Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

As a Philadelphia car accident attorney who has been prosecuting hit and run cases for over three decades, I have long called for tougher laws applicable to hit and run offenders. I have also called for more stringent enforcement of these laws. Without teeth, the current or new hit and run offender laws are meaningless.

Soon Pennsylvania hit and run drivers will face up to 10 years in prison for fatal hit and run accidents, up three years from the current seven year maximum. Additionally, while there is no change to the minimum sentence of one year in prison, the crime has been upgraded from a third degree offense to a second degree felony. The new hit and run law will take effect on September 4, 2012.

There is almost not a week that goes by that the experienced Philadelphia hit and run accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily are not contacted by a victim or their family who has sustained a catastrophic injury or even worse, death, as the result of an irresponsible hit and run driver and hit and run accident. Lives are often permanently altered by the actions and non-actions of these irresponsible and cowardly individuals who leave the scene of an accident.

Continue reading "Will Stiffer Penalties for Hit and Run Drivers in Pennsylvania Really Make a Difference?" »

It seems that more and more drivers in the City of Philadelphia as well as surrounding counties are morally bankrupt when they drive off from accidents where children and others are catastrophically injured or suffer a wrongful death. For over three and a half decades, I have been representing car accident victims, and unfortunately more and more of these cases that I investigate involves uninsured, underinsured and hit and run type of car accidents.

People leave the scene of a hit and run accident for a good reason, and most likely because they are drunk or under the influence of an intoxicating substance, or worse yet are afraid of the penalties because they are driving a car without insurance. It is a situation that reveals a shameful lack of humanity and morality and the penalties should be them same or stricter to those for aggravated assault or homicide calling for imprisonment. Most people know that there are loopholes that favor hit and run drivers who leave the scene when they are under the influence of alcohol. When I deal with victims and the families of victims whose loved one remains in a coma or has been killed as a result of a hit and run driver, I am astounded that we do not have any mandatory strict minimum laws punishing those who leave accident scenes.

On my way home from work, I have the occasion to pass through the intersection of Broad and Vine Streets on a daily basis. On 12:01 on Monday, October 3, 2011, Philadelphia will activate the newest red light cameras at this busy intersection. Philadelphia now has 20 high risk for car accident intersections equipped with devices and cameras to catch red light runners. So far Philadelphia is the only city in the state of Pennsylvania to have these intersectional red light cameras although recent legislation has been introduced to expand the program to other Pennsylvania cities. Red light cameras have been in effect in many other American cities and a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that red light cameras at intersections have caused a major drop in fatal red light running car crashes and other types of intersectional accidents.

If you are injured in an intersectional car accident by another driver who has run a red light, the experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily has over three decades of experience holding those negligent motorists accountable so that you are fully compensated for your losses, pain and suffering, and medical bills. Our skilled Philadelphia car accident attorneys have been awarded in the hundreds of millions of dollars representing victims and their families catastrophically injured or wrongfully killed as a result of a motor vehicle related accident.

The Philadelphia car accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have been representing catastrophically injured victims and their families for over three decades. 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.