Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

What Can You Do to be Safer on the Roads and What Can You do if You Were Injured in Such an Accident

This past Sunday night, another van rollover crash on I-96 killed a young victim and left several others in serious condition. The accident involved a 2002 Chevrolet Express that holds 15 passengers. Similar vans are commonly used by hotels, airport shuttles, churches, and soccer teams to transport a large number of people.

The van rollover accident occurred after the van’s rear left tire blew out and the driver lost control. The van flipped over and rolled into a ditch.

15-passenger vans accidents in Philadelphia and across the nation are much more common than anyone would expect. Figures released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that between 2003 and 2007, 473 people were killed while traveling in a 15 passenger van. Notably, 80% of those passengers were not wearing seat belts. While most people tend to feel safer in a large van, and therefore do not buckle-up, that is clearly a false sense of security.

NHTSA studies have also shown that the design of these large vans leads to faster wear on the left rear tire. When the left tire blows, it is extremely difficult for the van’s driver to regain control over the tremendous forces at work. The weight of the engine takes over and forces the van into a spin. The spinning leads to an unequal distribution of weight, and within seconds, the van has rolled over. This is exactly what happened Sunday night.

While NHTSA has issued a safety alert on 15 passenger vans, they are still extremely popular vehicles around the country. NHTSA recommends that drivers of these vehicles seek additional training before operating them and that the tire pressure and wear of the large vans should be closely monitored. But who enforces this? How do you know the next time you land at an airport and take one to the rental car pavilion that the van you are in is safe? Or that the driver is trained? You do not know. As an experienced Pennsylvania van rollover accident attorney, for over three decades I have litigated many cases involving 15 passenger vans. That is why we are here to protect you and your loved ones. At Reiff and Bily, we strive to ensure that you are safe at all times, even when you do not know that you are in danger.

Injured persons can hold the driver or the company that owns and operates these large vans legally liable for their injuries. It is the responsibility of the van company to ensure that drivers are skilled and capable of driving these 15 passenger vans before allowing them on the roads. It is also the responsibility of the companies to make sure the van is properly inspected and up to national and state standards. Especially with such strict safety alerts by NHTSA, van companies have a higher responsibility to passengers. The Philadelphia 15 passenger van rollover lawyers at Reiff and Bily will make sure you are safe.

If you or someone you love has been catastrophically injured or killed in a van accident, the experienced Philadelphia van crash attorneys of Reiff and Bily have the necessary experience and resources to assist you. We will examine the facts, evaluate your claim, determine which parties and insurance companies are responsible, and organize all of the details necessary to seek a recover.

Contact our lawyers for a no fee, no obligation, consultation at 1-800-421-9595, or contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Over the past few years, as an experienced water park and amusement accident attorney, I have commenced independent analysis and investigations on numerous water slide accidents that have catastrophically injured our clients.

Recently, Kerzner International was sued by a U.S. couple after they allegedly sustained a serious injury on a high speed water slide known as “The Abyss”, at the “Atlantis” Resort. Court documents allege that a South Carolina resident sustained serious and permanent injuries after he crashed into his son while they were enjoying the Abyss water slide at the Atlantis water park on Paradise Island. The complaint further claims that there was no lifeguard at the bottom of the slide and “unfortunately without any warning provided to plaintiff Charles Black due to the defendant’s negligence, the bottom of the Abyss was not clear when Charles Black went down.” The U.S. court document further read that “as a result Charles Black ran into his son at a very high speed which in turn caused him to sustain serious and permanent injuries including a severely fractured leg and ankle which thus far has required significant medical treatment including surgery to repair.”

Water park and water slide accidents such as this are not as uncommon as one would think. As a skilled water park accident lawyer, I have seen too many instances of owners and operators neglecting their duty to ensure reasonable care and safety to guests visiting their water park. In many of the cases handled by our water park and amusement park accident law firm, independent investigations have revealed a lack of proper safeguards. It is important that all water park and amusement park accident victims know that the owners and operators of these parks may be held vicariously liable for all acts of negligence committed by their staff, agents, employees, lifeguards, or other persons who cause or contribute to an incident.

At a recent meeting with some of the nation’s top amusement park and water park ride safety and design experts, I was shocked at how many existing amusement park rides and water slides in operation are improperly designed. It appears that the industry is “pushing the safety envelope” in order to provide a greater thrill factor. The safety of a ride is only as good as the quality of the people manufacturing, operating, and maintaining the ride. All amusements and water slides must be determined to be safe for all guests through proper inspections, repair procedures, maintenance, follow up, and employee procedures. The owners and operators of water parks and amusement parks have an obligation to correct any and all dangerous conditions which they know or should have known existed by the exercise of reasonable care.

In one of the water slide accident cases that the lawyers of Reiff and Bily are currently litigating, a water slide ride attraction was improperly loaded by the operators of a major American amusement park chain, and the victim sustained spinal burst fractures resulting in significant and permanent disabilities. The amusement park claimed that this was a “one time” and random occurrence, yet we were able to determine through a series of investigation that a number of similar accidents throughout the United States involving the same ride with a similar injury pattern have occurred.

While I have been attacked by many critics stating that our law firm is taking the fun out of life, safety rather than profitability should always be the number one concern.

If you or a loved one has sustained an amusement park or water park injury, it is important to retain an experienced amusement park expert to immediately inspect the ride and preserve any and all evidence. While we expect Kodak moments of pleasure at amusement attractions, many times this is not the case.

The experienced Philadelphia water park accident attorneys of Reiff and Bily 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 a hotel inadequate security and hotel attack attorney who has investigated a large number of hotel attack claims, I often listen to representatives of a hotel company or their insurance carriers state that due to the age of the hotel, they are unable to possess the latest in technology. Frankly, this argument has never made much sense to me due to the fact that the latest technology is quite sophisticated when it comes to terms of size and installation of cameras, lighting, fiber optic cabling, and wireless transmission of data. What many hotels have in common is wasted excess space or exterior barriers of security perimeters where vagrants or assailants may lie in wait for a victim.

I spend many nights a year away from my home in strange hotels with my carefully trained eyes and senses fully tuned for security breaches and means of crime and attack prevention. I believe that the first step in hotel security lies with the proper training of all staff members from the “bottom up" so that they are vigilant for any unusual activities which may give reason to believe that criminal activity is afoot. When a maid goes into a room to clean it or an engineer goes into a room to repair something, if he notices anything outside of the ordinary, it must immediately be reported to hotel management who prudently should investigate the situation in further detail. Employee education is step one in insuring the safety and security of hotel guests.

In inner cities such as Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, or Atlanta, most hotels are located in highly trafficked areas, and if the hotel is not large enough to employ their own security personnel, it is important for the hotel to regularly undergo a security evaluation by those trained in security and human awareness behavior patterns.

If the hotel owners or operators state that the hotel is too old for security (poor excuse) or they are not willing to take proper steps to protect their guests, it signals to this experienced hotel attack and breach of security lawyer that the safety of their guests is not priority number one and they are more interested in profitability, no matter what the costs.

All hotels should also conduct evacuation and security drills and focus on the identification of strange and suspicious packages and behavior of those who enter the premises.

In larger cities such as New York and Washington, D.C., the police department and Department of Homeland Security work very closely with hotels to keep them in the loop of any elevated threats or concerns. If a hotel is located in an area where the hotel property owner or management is aware of crime in the immediate or surrounding areas, they have a mandatory obligation to take steps to secure their premises including hiring highly qualified security guards who have undergone careful background checks. Unfortunately many times horrific injuries, attacks, and tragic accidents occur at hotels, motels, resorts, or restaurants due to poor lighting, inadequate security, and the failure to provide easily affordable technology and security devices such as closed circuit cameras and proper lighting.

Ignorance of a dangerous situation can lead to a victim or victim’s family holding the hotel liable for monetary damages if a mandated security protocol is not followed to insure visitors or guests' safety.

The Pennsylvania premise liability and hotel inadequate security law firm of Reiff and Bily always offers a free, no obligation consultation to those who have suffered a physical assault, robbery, or sexual assault due to negligent security. If you would like a free, no obligation consultation, please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

When a condominium or apartment complex falls into disrepair, lacking improper security measures such as door locks, light fixtures, and a security system, a likely scenario can be presented for a criminal assault and/or killing. This event often gives rise to civil monetary damages if a lawsuit is filed by a victim or estate of a victim.

In Pennsylvania, as well as many other states, the law recognizes that the safety and privacy of condominium and apartment dwellers should be the top priority for all owners and operators. However as experience reveals, many times this is simply not the case. Unfortunately, throughout my 30 year career of practicing premise liability and inadequate security law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as co-counseling on other cases throughout the United States, we have investigated and litigated claims with tragic consequences that were easily avoidable.

Recently a case was resolved in Florida when a condominium owner who was walking to his car one day, was shot and killed, leaving two sons behind. A lawsuit was filed on behalf of the victim’s estate alleging inadequate security and also claiming that the property owner had hired an incompetent property manager with a criminal background who was unqualified to perform his duties.

In another case handled by our office, a young woman walking to her car at an apartment complex was sexually assaulted by a third party in a poorly lit parking lot area, and we were successful in recovering a substantial monetary result. Today more than ever technology is an important part of meeting security requirements, and inadequate security at a hotel, motel, condominium, or apartment house can result in the property owner’s liability to the crime victim for negligence.

For over 30 years, the experienced inadequate security and premise liability lawyers of Reiff and Bily have worked carefully with law enforcement officials and skilled investigators to analyze the circumstances of a personal injury resulting from inadequate security. We have examined past instances of victim abuse at the location and surrounding areas that should have put the property owner on actual and constructive notice that the facility was potentially dangerous to customers, visitors, or inhabitants. The inadequate security and hotel and apartment attack lawyers of Reiff and Bily are committed to protecting the rights of injured victims and consumers since 1979 and always offer a free, no obligation consultation. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

This past weekend, I was asked to comment on a case where a car slammed into a restaurant, broke through the walls, and injured a number of customers killing another innocent and unknowing victim who was dining. The initial investigation of the incident revealed that the elderly driver of the car meant to hit the brakes but instead pressed the gas pedal crashing into the building.

Just last year, I was consulted on a similar case where an elderly gentleman also erroneously hit the accelerator pedal rather than the brake and crashed through the walls of fast food restaurant catastrophically injuring innocent patrons. This unfortunate scenario is more common than one can imagine.

A skilled catastrophic injury and wrongful death lawyer experienced in the arena of restaurant crash accidents, premise liability, car accident law, and automotive product liability should immediately begin a comprehensive investigation of the facts and work closely with authorities and independent investigators to determine the causation of the accident. Often many complex theories of law become intertwined in the investigation and litigation of car crash into restaurant cases.

The experienced Pennsylvania product liability, premise liability, and car accident lawyers of Reiff and Bily works with experienced and independent structural engineers, architects, building, safety, OSHA, and cognitive behavioral assessment experts to carefully analyze the facts of each individual case. We request that our experts credibly opine about the inadequacy of curb and building structures, as well as immediately look for product defects on the striking vehicle including but not limited to; defective braking system, failure of steering system, or faulty acceleration .

There are many ways that a vehicle crash into a restaurant can occur. Perhaps the driver was intoxicated or under the influence of mind altering drugs or prescriptions. Perhaps the driver was speeding, or perhaps there was a defect with the vehicle that prevented the driver from stopping or having his vehicle under control.

At any rate, one thing is for certain, when innocent bystanders are harmed due to a car accident or premise liability claim such as this, they are entitled to have a full independent investigation completed by an experienced car accident and premise liability attorney who understands how in just a matter of seconds a victim and their family’s lives can be changed. The victim and their family have a right to expect that they will be entitled to recover monetary damages for the harm caused to them by the wrongdoers.

The experienced Pennsylvania car accident, premise liability, and product liability lawyers of Reiff and Bily have over 30 years of experience representing the interests of catastrophically injured victims and their families, offering a free no obligation consultation and a zero recovery, no fee guarantee. For more information contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Recently a young 8-year old girl's scarf became caught in a carousel motor depriving her of oxygen and sending her into a coma while she was riding on a carousel amusement ride at a Paris carnival fairground. This strange but true factual scenario indicates just how dangerous loose clothing, scarves, or belts can be on amusement park rides.

While the amusement park’s management claim that this was the first time they had ever experienced such a serious accident, this tragic event should be noted by carnival and amusement park owners to insure that a repeat of this or a similar amusement park accident does not occur again.

At the experienced amusement park accident law firm of Reiff and Bily, we both believe and understand that chance favors the prepared mind and that all owners and operators of amusement parks have a duty to protect unknowing and innocent customers who come to their park seeking magical memories of excitement. We believe that those supervising and operating amusement park rides should have a safety inspection policy and be on the alert for any loose items of clothing or attachments that may potentially get snared or entrapped in a ride causing a catastrophic injury or wrongful death.

The experienced Pennsylvania amusement park attorneys of Reiff and Bily have investigated and litigated amusement park accident cases with great success and always offer a free, no obligation consultation to victims and their families who have been injured in amusement park and carnival accidents. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

When I was a young teenager, I watched one of my neighbors sustain the amputation of multiple fingers on his hand as he attempted to clear the discharge chute of a snow blower. The memory of this event has been forever instilled in my mind. Moving forward 40 years, with 30 of them spent as a Pennsylvania defective product and product liability attorney who has handled numerous lawn mower and snow blower injury cases, I am well aware of the fact that the number of snow blower injuries and amputations continues to soar.

On many snow blower models exit chutes tend to become clogged when their operators attempt to snow blow snow that is to wet or heavy for a snow blower to clear. Snow blower exit chutes can also become clogged as a result of a snow blower operator pushing the snow blower too quickly. All too often snow blower operators will attempt to clear the passage of the exit chute with their hands not giving thought that the machine’s dangerous blade mechanism is still operating within the chute. The blades inside a snowblower rotate at an extremely high rate of speed and are extremely sharp, easily able to cut through bone, tendons, muscles, and skin. According to statistics released by the CPSC (consumer product safety commission) 6,000 to 7,000 people are injured each year in snow blower accidents with a good percentage of those injuries involving amputation.

A single stage snow thrower uses an auger blade at the front of the unit to eject the snow. Two stage snow throwers use an auxiliary high speed impeller in the discharge chute to throw the snow. Standards and safety specifications for snow throwers indicate that a means shall be provided that will automatically stop the impeller in five seconds when the operator leaves the operator position. However, the standards do not speak to the method or methods that they use to insure that the impeller stops in five seconds. Many times, there are failures of the stopping mechanism which is actually an intolerable product defect since the operator has reason to conclude that the blades have been stopped. Many clutch mechanisms are designed to put a cessation to the impeller which would mitigate the chance for amputation or they are often improperly designed or defectively manufactured resulting in faults which can cause harm to innocent and unknowing victims.

If you have been injured or suffered an amputation in a snow blower accident, it is important to immediately secure the allegedly defective snow blower so that it can be properly investigated by a defective snow blower expert and engineer to establish:

1. That it is not defectively designed;

3. That the manufacturer failed to provide effective warnings and instructions on how to safely remove clogged snow from the chute.

The Pennsylvania product liability law firm of Reiff and Bily always offers a free, no obligation consultation to consumers injured by defectively designed or manufactured products. We believe that safety is priority number one. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an avid bicyclist and Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyer who has represented bicycle accident victims seriously injured in bicycle traffic accidents for more then 30 years, I salute the Pennsylvania Senate’s approval of a Bill known as the “Safe Passing Law". The “Safe Passing Law" requires cars to leave a 4 foot clearance when passing a bicyclist and it applies in Pennsylvania cities, suburbs, and rural areas.

In Philadelphia and surrounding counties, even despite placement of bicycle traffic lanes adjacent to traffic, many avid cyclists know that they have had a close call by someone who was ignorant of the cyclist or has buzzed by them in an alarming way almost causing, or in fact actually causing, a catastrophic injury. Personally, I was almost struck by a SEPTA bus while riding my bicycle in a bicycle lane, causing me to flip over the handle bars and break my wrist. I have represented bicyclists who have suffered broken bones, brain injuries, amputations, and in the worse cases a wrongful death when they were struck by a motorist ignorant of their rights on the road. Hopefully the new “Safe Passing Law" with proper enforcement by law enforcement officials will serve to educate other motorists on how to properly and safely pass a bicyclist. It will be interesting to observe how the new bicycle passing law is enforced, and whether the penalties have enough teeth to deter wrongdoers. Only time will tell.

The Pennsylvania bicycle accident law firm of Reiff and Bily remains committed to bicyclist safety and always offers a free, no obligation consultation to those injured in bicycle accidents caused by the fault of another or due to a defectively designed bicycle, a defectively manufactured bicycle, or a defectively designed bicycle component part.

Recently traumatic brain injury has been in the news as it applies to athletes, most notably football players, as well as more concentrated focus on efforts by the United States government as indicated in a press release from the White House on January 11, 2012. In the White House press release, First Lady Michele Obama announced a major coordinated effort by America’s academic institutions to address and combat PTSD and traumatic brain injury. The White House announced a commitment to an initiative of the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine to leverage missions in education, research, and clinical care to meet unique health care needs in military and veterans communities which involves PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and TBI (traumatic brain injury).

Diagnosis and treatment of PTSD and traumatic brain injury has long been swept under the carpet and the understandings that arrive from research were not widely distributed. Researchers are now working and developing new major imaging that allows visualization of brain wiring in high definition which could lead to new breakthroughs in the diagnosis of TBI. Many unknowing victims have been diagnosed with TBI, and in the case of professional athletes, many players stated that they would try to hide brain injuries rather than leave the game. Many sports fans and team owners claim if brain injuries are part of the game then at some point there would be no game. Tragic circumstances surrounding the incident in which U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head have also significantly increased awareness of traumatic brain injury.

Millions of Americans live with a traumatic brain injury and it is estimated that millions of cases of TBI occur and go unreported each year. Although most of the TBI’s are considered mild, they do have a tremendous cumulative effect on the lives of the victims.

If you have been involved in a serious accident and sustained a blow to your head by virtue of a bus crash, auto accident, motorcycle accident, sporting accident, slip and fall accident, amusement park accident, and notice dizziness, loss of focus, ringing in the ears, imbalance, or sensory deprivation, you should present to an emergency room immediately and contact an experienced TBI professional.

The Philadelphia traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder lawyers of Reiff and Bily salute increased government attention focused on TBI and PTSD and understand how the complexities of the issues faced by victims of accidents that suffer from TBI and PTSD. We have over 30 years of experience representing victims who have suffered traumatic brain injury and understand the assistance that is necessary to put TBI victims on the same footing they were prior to the incident that caused this unfortunate diagnosis. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Many times a month, I find myself traveling for business and in strange hotel rooms. I am constantly amazed at how designers of hotel rooms and the corporations that manage hotels neglect health and safety concerns when they have an obligation to provide a safe bathroom environment to guests. The health and safety of guests should be the primary concern when designing any bathroom, particularly those at hotels where the well-being of guests is paramount and the surroundings are unfamiliar and unknown to many visiting guests.

While fine hotels often spend money on fine toiletries, many times they fail to provide bathroom safety factors such as grab rails, non-slip tiles, or select bathtubs with slippery versus non-slippery surfaces. Many times hotels do not properly monitor or control temperature fluctuations in showers which can fluctuate in the fraction of a second and cause severe scalding burns.

The Philadelphia premise liability and hotel accident lawyers of Reiff and Bily understand that legislative standards are only minimal standards and that hotels have an obligation to safely protect their guests which should be priority number one.

The premise liability and slip and fall accident law firm of Reiff and Bily is a nationally recognized personal injury law firm that has represented many clients who have sustained serious injuries as a result of slip and falls that occur in hotels. Our Philadelphia premise liability lawyers have helped many clients recover the maximum monetary compensation possible for their slip and fall cases with multiple slip and fall cases resulting in settlements and verdicts in the six and seven figure range. We understand premise liability and slip and fall laws and have been successfully tackling our opponents for over three decades. Call today for a free consultation toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com to receive a free case evaluation from one of our Pennsylvania slip and fall lawyers.

Rick Santorum, a Republican candidate for President, blames lawyers and medical malpractice lawsuits for unnecessarily driving up health care costs. He claims that he will push to limit payments to medical malpractice lawsuit victims and has repeatedly spoken about caps on medical malpractice recoveries. What Mr. Santorum fails to mention in his campaign speeches is that he testified in support of his wife when she filed a medical malpractice lawsuit that allegedly sought $500,000 dollars in damages, which was twice the cap in his original legislative proposal. According to sources Karen Santorum, the wife of Rick Santorum, claimed that a chiropractor left her with a back injury that will result in a lifetime of pain medication and restriction of mobility.

On the campaign trail when questioned, Senator Santorum told reporters that he backed limits and that his wife did not sue for pain and suffering which is the area he thought should be capped. The Judge in the Santorum case stated that a majority of the $350,000 jury verdict awarded to the Santorum’s was largely for unspecific losses and pain and suffering which he concluded was excessive. It is unfortunate however, that after practicing as a Pennsylvania catastrophic injury and malpractice attorney for over 30 years, I often find that the people that complain the most about lawyers are the ones that are the greediest when it comes time to the resolution of their own claims. When they are the victim or a family member is the affected victim, they have a totally different view and yes, they too become “greedy for justice".

I was regularly attacked by a prominent physician in Philadelphia who when dining with me or socializing with me would always chastise the efforts of myself and other trial lawyers committed to achieving justice for injured victims. When this doctor sustained a catastrophic injury as the result of medical malpractice, the sky was the limit for how much he wanted. He was no longer calling for the caps on damages that he was so arrogant and vociferous about before his accident.

Why is it that people will say anything to get them elected to office, yet when it comes time to a personal tragedy where they or their family member is a victim, it is a different set of standards?

I have always believed that a man should be judged by his actions rather than his words. I am not afraid to admit that yes, I am still “greedy for justice" when a wrongdoing occurs caused by the negligence of another or a defectively manufactured product.

I believe wholeheartedly in the American justice system and the average 500 year collective wisdom of American juries.

As an experienced automobile defect and car accident attorney for over three decades, I recognize one thing, cars should be designed safely for everyone whether they are adults or children. Unfortunately, when it comes to safety many of the large automobile manufacturers have sacrificed the interests of both children and those individuals that are above or below average sized individuals.

Each year, thousands of children are seriously injured and killed due to poor seat belt fit or improper restraint systems in the vehicle.

Many times child and infant car seats are improperly designed or have manufacturing defects presenting hidden dangers. Children between the ages of 4 and 8 under 80 lbs. are typically less than 48 inches tall and are exposed to a higher risk of catastrophic injury or wrongful death than an adult because adult safety seat belts are designed to protect adults and not children. When a seat belt fails to protect or fit an individual correctly, there is an excellent chance that in a catastrophic accident restrained individuals will sustain a submersion injury, rollover injury, or positioning injury leading to catastrophic injuries such as quadriplegia, paraplegia, or death.

The Pennsylvania automobile defect and product liability lawyers of Reiff and Bily understand that prevention of injuries must always be priority number one rather than profits for automobile manufacturers. Seat belt restraint systems are design issues and defectively designed or manufactured seat belts and seat belt buckles that lead to potential failures, unlatch, false latch, inadvertent latch, and retractor failures create a catastrophically dangerous situation that many people do not learn of until it is just too late.

We recently evaluated a Railroad gap case where a client was catastrophically injured when they feel through the gap between the train’s doors on the railroad car and the train station platform. The design of the front stairs of the train resulted in a significant gap between the bottom stair of the train and the landing at the train station.

It is generally a well-accepted principle in railroad gap cases that the horizontal gap between the open train door and the platform should be a reasonable distance so that one may exit and enter the train in a safe fashion without falling through the gap. railroad accident train gap accidents are more common than you think and many times the gap exceeds the railroad’s own internal standards. Many railroad platforms have problem gaps. In fact recent studies indicate that more then 30 percent of train stations have dangerous gaps.

Railroad gap slip and fall accidents are some of the most common claims made against railroads. According to recent reports the number of people reporting that they were involved in a slip and fall accident due to the gap between the train and the train station platform is skyrocketing. In fact, there are several websites devoted to railroad safety and the railroad gap problem.

For over 30 years, the Philadelphia train accident lawyers of Reiff and Bily have represented victims who have been injured by the negligence of Amtrak, SEPTA, and other railroads. The Philadelphia railroad accident attorneys of Reiff and Bily have the necessary skill and experience to fight for your rights to make sure that you are not left with lost wages and medical bills that continue to accumulate, as well as recover damages for the loss of life’s enjoyment and pleasures. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

The National Highway Safety Administration is charged with writing and enforcing safety, theft resistance, and fuel economy guidelines for motor vehicles. However, as an experienced Pennsylvania automobile product liability attorney who has handled a substantial number of catastrophic car accident cases, I am well aware that these are only minimal standards and guidelines.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, (FMVSS), are regulations written in terms of the minimum safety performance requirements for motor vehicles, motor vehicle items, and motor vehicle equipment. Many of the big auto makers take pride in announcing that their vehicles meet these “minimal" standards, however, a safely designed car should exceed these standards, especially if there is a safer design alternative.

In 1980, NHTSA recognized the need for safer interiors of vehicles and identified improvements to padding and cushioning in the event of an accident. In 1989, the application of one inch of padding was required to interior surfaces which was indicated to reduce head trauma by half as much. The Department of Transportation estimated the cost of padding all roof, rails, and areas likely to have an impact was approximately $33 per car.

Safety is not one thing, it’s everything. Understanding that NHTSA or FMVSS government standards are only minimal guidelines and applying conventional wisdom that cars and motor vehicles should be safe makes it intolerable and unacceptable when automobile manufacturers cut corners and emphasize safety over profits. While automobile manufacturers always speak about compliance with federal standards, standard testing typically does not call for all types of situations or applications.

Keeping this in mind, if you or a loved one has been involved in a serious motor vehicle accident, you may want to contact an experienced car accident and automotive product liability attorney to fully evaluate your claim and search the road less traveled for answers and proper compensation. The experienced Pennsylvania car accident and automotive product liability 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.