitled “The Ten Worst Insurance Companies of America.” According the AAJ report, Allstate was named the worst insurance company in America. The report claimed “There is no greater poster child for insurance industry greed than Allstate.” The report further concluded that the company publicly touts its “good hands approach” while it privately instructs agents to employ a hardball boxing glove strategy against its own policyholders.

Continue reading "Will Your Insurance Company Deny Your Claim When You Need Them Most?" »

This morning I received a call from an insurance agent of a defendant who was clearly responsible for damages to my client under his homeowner’s policy. The naive agent, a representative of one of the nation’s largest insurance carriers, questioned me on why I felt this was a valid homeowner’s claim despite the fact that I have been practicing law for over 30 years and clearly this was a valid claim. However, the agent informed me that she did not wish to report it to the carrier for some unknown reason.

Most of us are confident that when we purchase insurance for our home that the insurance carrier will be there to protect us. After all we have paid the premium and given them prompt notice of a claim as well as provided them with all the necessary paperwork and we had nothing to do with causing the loss.

Well the real answer is that in today’s age this may not always be the case. Today more than ever many of the insurance companies and their agents and adjusters are acting unfairly and in bad faith in failing to provide proper and full coverage to their insured, looking at each and every loophole in the policy in a biased way towards the insurance company. This insurance agent represented to me that the insurance company was not going to cover the loss without even consulting the company or the adjuster. Frankly, I believe that the homeowner and the insured has a cause of action against his insurance carrier for failing to deal in good faith and breaching their fiduciary obligation to protect his or her interests.

I recommend to all of my readers that they read their policies closely to make sure that they have the appropriate coverage that they think they have. Do not always count on your insurance agent or delegate the making of the claim to another person. Always be honest with your insurance carrier and never exaggerate the claim.

If you have a question regarding an insurance issue, please feel free to contact one of our experienced bad faith or insurance claim lawyers at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

The Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily want to inform their clients that there has never been a better time to get a deal on automobile insurance. Sometimes many of our clients get lazy and are hesitant to make changes. However, we are finding that when shopping for car insurance you can now get substantial savings in yearly premiums often amounting to reductions of 30 to 50%. Many automobile insurers have lowered their rates setting the stage for car drivers to shop around. With fewer cars on the road during the recession and industry competition there have been fewer accidents added to a cut back on driving due to higher gas prices and a slowing economy.

I recommend that all Pennsylvania car drivers, particularly those living in Philadelphia, obtain a Full Tort automobile insurance policy with both uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. We are offering all of our clients and potential clients a free insurance check-up.

For an appointment or to have a telephone conference contact us at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Yesterday I took one of the most frightful and disturbing taxi cab rides ever and unfortunately, it was in a cab operated by a man who not only barely spoke English but was also extraordinarily rude and offensive to my senses. The driver of this vehicle ran red lights, ignored traffic signals and then tried to charge me a fee in excess of the metered rate. The same cab driver was screaming on a cell phone while traveling at high rates of speed throughout the city and almost struck a pedestrian crossing the street.

Almost three weeks ago, I had a similar experience when taking a cab with my wife, sister-in-law and brother-in-law and it makes me believe these are not isolated incidents. As an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer since 1979, I have handled more than my share of taxi cab accident cases and personally came to recognize that some of these taxis operated by such drivers are extremely dangerous to passengers, as well as other drivers and pedestrians with whom they share the road. When a Philadelphia taxi cab is in an accident, it is only are required to maintain minimal insurance coverage. Though all Pennsylvania taxi cabs must be licensed by the Public Utility Commission in order to legally operate, they are not required to have insurance beyond a statuary minimum of $15,000.

Continue reading "Cases Of Crazy Cab Drivers In Philadelphia" »

Imagine this scenario. You have been involved in a catastrophic injury accident and an insurance company owes you money for your injuries as liability is not in dispute. Yet, the insurance company either refuses not to make an offer or offers an amount so grossly insufficient that it offends one’s conscience. The Philadelphia-based catastrophic injury and wrongful death law firm of Reiff & Bily has served residents of Pennsylvania since 1979, and has been dedicated to protecting the rights of injured victims against insurance companies when the insurance company fails to act in good faith and seeks to illegally or illegitimately evade payment on a proper claim.

Recently I became involved in a case where a client of mine was injured requiring two major surgical procedures. One of the insurance companies involved in the case immediately tendered their full policy limits. Yet my client’s own insurance company made an insufficient offer and did not even make any offer under the underinsured motorist portion of her policy with that company until a suit was filed against the company alleging “bad faith”. In fact, the victim’s own company was listed as number four of the ten worst insurance companies in America in a study by the American Association for Justice. The American Association for Justice study noted that this insurance company had gone to extreme lengths to avoid paying claims and was criticized by numerous state regulators for using misleading statistics and unfair claims practices.

Continue reading "I Have A Legitimate Claim Against An Insurance Company Yet They Repeatedly Fail, Refuse and Neglect To Resolve My Claim – Is This Bad Faith?" »

Last week three acquaintances of mine woke up and were killed in a tragic, shocking and totally unpredictable accident. I have been a practicing catastrophic injury and car accident attorney since 1979 and the one thing I have learned over and over is that most accidents are sudden and unexpected and never planned for. In times of crisis after an accident, most times people are in shock and not thinking clearly. They have a tendency to make mistakes and do the wrong thing to protect their interests.

If you or a loved one has been one of the most unfortunate people to have been involved in a serious and devastating car accident, it is important that you know what to do to protect your present and future interests, assets, and property. First and foremost, as hard as it seems, one must try to remain calm and follow these steps:

Call the police on your cell phone;
Take notes;
Take photographs;
Put yourself in a safe position to avoid further harm;
If you or a loved one cannot be moved, remain stationary until medical help arrives;
If you were in a car, please turn your hazard lights on and set out cones, flares or warning triangles if possible;
Photograph and document the accident;
File an accident report;
If you have insurance, contact your insurance company. It is important that you do not wait until after a car accident to find out that your policy does not cover certain expenses such as medical expenses, being involved with an uninsured person, funeral expenses, or lost wages.

Continue reading "If You Died Today Or Were Catastrophically Injured In A Car Accident, Who Would Take Care Of Your Family?" »

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney I was confronted with a case this past week where an individual was catastrophically injured by a driver operating a vehicle on a learner’s permit. In Pennsylvania, like many other states in the United States, one is not required to complete a driver’s education course before one can receive a learner’s permit. Teenage drivers and drivers with learning permits account for many of the car accidents resulting in catastrophic injuries and fatalities in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States each year.

Pennsylvania has a teen driving law aimed at reversing a rising increase in catastrophic injuries and fatalities related to teenage drivers. Pennsylvania has mandatory restrictions for teenagers driving a motor vehicle with a learner’s permit or a junior license prior to receiving an unrestricted license. If a driver operating the vehicle with a learner’s permit caused an injury, an experienced car accident lawyer must determine what was the actual cause of the accident and if, in fact, the operator of the vehicle on the learner’s permit was in violation of the Pennsylvania law. Most of the time, proper investigation will reveal the fault lays with the inexperienced driver on the learner’s permit and then the insurance company should pay the claim unless there was specific fraud or concealment from the insurance company on the policy covering the automobile. If in case this were found to be the fact then perhaps an uninsured motorist claim would fully exist against the victim’s own insurance company. Needless to say, automobile insurance coverage after a car accident and fully protecting the rights of injured victims requires extensive experience.

The experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have protected the rights of over 10,000 accident victims since 1979. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident, please call the experienced car accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily for a free consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

On Friday, August 14, 2009, President Obama stated that the country was being held hostage by insurance companies that deny coverage to sick people. The President explained “We are being held hostage at any given moment by health insurance companies that deny coverage, drop coverage or charge fees that people can’t afford … It’s wrong, it’s bankrupting families and bankrupting business.” Not only is there a crisis with medical insurance, there also exists a crisis with homeowners insurance, automobile insurance and other casualty insurance where the premiums remain high and policies continue to be dropped in a crisis that defies government regulation.

As an experienced insurance claims lawyer since 1979, I have written many articles concerning the uninsured and underinsured epidemic that is crippling America. My job places me daily in the boxing ring with representatives of insurance companies who publicly tout “good hands policy” approaches, yet employ boxing glove strategy and continue to deny, defend and delay payment of claims.

Continue reading "President Obama States What This Experienced Insurance Claims Lawyer Has Known For A Long Time – That The Insurance Companies Are Holding Americans Hostage" »

I have recently written about the uninsured and underinsured motorist epidemic that is hitting Philadelphia, as well as other major cities across the United States due to the recession and tightened economy. More than ever, it is important to maintain full automobile insurance including underinsured and uninsured motorist options. Believe it or not, car insurance is now cheaper than ever since there is so much competition. I recently renewed my own automobile insurance and found that rates had actually dropped significantly from last year.

When purchasing automobile insurance, it pays to seek bids from competitors and then perhaps consider a higher deductible. You can probably save at least 10% by choosing a $500 deductible instead of a $250 deductible on your insurance. Move that up even more and you will save another 10%. I am a believer that one should always insure for potential catastrophic injury or fatality as chance favors the prepared mind. Automobile insurance is not as expensive as one may think and it is important that one have full insurance coverage in today’s climate as unfortunately, I have too often seen too many cases where people were not fully prepared for a car accident that destroyed their future. To quote the Boy Scouts of American motto: “Always be prepared.” There probably has never been a better climate to get a good deal on car insurance.

If you would like a free automobile insurance checkup, please contact one of the experienced car accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to insurance industry sources, many Pennsylvania motorists and particularly Philadelphians are cutting back on their auto insurance deductibles or coverage in order to save money in this tanking economy. More and more in our Philadelphia car accident law practice, we see cases of catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths involving uninsured, underinsured and hit and run drivers. While many people attempt to cut their expenses by reducing or dropping their insurance, this is a high risk gamble in today’s climate. The potential risk of financial disaster is far greater than the reward of minimal savings that these individuals will accrue.

As an experienced car accident lawyer dealing with tragic consequences of life in which people think that “this will never happen to me,” I am often confronted with situations where the major wage earner in the family is killed or catastrophically injured to the point where the entire financial and emotional survival of the family is at risk. Hit and run accidents in Philadelphia have reached epidemic or even pandemic levels and there seems not to be a day that goes by where we do not read about these in the newspapers or hear about them on the radio and television.

Money you save by dropping uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage from your insurance policy most likely will end up costing you much more in the long term if an accident should occur.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a car accident, please contact one of our experienced car accident lawyers for a free consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online www.reiffandbily.com.

With uninsured and underinsured motorist cases on the rise due to our poor economy, I receive calls from clients who have contacted their insurance companies and are actually dissuaded by their agents from making claims against their company. They are often told erroneously that their rates will rise if they take the chance of reporting the very claim for which they purchased insurance to protect them. What the insurance agent often fails to tell their customer is that their rates will not be affected if the accident is not their fault. Additionally, many agents have a selfish interest for not having a claim made by one of their customers. Insurance agents have “loss ratio percentages” that can lower their commissions. So, in fact, they are paid incentives by the company to discourage claims as much as they can. Actually, many clients or potential clients are wrongfully scared to death by the actions of their insurance company and their agents who were anxious to take payment of the premium in the first place.

If you were involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist, you deserve an unbiased opinion as to how best to protect your rights. Do not get caught in the “delay, defend and deny claims at any cost” war with the insurance companies or their agents.

The experienced car accident lawyers at the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily have been successfully fighting insurance companies since 1979. For a free no obligation consultation, please contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595.

In an effort to keep our readers updated, the Philadelphia car accident attorneys of Reiff & Bily wish to call attention to the fact that now may be a better time than ever to purchase automobile insurance in Pennsylvania. An insurance.com, Insurance Rate Watch survey indicated that on average annual automobile insurance rates fell in March by $103 to $1872 a year, a welcome decrease from rates in October. The March Rate Watch data noted that automobile insurance rates dropped in 19 states. This decline represented a continued shift in the insurance cycle. As a casual observer and someone intimately involved in the business of representing car accident victims, I have noticed on television lately that a rate war seems to be existing between many insurance carriers, most notably 21st Century (the named successor to AIG). 21st Century has seemingly taken a very aggressive approach to marketing and selling automobile insurance.

I have also started to notice the presence online, most notably at shopathome.com, for discounts and coupons applicable to the purchase of automobile insurance. The availability of lower rates is causing many consumers to shop for new auto insurance policies forcing the insurance companies to be more competitive. I have found that when you shop for car insurance rather than renew your current policy, it is almost certain that your new rates would be lower on average than the old rates you were quoted by your present carrier.

Continue reading "Philadelphia Car Accident Attorney Jeffrey Reiff Notes That The Economic Downturn Creates A Buying Opportunity For Car Insurance At Decreasing Rates" »

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?" »

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" »

Philadelphia car accident attorney, Jeffrey Reiff, of the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff & Bily warns Pennsylvania drivers that an insurance research group forecasts that the fallout from the recession would lead to an increase in the number of motorists driving uninsured to more than 1 in 6 nationally by next year. Unfortunately, in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania we are seeing a higher number of uninsured and underinsured motorists due to recessionary fallout.

A report from the Pennsylvania based research council on Wednesday, January 1, a not for profit group funded by the insurance industry, stated that a percentage of uninsured motorist usually rises with the unemployment rate and it expected that 16.1% of motorists would be uninsured next year, the highest rate since 1980's and up from 13.8% in 2007. The national unemployment rate was 7.2% last month, up from 4.9% a year earlier.

Based upon our own Reiff & Bily car accident research and findings, we are seeing an extraordinary increase in the number of uninsured drivers, as well as individuals selecting limited tort coverage instead of full tort. The increase in the number of uninsured motorists is an unfortunate consequence of the economic downturn and hence, we urge anyone reading this blog to contact us for a free insurance checkup and strongly suggest that you consider the purchase of uninsured motorist automobile insurance if you wish to be fully protected in these uncertain times.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, please contact the experienced Philadelphia car accident attorneys at Reiff & Bily for a free consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As you may or may not be aware, the insurance companies keep an eye on every claim you have made in the past with regard to homeowners, workmen’s compensation and auto insurance policies. There are two major property claim databases, The Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) and The Automated Property Loss Underwriting System (A-PLUS).

Continue reading "Don’t Lie To Your Lawyer About Prior Claims" »

As we are living in a recessionary period and people are scared and looking at how to save money, it is important to recognize the necessity of having automobile insurance in Pennsylvania. If you are driving a car, it is necessary to have insurance or you are breaking the law. It is illegal to drive a vehicle without insurance. If you are stopped by the police or involved in an automobile accident and you do not have mandatory automobile insurance in Pennsylvania, you can be ticketed, fined or put in jail. Further, your car may be seized or impounded. The impound fees often cost more than the cost of an average auto insurance payment. The minimum amount required under Pennsylvania law for liability automobile insurance (which is mandatory) is $15,000 per individual and $30,000 per accident, typically known as 15/30.

Continue reading "Philadelphia Car Accident Attorney Warns: Do Not Let Your Automobile Insurance Lapse to Cut Costs in Recessionary Times" »