Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

The defective trailer hitch and trucking accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily urge all of our readers to follow safety tips offered in a new Purdue Extension Guide entitled AKeep The Trailer Connected To The Truck; Understanding The Hitch System.

As experienced Pennsylvania defective trailer and truck accident attorneys, we have investigated many claims where people were either catastrophically injured or wrongfully killed due to the negligence of another or a manufacturing or design defect involving a trailer hitch. Unfortunately, many people hitch trailers to cars without having full knowledge of how to properly do the same and therefore, create a risk of harm and danger to other innocent pedestrians or vehicles on the highway. Trucks, receivers, inserts, and balls all have a rating that list the maximum pulling weights with the lowest rated ball and components determining how much can be pulled. For example if a truck, receiver, and insert ratings are 5,000 lbs but the ball can only tow 2,500 lbs, the load should be no more than 2,500 lbs. We have found that many truckers or individuals pull more than the safety load putting strains on the system and causing a failure. Safety chains should also be employed and should be strong enough to hold the trailer if the hitch fails. It is important to confirm that emergency brake cables are functioning and properly connected to the trailer and that the loads are properly placed to minimize stress on the hitch system. In a recent traffic safety presentation to commercial groups, many attendees noted that they experienced a trailer coming loose or detached from a truck. One can only imagine the consequences when this occurs on a busy highway. As an experienced defective trailer hitch attorney who has investigated all too many of these cases, I can tell you that the results are generally tragic, resulting in catastrophic injury or wrongful death.

The defective trailer hitch and trucking accident attorneys of Reiff & Bily have recently joined forces with the Beasley Firm to create the Beasley Reiff Law Group. Our skilled defective trailer hitch and trucking accident attorneys have decades of experience representing those catastrophically injured or wrongfully killed due to the negligence of others as well as product defects. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation. Please contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595.

Scuba diving is normally one of the greatest and safest sports activities in the world and as an avid diver for well over 40 years, I travel many times a year across the globe to scuba dive and often rent equipment in from various dive operators rather than carry my own equipment. I just returned from a trip to a number of prominent Red Sea dive resorts and was shocked to see that many of the dive shop operators were putting profits above safety when it came to renting dive equipment.

The first thing an experienced and particularly novice diver should do before each dive is check the dive gear, particularly when it is rental gear. Although diving accidents are extremely rare, a faulty regulator or BC rented from a cost cutting dive operator can lead to catastrophic injuries or a fatality. Of course, these are not issues that are frequently discussed. However, when I questioned a prominent dive guide last week why so many people died in the blue hole off of Dahab, Egypt, he answered a simple “bad equipment." I was told stories of failing regulators and buoyancy compensation devices which failed to inflate when necessary, causing the diver to plunge precipitously to an underwater death. Never assume that all rental equipment is in good order. Test it yourself. Do not be afraid to ask the dive operator when the equipment was purchased and if it is in proper working order and when and if it was tested. Always search for the most reliable and responsible dive operator and I recommend not seeking the cheapest rental or operator in the locale.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a swimming pool accident, diving accident, or other water accident, please contact one of our experienced diving and water accident attorneys for a free no obligation consultation. Our record of success speaks for itself.