Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

I have been actively practicing law since 1979 and yet many times when I meet colleagues who are trial lawyers they cannot help but tell me how much they hate the profession and can’t wait to get out. Many of my colleagues drink to forget and eliminate the stresses of the profession. On the other hand, there are many lawyers such as myself and my partners who love to practice law and feel blessed to have the opportunity to represent so many wonderful clients in need of our services. The practice regularly gives us energy as rise to new and different legal and interpersonal client challenges.

Since 1979, I have vigorously represented clients who have been catastrophically injured or wrongfully killed due to the negligence of another or due to a defectively designed or defectively manufactured product. I have always been amazed at how insurance companies and their “hired gun" defense attorneys attempt to minimize the value of a life changing injury, disfigurement, loss of reputation, impairment of mental and physical capacity, frustration, humiliation, degradation and an non-inclusive list of other factors when these same people will purchase pieces of art at prices in the millions or hundreds of millions of dollars. I have often asked myself why is a piece of art worth more than the value of a lost life or worth more than the injuries sustained by one whose life has been catastrophically changed due to the negligence of profit seeking motives of another. I have understood that as an experienced Philadelphia trial lawyer, I deal with situations on a daily basis where we must face the value of our client’s lost hope or dreams and yes, while many of the cases involve some of the most depressing facts that one could conceive, I still believe that in representing seriously injured clients, the loss of their dreams is much more important than the intangible value of a piece of art and have always given of myself 110% percent to help my injured clients and their families recover compensatory damages necessary to keep their dreams and hopes alive. Being a lawyer defines my life and I look forward every day to giving the best counsel possible to my clients. I understand that the greatest use of a life is to spend your time doing something that will outlast it and I know that the finest trial lawyers that I work with love what they do and understand that the pursuit of justice is truth in action. We understand that every individual and corporate entity has a responsibility for injustice anywhere in life and everywhere in the community.

I was recently at an outdoor sporting event squeezing my way through people seated in the bleachers when I almost tripped and fell through one of the large gap openings. Although my wife many times tells me that I can be a “klutz", on this evening I saw many other people fall forward as their legs and feet almost slipped through the large gaps. What immediately came to mind, particularly as a Philadelphia premise liability and slip and fall injury lawyer, was that there was a significant risk of harm to innocent and unknowing visitors at the game. Yes, similar types of bleachers are used for sporting events, graduation ceremonies, parades, and other activities and often are constructed very quickly without giving a thought to proper guardrails, violations of building codes, and more importantly proper lighting which would illuminate or warn potential victims of a danger. Many of the bleachers in use today are not required to comply with building codes. However, it is important for the operator of the event, and owner of the bleachers to provide a safe sitting and walking arrangement to all who occupy the bleachers with an emphasis on slip and fall protection.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission takes this so seriously that they recommend retrofitting measures for many bleachers currently in use. The CPSC retrofitting measures recommends details for proper placement and arrangement of railings to prevent falls.

If you or a loved one has sustained an injury or fallen from a bleacher, it is best to immediately contact an experienced premise liability and slip and fall attorney who will work with experienced architects, civil engineers, as well as warning, illumination, and product defect analysis experts to determine who should be held accountable for resulting injuries. As always, the experienced Pennsylvania slip and fall accident and premise liability lawyers of Reiff and Bily offer a free, no obligation consultation. If we are successful in a recovery, you don’t owe us a dime. For over three decades we have successfully represented victims and their families in Pennsylvania and throughout the country jointly with co-counsel assuring that justice is served. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced Philadelphia personal injury and Philadelphia car accident lawyer, I have literally dealt with thousands of chiropractic care cases involving injured clients. For the most part, although many people and defense attorneys consider chiropractors to be “quacks" or “light and magic shows", mostly I have found that chiropractic manipulation proffered by the properly trained and caring chiropractor can be most beneficial.

In fact, I regularly require chiropractic manipulations and have benefited more therefrom than traditional physical therapy. Unfortunately on the other side of the coin remains the fact that many chiropractor’s offices are nothing more than accident mills operated by businessman or chiropractor more interested in making money rather than offering proper patient care and manipulation.

The underlying basis for chiropractic is the belief is that all physical diseases are the result of misplaced spinal bones and that subluxations of spinal vertebrae cause disease by interfering with the flow of nerve energy from the brain to the body=s tissues. Accordingly, spinal adjustments by a properly trained chiropractor are technically supposed to restore vertebrae to their proper places and allow brain energy to heal the diseased condition. Obviously in order to properly treat a disease or condition, it is completely necessary to have an accurate medical diagnosis as to what constitutes treatment. Many chiropractors administer spinal manipulation without first accurately making a proper medical diagnosis utilizing confirming x-rays, CT scans, or MRI studies and many types of chiropractic medical malpractice claims evolve when a patient sustains an injury or aggravation by manipulation of the musculoskeletal system or the spine where the patient suffers from an illness, disease, or other injury that was not diagnosed. For example, if there is a herniated disc with potential impingement on the spinal nerves and the chiropractor fails to diagnose this condition and engages in aggressive treatment that worsens the condition instead of prescribing immediate medical intervention or diagnosis, that chiropractor may have caused more harm to the patient and may be guilty of chiropractic malpractice. Many times chiropractors don't fully explain the situation to the client or patient and the patient receives treatment or some part of treatment without the informed consent necessary to make an educated decision. Sometimes cervical manipulation or a neck adjustment technique can be more devastating than helpful and can lead to a stroke. A neck adjustment by a chiropractor can cause a dissection of vertebrae or the carotid artery resulting in stroke. The number of chiropractic malpractice and manipulations that report in strokes is vastly under reported in medical literature due to the fact that many patients suffer irreparable brain damage and cannot remember the chiropractic manipulation. All manipulations carry the risk of life threatening accidents and it is important that if you are receiving chiropractic care to do your homework and make sure that you are not treating in an accident mill just focused on volume rather than quality care.

If you have sustained an injury that you believe was caused by chiropractic negligence or malpractice, the experienced and skilled Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys at Reiff and Bily are always available to offer a free, no obligation consultation and work with the finest medical and chiropractic experts throughout the nation. We always offer a no recovery, no fee guarantee. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

I recently resolved a case for a confidentially significant amount of money for a young woman who sustained permanent injuries and severe scarring when she was struck by a heavy self closing corridor door in her school hallway. The young lady was walking with friends through the school hallway and a heavy glass paned corridor door closed quickly on her. She put up her hand to protect herself whereupon her hand broke through one of the “safety door" glass panes.

The experienced Pennsylvania premise liability and product defect lawyers of Reiff and Bily hired an engineer and architect to examine and analyze the circumstances of the glass failure and the results of the inspection and analysis were more concerning and alarming then one would believe. Each one of the “safety" doors had 15 rectangular glass panes with exposed areas of panes approximately 8" x 14". I remember being in school when doorway and window glass panes were a wired glass and hexagonal chicken wire pattern yet these doors were just clear unlaminated plate glass. Not only that, the doors were old, heavy doors with failing hydraulic closers mounted at the top that were leaking oil or fluid creating excessive force. Architecturally, there is a difference between safety glass and fire rated glass. Safety glass is intended to reduce the likelihood of severe cuts to people as well as resist breaking in the first place. Wired glass is not safety glass but many times individuals operate under the common misconception that it is. When the school doors were analyzed, they failed a closing speed and closing force test in that they closed in approximately two seconds versus the suggested five second minimum. Obviously, anyone attempting to prevent the door from closing on them would naturally put their hand in the air and the combination of the force of the door closing and the lack of safety glass presented a hazardous and grave danger of high magnitude to innocent and unknowing students. Of course, it is reasonably foreseeable for a student to instinctively put her hand up to block a door closing. Many times, doors have push plates which are fastened to doors for the purpose of providing a spot for pedestrians to place their hands to push a door open. In crowded conditions the chance of missing the plate inadvertently is great and not all students, especially younger ones, understand to use the plate.

Our case was successfully settled against the building owner and school who was determined to be responsible for safety and maintenance and should have noticed non-safety glass used on these doors and should have foreseen that a grave accident such as that caused to our young client. Our skilled premise liability and glass accident lawyers were able to prove violations of applicable property maintenance codes including those of BOCA, ICC, and City codes. The hazardous conditions were easily correctable at a minimal cost. Failure to take action fell below the duty of care owed by institutional facilities such as the school to students attending the school and their parents. Our skilled school accident lawyers were able to prove that the hazards and engineering and architectural failures created a grave danger to students resulting in a substantial confidential resolution prior to trial. For more information, please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

For over thirty years, I have worked closely with the medical community in my capacity as a lawyer investigating and litigating cases involving closed head traumas and mild to severe brain injuries, as well as intracranial hemorrhages. Many times individuals who do not possess proper medical insurance do not receive adequate or proper screening after an accident or violent impact to their head. Left untreated, a mild TBI or intracranial hemorrhage can have a considerable impact in the reduction of one’s quality of life and can many times lead to death if improperly diagnosed.

Studies and statistics have indicated that African-American and Hispanic children are less likely than Caucasian children to receive cranial CT scans in emergency departments following minor head trauma according to a study presented at the 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics national conference. Many physicians that I have discussed this situation with claim that those who sustain a minor head trauma “are probably at low risk anyway" for a clinically important brain injury. However, one’s socioeconomic status or lack of insurance or ignorance of the insurance and billing systems should not stand in the way of a proper diagnosis and the safe practice of medicine. Many times an impact to the head is the result of a car accident, product defect, or other type of negligence, and third party’s and third party insurance companies may be responsible for medical bills and resulting financial, emotional, and payment of medical bills. Simply stated, I have noted that many individuals contact our office with symptoms of traumatic brain injury and closed head trauma and have not received proper medical treatment because they were afraid that they would be responsible for paying the bills and did not have adequate personal medical insurance. In fact, many hospitals and physicians will not treat these people unless there is a letter of protection from a lawyer representing them or the lawyer’s office has done the ground work to secure funding for the diagnostic testing. What we do know is that individuals with a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury have a much lower health-related quality of life at times compared to others. It is important to immediately diagnose and effectively treat a brain injury.

Continue reading "Why Is It That Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries and Intracranial Hemorrhages Are Not So Readily Diagnosed. Is It A Patient Or Medical Issue?" »

How many times have you been driving down the highway and seen treads, shredded tires, or torn pieces of tires sitting on the side of the road on the shoulder. The sale of used tires and retreaded tires is booming. While a significant number of vehicle crashes are caused as a result of tire failures, and even though the purchaser believed they were getting safe tires based upon the visual conditions, many times the bargain leads to a catastrophic accident. Many times tires possess defects that cannot be easily detected visually. Oxidation or micro-cracks in tires can lead to a catastrophic tread or belt separation. However, unfortunately, the age of a tire does not prevent it from being sold at a cheap price on the used tire market or the retread market.

We recently successfully resolved a case where a tire experienced a belt separation causing the vehicle to lose control. The tire manufacturer claimed there was no defect on the tire. Most times, the tire installer or customer does not possess the ability to spot loose cords or belt separation in a tire, and unfortunately used tires are not subject to any federal standards. The road fitness of a tire is governed only under state tread depth laws.

Every year thousands of people will die and even more will be catastrophically injured due to the use of defective retread tires on vehicles. Environmentalists claim that retreading tires saves huge amounts of natural resources as opposed to replacing worn tires. However, safety should always take priority over profitability. Simply put, retread tires are second hand tires that have just been recoated with a tread veneer creating a potentially volatile situation.

Continue reading "A Tire Tread Separation Often Results In Lose Of Control Of A Vehicle With Tragic Consequences" »

Over the years, as an experienced catastrophic accident attorney , I have represented a number of clients who were injured at a gym, or on a ski slope and the business owner or operator attempted to deny coverage or liability due to an exculpatory clause in the contract, membership agreement, or lift ticket that stated that the facility waived any liability in the event of an accident.

Pennsylvania law provides that an exculpatory clause or a clause waiving liability is valid if it does not violate any policy of the law, the contract is between persons relating entirely to their own affairs and each party is a “free bargaining agent", and is not in effect a contract or adhesion whereby one party simply adheres to a document which is powerless to alter having no alternative than to reject the transaction entirely. Even if a clause in a contract is determined to be exculpatory, the Supreme Court has established standards that must be met before it will relieve one from liability that the law would otherwise impose.

1) It must be strictly construed since it is not favorite of the law.

2) It must spell out the contention of the parties the greatest particularity so as to show an intent to release from liability beyond a reasonable doubt by express stipulation, no inference from words or general import can establish it.

3) It must be construed against the parties seeking immunity.

4) The burden to establish immunity is upon the party who asserts it.

Obviously if you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury or wrongful death at a business entity, property or recreational facility of another, a clause attempting to limit or extinguish their liability may not necessarily release the offending party from their responsibility for injuries and accidents. Many individuals and lawyers pay heed to the chilling effect of these clauses and do not understand that such communication must be understandable without ambiguity or deception and may often call for the involvement of an experienced catastrophic injury or wrongful death lawyer.

For over three decades, the experienced Pennsylvania personal injury and Philadelphia premise liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily have successfully tackled some of the nation’s toughest defendants and largest corporations on a no recovery, no fee basis representing the interests of consumers. We believe that safety and not profitability should be priority one, and our skilled catastrophic injury attorneys have a successful track record holding wrongdoers accountable. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

What started out as an evening event with laughter, smiles, cider, and ginger snaps for a large family group ended up as a frightful hayride adventure resulting in broken bones, bruises, neck and back injuries when the seats and trailer being pulled by the truck broke apart. One of the young ladies was pinned underneath the side of the trailer that fell. According to one of the parties, the trailer had a shaky feel to it and as it gained speed going down the hill seemed to disintegrate.

Haunted hayrides seem innocuous and innocent to those of us who welcome Fall and look forward “Kodak" moments with the kids. Unfortunately, dangers that lurk about hayrides are not limited to those dressed in costumes attempting to scare the daylights out of you. The real dangers lie in defectively manufactured, designed and maintained trailers, that are covered with hay and blankets, and often overloaded when they carry the hay riders. Many times hayrides are operated by profit driven individuals or businesses who fail to understand that safety of the rider is paramount to profitability. Hayride operators owe a duty to their riders to properly maintain and inspect the trailer, seats, and railings, as well as provide proper and safe control and supervision of the riders. Many times the truck is being operated by someone with a curious or questionable background and if they take a sharp turn or make a sudden stop or travel too quickly down a hill, there may be an accident waiting to happen. According to news reports, this past weekend many hayride accidents occurred throughout the United States due to failure to have proper safety restraints or restrictions and governance.

Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to those injured in hayride accidents. While I don’t wish to take the fun out of life, I just want you to make sure that before you go on a hayride, do a little bit of due diligence and recognize that accidents do happen. Make sure the facility has an excellent record of success and safety and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

The experienced hayride and amusement accident and premise liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily have evaluated thousands of cases involving catastrophic injuries, broken arms, and unfortunately wrongful deaths, and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for victims and their families. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

I received a call from an acquaintance whose elderly mother sustained a fractured hip and rapidly went into a severe physical and emotional decline requiring permanent assisted care and nursing support as a result of a slip and fall accident at a supermarket. The slip and fall took place at a retail store, and unfortunately, more than six months passed before the victim who has now entered a state of dementia as a result of the injuries, decided to contact a lawyer. A preliminary investigation revealed that surveillance films no longer existed, and it was impossible to secure independent witnesses or the identity of parties that caused the accident. In fact, it became extraordinarily difficult to even begin the basics of a proper accident reconstruction.

There is an important lesson to be learned here. When a victim’s life has been seriously altered due to a serious slip and fall or premise liability accident, it is important to immediately consult a serious premises liability and slip and fall injury lawyer who has a reputation for honesty and excellence that can honestly provide answers to questions. The proper preparation of a slip and fall or premise liability case requires immediate attention by experienced investigators, attorneys, and perhaps engineers. Premise liability injuries that occur on another’s person property often cause some of the most devastating injuries. Slip and fall or premise liability accidents are hard fought by insurance companies as they involve complex and difficult statements of facts and quirks in the law. Every case is unique with facts that must be applied to fact specific laws, and therefore, it is important to act immediately to get an independent evaluation by an experienced premise liability and slip and fall lawyer if you wish to properly protect your legal interests.

The experienced Philadelphia premise liability and slip and fall lawyers of Reiff & Bily have over 30 years of experience on their side and have had many multi-million dollar slip and fall and premise liability recoveries on behalf of their clients. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Recently a jury awarded $826,000 to a 60-year old woman who tripped and fell over a broken section of curb that she did not see due to the failure of a flood light which did not illuminate the area of the fall. The fall victim sued the apartment complex alleging that a broken curb and non-operational floodlight created hazards on the premise and that the defendant failed to properly maintain the premises and repair the broken curb and light. There was no claim made for future medical expenses or lost earnings. The defense made an argument that the victim should have been able to see the curb defect without an existing light and that she tripped and fell on her own due to the fact that she was wearing high heeled shoes and her dog had twisted their leashes around her legs.

Slip and fall cases are always vigorously defended. The owner and occupiers of the land or premise where the slip and fall accident occurs have different degrees of responsibility to victims according to the status of the person who was injured. Slip and fall victims are classified as invitees, licensees, or trespassers. Slip and fall injuries that occur on another person’s property are very common and often result in serious or catastrophic injuries and many times in cases of the elderly with a broken hip can lead to life threatening situations.

The experienced Philadelphia slip and fall and premise liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily have recovered millions of dollars in settlement for victims and their families. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

I have been researching, investigating, and litigating amusement park accidents, water park accidents, and hayride accidents for over three decades. I have been attacked by many individuals stating that I am nothing but a greedy lawyer taking the fun out of life. Many individuals today who are riding on safer amusement rides or using safer products quickly point the finger at lawyers and without the fight of dedicated lawyers for consumer safety and protection many products manufacturers, or amusement park operators and amusement manufacturers would still be placing profitability ahead of safety concerns.

When I meet with parents of children who were catastrophically injured or died on an amusement ride or hayride and the owner/operator points the finger at an innocent child when in fact the amusement or attraction was improperly maintained, improperly inspected, or was operated by an individual with a questionable background who was improperly trained, I am astonished to see a public relations campaign attacking lawyers who only get paid if they are able to prove fault or negligence and win a case. I am astonished and surprised to read negative posts on blogs by people who don’t have a clue as to what really happened and who most probably would also seek legal representation and an independent investigation if they or their child was catastrophically injured or killed.

Our experienced amusement park and theme park accident attorneys always work only on a contingent fee basis and only charge a fee if we win the case. Many amusement parks claim that they regulate themselves and have proper motivation to insure safety and many state agencies that regulate amusement parks don’t have the budgets or technical expertise necessary to properly do their jobs. In fact, many theme parks and amusement park operators claim that state and local legislators lack budget resources and technical experience to carry out proper safety checks and investigate accidents and claim that they can do it better. I believe that if an amusement park or water park is operating safely and taking all steps to insure that amusement ride accidents do not occur, they should not be so afraid of a lawyer double checking the system. After all, a contingent fee amusement park and theme park accident lawyer will not take the case or get paid if, in fact, it can be determined that the owners and operators did nothing wrong. For those who complain that lawyers are taking the fun out of life and always blame the victims. Think about how you would feel if you were catastrophically injured or your child was killed at a theme park or amusement park that was said to be safe and carefully hid defects and problems from the public.

Checks and balances are a good thing.

Another hayride amusement attraction went awry when six people were injured, one critically, during an accident involving a horse drawn trailer occurred. According to news sources, a woman was critically injured and trampled when horses pulling the carriage were spooked during a farm hayride. The woman identified as Joan Perkins threw herself in front of the horses in order to save a group of people and remains in critical condition as a result of her injures.

The experienced hayride accident and defective trailer lawyers of Reiff & Bily wish the victims a speedy and healthy recovery.

For over three decades, the amusement accident and hayride accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have been representing catastrophically injured victims and their families. For a free, no obligation consultation, contact us toll free at 800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced aviation accident lawyer who has been investigated plane crash and commercial airline accidents for more then three decades I am shocked at the fact that commercial airlines have developed a class system where only members of an airline’s executive club could learn techniques to increase their chances of surviving a plane crash. Who would have thought that the airline would charge 125 British pounds per person to enroll in the course. It is my understanding according to news sources that the course will cover basics such as practicing releasing the seat belt and checking the location of life jackets and includes a simulation of emergency evacuation down an escape slide. I wonder what’s next – club members who get a priority exit from a downed aircraft in the event of a crash?

Safety must never be an option.

More and more businesses and health services are supplying medication offering injections or diagnosing and treating patients with doctors who really are not medical doctors but rather nurses with Ph.D.’s. Often these Ph.D. “doctors" are paid less than medical doctors. While there is no doubt that there are advanced practice nurses with Ph.D.’s that have excellent and fine medical skills, this is not always explained to individuals who seek medical advice or treatment and assume that the same is being provided by a medical doctor. Many clinics have nurse Ph.D.’s who are identified as doctors performing medical exams, and as an experienced Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney for over thirty years, I predict that this is something that will become more and more common in a tightened economy and as big business has a greater role in providing healthcare.

Interestingly enough, researchers show that the new Ph.D. degrees maintained by nurses who call themselves doctors have not brought higher fees to these mostly lesser paid providers from insurers from seeing patients. Certainly and understandably one can understand the frustration from physicians with medical degrees who have spent years of intensive study only to have confusion over the use of the term doctor and services performed by someone using the term doctor.

As an experienced Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorney who has been intimately involved in claims of malpractice against the healthcare industry for over three decades, I believe that clear communications must be made to the consumer about the correct educational background and medical degree of the “doctor" administering the services and that legislators ought to be more involved in defining the roles of these healthcare providers.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of medical malpractice, contact one of our experienced Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

I was recently contacted by a client who was dancing at a wedding party and slipped on a puddle of liquid that had spilled on the dance floor and broke her leg.

As I have been handling slip and fall accident and premise liability cases for over 30 years, this was not the first time that I had been confronted with such a case scenario. The law of Pennsylvania states that the possessor or operator of land who holds it open to the public for business purposes is subject to liability to members of the public while they are upon the land for such a purpose or physical harm caused by the accidental negligence or intention harmful acts of third persons or the failure of the possessor to exercise reasonable care to discover such acts are being done or likely to be done or give adequate warning to enable visitors to avoid the harm or otherwise protect them against harm. It can be reasonably anticipated that anyone going to a resort, catering hall, hotel, restaurant, or place of wedding or party function would have a reasonable expectation that the operator or owner who invites those individuals there may reasonably expect that all those visiting may not behave in a proper and responsible fashion and therefore bears responsibility for injury that follows the absence of reasonable precaution against the common expectation. Taking this into account, our experienced Philadelphia slip and fall law firm has been successful in these cases in the past making the argument that the operator must exercise reasonable care to prevent liquids in areas where dancing activity is taking place or in high traffic areas and bears responsibility to take reasonable precautions to maintain and inspect the premises.

The Philadelphia slip and fall and premise liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily always offer a free, no obligation consultation to those who sustain serious injuries as a result of falling or slipping on the premise of another. Our skilled and experienced Philadelphia slip and fall lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars representing the interests of catastrophically injured victims and their families. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to news sources, state officials in Florida agreed to spare Lego Land Theme Park from safety oversight due to the fact that it qualifies for a 22-year exemption that was initially written into Florida law for Walt Disney World and other theme parks. Accordingly, this will make Lego Land the fourth park owner in Florida to operate free of state ride safety regulation. The others are noted to be Walt Disney Company, NBC Universal, Sea World, and Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay. A Lego Land spokesman noted that “Within our industry, it is common practice for theme parks to govern themselves as far as ride inspections go."

Under Florida law, if a theme park has a minimum of a thousand employees, they are exempt from the state inspection and permit requirements. Florida law requires exempt parks to employ full time in-house safety inspectors and to file affidavits with the state certifying that each of the rides has been inspected.

As an experienced amusement park and theme park accident attorney who has investigated and prosecuted a good number of amusement park accidents involving catastrophic injuries and death, I question the validity or integrity of the amusement park industry claims that they have proper motivation to take safety precautions due to the fact that negative publicity creates a public backlash which affects their profitability and stress that the state should focus on traveling fairs or carnivals rather than larger theme parks that are more sophisticated. Director of Maintenance of Lego Land stated that the parks in-house inspections will go well beyond what would otherwise be conducted by the state and he is quoted as saying, “I think we have more expertise. We surpass what the state is asking as far as inspections." Lego Land also claims that it will contract with a third party recreational engineering company that will conduct certain types of tests and submit required documentation to the state.



Continue reading "When Roller Coasters and Other Rides Open At A Theme Park Next Month, They Won’t Have To Undergo Any State Safety Inspections - Amusement Park Attorney Weighs In" »

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

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.