Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

All personal injury cases involve unexpected encounters with others which goes the wrong way whether it be a car accident, slip and fall accident, or a product liability claim. As a personal injury accident lawyer who has represented thousands of clients for more then three decades I understand what it is to walk in the client’s shoes.

Many clients have come to my law firm after a frustrating experience with another lawyer who did not communicate in a timely or responsible manner with the client or victim’s family members after they had already been burdened by the financial and emotional pressures of a tragic accident. After the initial meeting, the smiling lawyer dropped off of the “communications map". When a personal injury lawyer is retained to represent a victim and their family after a catastrophic injury or wrongful death has occurred, it is perhaps one of the most important relationships that will ever be formed between individuals who may not have ever known each other before. It is important that the lawyer and the client communicate and make all major decisions together and have open conversations in a civil professional and cordial fashion. Litigation breeds anxiety in clients. It is important that the attorney communicate realistic ideas about the value of the client’s case and their prospects of success clearly and candidly.

The experienced catastrophic injury and wrongful death lawyers of Reiff & Bily have been litigating legal claims on behalf of injured clients involving medical malpractice, amusement park liability, defective products, and premise liability since 1979 and we always try to carefully explain the elements and issues of each case to all potential clients as well as explaining our burden of proof. As each case is unique, it is impossible to determine the value of a case in the initial stages, and past results do not necessarily guarantee similar results in a similar case. When something bad happens to a client, it is human nature to want to hear good news. However, one must be honest and candid with the client for the client to understand that our civil justice system is based upon concepts of fairness and reasonable restitution. Many clients mistakenly think that because they were in an accident, they are guaranteed a retirement check. This is not always the case.

When you go to a fine and experienced lawyer, it is analogous to going to a tailor to have a suit custom made. Every situation will be different and the experienced lawyer like the experienced tailor knows how to fit the unique facts of the situation in a custom and individual fashion in order to maximize the result. Years of experience not only benefits the client but also serves as an advantage when dealing or negotiating with insurance companies and defense attorneys who understand the character traits and integrity standards maintained by a particular lawyer or law firm.



Continue reading " Why It Pays To Hire An Injury or Accident Lawyer With Decades Of Experience and Who Has Had His Own Injury Claim – No Substitute For Experience and Empathy " »

In today’s economic and polarized political climate, trial lawyers and jury experts have to keep their eyes and ears open for rogue jurors who report for jury duty with a stealth agenda. Many times during voir dire or the jury selection process, a skilled rogue juror will answer preliminary questions correctly to insure their place on the jury. Lawyers are typically provided with details during the jury selection process such as the name, age, and type of work performed by the juror. Obviously each of the lawyers will try to select jurors who will view their position of the case in a more favorable light. Recent jury research has indicated that close to 20% of all potential jurors that report for jury duty have a biased mindset and will actually seek out jury service as a way to stealthily affect the system according to their own political viewpoint.

A skilled trial lawyer will utilize skills learned over decades to try to root out biased or rogue jurors. However, many jurors simply do not tell the truth during the selection process. Many jury prospects are intimidated by the selection process and are hesitant to reveal personal information.

In this difficult economic and political climate, our experienced Philadelphia trial lawyers and colleagues must deal with pre-loaded conceptions and biases which perspective jurors bring to the courthouse. Additionally, the availability of a blackberry and other texting devices add an additional factor to the stew. In a pure system, a juror should be neutral and decide a case based upon reality depending upon the facts presented by each of the skilled trial lawyers. Since jurors very rarely witness an incident, their reality is skewed by the biases and pre-loaded perceptions that they bring into a courtroom.

I frequently tell my clients that when they go into a courtroom, they get one bite at the apple and it is important that the plaintiff’s attorney carefully screen and evaluate each juror who believe that many cases are frivolous and that plaintiffs are just looking to gold brick their way through life with excessive verdicts. We all have our own inherent biases and I believe that it is best to admit the same to jurors upon the jury selection process and try to get them to open up. We all understand that our perceptions is our reality. As a trial lawyer, I understand that each individual has their own perception of the reality of the situation and a skilled and experienced trial lawyer must successfully communicate an understandable perception of reality in a convincing way to each of the jurors.

Since 1979, the skilled and experienced Philadelphia trial lawyers of Reiff & Bily have litigated many jury trials and work with the finest jury consultants locally and around the nation to develop an understanding of juror prejudices and biases. The rogue juror can take a perfectly excellent case and derail it, and a good and experienced trial lawyer must be constantly aware of the same.

In mid-August 2011, a portion of the mast of Sea Dragon amusement ride at Morey’s Pier in Wildwood, New Jersey fell onto riders in yet another amusement park accident. Although the mast performed no mechanical or structural function, and was utilized solely as decoration, a danger was obviously presented to thrill seeking riders of the amusement attraction. According to the preliminary report issued by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Division and Carnival Amusement Ride Safety, the mast falling was caused by the failure of parent steel that connected the lower and top portions of the mast. The mast is constructed of two pieces of piping/tubing. The top of the mast was constructed with thin wall tubing while the lower portion was constructed of the heavier wall material, the report states that pieces were welded together about halfway up the height of the mast. The top half of the mast, the piece that fell, was sitting on top of the lower half and was welded with a filet weld to the plate. There was significant corrosion on the interior of both the thin walled section of the mast, as well as the plate that was used as a means to connect the lower and upper portion of the mast, the State concluded. “When the material above the weld failed, there was no secondary support to keep the mast from separating and fell". The broken mast fell upon riders injuring 5 and the State has now only allowed similar rides to operate if the mast is removed.

As an experienced amusement park accident attorney who has handled a number of claims at seashore amusement park and resorts and an experienced sailor who has spent a great deal of time in salt water and ocean environments, I have always expressed concern for metallurgical failure and corrosion in salt air when the natural seaside environment elements comes into contact with metal.

I am concerned that many seashore amusement parks fail to properly inspect and train employees often placing profitability ahead of safety. Our experienced amusement park accident attorneys have investigated and successfully handled a number of claims in amusement and product failure, metallurgical failures due to corrosion, defective product design, and/or inadequate training and maintenance procedures. Safety should always be priority number one when it comes to thrill seekers who come to amusement parks.

The experienced amusement accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have received top accolades for over three decades of representing catastrophically injured victims and their families who have been wrongful killed as a result of the negligence of others or defective product design or maintenance.

Recently we have joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm and together our attorneys have been awarded over $2 billion dollars since the mid-1950's. 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.

For over a decade and a half, an online database that anonymously tracked physician health records of malpractice, medical errors, and medical discipline was available online to researchers and policymakers, as well as others seeking access to this information.

As an experienced Pennsylvania medical malpractice and defective product attorney who has spent decades litigating these claims, I believe that the reporting of medical malpractice errors and healthcare should become transparent and available to those citizens who take the time to perform independent research in order to become more informed about making an important decision. Loss of access to this information presents a problem to patient safety experts, researchers, and public policy analysts who identify important trends and problems involving delivery of healthcare by physicians.

As an experienced Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney, I believe patient safety and research should always be a priority and that consumers should always have the ability to perform research in order to make an informed decision. Additionally, the removal of this information makes it difficult to make informed public policy decisions concerning malpractice, or to perform peer review on medical licensing. I can think of no good reason to not make this information available.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, please contact one of our experienced Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation. We have been representing catastrophically injured victims and their families for over three decades. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

The Social Security and Supplemental Income Disability Programs are federal programs providing assistance to people with disabilities. Many times our clients sustain catastrophic injuries and are not able to work. The Social Security Administration has strict definitions of disability and an unskilled victim without legal assistance has a greater chance of being denied benefits if they are not represented by an experienced disability attorney skilled in handling social security disability cases. Of course, anyone can file for social security disability. However winning is not so easy unless you have the experience and understand the pitfalls and mistakes that can be made in the claim filing process.

Most experienced disability and social security disability lawyers will not charge a fee unless there is a successful recovery of benefits, and in fact, most times the fee is a minimal amount not exceeding 25% of whatever the total back payment a claimant receives. It never makes good sense to go to a social security disability hearing unrepresented by skilled and experienced social security disability attorneys.

If you believe that you may be entitled to social security disability, please contact one of the catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and disability recovery lawyers of Reiff & Bily for a free, no obligation consultation at 1800-421-9595, or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Recently a client presented to our office after she discovered that the place of her employment had a camera installed (without notice) in a toilet stall that she was using. In a similar case, according to news sources a Virginia family is suing Starbucks over a hidden camera positioned under the sink and pointed at the toilet in a unisex bathroom in Washington, DC. In both cases, it was determined that the camera was on and recording digital images. According to news sources, this was not the first time a camera was found hidden inside a Starbucks restroom. Recently several Pennsylvania businesses were noted to have secret cameras hidden in bathrooms filming employees or other business visitors.

As an experienced catastrophic injury and sexual abuse attorney for over 32 years, it is clear that placing hidden cameras in a bathroom without notice is a complete invasion of privacy and would be considered an abuse beyond the expected normal use and privacy boundaries of a surveillance camera giving rise to legal action for damages.

In general, it is illegal for a business owner or operator to obtain video surveillance in a place of expected privacy. The same constitutes a violation of specific privacy laws. Each state’s law is different with regard to the prohibition of unauthorized installation of security cameras in specific locations. In Pennsylvania, you are entitled to install a security camera in your home for purpose of safety or home security. However, you may not place one in a restroom. Individuals have a right to uninterrupted privacy in areas that they would not normally expect to be observed such as bathrooms or bedrooms.

If you have been the victim of a privacy invasion due to a hidden camera in a bathroom, you are entitled to recover financial damages. The experienced invasion of privacy and catastrophic injury lawyers of Reiff & Bily have successfully represented victims and their families for over 30 years with a successful track record. As always, we offer a free, no obligation consultation. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at case results.

Over the last 30 years the hayride accident law firm of Reiff & Bily has successfully represented victims of amusement park accidents and those that occur at carnivals and seasonal hayrides. Recently an amusement ride operator was jailed on charges that he was drunk and urinated in the sight of riders while operating such a ride at a Pennsylvania farm show. The amusement operator was charged with reckless endangerment, open lewdness, and public drunkenness. In another case in which our amusement accident and hayride injury law firm was involved, we represented the family of a victim who was run over by a tractor trailer hayride at a suburban Philadelphia farm during a school event. The background investigation of the tractor operator noted that he had less than a stellar history and was in fact was not even a licensed driver, yet he was entrusted to drive and operate a ride that would carry thousands of children throughout the amusement season.

In Pennsylvania, an amusement ride is legally described as any mechanical device or combination devices including electrical equipment which is the integral part of a device or devices which carry passengers along for the primary purpose of giving passengers amusement pleasure, thrills, or excitement. The same includes any tram, open car, combination of open car or wagons pulled by a tractor or motorized device which may not be licensed by the Secretary of State, and the operator of the same is defined as one who has a duty to control the operation of the amusement ride or attraction at a carnival or fair and any person who operates an amusement ride or amusement attraction at a carnival or fair must obtain a permit for the same. The operator of such amusement attractions or rides is obligated to perform a criminal history and perform a check of the national sex offender public registry at the time they are hired and annually thereafter if they are in continued employment. Unfortunately individuals who are under the age of 17 are exempt from criminal history background checks. Unfortunately, we have found some amusement parks, carnivals, or hayride operations keep shoddy records, fail to check for substance abuse, evidence of required criminal history, or sex offense information, and in fact, hire drivers of motor vehicles that are non-licensed.

The purpose of the carnival and amusement ride safety act obviously is self explanatory. If an amusement operator fails to pay heed to these requirements, taking shortcuts and placing profitability over safety, and if an accident happens, they can be held legally responsible for resulting financial and emotional injuries that may be sustained by catastrophically injured victims and their families or those who are wrongfully killed due to their negligence.

Since 1979, the experienced Philadelphia carnival, amusement lawyers, and hayride accident attorneys of Reiff & Bily have successfully represented victims and their families and those who have been catastrophically injured or wrongfully killed due to the negligence of others, defective products, or defective maintenance, or improper hiring procedures. 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.

To date there have been Eleven deaths reported as a result of a plane crash at the Reno Air Races in Reno Nevada on September 16, 2011. At this time the death toll is still uncertain as medical professionals are still conducting DNA testing on unidentifiable bodies. As the number of dead seems to increase everyday, a person has to wonder: how safe are air shows?

The cause of the crash is still undetermined. What is known is the plane that crashed, was a post World-War II P-51D Mustang, that had been heavily modified in an attempt to make it the fastest of its type in the world. The mother of one of the deceased told ABC News her son was there because he “loved planes" and “that’s why most people go to these things." No one ever expects that a professional pilot will loose control of a plane and crash into the crowd.

The Reno plane crash is highly publicized because of the high death toll and the numerous spectators hospitalized with catastrophic injuries. Sadly, the day after the Reno air show crash, another plane, a T-28 war bird crashed at the Blue Ridge Air Show in Virginia. Luckily for spectators the T-28 warbird crashed far enough from the crowd that none of the onlookers were injured, however, the pilot was killed in the plane crash. These two incidents are not isolated events. There have been eleven air show accidents in 2011 alone. Unfortunately, most of these accidents resulted in at least one death.

Modified planes may be one of the reasons for the large number of accidents at air shows. Pilots who fly at these events make changes to the engines and bodies of the planes in order to excite the spectators. While these changes may be in violation of Federal Aviation Administration (F.A.A.) Regulations, and the experienced pilots are professional pilots, they are not professional engineers.

Regardless of the recent string of Air Show plane crash accidents, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University intends to hold the Wings and Waves Air Show in October of next year. The university had shut down the show for the past seven years. University officials assure air show spectators that “safety is [their] mantra" while further saying “until you know what caused things, its hard to draw a lesson from it." Perhaps more effort should be placed into finding out why air show accidents keep occurring.

The experienced Philadelphia air show accident and aviation accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily along with the attorneys of The Beasley Reiff Law Group understand the complex process involved with investigating air show accidents. Our in house team of experienced aviation accident and air show accident lawyers include professional pilots as well as established relationships with top aviation crash experts. The aviation accident attorneys at Beasley Reiff Law Group know that proving the cause of an airplane crash can be difficult and that a tragic and unexpected accident can change your life. If you, or a loved one, have been injured at an air show accident contact the accidental injury attorneys at the Beasley Reiff Law Group at 1.800.588.0130 or at www.reiffandbily.com for a free consultation.

Imagine this scenario, you are visiting a friend or acquaintance’s home or a business and due to a defect, you fall down the steps. Even worse imagine it is your elderly parent who slips and falls down the stairs and suffers a serious injury.

Every year hundreds of thousands of people slip and fall down stairways due to worn out carpets, stairway design defects, slippery surfaces, improper height, or another problem creating a dangerous surface area that any reasonable person taking care of the property would have discovered, repaired, or removed. Many people run up and down stairways without a thought of an accident happening. However, a defective stair or stairway design can lead to catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord injuries, paraplegia, quadriplegia, broken bones, internal injuries, or a devastating hip fracture in elderly people which often leads to a premature death.

Many times these slip and fall accidents could have been prevented by the simple exercise of reasonable care or correction of the defect by the property owner or operator. Often steps and handrails are non-compliant with codes which means that property owner or operator can be held financially responsible for resulting injuries. When a fall down occurs to an elderly person, it ultimately often results in death.

The premise liabilityand stairway fall accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have a successful track record representing individuals who have been catastrophically injuredand unfortunately wrongfully killed due to falls down stairways, or slip and fall accidents on another’s premises due to design defect or failure to maintain the property in a prudent manner. Our skilled Philadelphia slip and fall accident and premise liability lawyers have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of catastrophically injured victims and their families. If you or a loved one has sustained a fall on the property of another, or has fallen on a stairway of another, please contact one of our experienced slip and fall accident and stairway defect lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation. Recently the law firm of Reiff & Bily has joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm and together our attorneys have been awarded billions of dollars since 1957 representing the interests of thousands of catastrophically injured victims and their families. 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.

As an experienced serious injury lawyer and wrongful death lawyer for over three and a half decades who has handled many significant and high profile cases, a factor that cannot be ignored in the thorough preparation of a case is what happens when individuals express biased views or attack you client on social media or public internet forums.

Recently, our firm was retained to represent the interests of a family who lost their daughter in a high profile accident. When the news of our law firm’s engagement was published in various newspapers, the client, the client’s family, and our law firm were attacked. Immediately without knowing many of the factors behind the accident, the cause of the accident was squarely placed on the victim and the lawyers were attacked as being money hungry greedy individuals stating falsehoods based upon facts that bore no reality to the actual factors surrounding this catastrophic accident.

I recently has the opportunity to discuss this tragic incident at a football game with a stranger who told me he was aware of the accident but based upon his reviews of onsite social network accounts, he clearly was convinced that the accident in question was the victim’s fault. As I reviewed many social forums and online posts, I could understand how one could easily reach this conclusion. However, after I carefully explained the true and accurate facts to this individual, he was surprised and quickly reversed his original, unsupportable position and opinion.

While social media has a valuable aspect to it, it also presents a challenge to lawyers and their clients who must overcome the intoxication of bias by forces of opposition. Unfortunately despite the best efforts to explain the truth, an ignorant critic or consumer can post relentless and unforgiving attacks on victims and their families when they are at their lowest point without any rights, responsibility, or retribution.

Unfortunately, the reality is that many who talk or post the most on social networks have the least to say and after 30 years of successfully representing victims and their families, I have learned that nothing is what it seems at first. If the truth doesn’t save us from the inequities and injustice of the world then what does it say about all of us?

Jeffrey M. Reiff is a catastrophic injury and wrongful death attorney with the law firm of Reiff & Bily who has successfully represented victims and their families as a result of catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths sustained by the negligence of others and the use of defectively designed and maintained products since 1979. Reiff & Bily always offers a free, no obligation confidential consultation to those seeking unbiased and honest opinions about the merits of a legal claim. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com

When you purchase a child restraint car seats for your infant or small child, you trust that the child restraint car seat will protect them in the event of a car accident. Studies have revealed that a small child or infant in a car traveling at 30 miles per hour, can be hurtled forward with a force 30 to 60 times their body weight. The National Highway and Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that small children weighing less then 40 lbs be securely fastened into a child safety seat to maximize their safety should the car come to a sudden stop or is involved in a car accident. Since 2005 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) along with manufactures have recalled millions of defective child car seats designed to protect small children and infants traveling in cars. The child car seat and safety bench recalls included booster, convertible and infant seat models, as well as seat benches found to be improperly mounted in Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Vehicles. A list of recently recalled seat benches and child car seats include but are not limited too;

- 2011 Sprinter 2500 Seat Benches

Seat benches were found to have inadequate latch brackets that were not properly welded.

- Dorel Infant, convertible and booster child restraints car seats

Child and infant car seats were were found to have a defective lock and release button that did not always return to the locked position.

- Chaperone Infant car seats

Chaperone Infant car seats were recalled due to findings that a number of harness chest clips came apart creating a potential choking hazard to infants.

While government standards set fourth the guidelines manufactures must follow in the production and design of child and infant car seats, oftentimes manufacture defects are not identified until a car accident or other tragic event catastrophically injures or claims the life of a small child or infant.

The experienced defective child car seat and product liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily have over 30 years experience representing generations of Pennsylvanians in product liability and defective child car seat cases. The lawyers of Reiff & Bily’s product liability litigation team have recently joined forces with the Beasley Firm to create the Beasley Reiff Law Group. Together our attorneys have been awarded over $2 billion dollars since 1958 representing the interests of catastrophically injured victims and their families. 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. 

When a catastrophic accident occurs, helicopter evacuation is often used to save lives. However, last year a record number of people died aboard helicopter medical evacuation aircraft.

In 2009, there was twice as many deaths as any other year and the accidents happened not only in bad weather but in good weather as well. Our office was recently contacted by an individual who was previously employed by a helicopter medical evacuation service where an investigation was commenced by the FAA and found numerous safety violations with one of the aircraft deemed unworthy and unsafe for flying. It is alleged that one of the Directors and mechanics is under investigation by the FAA and allegedly facing potential criminal charges.

As Pennsylvania catastrophic injury lawyers, we are familiar with heli-vac EMS programs and our lawyers have also litigated product liability and aviation disasters for many decades. I am somewhat concerned due to the fact that this industry has been slow to improve itself in the maintenance and safety arena and many operating shortcuts are being taken in the hopes of improving profitability and the bottom line. There are approximately 850 to 1,000 EMS helicopters operated in the U.S. privately and no doubt is a lucrative business as I have had many opportunities to review the bills and even pay the same on behalf of injured clients. A typical flight can cost in the arena of about $10,000 and each year approximately 500,000 people fly on EMS helicopters. Many pilots claim that the industry is “frustrated" that their emergency helicopters keep crashing killing people that they are trying to save as while operators and owners were advised continue to stress profitability above safety. Until the government mandates safety regulations with teeth, this is sure to be an area of growing concern. Nothing could be worse for the family of a catastrophic accident victim to learn of the death of a family member while being transported on a medi-vac helicopter that was designed to save their life.

Transportation and pilot experts claim that the FAA may not be moving as quickly as necessary and that this is an ever growing problematic situation. As emergency rooms in rural areas close down or are ill equipped to handle a catastrophic case, medivac use will be more and more common and safety should never be an option. The skilled catastrophic lawyers of Reiff & Bily have recently joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm to create the Beasley Reiff Law Group. Together we have been awarded over $2 billion dollars in settlements, verdicts, and awards since 1958. For more information, please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Negligence or the use of a defective product on a work site around electrical components often results in serious consequences including but not limited to heart attacks, muscle and tissue destruction, burns, and unfortunately wrongful death.

Over the past weekend, two separate workers were killed in separate electrical-related accidents. One gentleman, 35-years old, died while installing cables at a camp for oil and gas workers and another individual was killed while working on a power transmission project. With the deluge of rain and water caused by Hurricane Irene and other abnormally huge weather moisture systems, power lines have been downed leading to injuries and deaths by workers and other innocent citizens who have come into contact with high voltage lines. In one case, a victim was killed by electrocution when he stepped out of his home and touched a railing that had been impacted with a high voltage line. If you are in the vicinity of a downed power line, do not take any chances as there is an extreme risk of electrocution injuries or death.

I live in a wooded area and numerous power lines seem to be tangled or down due to sustained gusty winds, fallen trees, and heavy rainfall. As I traveled into upstate Pennsylvania on a case last week, I saw more low hanging electrical wires than ever. It is important for parents to keep children and pets away from these wires and to always assume that they are live and energized.

If you or a loved one has suffered an electric shock injury or death, it is important to contact an experienced electrocution attorney who will immediately commence a proper investigation and assist you or your loved ones through the emotional, financial, and legal issues that may arise.

For over three and a half decades, the consumer product and safety and electrocution attorneys of Reiff & Bily have successfully represented generations of Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians who have sustained wrongful death or catastrophic injuries due to the negligence of others or use of defective products. As always, we 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.

For over three decades, our experienced auto and defective seat back lawyers have investigated and litigated auto product defect cases and those which involve catastrophic injury resulting from a defective seat back. Unfortunately many cars have defective seat design and in a low or medium speed collision the seat fails and allows the occupant to be thrust forward or rearward or even ejected from the vehicle. This type of action often results in a catastrophic injury including but not limited to paraplegia, quadriplegia and brain dysfunction. When a seat collapses or is thrust forward, the effectiveness of the restraint system notably fails and injuries may also be caused to passengers in the rear of the vehicle as the seat collapses upon them with increased load and forces.

Automobile manufacturers have been aware of seat back failures and defects for decades and have taken little steps to improve safety due to the fact that the governmental safety standards establish a weak minimum for safety.

Recently there has been a wake of recalls for defective seat backs. In the last year, Ford recalled many 2011 Explorers with allegations that the potential for defective seat backs may not provide required strength in a crash increasing the risk of injury. Unfortunately manufacturers of car seats are not required to test car seats in crash tests and our skilled auto product defect and seat back defect attorneys do not believe that safety standards are stringent enough to prevent fatalities and catastrophic injuries due to lack of proper seat strength standards.

Recently our experienced auto product defect lawyers have joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm to create the Beasley Reiff Law Group and together have been awarded more than $2 billion dollars in settlements, awards, and verdicts since 1958. For more information, please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

On August 15, 2011, 18-year old Michael Knudsen was electrocuted while swimming at a marina. Attorneys representing the teenage youth in the swimming accident stated that improper electrical wiring in the floating dock area and shoddy workmanship presented danger of electrocution and that the death could have been prevented by exercising just a little care. The preliminary investigation indicated that there was a short in an electrical line which carried power to a section of the floating dock allowing electrical current to enter the water where the man was electrocuted.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of the victim and their family.

As an experienced swimming accident and electrocution accident attorney, I believe that the owners and operators of the marina, as well as any other responsible parties or contractors who may have performed alleged shoddy work or taken short cuts which resulted in this accident should be held accountable for this unfortunate tragic wrongful death.

When a vehicle is in a collision, the last thing that you expect to happen is that the fuel tank will rupture and that the occupants will be trapped in a fiery fuel fed explosion. The rupture of a fuel tank often leads to a catastrophic event when the escaping vapors mix quickly with the air and are ignited often times resulting in a fiery explosion.

Automakers and fuel tank manufacturers have known for years that fuel tank integrity is an important element if the vehicle impacts with another vehicle, rolls over or has another impact with a fixed object. Most people will remember the notorious Ford Pinto which almost always sustained a gas tank rupture in crashes over 25 mph. Typically in a Pinto rear-end collision, the rear-end of the car would buckle, ride up the seat back, and the tube leading to the gas tank would be ripped away from the tank itself and gas would immediately leak on the roadway around the car. The buckled gas tank would be jammed up against the different housing and protruding bolts would often gash holes in the tank and spill more gas on the road. All that was needed to spark an explosion was a cigarette, scraping metal, or an electrical spark and a flame would engulf the vehicle and the passengers inside. Added to the fact, if the doors were jammed, the passengers would be unable to get out and would burn to death. Lawyers were able to demonstrate successfully that Ford engineers put profits ahead of safety concerns and unfortunately even today, many vehicle manufacturers still place gas tanks and fuel lines in unsafe locations and use cheap materials to manufacture fuel tanks and fuel delivery systems and must be held accountable for the results of their actions.

Many times the placement of a fuel tank on the side or rear of a vehicle where it can be punctured is a recurring problem, as well as the use of cheap and unsafe materials connecting fuel tanks to fuel filter necks. Many times manufacturers of fuel tanks in vehicles utilize unsafe materials in the manufacturer of fuel delivery lines. When you pay your hard earned dollars for a motor vehicle, whether it be a motorcycle or automobile, you have every right to expect that it is crashworthy and will protect you in a foreseeable collision.

The experienced Pennsylvania automotive product liability and gas tank explosion and fuel fed fire defect lawyers of Reiff & Bily have dedicated their practice to representing those catastrophically injured or wrongful killed due to car accidents and auto product defects. Many of these claims have been referred to us by other lawyers who understand that we have years of experience in this complex legal arena. Recently the Philadelphia car accident and auto product liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily have joined forces with the Beasley Firm and together our attorneys have been awarded billions of dollars since 1957. As always, we offer a free, confidential no obligation consultation if you wish to discuss your claim. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

For over three decades my partners, associates, and I have investigated and litigated many claims against manufacturers of defective products. A defective product usually involves a design defect, manufacturing defect, or marketing defect. The law holds manufacturers, sellers, and distributors of products responsible for products that pose a danger to users or consumers as a result of a design or manufacturing defect.

Unfortunately many product defect legal cases involve allegations of fraud or unfair business practices and many manufacturers of defective products that cause catastrophic disfiguring injuries or wrongful death will go to great lengths to conceal the cause of an injury or death despite the fact that they knew for decades about root causes of a problem. Many large corporations employ systematic and exact strategies that are carefully hidden from public eye until a skilled and experienced product liability lawyers carefully investigate and dissect these claims based upon a catastrophic injury or wrongful death.

In many of our product liability legal cases, we have reviewed confidential intra and inter-company communications clearly revealing coverups and on many occasions whistleblower employees have come forward with knowledge of evidence concealment involving the manufacturer. Taking on major corporations for product defects litigation requires legal skill and experience that often takes decades to develop. Product liability litigation matters are generally intellectually challenging and complex.

Since 1979 the experienced Pennsylvania product liability attorneys of Reiff & Bily have been researching and litigating numerous product defect and design cases with great success. Recently our skilled product liability trial lawyers have joined forces with the legendary product liability lawyers of the Beasley Firm to create the Beasley Reiff Law Group. Together our job is to determine who is responsible for placing victims and their families in an unforeseen and unimaginable position when tragedy strikes. We believe that manufacturers must be held accountable for product defects and the lack of concern for consumer safety and always believe that safety should never be an option and always trumps profitability.

Since 1957, the combined forces of our lawyers have recovered over $2 billion dollars. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation to those injured as a result of a defective product. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to a recent story published in the Pennsylvania Business Journal, Pennsylvania ambulatory surgery facilities submitted 502 medication error reports to the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority over a five and a half year period through the end of last year. Unfortunately, there is a lack of medical literature accurately quantifying or addressing medical errors that occur in ambulatory surgical facilities and according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Health Statistics and Research, Pennsylvania had 265 ambulatory surgery facilities which performed more than 960 procedures between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2009.

Ambulatory surgery facilities are often utilized for general surgical procedures including but not limited to ophthalmologic endoscopies, colonoscopies, orthopedic, gynecological, urologic, and cosmetic procedures.

Recently a national quality forum approved for endorsement a list of 29 serious reportable events in health care. All Pennsylvania hospitals, ambulatory surgical facilities, and birthing centers are subject to reporting requirements under Act 13 and must submit with the authorities any “serious event incidents".

Unfortunately, as an experienced Pennsylvania surgical and medical malpractice attorney for over three decades I all too often investigate and prosecute claims of negligence and malpractice involving outpatient or ambulatory surgical centers. I am concerned that many times Philadelphia and Pennsylvania regulatory establishments fail patients who suffer harm or unfortunately wrongful death in an ambulatory surgery center. There appears to be a systematic weakness in Pennsylvania’s enforcement of healthcare facility laws with regard to application or enforcement against many ambulatory surgery facilities. In the pure world, ambulatory surgical facility should offer high quality cost effective alternatives to in-patient hospital surgical services. Almost 90% of ASC’s are privately owned by physicians and are increasingly jointly partnering with hospitals.

Unfortunately many ambulatory surgery centers do not meet federal safety standards which could lead to serious and catastrophic consequences for patients. Many times we have seen single use items reused and medical supplies with expired expiration dates used. Common types of errors cited in Pennsylvania ambulatory surgical facilities include drug omissions, administration of the wrong drug, failing to monitor errors, documenting allergies, confusion or mixup involving ophthalmology products of different pharmacological categories, differentiating lookalike products, operation on the wrong body part or wrong patient, surgical site infections, wrong drug errors, and failure to prophylactically deliver antibiotics.



Continue reading " Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Lawyers Query The Safety Of Outpatient and Ambulatory Patient Surgery Centers Versus Inpatient Hospital Surgery Centers " »

As an experienced Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorney who is often surrounded by close friends, relatives, and family members who are physicians or members of the health care provider community, I often find myself on the opposite side of a discussion aimed towards lawyer hatred.

Unfortunately while many politicians and medical organizations speak against the legal profession using misleading statistics and boast about lowering insurance premiums, they fail to take into account that much medical malpractice is due to easily preventable and obvious medical errors that greatly impact the lives of patients and their families. Many times I find that a close friend who is a practicing physician or politician expressing disdain towards plaintiff medical malpractice lawyers will be the most aggressive plaintiff’s client against an offending medical facility or physician after medical malpractice occurs. Obviously they have now learned about the personal element of a tragic medical error.

Unfortunately in a tightened economy we see many more health care system failures due to cut backs and although many physicians or nurses never intend to harm a patient, often a breakdown in the system results in a catastrophic injury or death as a result of medical or hospital malpractice. Studies indicate over 33% of all hospitalized patients will experience some form of medical error. While politicians and the medical society speak of a widespread medical malpractice lawsuit crisis, what they fail to state is that the majority of the claims never lead to any plaintiff payments.

Our skilled Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers screen many potential medical malpractice claims every week and pursue a small percentage of the cases that we investigate and probably less than 1% of those will end up in litigation.

Most respected and experienced medical malpractice trial lawyers are not opportunistic and will only prosecute a medical malpractice case that has a reasonable chance of return due to the high costs and resulting likelihood of success. Juries are smarter than what politicians and doctors give them credit for.

Continue reading " When A Medical Error Is Committed Someone’s Mother, Father, Child, Or Relative is Affected Or Often Tragically Impacted - Medical Malpractice Lawyer Opines " »