Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Since 2008 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the rest of the country has been in the grip of a painful recession and the citizens of Philadelphia and other parts of the state appear to be hit the hardest as the rate of uninsured and underinsured motorists continues to skyrocket. Unemployment is standing greater than 10% and blame game continues to be the hidden elephant in the room, namely that people cannot afford insurance coverage. As rates continue to climb and more and more people are unemployed or are in a “no pay” raise environment, the stage is set for financial disaster if you are not properly insured. More and more our office is dealing with catastrophic injury cases or wrongful death cases where there just is not enough insurance or asset coverage to pay the proper value of the claim and people are left unprepared, thrusting them into a greater state of financial distress. Now more than ever, it is important to have full tort with uninsured and underinsured automobile insurance with the maximum amount you can afford.

Our firm is offering a free car insurance checkup to any Pennsylvania citizen with no obligation. The Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff and Bily is committed to consumer and motorist safety. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured vehicle or the victim of a hit and run accident, please contact one of our experienced Philadelphia car accident attorneys for a free, no obligation consultation to make sure that your rights are protected.

A recent study noted that the trend of driving without insurance coverage is growing. The increase in the number of uninsured motorists is an unfortunate consequence of the economic downturn according to Elizabeth A. Sprinkle, Senior Vice President of The Insurance Research Council. If you are operating a vehicle without an auto insurance policy in Pennsylvania, penalties are expected to get harsher. Currently the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation suspends a vehicle’s registration for failure to maintain coverage and if a motorist is caught driving without proof of a policy, the individual can have his or her license suspended. But worse yet if a motorist causes injuries to self or others during an accident, he or she would have to bear the expenses for the property damage and bodily injuries, potentially forcing the motorist to file for bankruptcy. Right now insurance rates seem to be lower than ever and it is highly recommended that all motorists in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have automobile insurance. I emphasize that one should purchase a Full Tort automobile insurance policy with uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to fully protect your family and financial interests.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, please contact one of our experienced car accident attorneys for a free consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

A few years ago, certain interests in the powerful insurance industry requested that the Insurance Commissioner of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania eliminate the inclusion in automobile insurance polices of mandatory arbitration for uninsured and underinsured motorist claims. In the past, if the claimant could not agree as to the fair value of his claim with his or her insurance company then the case would proceed to a mandatory arbitration whereupon the insured would select an arbitrator, the insurance company would select an arbitrator and a neutral would be selected by the two arbitrators and if a neutral could not be agreed upon then the neutral arbitrator would be appointed by the Court upon the filing of a motion by the plaintiffs’ attorney. Insurance companies claimed that this process was unfair and even went so far as to suggest that it was corrupt and therefore changed the policy language in Pennsylvania insurance policies.

This experienced Philadelphia uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance attorney argues that the limitation of mandatory arbitration is resulting in voluminous numbers of uninsured and underinsured claims clogging up the Court of Common Pleas and Federal Courts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and resulting in an unnecessary expense to taxpayers and in fact, costing litigants more in litigation costs rather than proceeding through a less formal process of mandatory arbitration.

Continue reading "The Elimination In Pennsylvania Automobile Insurance Policies Of Mandatory Arbitration For Uninsured And Underinsured Motorist Claims – What Does This Mean? – An Experienced Lawyer Speaks Out" »

Unfortunately in today’s recessionary environment many people are taking the option to drive a motor vehicle uninsured or minimally insured (underinsured). The car accident driver who does not have enough insurance but has significant personal assets puts those personal assets at risk if he does not have enough insurance.

In August of 2009, I wrote a blog noting that the uninsured and underinsured motorist epidemic is becoming pandemic in Philadelphia and other major cities in the United States. Now more than ever, it is important to have full insurance coverage in order to make certain that you are not a victim in an accident involving a minimally insured (underinsured) or uninsured person. If you were in a car accident with an underinsured or uninsured motorist, it is important that you seek an experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyer who will prosecute your claim with the “pedal to the metal.” Your life may be affected forever and one should never, never, never give up.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a car accident, please contact one of our experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney practicing since 1979, I can honestly state that I have never seen the state of affairs with regard to underinsured and uninsured motorist car accident cases as bad as it is now. As the economy continues to worsen, cash strapped individuals and families are increasingly modifying their insurance or going without the same. Many insurance agents tell me that business is just plain awful as people are not renewing their policies and letting them lapse. Ironically, by failing to maintain proper automobile insurance or property insurance, the cash strapped consumer increasingly risks their family’s financial well-being in what they seek as a short term cost cutting measure.

I am currently involved in a case where a client sustained catastrophic injuries as a result of being involved in an accident with an individual who had only the most minimal coverage. Unfortunately a complete assets check determined that the defendant had no assets available to pay the present and future medical claims of my client as well as properly compensating her for the fair value of her injuries.

Continue reading "Uninsured Motorist Epidemic Is Becoming Pandemic" »

According to a recent story I read results from a 2009 GMAC Insurance national driver’s test found that roughly 41,000,0000 licensed American drivers cannot pass a written driver’s test exam if taken today. While Ohio, Idaho and Wisconsin are the most knowledgeable drivers, Pennsylvania scored number 16 on the worst drivers in America. The finding is quite significant and alarming due to the fact that many licensed Americans continue to lack knowledge of the rules of the road, added to the fact that many accidents are occurring involving uninsured motorists/ drivers. Make sure that your automobile insurance policy properly protects you in the event you are a victim of a car accident.

For a free insurance check-up, please contact the experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Typically when we think of summertime, we think of perfect weather, sunshine, , relaxation, gin and tonics, picnics, days at the pool or beach and nothing but smiles. Unfortunately after Memorial Day weekend, the highways are more crowded as people flock to their beaches, picnics and social gatherings which also may be accompanied by increased drinking and other social libations that do not mix well with driving. Additionally with summertime comes bar and drinking season which is in full swing as people let loose after work and on weekends at outdoor cafes, night clubs and other social gatherings as they recover from the months of winter hibernation. Not so surprisingly, summertime is usually the time that sees the highest number of catastrophic injuries and fatalities as a result of car accidents, as well as motorcycle accidents. When driving on the highways in the summer, it is important to note that many asphalt roads and highways have an oil residue on their surface or beneath their surface which rises with increased heat from the sunshine. When it rains and the water contacts this oil residue, a very slippery surface is formed and if it has not rained in a long time, there is more oil on the road for the water to contend with creating a very unsafe oil/water reaction which also leads to hydroplaning and loss of vehicle control.

Continue reading "Summertime In Pennsylvania Brings More Crowded Highways And Also More Accidents" »

In an effort to keep our readers updated, the Philadelphia car accident attorneys of Reiff and 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" »

With the recent and growing economic downturn, many Americans, particularly those in Philadelphia and in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, have taken steps to reduce expenditures and it appears that one of the first areas being cut is automobile insurance. I find that many people have increased their insurance deductibles as well as selected lower coverage points and many motorists have opted not to purchase uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage often resulting in disastrous consequences for otherwise innocent and unsuspecting victims.

I had a situation with a client yesterday who sustained catastrophic injuries with the proper estimation of her case valued in excess of $1 million dollars. Unfortunately, the wrongdoer had minimal assets and our client had erroneously selected not to purchase uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage which would have paid her the full value of her claim in the appropriate forum. Obviously, this client was unhappy with her insurance agent and her attorney and could not believe that she was in this situation due to her own choice. Unfortunately, we find ourselves dealing with this scenario with increasing frequency.

A recent study has revealed that at least 16% of those with one vehicle households reported canceling or not renewing coverage for a vehicle in response to the economic downturn. Additionally, almost one third of those canceling automobile insurance coverage also reported selling their vehicles as a way to save money and an additional 14% of renters declined insurance coverage.

Continue reading "The Rate of Uninsured Motorists Is Increasing At An Alarming Rate In Philadelphia and Pennsylvania" »