Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

In the course of my legal practice as a Pennsylvania catastrophic injury and defective trailer law since 1979, I have met many unsung heroes whose lifetime work has had a significant impact on saving the lives of others. Ron Melancon is one of those individuals. In May of 2003, Ron was driving his minivan and noticed a pickup truck pulling a trailer in front of him. When the truck pulling a trailer stopped, Ron attempted to stop but unfortunately hit the trailer. Unfortunately the trailer was made of a transparent large steel mesh and for a driver behind the trailer, there was nothing to indicate its length or depth. Its brake lights were hard to visualize to the driver behind. Thank goodness no one was hurt and the damage to Ron’s car was minimal. But over and over in his mind, Ron Melancon tried to figure out how he missed seeing the trailer and how he could improve the safety of trailers that accidents such as this and more catastrophic accidents involving trailer did not occur. Ron Melancon then began a crusade to inform the public about the safety factors of trailers. Against the advice of all friends and on his own nickel, Ron decided not to get his van fixed and use the money that he saved by not repairing his van to start a campaign and call the public’s attention to trailer safety. During his initial hours of research Ron Melancon discovered a few details concerning trailers:

1. They do not need to be inspected.

2. You can build one on your own and use it or sell it.

3. If they are under 3,000 lbs., they fall below federal guidelines and if trailers are over 3,000 lbs. reflectors only need be placed at the extreme rear of the trailer.

In the beginning, no one wanted to hear Ron’s story. He was repeatedly told “You hit him in the rear, pay your fine and move on”. Ron took an online safe driving course to avoid a conviction for causing a car accident by following too closely, but he did not stop there. He then spoke to General Assembly delegate John S. Reid, who gave him the opportunity to vent and agreed to sponsor a Bill that would make trailers used to haul landscape equipment more visible. The law passed with 100% of the House of Delegates and the Senate and you would think that would be enough, but a company called Carry On Trailers decided to fight the law. Jackie Robinson once stated that “a life isn’t significant except for its impact on other’s lives.” Somewhere out there there is a unique place for all of us to help others and a unique role for us to fill that only we can fill if we are dedicated. Ron Melancon created a website entitled www.dangeroustrailers.org which I urge all of you to visit and support. Ron works 7 days a week, seemingly 24 hours a day, to make sure that the public is aware of the dangers of trailers and their defects. He has taken his efforts to legislators around the country, trailer manufacturers, as well as the consumers. It is important to add that Ron performs all of his duty and efforts at a significant financial loss to himself without any public or private support. When people such as Ron serve the public, life is no longer meaningless, and while some dubious readers may question Ron’s dedication, I salute Ron Melancon and believe that in helping others, we shall help ourselves. For whatever good we give out will complete the circle of life and come back to us, and that such given of the whole heart and freeful mind is the most beautiful thing that a person can do.

Trailer detachments are becoming more regular occurrences in Pennsylvania and nationwide. This experienced Philadelphia car accident and defective trailer accident lawyer calls for more Pennsylvania Commonwealth and national regulation with teeth. In the latest event which occurred on March 14, 2010, state police in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania reported that a trailer came loose from a passing pickup truck, striking an artist who was carving a wooden sculpture. The 46-year old Pennsylvania artist was using a chainsaw and wearing heavy ear protection when the trailer broke free from the passing truck striking him. Pennsylvania police state that the truck hit a divot in the road and the trailer detached hitting the artist. The force of the detached trailer striking the Pennsylvania artist was so great that he was pinned against a building and died of massive injuries later at the hospital. The investigators are attempting to determine if the trailer was properly attached to the truck.

The family of 46-year old John Metzler, the victim, would be well advised to seek the services of an experienced defective trailer and Pennsylvania car accident lawyer to fully investigate the facts of this case to determine who may be liable for his injuries.

Several factors are known to cause trailer accidents - operator behavior, mechanical failure, design defects or limitations, uninspected damages, improper repairs, metallurgical component failures, improper operation, improper training, improper maintenance procedure, lack of safety harnesses and/or chains, failure of safety lock, failure of hitch, improper height or weight restrictions, corrosion of parts, improper assembly, overloading the trailer, abrupt start and stopping, and violation of applicable state codes.

There is no federal law or national agency administrating trailer defect accidents. There are no known general or uniform reporting requirements and the trailer industry is highly unregulated. There are important questions that must be answered and explored demanding a team of experienced defective trailer investigators and experts to determine how and why the accident occurred. It is important to bring wrongdoers to justice and to make sure victims are fully compensated for resulting injuries.

For more information regarding dangerous trailers, please visit consumer advocate Ron Melancon's website www.dangeroustrailers.org.

As an experienced defective trailer and car accident lawyer, I am seeing more and more cases of defective or unhitched trailers resulting in catastrophic injuries and death to innocent victims.

Recently a story came over the wires on March 10, 2010 whereupon a Michigan man’s trailer became unhooked and killed an oncoming driver. The man pleaded no contest to negligent homicide. According to the news story, Thomas Dells was driving a van when his trailer came loose, flew over a westbound vehicle and hit the next car’s windshield. The crash killed 46-year-old Tony Lynn Hall, as well as causing substantial and catastrophic injuries to her passenger. The police investigation revealed that the steel pin that held the ball mount to the van’s hitch somehow became loose, allowing the trailer to break free. The trailer was hauling salvage metal. The documents reviewed indicate that Dells did not use safety chains on his trailer.

Our thoughts, hearts, and prayers go out to the unfortunate victims of this tragic accident and they would be well served to seek the services of a lawyer experienced in defective trailer and trailer defect claims to ensure that their legal rights are protected to the maximum extent available by law.

I recently reviewed a story relating to two of the nation’s and Philadelphia’s most epidemic problems, namely hit and run accidents and defective trailers. According to news sources, an individual who was operating a Toyota Forerunner northbound on a highway when a triple axle utility trailer he was towing broke free crossing the median, glancing off another vehicle, and then striking another vehicle head on pinning two women inside who had to be cut from the vehicle by the Jaws of Life. The victims were age 63 and 88 and sustained catastrophic injuries including multiple broken bones and permanent scarring.

The driver of the vehicle towing the triple axle utility trailer which broke free “ran” from the scene in his vehicle. When he was apprehended by the police, the hit and run driver stated “it was a true accident” and he had been working two jobs in order to survive. This situation highlights something I have been writing about for months if not years, namely that as the economy continues to worsen more and more people are going without car insurance or are minimally insured and flee the scene of accidents in fear rather than stay to render assistance and exchange information required by law.

Additionally since the trailer industry and towing of trailers is so unregulated, stricter government or state regulations are necessary due to the frequency or epidemic nature of these incidents resulting in catastrophic injuries or fatalities.

The experienced Philadelphia hit and run car accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily are well versed in both of these areas and are committed to promoting motorist safety and once again call for stricter regulation on both of these fronts.

If you or a loved one was injured by a hit and run car accident or a defective trailer accident, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Philadelphia hit and run and defective trailer accident lawyers for a free no obligation consultation.