Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

As an experienced Pennsylvania premise liability lawyer for over three decades, I have investigated and litigated thousands of slip and fall cases that occurred as a result of small changes in elevation, most notably a single step. How many times have you unknowingly tripped or fell on a single step which only represents a small elevation change. Single step elevation changes are common in many new buildings, restaurants, hotels, and museums. In fact, when I was designing my own home, the architect and designer suggested a step down in my center foyer to a family room, and I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have slipped or guests have slipped on the same.

I have witnessed hundreds of slip and fall on single step designs and have come to the conclusion with many experts that the benefits of the same simply do not outweigh the risk. In fact, I have been able to prove that without careful attention given to lighting, floor finishes, railings, floor coverings and ways to assure that pedestrians are fully aware of changes in elevations, a slip and fall accident is more likely than not to occur.

Many of the premises liability slip and fall cases that our Philadelphia slip and fall law firm has handled have involved a substantial impairment to a victim’s life in terms of one’s potential ability to earn, pay medical bills, as well as affecting lifetime physical impairments that impact them in their daily duties and activities. Many people give little thought to surfaces or slight elevations until they slip, trip, or fall. A premise liability or slip and fall case can often be the most difficult case to litigate due to the fact that insurance companies and property owners defend them ruthlessly, almost always blaming the victim.

If you have been involved in a slip and fall accident, the experienced Philadelphia premise liability and slip and fall accident lawyers of Reiff and Bily work with teams of engineers, architects, and property design experts all of who understand state, local, and federal safety codes. Our experienced team of Philadelphia slip and fall premises liability attorneys have made some of our most significant recoveries on behalf of slip and fall victims. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

For the last three decades, I have successfully represented clients who have been injured in slip and fall accidents or have been harmed by falling merchandise, inadequate security, or other dangerous conditions on the premises of another. In most premise liability cases, there are federal, state, or local government codes that have been adopted in furtherance of promoting safety. Codes are only minimal legal standards and are not always the ultimate statement of what is and what is not safe, and in interpreting a code, one must always be liberal to that interpretation which provides the most protection and safety to the public.

While every jurisdiction has a specific choice and combination of various codes, the defense will almost always strongly argue that all codes were met. We often find that many codes are outdated or when strictly applied to a particular case do not further the goals of safety intended by the drafters. There are many safety and standards organization which maintain websites specifying the safety regulations and rules for such topics as floor safety, illumination of premises, uniform building codes, national building codes, Americans with Disabilities Act, or occupational safety and health. These are non-inclusive, and a cursory review of the regulations and codes reveals typical guidelines encountered in a premise liability or slip and fall legal case. Of course, each and every jurisdiction will have their own choice and combination of various codes to apply to each case, and all premise liability and slip and fall cases are uniquely different.

The experienced Pennsylvania premises liability and slip and fall lawyers of Reiff and Bily initially examine the local codes in the venue where a premise liability or slip and fall accident occurred and understand that these minimal legal standards should not be the absolute basis for consideration in determining what is or what is not safe. However, non-compliance with a code is considered to be grounds for negligence per se claim.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a premise liability or slip and fall accident or injured on the property of another, it pays to contact an experienced slip and fall or premise liability attorney who has decades of experience litigating these types of cases. The skilled Pennsylvania premise liability and slip and fall lawyers of Reiff and Bily have achieved numerous settlements or verdicts for a combined excess of hundreds of millions of dollars since 1979 on behalf of injured plaintiffs. Our skilled premise liability lawyers are members of the Beasley Reiff Law Group whose lawyers have collectively been awarded over two billion dollars since 1957. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Many years ago, a dear friend of my father’s was walking down a dark street behind a restaurant and fell to the bottom of an open shaft as a result of a faulty doorway hatch covering a stairwell which was designed to protect innocent passersby on the sidewalk. The hatch was on top of a delivery stairway used by trucks making food deliveries to the restaurant. There was no reasonable explanation as to why the hatch to the basement was faulty, there were no warnings posted, and it was obvious that the stairwell presented a hazard to pedestrians walking by without notice of the dangerous condition. While the owners and operators of the building and restaurant attempted to put the blame on my father’s friend, it seemed clear cut that no one would jump to the bottom of a delivery chute and that the fall had to be accidental.

Of course, in typical fashion, the defendants tried to throw every obstacle in the path of the man who attempted to make a claim for injuries, which included broken bones, concussion, and broken teeth. Testimony revealed that the individual was still in contact with the sidewalk when he unexpectedly stepped on top of the faulty doorway cover abutting the pavement.

Although this may sound like a freak occurrence, many pedestrians on the sidewalk do not expect that the common sidewalk they walk on may also contain the housing or entryway to a basement of which the building is stocked with supplies. If the pavement or hatch is in ill repair and not maintained properly, the situation is presented where it is simply an accident is waiting to happen. Frequently, a sidewalk adjacent to the vaulted space ends with a masonry or concrete wall that retains the soil beneath the street. Many times there exists deterioration of the structure to the hatch or doorway or a hollowness underneath the sidewalk which may only be seen by those who enter or exit the premises regularly. This collapse risk provides a danger to those unaware of the hazard and requires an experienced premise liability lawyer to fully investigate a claim if an injury should occur.

Since 1979, the experienced Philadelphia premise liability and slip and fall lawyers of Reiff and Bily have successfully tackled some of the most difficult slip and fall and premise liability cases and have achieved many multi-million dollar results on behalf of catastrophically injured clients. Our experienced Philadelphia slip and fall and premise liability lawyers always offer a free, no obligation consultation and a no recovery, zero fee guarantee. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

On November 21, 1980, a fire swept through the MGM Grand Hotel Casino (now Bally’s) in Las Vegas, Nevada, killing dozens and injuring many more. According to records 85 people were killed mostly through smoke inhalation. As I started to practice law in 1979, I was friendly with several acquaintances who were guests at the MGM during the hotel fire and so began my introduction to hotel fires as a young lawyer.

A few years later, in 1986, I was in Puerto Rico with my family on vacation during Christmas break when the DuPont Plaza Hotel in San Juan caught fire and close to 100 people perished. Every Christmas as I celebrate the holidays with my family, generally at a hotel or on a cruise, I cannot help but remember these tragic events which are forever inscribed in my mind.

As a catastrophic injury attorney who has specialized in burns, smoke inhalation, and premise liability, I have handled many cases involving smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide poisoning, and burn injuries. Over the years, if you are a viewer of television news, you have witnessed cruise ship fires on ships operated by a Norwegian Cruise Line (Nordlys), Princess Cruise Line, and Carnival Cruise Line (Splendor).

Several years ago I booked a cruise with my family and friends on a Celebrity Cruise Ship traveling from Buenos Aires, Argentina around the tip of South America up to Valparaiso, Chile. As the ship was coming out of the Rio Plata in Argentina, we were struck with what is known as a white squall and many people were injured.

While these events are only but a sample of what typically would be an unexpected event during a vacation holiday, the fact remains that when you book a hotel or cruise, you have every reason to expect that safety will be priority number one to the hotel or cruise ship operator rather than profits. Unfortunately, many times hotel and cruise ship operators attempt to disclaim liability completely with notices on tickets or on the premises of a hotel stating the “management is not responsible for any loss suffered by guests or their belongings.”

As an experienced hotel accident lawyer, one thing is for certain, hotels and cruise lines will generally attempt to gain more protection then they are allowed under the law. Many times an attempt to ban liability can be used by a skilled and experienced premise liability lawyer against the hotel, making them fully liable for the guest’s injuries or losses. A cruise ship that departs from U.S. waters is defined as a common carrier according to '3(6) of the Shipping Act of 1984, 46 USC '1702(6). It is commonly accepted that a common carrier is under a “special duty beyond reasonable care to its vessel passengers.” This special duty means that the cruise ship must see to it that cruise vessel vacationers get to and from ports in a safe manner, and furthermore states that cruise liners and their operators must exercise the highest degree of care to protect passengers carried for hire against physical injuries and other types of harm. The liability of cruise ships and hotels for passengers’ burns or smoke inhalation tend to be tricky business and requires the knowledge of experienced investigators and attorneys use to navigating these multi-faceted “waters” and often complex scenarios.

The hotel and cruise ship accident and premise liability lawyers of Reiff and Bily wish all safe travels. However should an accident at a hotel or on a cruise ship occur, we always offer a free, no obligation consultation and no recovery, zero fee guarantee. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

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.

Recently a young boy drowned while swimming at night in a swimming pool owned by a major hotel chain while attending a wedding reception. Although alcohol was involved, there were numerous other violations pointing to owner/operator negligence for swimming pool operations and premise liability which led to the tragic death. Recently I was a guest at another major hotel chain with an indoor pool and was surprised to notice that the hotel did not secure the pool at night by locking doors even though claiming it was closed during evening hours. The hotel’s actions indicated that guests were allowed to swim at night and the area was dimly and darkly lit. The hotel also had business and social functions ongoing in the lobby and bar areas and it was very possible for guests who were intoxicated to enter the pool.

In the hotel swimming pool drowning accident case where the boy drowned, an aquatic safety consultant was retained and stated that the hotel was negligent in that it failed to secure the pool at night with locked doors or gates even though they claimed it was closed during evening hours. Routine pool controls and patrols were not conducted for safety and the pool was lacking safety signs, rescue and resuscitation equipment. There was no one on staff ultimately in charge of the pool and in fact, many of the safety breaches which led to the finding of liability on behalf of the hotel chain were in violation of the company’s written policies.

As an experienced Philadelphia hotel safety and Philadelphia swimming pool accident lawyer for over thirty years, I understand that safety is priority number one and that hotels and motels owe the highest duty of care to those who visit the premises as customers to insure their safety and protect them from significant harm or death. If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a swimming pool accident, please contact us for a free, no obligation consultation 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.

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.

The law firm of Reiff & Bily has joined forces with the Beasley Firm and together the Beasley Reiff Law Group now offers for free “My Lawyer - Travels With Me” iPhone and Android application to help Pennsylvania residents who are involved in a catastrophic accident.

The law firm of Reiff & Bily and the Beasley Firm are two nationally recognized law firms dedicated to serving those who have been catastrophically injured or wrongful death due to defective products, medical malpractice, premise liability, and amusement park or water park accidents. Together our lawyers have been awarded over $2 billion dollars in verdicts and settlements since the mid-1950's.

Our new “My Lawyer - Travels With Me” application will provide all of the tools to those injured in an accident to take timely and lawful action in order to protect their legal interests and financial future.

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.

As a Philadelphia car accident and catastrophic injury lawyer who has been representing catastrophically injured victims, and their families, for more then three decades, I worry that internet and television marketing by many lawyers has led to a high number of victims and their families receiving what many would consider to be improper and inadequate legal representation. Many lawyers just look for an “Easy A”. Too many times attorneys hoping to earn a quick and easy referral fee will spend tens of thousands of dollars even hundreds of thousands of dollars a month designing websites or TV advertising that inaccurately portrays their abilities. It is the goal of these attorneys to make perspective clients believe they are hiring experienced attorneys, who have recovered multi-million dollar verdicts, and are amongst the top car accident lawyers, truck accident lawyers, S.U.V. van rollover lawyers, medical malpractice lawyers, and Products liability lawyers in the field.

Lately I have received an alarming number of phone calls from seriously injured car and truck accident victims who were mislead by what I call a “parasite lawyer”. A “parasite lawyer” is a lawyer who oftentimes lacks experience but attempts to conceal this by purchasing “black hat” internet links and creating embellished website content to make prospective clients believe they are hiring an experienced lawyer or law firm to represent their legal interests when in reality they are hiring a lawyer who simply thereafter refers their case to another attorney for a fee. I call this the “Easy A” system whereby an inexperienced attorney, or an attorney who has no interest in representing you or your loved ones, tacks a fee onto your recovery for doing nothing more then referring your case to another attorney. Frequently many of these marketing attorneys operate their websites from out of state and have creative advertising joint and cooperative ventures with other lawyers and law firms creating the illusion that they are something more then they really are. Always pay attention to the disclaimers and small print at the bottom or end of the advertisement as it quickly passes you by.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, truck accident, tractor trailer accident, bus accident, boat accident, S.U.V roll over accident, 15 passenger van rollover accident, amusement park accidents, premise liability accident, slip and fall accident, burned in a fire, bitten or attacked by a dog, the victim of inadequate security, falsely imprisoned, sexually assaulted, injured on a cruise ship, injured on a plane, in a construction accident or injured as a result of a defective product or medical malpractice you may be eligible to recover for your injuries.

As an experienced and highly rated Pennsylvania Super Lawyer with decades of experience, whose law firm has handled and collected hundreds of millions of dollars in recoveries for catastrophically injured victims, and their families, as well as those who have sustained wrongful deaths, I strongly advise that you personally interview the attorney who will be handling your legal case. Do not be afraid to ask for references. Make sure that he or she is regularly available to meet and speak with you about your case as it develops. Make sure your case is not being handed over to a paralegal or newly graduated lawyer who might lack the required experience. Inquire whether or not the lawyer has ever had any disciplinary issues or is even licensed to practice law in your state. Inquire about independent and non biased reviews of your lawyer from third party ranking or rating organization. Check the attorney's ranking on Avvo or the Martindale-Hubble record of standing. Never be afraid to get a second opinion from another lawyer if you don't like what you are hearing or don't feel comfortable as the case develops.

After all you only get one bite at the apple, and the selection of your lawyer may be one of the most important lifetime decisions that you will ever make.
Chance will always favor the prepared mind.

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.

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" »

Since 1979, I have represented many individuals who have been attacked or mauled by dogs in Pennsylvania. Sadly many of the dog bite victims represented by the experienced Pennsylvania dog bite lawyers of Reiff & Bily are children who are left with permanent reminders in the form of physical disfigurement and scars, as well as broken bones. Many times reconstructive surgery is required and the victim is left with lifetime impediment reminders of the dog bite accident.

I receive calls from other attorneys handling dog bite cases who believe that a dog gets one free bite before the owner can be held liable for a dog attack. This is simply not true. Recent legislative amendments and Superior Court findings enable a jury to consider whether the first attack is enough to establish liability regarding whether a dog has a violent propensity or tendency to attack a human being. The Courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have held that owners must take all necessary steps to secure dogs and keep them from harming others and further note that a landlord who knows of the presence of a dangerous animal may be held liable for injuries caused by the attack of a tenant’s dog.

In a case one of our experienced philadelphia dog bite lawyers is currently handling, renters had made numerous complaints to the landlord of a premise about the existence of a dangerous dog who had attacked others. The landlord repeatedly failed, refused, and neglected to take any action or have the dog removed and subsequent thereto our client, a beautiful young model, was attacked and left with permanent scars which will drastically affect her ability to earn a living, not to mention the psychological trauma and permanent scarring coupled with medical expenses for reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Not all lawyers are equal when it comes to handling dog bite cases, and the experienced Pennsylvania dog bite lawyers of Reiff & Bily have over three decades of experience on their side handling some of the most challenging scar and dog bite cases. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation. Recently our skilled catastrophic scar injury and dog bite lawyers have joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm to create the Beasley Reiff Law Group. Together our attorneys have been awarded over $2 billion dollars since the mid-1950's. For more information contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Pennsylvania law states that property owners have a duty to keep their sidewalks in a reasonably safe condition for travel by the public. Property owners must maintain their sidewalks so they do not present an unreasonable risk of harm to pedestrians or a passerby. A breach of duty by the property owner or any other reasonable party must be carefully defined on a case by case basis. Obviously the size of the evaluation, depression, or irregularity of the sidewalk must be taken into consideration and if it is trivial versus a large defect, a jury will consider whether or not the property owner was negligent. Obviously the deeper and larger the defect, the more likely the victim’s chance of winning the case. Also the plaintiff’s lawyer must consider whether or not the defect was open and obvious and if a reasonable person exercising prudent care could have avoided the defect or should have taken notice of the same as to avoid injury.

Over 30 years ago my wife tripped and fell on an elevated sidewalk pavement in her 8th month of pregnancy and sustained a comminuted fracture of the wrist which to this day gives her pain and successfully enables her to predict when a rain storm or thunderstorm is approaching.

The experienced slip and fall accident lawyers, and premise liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily have been successfully litigating premise liability and slip and fall accident cases since 1979 and have received hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of injured victims and their families. If you or a loved one has fallen on property of another or fallen on a sidewalk of another please, please contact us for a free, no obligation consultation and we will try to take the hassles out of your life as the relate to a slip and fall accident. As always we offer a free no obligation consultation. For more information, contact us toll free at 1800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

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 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.

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.

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.

According to news sources, Morey’s Pier in Wildwood, NJ was the scene of yet another terrible amusement park ride accident. At just after 9 p.m. on Friday, August 19, 2011, emergency response staff responded to a report of a partial amusement ride collapse when the center mast of the sea dragon snapped, injuring five people at Morey’s Mariner’s Landing Pier. This is the second time in two months that young innocent and unsuspecting victims have been injured at a Morey’s Amusement park attraction in Wildwood. Recently 11 year old Abiah Jones tragically fell to her death while riding the Ferris wheel on June 3rd 2011. As one of the attorneys intimately involved in the investigation and litigation of the Abiah Jones death case tragedy, our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to the victims, and their families. Once again questions are raised as to the inspection, maintenance and operation procedures maintained by Morey’s. Safety must always be the utmost priority for all amusement park operators. We have repeatedly called for Federal oversight and reporting of amusement park accidents and safety concerns.

The experienced amusement park accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily in conjunction with the. Legendary Philadelphia trial lawyers of the Beasley Firm have joined forces to form the Beasley Reiff Law Group and are currently representing multiple victims of amusement park accidents. We strongly recommend that the victim’s and their family members do not talk to any insurance adjusters or attorneys for Morey’s Pier until they have consulted their own experienced and independent catastrophic injury, wrongful death, or amusement accident lawyer who will independently investigate the incident with experienced safety and Amusement operations experts.

As insurance carriers get more picky as to the comfort of their risk levels, some carriers are refusing to insure certain breeds of dogs and other animals. Many carriers however still do not inquire about dog breeds during the underwriting process. The Center For Disease Control has listed the following breeds as the most dangerous based upon fatal human attacks which could be particularly prone to insurance claims: Pit Bull, Rottweiler, German Shepard, Huskies, Malamute, Doberman Pinscher, and Chow Chow. Many insurance carriers claim that these dogs have a reputation of being intimidating and aggressive, particularly towards strangers.

Some states have a very specific definition of what constitutes a dangerous dog and may include but not limited to the following: aggressively bites, attacks, or inflicts severe injury on a human on public or private property; has more than once severely injured or killed a domestic animal on lawful owners property; has been used preliminarily or in part for dog fighting which when unprovoked chases or approaches another individual in a menacing fashion or attitude of attack.

As an experienced Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer and animal attack attorney for over 30 years, I am well aware that approximately 60% of all seriously injured dog bite victims are children. In Pennsylvania, dog bite injury victims can legally hold a dog’s owner responsible for their injuries. Pennsylvania dog owners are only legally obligated to restrain or control the dog to make sure the public is safe from harm. If the dog is not on a lease or properly secured on an owner’s premises or the dog owner knew that his or her dog was prone to violence yet did not take proper safety measures to prevent someone from being bitten, mauled, or killed, the owner can be held financially liable by a Pennsylvania court. The Philadelphia dog bite lawyers of Reiff & Bily understand that many involved in a dog bite situation may have permanent scarring or catastrophic and severe bodily injuries and unfortunately, sometimes a wrongful death.

Continue reading "As Insurance Companies Get Banged For Dog And Animal Bites, Many Carriers Maintain A List Of Dog Breeds They Won’t Insure" »

Recently a New York jury awarded $1.1 million dollars to a woman who was struck by a falling shelf in a Bronx grocery store. The jury found that the shelf was improperly stocked and had not been properly secured, and the victim claimed that the shelf fell on her while another worker was placing aluminum pans on the same. The victim claimed that the shelf dislodged, fell on her head, and activated an arthritic condition of her spine causing herniations of two discs. The defense denied negligence of the shop owner and also contended that the woman’s condition was not worsened by the accident. However the jury thought otherwise.

As an experienced Philadelphia premise liability lawyer for over three decades who has represented generations of injured victims, the law recognizes that when you enter a business premise, you are classified as a business invitee and are owed the highest duty of care. If a property owner neglected to correct an unsafe condition or caused an unsafe condition to exist which caused your injuries such as being harmed by falling merchandise or shelves, you may have a right to recover compensatory damages. If your injuries require you to take time off from work and undergo medical procedures, rehabilitation, and lost wages, an experienced Pennsylvania premise liability lawyer can help you recover the compensate that you deserve.

Since 1979, the experienced Philadelphia premise liability lawyer and store injury lawyers of Reiff & Bily
have protected the rights of injured people and their families throughout Pennsylvania. We always offer a free confidential, no obligation consultation. For more information, please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

The Mississippi Supreme Court upheld a $4 million dollar jury award for a couple robbed and injured in 2008 at a Jackson, Mississippi extended stay motel. During an attack at the hotel, the victims sustained facial damage and a permanent eye injury, as well as post traumatic stress disorder after hearing the assailants talk about a rape during the physical attack. Although the victim was not raped and the three assailants were never captured, the verdict insures that the motel guests will now have necessary money for medical care. Additionally as a result of the verdict, a significant message was sent to the motel who subsequently upgraded motel security making it a safer place for customers and employees.

As an experienced Pennsylvania hotel attack, and negligent security lawyer, it is important that hotel owners and operators be held accountable when they fail to protect their customers from crime and attacks. While many of us read bold advertisements boasting about new and special beds or renovated rooms, it is essential for hotel and motel operators to insure the safety and privacy of motel guests as a top priority. As experienced hotel attack and negligent security lawyers, we are very well aware that this is not always the case. In the instant case, the facts reveal that the hotel operator had ignored the safety of its employees and customers. Facts were alleged stating that the manager had been robbed four times at gun point in the six months leading up to the victims attack and the manager of the hotel was begging the corporate office for a security guard to protect the guests and employees of the hotel and he was turned down. The couple alleged in the lawsuit that the hotel operator knew or should have known that it had inadequate security and that strangers, trespassers, and loiters frequently came into the property.

Since 1979, the experienced premises liability and inadequate security and hotel attack lawyers of the Philadelphia personal injury law firm of Reiff & Bily have aggressively represented clients who have been injured on another’s premises. If you or a loved one has sustained a physical injury or robbery due to negligent security or hotel attack, it is best to contact an experienced hotel attack and negligent security lawyer to begin an immediate investigation into your case, as well as preserve evidence to properly prepare your case. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation. We are greedy for justice in protecting the rights of injured consumers since 1979. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

In the beginning of June, unfortunately, Abiah Jones, age 11, tragically fell to her death at Morey’s Pier in Wildwood, New Jersey. On Friday evening, July 8, 2011 war hero, Sgt. James T. Hackemer, 29, who lost both his legs in Iraq died after falling from a ride on a steel roller coaster at the Darien Lake Theme Park resort.

As an experienced amusement park accident attorney who has been intimately involved investigating and litigating amusement park cases for over three decades, I am extraordinarily concerned that the amusement park industry is one of the most highly unregulated industries, yet we entrust our children to thrill rides confidently assuming that they are safe and have been inspected. Massachusetts Congressman Edward J. Markey notes that he has been trying for years to pass a bill entitled The National Amusement Park Rides Safety Act that would close the number of loopholes regarding oversight of amusement park rides. The Bill calls for restoration of the Consumer Product Safety Commissions ability to oversee fixed site amusement rides, a job that the Commission had until 1981 when an amendment to the Consumer Product Safety Act was passed removing language that gave the Commission responsibility over its rides. The change would also give the CPSC the authority to investigate accidents in amusement parks and then allow the CPSC to share information with operators of the same rides in other states before accidents occur and develop plans to correct problems and reduce risks of harm. The CPSC would also be able to compile comprehensive safety information for consumers.

In a tightened economy, many amusement parks seem to be taking short cuts on safety and putting profitability first. I for one believe that safety should never be an option and yet many amusement park owners and operators who are members of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions have issued several statements in response to Congressman Markey’s bill stating that it is not necessary as the Bill “seeks to address a problem that does not exist”. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions cites the industry’s outstanding safety record, and as an experienced amusement park accident attorney, I am well aware that many accidents that occur at amusement parks are not reported and those accident situations that are resolved are generally resolved in a confidential manner. In my opinion, many amusement parks operate in an atmosphere where politicians and inspectors seem to take protective measures in favor of the amusement parks due to the fact that they contribute so much to local economies.

As I have been intimately involved as an amusement park accident attorney in several amusement park accidents where investigators found no fault, it has been quite mind boggling when our own independent experts perform an independent and non-biased analysis that seems to be completely at odds with those of the park with the amusement park owner and operator. One must ask themselves if these rides are so safe why not make them more transparent and promote the Bill which would insure their safety. My own personal opinion is that in many states, the situation is not so dissimilar to the fox guarding the hen house.

Continue reading "Experienced Amusement Park Accident Attorney Suggests That It Is Time For Lawmakers To Close The Loopholes In View Of Recent Amusement Park Accidents And Deaths - Calls For Transparency In Reporting Requirements" »

A school trip to a water park by 9-year old Jeremy Molumba ended tragically after the young boy was swept toward the deep end by surging water in a wave pool. According to news sources, a classmate tried to grip his friends hand before a second wave pushed him below the water surface. According to sources, the 4th grader remained at the bottom of the pool for more than one hour before anyone came to his rescue.

As an experienced amusement park and water park accident attorney, the first thing that came to my mind was where were the lifeguards or other supervisors whose job it is to maintain safe watch over the guests of the park? The guests of the park are identified legally as business invitees and are owed the highest duty of care. Other issues should be explored such as: Was the water cloudy? Was the water so cloudy or dirty that they could not see the child laying on the bottom? Was the drainage and pump system working properly or was there too much force and suction which forced the young man under the water and to the bottom? Individuals in wave pools regularly sustain injuries ranging from lacerations, bruises, brain injuries, neck and back injuries, drownings, paraplegia, quadriplegia, and sometimes death. Many times they are the result of slippery surfaces, polluted water, and improper supervision. When water park employees, managers, or operators are negligent, it is all too easy for an otherwise innocent and unknowing individual to get in trouble and sustain a catastrophic injury by submersion or suffer death by drowning. Unfortunately many water parks are not currently regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and many water park and amusement park owners vehemently oppose federal oversight of safety regulations and reporting that many legislators seek to give the CPSC authority over water park and federal theme parks. Many water parks are not in conformance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act which requires installing drain covers that meet ANSA/ASNE A112.19.8-27 standards on every drains or grates. It also requires the installation of an automatic shut off system, drainage gravity system, and a safety vacuum system, suction limiting vent system, or drain disabler. Many times loud music in a pool area or in a wave pool area prevents lifeguards from hearing calls of distress and many times the bottom of the wave pool is slippery due to the presence of algae. Crowd control issues and the adequate amount and training of lifeguards and supervisors and maintenance staff is an essential element of safety. It has been noted that there has been a sharp increase of drownings among children up through the age of 12 and although amusement parks and water park attractions appear to be safe, when you combine negligent supervision, premise liability defects, as well as a potential for defective design and manufacturing defects, many accidents occur that could have easily been avoided.

If you or a loved one has sustained an injury in anamusement park or water park, or has suffered a drowning or water submersion injury, the experienced amusement park and water park lawyers of the www.beasleyreifflawgroup.com offer a free, no obligation confidential consultation. We have been stalwarts of consumer and amusement and water park safety for over half a century and our attorneys and our legal team has been awarded over $2 billion since 1958. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

The Pennsylvania inadequate security and premises liability law firm of Reiff & Bily has been representing individuals and their families who have been victimized as a result of inadequate hotel security for more than three decades.

In the last year, we have noted a dramatic increase in inquiries concerning hotel safety violations which we felt closely paralleled a tightening economy combined with a decrease in hotel occupancy levels necessitating cut backs on safety, guards, and concerns. Many hotels and motels failed to provide their staff even with the most minimal critical safety training. Failing to recognize that safety must always be a priority and that one headline incident or claim can result in a tremendous loss of business due to negative publicity is a fatal error for many hotel and motel operators. While many hotel chains advertise that the new comfortable bed is their number one priority, they never speak about safety or security.

Hotel operators and owners are obligated to protect the safety and lives of hotel guests and staff through their preventive security measures. Even today as I check in almost regularly to some fairly high end hotels, I note that many of the corridors are poorly lit and there are tunnels, nooks, or crannies in parking lots or building spaces where crimes can easily be committed. New or inexpensive technology is an important part of meeting hotel safety requirements such as closed circuit cameras in elevators, hallways, and parking lots. If a hotel or motel is located in an intercity or high crime area, the owner and operator has an obligation to take steps to secure the premises by hiring highly qualified security guards as well as training the staff and implementing safety procedures to ultimately insure the safety of their customers.

Continue reading "Hotel Security Lawyer Notes A Dramatic Increase In Hotel Inadequate Security Related Claims" »

As a swimming pool and water accident safety advocate as well as drowning and swimming pool accident attorney, I call our readers attention to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission National Pool and Spa Public Safety Campaign at www.poolsafely.gov. According to CPCS estimates nearly 300 children younger than 5 will drown in swimming pools and spas this year with more than 3,200 going to hospital emergency rooms due to non-fatal submersion injuries. A number of these water-related accidents will result in permanent disability including brain damage. The pool safely campaign highlighted above offers tips on how to prevent drowning death and submersion injuries.

As an experienced swimming pool accident attorney, I am aware that many private and public pools and spas do not follow federal legislation set forth in the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. The act was named after 70-year old Virginia Graeme Baker who drowned when she became trapped in a broken drain cover in a hot tub in 2002. If you or a loved one has sustained a pool or hot tub injury or drowning, the experienced swimming pool accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have the experience and resources necessary to prosecute your claim. Effective January 1, 2011 Reiff & Bily joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm and together our attorneys have been awarded billions of dollars since 1958 representing the interests of catastrophically injured victims and their families and those who unfortunately sustained wrongful death due to the negligence of others. For a free, no obligation consultation contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Greasy and slippery floors in areas frequented by customers of restaurants just don’t go together. Simply put, it is an equation for disaster. When there is grease or contamination on a floor surface from oil, soil, water, or a foreign material, the stage is set for a slip and fall accident. As an experienced Pennsylvania slip and fall lawyer who has handled thousands of slip and fall cases for decades, I am well aware that many restaurant operators and building operators fail to use the proper cleaners for breaking up and removing contaminants or take short cuts as part of an overall housekeeping program. In the restaurant environment, animal and vegetable fats used in cooking oils hydrolyze and fall to the floor as a grease contamination. Grease in the presence of water can produce a very slippery floor. Over a time period triglyceride molecules and grease can unite to form a long chain polymer called polymerization and form a hard grease on floors that is resistant to most detergents. Cleaning a restaurant kitchen floor with a mop and pail with hot water and detergent only partially cleans the floor.

Our experienced Pennsylvania slip and fall lawyers have been able to demonstrate through expert testimony that a restaurant hard surface floor is only clean when the polymerized grease film is also removed which means that a generous amount of the proper detergent must be applied to the floor in 160 degree water with a dwell time accompanied by vigorous brushing. The greasy residue must be picked up using a squeegee or wet vacuum or rinsed with hot water. Many times the proper way to clean the floor is by virtue of a pressurized steam cleaner with the proper detergent. Our Philadelphia slip and fall lawyers are well aware that many restaurants or buildings fail to have a proper training program for persons responsible for inspecting maintenance and cleaning which includes the definition of cleaning requirements, cleaning procedures, safe handling of disposable chemicals, and emergency conditions and operations. The proper maintenance involves regular record keeping or reporting related to maintenance issues. All floor surfaces should regularly inspected for wear, damage, debris, and contaminants, and occasional testing of floor surfaces should be utilized to monitor slip resistant levels and to determine effectiveness of floor cleaning protocol. Many lawyers will tell you that slip and fall claims are often difficult to prove and restaurants and other establishments will fight a slip and fall case as aggressively as they can.

Continue reading "Dirty And Greasy Floors At Many Restaurants, Including Fast Food Restaurants, Lead To Broken Bones Or Worse" »

A recent news story published in The Philadelphia Inquirer on February 23, 2011 noted that PECO technicians found an illegal electrical hookup in a two story building at 503 West Dolphin Street which may have caused a fire.

As an experienced catastrophic injury and premises liability attorney who has represented victims and the families of victims injured or killed in fires, or have been burned due to illegal and improper electrical wiring, I am all too familiar with this scenario. Unfortunately, in a tightened economy, landlords and building owners try to take every shortcut they can take in order to save money. Our investigations in many cases has revealed that many times landlords or property owners retain the services of non-licensed electricians or contractors without giving a second thought to the safety of the residents. Believe it or not most fires are caused by improper (illegal) electrical connections or overloading. Pennsylvania, like most other states, has strict laws forbidding anyone from doing illegal electrical work. Most times electrical work in apartment houses or homes needs to be inspected, and a licensed and proper contractor is required to have insurance against damages caused by their work.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that there are over 50,000 residential home or apartment fires each year due to defective wiring resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths and thousands of catastrophic injuries, as well as a half billion dollars a year in property damage.

The defective product and catastrophic injury lawyers of Reiff & Bily have joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm on January 1, 2011 focusing on helping people with burn injuries caused by defective wiring, defective products, or defective or unsafe electrical systems. Since 1958, both The Beasley Firm and Reiff & Bily law firm have utilized extensive experience in handling catastrophic injury and death cases with the use of experts and investigators who are nationally recognized in fields of combustion and defective products.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed as a result of a fire or defective product, it is important that you seek the services of an attorney familiar with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a track record of success. The lawyers of both Reiff & Bily and The Beasley Firm has a tremendous success record fighting large manufacturing corporations and pursuit of justice for clients who have been burned and those victims and their families who died due to fires caused by defective and recalled products. For more information, contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595.

On January 10, 2011, a fire broke out at the Windermere Court Apartments, a four-story apartment building at 48th and Walnut Streets in the West Philadelphia area of the city. The fire quickly spread throughout the entire building and thick smoke could be seen as far as six miles away. It took over 140 firefighters, five hours to bring the five-alarm blaze under control.

Stories like this are not unusual. To make matters even worse, Philadelphia now has rolling fire department “brown-outs” or closures of certain fire departments, on certain days that could prolong the amount of time it takes for the Fire Department to reach a fire. Due to our recent large snow storm and unplowed or inadequately plowed streets, it could take the fire department even longer to reach a fire and when they do, they find the fire hydrants buried under feet of snow. All of those delays can cause the fire victims to remain trapped in a burning building even longer, causing significant burns, smoke inhalation or breathing problems, and even death.

Many older buildings do not have the strict fire safety codes that are currently in place in the newer buildings. Older apartments and buildings do not have adequate fire walls or sprinkler systems so the fire is allowed to rapidly spread throughout the entire building, endangering many lives in a short period of time. Older apartments and buildings may not have properly working or installed smoke alarms. Many buildings do not have the necessary escape routes or equipment to assist or help tenants with disabilities out of the burning building.

Many times, hotels, apartment buildings, high rises, cruise ships, and schools have blocked or locked emergency exits or poor evacuation routes. In addition, there may be not enough fire extinguishers or they were not maintained and do not work when needed. Older buildings have escape ladders that are either locked or frozen in the up position, or rusted and do not work at all. All of those problems cause victims to become trapped in a burning building. Out of fear, some of those trapped in a burning building take the risk and jump from the building, leading to spinal cord injuries or broken backs, traumatic brain injuries, fractured bones, and even death.

Continue reading "The Older They Are, The Faster They Burn – Especially After a Large Snow Storm" »

There is no better way to enjoy a fresh new snow fall than on a snowmobile. Sadly though, since the New Year began, there have been numerous catastrophic injuries and deaths due to snowmobile accidents. In just one week, there has been at least five snowmobile related deaths.

On Friday night, a 44-year-old Methuen man suffered massive internal injuries and was killed when his snowmobile fell on top of him as he was trying to ride up a 12-foot-embankment along the Merrimack River. The same day, in the Village of Nunda, Anna Masters suffered a traumatic brain injury after being thrown from her snowmobile, and 41-year-old Kelly Strohmeier was ejected from her snowmobile after it hit a rut, killing her.

Last weekend a 62-year-old Concord, New Hampshire man was killed in a snowmobile crash in Gilford. On Monday, Ryan D. Anderson, 32, of Hall Road, Cassadaga, hit a snow bank, causing his snowmobile to go airborne and throwing Anderson from the snowmobile into a tree.

Even the most experienced snowmobile drivers are not safe from catastrophic injuries or death. Many times, while on a snowmobile trail, the operator will encounter deadly obstacles if the trail was not properly maintained. Drivers can quickly come up on fallen tree branches, debris, gloves, hats, scarves and other items on the designated trails that cause the driver to have to quickly turn to avoid the debris or have the debris jam the snowmobile, causing a sudden stop, and ejecting the driver. If the trail was not properly maintained, the driver can hit a rut, causing a loss of control of the snowmobile and ejecting the driver causing serious injuries. Some drivers can be ejected into a nearby lake or stream causing hypothermia or drowning. Some snowmobile trails do not have a fence or barrier up to protect drivers that had to veer off the trail due to debris and the driver plunges down a mountain or steep hill causing catastrophic injuries or even death.

In addition to the obstacles on the snowmobile trails, experienced snowmobile drivers have also become victims of product defects or faulty equipment. Many injuries are due to defects in the helmet design, head lamp failures, glove failures, mechanical failures, break failures, power failures, goggle failures or product recalls. Despite wearing all of the appropriate protective gear, they still sustain traumatic brain injuries, spine fractures, paralysis, face injuries, broken necks, severe snow burns, hypothermia, and even death due to design defects.

Since 1979, the experienced Philadelphia wrongful death, product liability, premises liability, and negligence law firm of Reiff & Bily has aggressively represented clients and their families who have been injured or killed in snowmobile related accidents. Effective January 1, 2011 the Reiff & Bily law firm has joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm in Philadelphia who since 1958 has been awarded over $2 billion dollars on behalf of their clients and have hundreds of millions and multi-million dollar verdicts, settlements, and awards to their credit. Please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com for a free, no obligation consultation.

The Northeastern part of the United States and particularly the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia region is forecasted to be hit yet again with more snow and ice this week. But with snow and ice still on streets and sidewalks in Philadelphia, this experienced Philadelphia premises liability and slip and fall lawyer advises be prepared. It has been several days after the snow storm of last week and many sidewalks and parking lots have not yet been shoveled or salted. Philadelphia hospital emergency rooms and orthopaedists are on overdrive tracking cases of fractures and more severe injuries.

The Philadelphia premises liability and slip and fall lawyers of Reiff & Bily know that it is the duty of all property owners to keep their property safe for people. The owner of the property must properly remove ice and snow and salt or place down a non-abrasive surface to all entrances, pathways, and parking lots. Obviously it is unrealistic to remove snow consistently throughout a snow storm. However if a day or two passes, the owner is reasonably expected to salt and/or sand and shovel to prevent injuries to innocent passersby. Slip and falls on snow and ice often leads to spinal injuries, broken bones, closed head injuries, herniated discs, spinal fusions, and brain injuries which can have a drastic impact on the victim’s ability to work. Many times medical expenses can skyrocket into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our experienced Philadelphia slip and fall lawyers have recovered millions of dollars for victims of slip and fall accidents caused by snow and ice and the failure of the property owner to provide a safe passage and environment.

If you have been injured in a slip and fall on ice or snow, please contact one of our experienced Philadelphia premises liability lawyers to carefully investigate your situation to determine if there is a cause of action as icy and snowy conditions are some of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents. Reiff & Bily has now joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm and has successfully evaluated cases for clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries as the result of a slip and fall on ice or snow. Since 1958, both firms have been awarded in excess of $2 billion dollars for injured victims and their families. For a free, no obligation consultation, please contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595. Always remember our no recovery, zero fee guarantee.

On December 19, 2009, a full Devil’s Head ski lift suddenly stopped, sparked, and then sent the seats screaming backwards at a high rate of speed. Riders, fearing for their lives, jumped from their seats, seriously injuring 14 of the riders.

On December 28, 2010, while workers were trying to realign a ski lift cable at Sugarloaf Resort, the cable jumped its track, causing riders to plummet 25 to 30 feet below and sustain serious injuries.

Although rare, ski lift accidents do occur and when they do, they can cause catastrophic injuries and even death.

Ski lift accidents can occur due to negligence or faulty equipment. Many times, we will see cases where the ski lift operator did not stop the lift after a person fell, causing the next rider to collide with the skier lying on the landing base. In those cases, the ski lift operator was negligent. Other injuries are caused by faulty or defective equipment. Faulty or defective equipment can lead to the cable dislodging from its track, break failure, bullwheel failure, gearbox failure, back up break malfunctioning, and anti-rollback device failure that cause skiers to become thrown from their seats or fall to the ground. Faulty and defective equipment can also be caused by improper instillation or maintenance.

Ski lift accidents can lead to traumatic brain or head injuries, skull fractures, spinal cord injuries or broken backs, punctured or collapsed lungs, multiple bone fractures, lacerations and other devastating injuries, including death.

Since 1979, the experienced Philadelphia product liability, wrongful death, and negligence law firm of Reiff & Bily has aggressively represented clients and their families who have been injured by a faulty ski lift or negligent ski lift operator. Effective January 1, 2011 the Reiff & Bily law firm has joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm in Philadelphia who since 1958 has been awarded over $2 billion dollars on behalf of their clients and have hundreds of millions and multi-million dollar verdicts, settlements, and awards to their credit. Please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com for a free, no obligation consultation.

For over 30 years, our experienced Philadelphia slip and fall lawyers successfully represented individuals who have slipped and fell on snow and ice. We have secured many multi-million dollar awards for victims of slip and fall accidents. In Pennsylvania, property owners have a duty to keep their property safe for all people who have a right to be there. This includes proper snow and ice removal in the winter months. Pennsylvania law dictates that a property owner has an obligation to remove snow or ice from sidewalks or walkways, driveways, and parking lots and must do so within a reasonable time after a snowfall or ice storm. It is reasonable to expect that the owner of a property should lay salt or sand to prevent an accumulation of ice on a slippery surface where one could fall, break bones, or sustain a serious spinal injury.

In one of our recent cases, a medical nurse slipped and fell exiting a medical building causing spinal injuries requiring multiple spinal fusions. Obviously, it is unlikely that she will be able to work for the rest of her life and if she is able to work, it will most likely be in a reduced and diminished capacity resulting in a significant loss of income in addition to tremendous medical bills. Her doctors have noted that she will require lifetime care for her spinal injuries and the experienced Philadelphia premises liability and slip and fall lawyers at Reiff & Bily believe that the property owner should be held accountable and responsible for payment of the same.

If you or a loved one has sustained a slip and fall injury on snow or ice, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Pennsylvania slip and fall attorneys for a free, no obligation consultation. We always offer a no recovery, zero fee guarantee. Please contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595.

The other night I was leaving my office at approximately 8:30 p.m. and fell hard on my back on wet leaves a half block from my office building. The wet leaves were on top of a piece of steel covering a construction site abutting the pavement in front of a restaurant creating a condition similar to ice. I fell flat on my back and struck the back of my head on the ground and was not sure what happened as the slip and fall occurred in an instant. I consider myself very lucky because as an experienced Philadelphia slip and fall lawyer since 1979, I have successfully represented many slip and fall victims who were not as fortunate and suffered life altering catastrophic injuries in a similar instance.

As a Pennsylvania slip and fall accident and premises liability lawyer who has handled thousands of slip and fall cases with a successful track record, I am well aware that slip and fall accidents happen for many reasons due to puddles, uneven walking surfaces, poor lighting, obstructions on walking surfaces, and artificial conditions. Very commonly the combination of fallen leaves and water creates a dangerous situation and the owner of the premise may be held liable and an experienced slip and fall lawyer is able to prove that the premise owner’s negligence or recklessness lead to the slip and fall accident. In my situation, the premise owner had trees and pots outside whose leaves had fallen on a temporarily placed steel cover which was further lubricated with water. As a skilled premise liability lawyer, it would be fairly easy for me to prove that the owner knew or should have known that a dangerous condition existed on his or her premise. If the hazardous condition consisted for a length of time and the owner by exercising reasonable and ordinary due care should have discovered the condition then the owner would be presumed to have constructive knowledge and be held liable for resulting injuries. As an experienced Philadelphia premise liability and slip and fall attorney, I recommend that all homeowners and premise owners maintain their properties and perform a survey of potential dangerous conditions inside and outside of their home because if not and someone is injured, there is a good chance an experienced personal injury or slip and fall lawyer is going to be coming after you to recover compensatory damages on behalf of an injured plaintiff.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a Pennsylvania slip and fall accident, please feel free to contact one of our experienced slip and fall or premises liability lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation as we are “greedy for justice”. As always, we are pleased to offer a no recovery, zero fee guarantee which means that if we don’t win your case, you don’t owe us a dime. Put 30 plus years of experience with slip and fall accidents on your side by contacting a Reiff & Bily slip and fall or premises liability lawyer at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Pennsylvania’s 10th stand-alone casino opened last week and volume continues to build at all Pennsylvania casinos. With the roll out of table games in Pennsylvania casinos this summer, more and more people are expected to visit and as more people drink alcoholic beverages in casino environments, one thing is almost a certainty. There will be more premises liability and slip and fall accidents on casino premises and there will be more car accidents which occur as a result of intoxicated patrons leaving casinos and hitting the roadways in congested areas. With the large number of casinos in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area, the casino accident law firm of Reiff & Bily is receiving calls from more and more people injured every year in accidents on casino properties.

As you are no doubt aware, casinos have the ability to hire the best lawyers around to fight every claim viciously. The Philadelphia casino accident firm of Reiff & Bily handles all types of serious injuries and fatal accidents that occur at casinos, including but not limited to slip and falls, Dram Shop actions, negligent security, falls from defective bar stools or gaming chairs, assaults by visitors, stairwell injuries, parking lot injuries, and employee assaults. Most casino accidents are typically cases of premises liability or slip and falls. A casino owner bears responsibility to keep their premises safe for people who visit and work there. Additionally, the Reiff & Bily casino accident law firm is currently pursuing a Dram Shop action where a casino served a patron in excess of 10 drinks causing the patron to become involved in a catastrophic car accident registering a breathalyzer test more than five times over the legal limit.

It is important to hold the wrongdoers responsible and have experienced legal representation on your side by lawyers experienced in fighting casinos. For more information, please contact us today online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595 to speak with an experienced Pennsylvania casino accident injury lawyer. We always offer a free no obligation consultation.

I recently returned from a trip to visit my mother in Florida and upon exiting her condominium on the 11th floor, I leaned against the balcony only to find that it was loose and unsteady at its foothold. I became chilled when I remembered the facts of a case that I handled a few years ago involving a young mom who fell from her 4th floor balcony when the railing gave way. When you step on the balcony of a hotel or apartment, you would like to assume that it is safe to support you and that the railing is safe as well.

During spring break and holiday season many times balcony falls are fueled by alcohol and other improper behavior. However, a landlord or hotel operator owes a duty to make sure the premises are safe and that the balcony and railing are installed and maintained under the appropriate codes insuring one’s safety. A balcony is an obvious hazard and many states have regulations mandating that balcony railings must be at least 42 inches high, have no more than 4 inches of space between the rails, and be maintained in safe, proper, and secure order.

If you have a young child or are in an impaired state, be extra careful when on a balcony. Always check the fixation and security of the guard rail to make sure that it is safe. If it doesn’t look safe or feel right, immediately leave the balcony for safe surroundings and report your concerns to avoid the potential for a catastrophic accident.

The experienced Pennsylvania premise liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily have had significant experience representing those injured at hotels and apartments as a result of balcony falls or other premise liability situations.

A 7-year girl was gang raped at a crime-ridden apartment building in Trenton, New Jersey after her stepsister sold her to a group of men at a party according to news sources. The incident occurred at Rowan Towers owned by Interstate Realty and Management Company. According to news sources, there have been many lapses of security at this apartment building despite complaints by tenants requesting cameras and a lot of other things to improve their security and safety concerns. A spokesperson for the owner stated that they lack the expertise to handle security on their own and will hire an outside consultant. The apartment complex sits on a stretch of West State Street near downtown Trenton surrounded by blocks of abandoned and boarded up homes, yet it is fronted by a well manicured lawn and features a colorful playground and basketball courts. Safety and privacy of tenants and residents should be and must be a top priority for owners and operators of apartment homes. As this case reveals, many times this is simply not the case. Many times accidents such as this occur at apartment complexes due to poor lighting, inadequate security, and lack of easily affordable technology and security devices such as closed circuit cameras. Because of such inadequate security, many unsuspecting guests or tenants are robbed, shot, killed, raped, stabbed, or assaulted.

Continue reading "Rape Of 7-Year Old At Apartment Building Spotlights Inadequate Security Issues" »

I was driving out of my driveway the other morning when gusts of winds caused tree parts and branches to come falling down and I narrowly avoided one while driving down the roadway in my car. Many times when high winds sweep across an area, signs and other attachments to buildings which are not often properly installed can become loose, fall, and create a catastrophic consequence. Blowing debris is a major cause of damage during strong winds. Over the years, we have represented several clients who were injured due to flying roof shingles, construction site debris, and even a sign which blew off its hinge.

In one of our significant cases, the owner of a property had a “sick” tree on his premises which blew over and crushed a lady due to high wind. We were able to establish that the owner of the property knew or should have known that the tree was in a diseased state and should have been properly removed from his property as it possessed a danger of hazard in conditions such as the ones that were presented.

In Pennsylvania, a landowner or property owner must assume responsibility for the care and preservation of his own property and along with the benefits derived from the property, ownership brings certain obligations. If your property is not monitored and cared for properly with regard to safety defects, it can become a latent liability for the owner of the property. Many property owners fail to recognize that part of the legal duty to maintain their premises in a safe and hazard free condition include trees and roofing. It is important to properly inspect the property, as well as the health of trees, to reduce hazardous condition and prevent injuries to innocent passersby.

If you or a loved one has been injured by falling debris, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Philadelphia premises liability lawyers for a free no obligation consultation to fully investigate and examine your rights.

The City of Philadelphia stepped to the plate and temporarily shut down two center city restaurants and a high rise apartment building on Monday, February 1, 2010 due to high levels of an odorless but deadly gas known as carbon monoxide. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the restaurants Capital Grille and Olive Garden will be closed for three to four days due to the fact that Philadelphia inspectors found carbon monoxide readings as high as 3,800 ppm in one of the eateries. Levels of carbon monoxide above 70 ppm can cause headache, fatigue and nausea and a sustained carbon monoxide concentrations above 150 to 200 ppm disorientation, unconsciousness and even death are possible according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission.

At the Philadelphia premises liability law firm of Reiff & Bily, we have learned of many tragic situations involving failure of carbon monoxide monitors and death and illness of unsuspecting victims. If you have been exposed to carbon monoxide, it is important to get proper and prompt medical attention. It is also very important to retain the services of a trained professional to determine the source of the carbon monoxide and have it repaired as soon as possible before returning to the premises.

Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning death in the United States and this odorless, tasteless and colorless gas is known as the silent killer. If you have been exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning, early symptoms include but are not limited to headaches, nausea and fatigue which are often mistaken for the flu. In one of the cases we were consulted on last year, a number of people were visiting a hotel at the Jersey shore when they claimed they were feeling lethargic, tired and exhibiting flu-like symptoms. Medical examinations revealed that they were suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning due to a faulty heating system and lack of proper ventilation. Some individuals are more susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning than others namely infants, elderly people and those suffering from anemia, respiratory or heart disease.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, the experienced Philadelphia premises liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily can help you. Please feel free to contact us for a free, no obligation evaluation of your claim.

Recently a woman who fractured both ribs when she fell off a bouncing and balance device at her gym recovered over $1 million dollars. The 49-year old woman fell off a Bosu balance trainer during a session with her personal trainer and claimed that she suffered from complex regional pain syndrome. The woman sued the trainer and the gym claiming that the trainer had her use the equipment in an improper manner. She also sued the maker of the exercise device claiming that the warnings were inadequate. The jury awarded her $2.1 million dollars but a high/low agreement capped the award at $1 million dollars. The jury exonerated Fitness Quest, the maker of the Bosu device.

In the past, the experienced premises liability and catastrophic injury lawyers of Reiff & Bily have represented a karate student who sustained permanent injuries when struck by an instructor. Additionally, we have successfully litigated a case in which a client was permanently injured during the introductory period for a membership to gyms.

If you or loved one has been injured by a personal trainer or at a gym and would like a free consultation to discuss your rights, please feel free to contact one of our experienced premise liability and personal injury lawyers at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

A U.S. District Court judge, James M. Munley, ruled that a woman from Moscow who was sprayed with deicing fluid while boarding a plane at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International airport can sue the commuter airline (Mesa Airlines) and the company that deiced the plane. The victim claims that she sustained severe and permanent injuries to her eyes and neck and severe permanent shock to her nerves and nervous system. She was initially treated by attendants on the plane and flew to Philadelphia where she changed planes for a flight bound to Orlando, Florida. When the plane arrived in Orlando, she went to the hospital to seek more treatment and according to news sources, the victim claims she has ongoing problems with her vision and suffers from a lack of eye tearing.

At the Philadelphia airline and premises liability law firm of Reiff & Bily, we have been successfully prosecuting claims against airlines and airports for injuries that occur while traveling on airplanes, entering or exiting airplanes or while on premises associated with airplanes including but not limited to airports and jetways. As airline travel becomes more analogous to Greyhound bus travel, it seems that many airline agents, servants, and employees do not take customer safety as seriously as they once did often resulting in easily preventable injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an airplane or airport, please contact one of our experienced lawyers for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Many times when one goes to a hotel and takes a shower in a bathtub, we easily assume that the bathtub is safe and treated with a non-skid surface. Unfortunately all too often this is not the case. Many times hotel employees fail to follow the manufacturers’ guidelines for cleaning bathtubs by using certain cleaning products or abrasives and the non-skid surface is removed. Not only may the bathtubs be slippery but it is often the case that there is an improperly installed grab bar that can rip from the wall or is poorly positioned.

The hotel safety and premises liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily have handled many cases involving hotel bathroom safety and hotel slip and falls. In one of our cases our client grabbed the bathroom grab bar to help him get out of the tub yet it pulled out of the wall causing him to fall to the ground seriously injuring his knee and shoulders. The law in Pennsylvania mandates that hotels must exercise reasonable care for the safety concerns of their guests, in or out of a tub. Hotel operators are liable for bathroom accidents where they knew or should have known of a defect. Hotels have a duty to their guests to inspect bathrooms daily by housekeeping personnel as well as conduct periodic engineering inspections and follow the manufacturers’ guidelines for the maintenance of all bathroom products including but not limited to bathtubs.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a hotel as a result of a slip and fall or a bathroom accident, please feel free to call one of our experienced premises liability and hotel safety lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to hotel industry statistics, slip and falls and premise liability claims account for almost half of all guest accidents at hotels. Bathrooms and bathtubs are among the top five places they occur. According to hotel industry experts, the use of marble and other smooth, easy to clean materials, combined with a lack of federal and state standards for hotel bathtub safety means an increase in slip and fall accidents.

Many times in our law practice we have determined that hotels do not follow manufacturers’ guidelines for cleaning and instead use abrasive cleanser on bathtubs, removing their non-skid surfaces. Most bathtubs have a factory installed slip resistant etching which is removed by common use of such cleaners. Also, many hotel bathrooms do not have grab bars which is an easy safety feature to add to a bathroom. Recently, one of our clients sustained a catastrophic injury of a permanent nature due to a fall in an improperly maintained hotel bathtub. Although a hotel is not an absolute insurer of your safety, they owe their guests a duty to permit a safe occupancy and avoid any dangers they knew or should have known about.

If you or a loved one has sustained a slip and fall accident, or any type of premise liability accident while a guest at a hotel, please feel free to contact one of our experienced slip and fall lawyers and inadequate hotel security lawyers at the Philadelphia catastrophic injury law firm of Reiff & Bily for a free, no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to news sources, Philadelphia police made an arrest in the violent robbery of two tourist at the Philadelphia Marriott located at 12th and Market Streets. According to the news sources, police claimed that Anthony Thomas, 28, of West Philadelphia followed a 52-year old female guest from the elevator to her room shortly before 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 30th. Investigators claim that a knife was put to the throat of the hotel guest and she was robbed. Lt. Frank Vanore of the Philadelphia police stated “He drew knife, he cut the female across the mouth and face and proceeded to demand money from her and threatened to kill her during the course of the incident”. Police also reported that on August 6th, Mr. Thomas forced his way into the room of a Marriott guest from Sacramento, California and robbed her at knife point. Police suspect that the assailant may be involved in a number of other recent robberies in center city Philadelphia.

Inadequate security lawyer, Jeffrey Reiff, of the Philadelphia inadequate security and premises liability law firm of Reiff & Bily has been successfully representing the rights of negligent security cases on behalf of victims of physical assaults or robberies since 1979. The safety and privacy of hotel and motel guests should be the top priority for owners and operators of hotels. However, many times we find this is simply not the case. Because of inadequate security at hotels and motels many unsuspecting guests are robbed, shot, killed, raped, stabbed or assaulted in parking lots, corridors, hallways, rooms or other common areas. Many times there is a breakdown in the property owners security system which cannot only encourage criminal activity but can also result in the property owner’s liability to the crime victim for negligence. First and foremost, our thoughts go out the victims and their families, we hope that these fine and unsuspecting individuals recover quickly and completely from their injuries.

Continue reading "Prominent Philadelphia Hotel Is the Scene Of Violent Assault and Robbery Of Tourists" »

It is an unfortunate fact that as the summer season comes, so do water and pool-related injuries and deaths. Approximately 10 water-related deaths per day are related to drowning. Additionally, 700 people die each year in boating-related accidents. According to the CDC more than 1 in 4 fatal drowning victims are children aged 14 and younger. For every child who drowns, another 4 receive emergency treatment for non-fatal submersion and brain injury. Non-fatal drownings often cause brain damage resulting in long-term disabilities including memory problems, learning disabilities and a permanent loss of basic functioning. The CDC determined that the major risk factors for swimming pool accidents and/or drowning are lack of barriers and supervision. Almost all young children who drown in pools were last since in the home, had been out of sight less than 5 minutes and were in the care of one or both parents at the time. All pools should have pool fencing which can help prevent children from getting access to the pool area without care giver awareness. With adult or adolescent deaths there is generally a ratio of alcohol use with a drowning or pool injury. Alcohol influences balance, coordination and judgment and its effects are often heightened by sun exposure and heat.

The experienced Philadelphia swimming pool accident and injury lawyers of Reiff & Bily recommend that you take the following steps to help prevent pool or water related drowning or injuries.

1. Designate a responsible adult to watch young children while swimming or playing in or around water. Adults should not be involved in any other distracting activity such as reading, playing cards, talking on the phone or mowing the lawn while supervising children.

2. Always swim with a buddy.

Continue reading "Protect The Ones You Love From Drowning" »

Last month, two women were raped and assaulted in a prominent Boston hotel and additionally, two women were tied up in another New England hotel by an assailant dubbed “The Craiglist Killer”. A USA Today story reported an experienced hotel manager of a Northbrook Illinois hotel was followed into a room by a man and was tied up and choked.
With the downturn in the economy and the recession also comes increased security concerns at a hotel. A greater likelihood of more criminal activity. According to a story published in USA Today, Philip Farina, CEO of Enterprising Securities, a San Antonio company that links security programs for hotels, notes “We are absolutely seeing an increase in crimes at hotels”. Farina also notes that hard economic times are especially driving up incidents of theft including the amount perpetrated by hotel staff. Not so surprisingly, as hotels attempt to stay profitable they are cutting back on necessary security.

The experienced Philadelphia hotel security and inadequate security law firm of Reiff & Bily has been handling hotel assault cases and premise liability assault cases involving hotels since 1979. We believe and the law recognizes that the safety and privacy of hotel/motel resort and cruise ship guests should be the top priority for all owners and operators of the hospitality industry; however, this is often not the case.

Continue reading "Hotel Crime and Security Concerns An Increasing Issue In Recession" »

According to news sources, a two year old boy was struck and killed by a roller coaster as he slipped away from his parents and ran onto the tracks in an amusement park in London. An official affiliated with the amusement park stated “There would have been a barrier surrounding the roller coaster but he must have found a way around it.” I have written on a number of occasions that amusement parks and carnivals are a child’s playground and a favorite for families but an often unknowingly dangerous form of entertainment for families and young people. I personally have experienced and witnessed a few catastrophic amusement park accidents and had a close call with my own family when two people were killed as a result of an amusement malfunction in Ocean City, Maryland once again on a kiddie roller coaster.

Amusement parks and carnivals operate under a serious loophole in the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1981 prohibiting the CPSC from regulating the safety of rides fixed to a specific site. Unfortunately, regulation and inspection of “fixed site” amusement rides are left up to state or local municipalities and as a result every site varies from good to none and there is no official source who keeps an official record of amusement park accidents.

Accident data for most amusement parks is a well guarded secret and we only hear about the catastrophic incidences. The amusement park industry is highly unregulated and there is not a uniform system for reporting injuries, creating a serious danger when amusement parks police their own accidents. Many times, innocent customers and consumers are left in the dark about which amusement park is safe to visit and which rides are safe for their families, creating real dangers for families and their precious children. Unfortunately with the downturn of the economy, many parks have cut corners on safety and no longer staff the load and unload positions of rides and leave maintenance and supervision many times to high school and college students working on a temporary basis who are entrusted to operate these rides with minimal training. Many times amusement park personnel, including operators, are not paying attention to the precious cargo on the ride.

Continue reading "Roller Coaster Killing Illustrates Amusement Park Dangers" »

In April a woman was raped and beaten by a stranger in a parking garage of a well known Boston hotel. According to news sources, the Boston police department asked the Radisson Hotel, who owns the garage, to remain quiet about the attack stating that any publicity could “compromise their chance to catch the individuals” according to a hotel spokesman. Sources also revealed that the police arrested a suspect in the rape but only 11 days later after a second victim was attacked in a similarly violent fashion in the same garage. A controversy has now arisen regarding how much information should be released to the public about sexual assaults.

The same news article revealed that police departments across the country did not have uniform guidelines about releasing warnings to the public about a sexual predator. The Philadelphia police claim that they issue electronic bulletins to media outlets every time a woman reports being raped by someone she didn’t know. Lt. Frank Vanore, a spokesman for the Philadelphia police department, is quoted as saying “We feel it is important to notify the public because any one of these could be someone that is a predator”. According to news sources in the Boston case, the first attack occurred on April 19th in the garage at the Radisson Hotel Boston which is located downtown. At approximately 5:30 in the morning, a woman was on the 5th floor in the garage heading to work when a man asked her for directions. The police then say he attacked her and when she started to scream, police said he threatened to throw her to the street below. The attacker raped the woman repeatedly and then ran when he became aware of passerby. On April 30th, a woman identified her attacker from a photo but police could not locate him. At 3:00 a.m. the next morning, less than 12 hours after the alleged rapist was identified, police say he attacked again at the same location at the same garage but this time on the 2nd floor and the second woman claimed that the attacker dragged her by her hair, beat her and raped her. The suspect was arrested later that day.

Incidents like this are not isolated incidents and in fact, are more common than the general public is aware of. Another interesting issue is presented by this case, namely that hotel owners and hotel managers must take all reasonable and necessary steps to make sure that injuries, deaths and criminal activity does not occur to patrons, visitors or workers while on their property. Hotels have a general duty to reasonably protect guests from harm caused by other guests or non-guests and an affirmative duty to make the premises reasonably safe for their guests. An accident or criminal action that takes place on a hotel premises may be grounds for a hotel liability claim or lawsuit. In this instance, the hotel had prior notice of criminal activity on the premises. Hotels have a general obligation to protect their business invitee from “hidden dangers”. This may include the following: installing proper lighting in hallways, stairwells, parking lots and other dark areas and making sure that proper security is enforced when there is notice of criminal activity.

Continue reading "Two Sexual Assaults in One Month At Boston Hotels Raises Many Issues Of Concern" »

A young man and his sister were playing at a playground inside a Burger King Restaurant in August 2005 when the young boy fell injuring his lungs and sustained a traumatic brain injury and closed head trauma. The playground structure at Burger King included a fireman’s pole and monkey bars and had no rubber matting beneath it, just tile. Not so surprisingly, the defendant’s allegedly claimed that the responsibility for watching the children was with the father; however, the father and his family maintained in the lawsuit that there is an expectation of safety inherent in these types of situations. Furthermore, they alleged that warning signs were not posted at the particular restaurant where the young man fell even though other restaurants in the Burger King chain had posted warning signs. Injuries to the young man resulted in hospitalization for four months and today he is still undergoing rehabilitation for significant brain damage.

When an individual enters a restaurant such as Burger King or any other business for that matter, the owner and operator of that premises owes you the highest duty of care. In Pennsylvania, a person harmed by an unsafe condition on another’s property may have a case for monetary compensation. Premises liability accidents such as this often produce catastrophic and extremely painful injuries such as spinal cord damage, broken bones, dislocated joints, as well as traumatic brain injuries. Another common premise liability claim also involves inadequate security or failure to warn of a dangerous condition or defect.

The premises liability lawyers at Reiff & Bily are committed to protecting the rights of individuals injured when on the premises of another. Reiff & Bily provides free online evaluation for all premise liability claims. You may contact us for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com. We are also involved with swimming accidents, casino accidents, hotel accidents and cruise line accidents.

As an experienced Pennsylvania Dram Shop and premises liability lawyer practicing since 1979, I am all too familiar with a fact with which many of my readers may not be aware. Mainly that if you host a holiday party at your home, you can be held liable for injuries sustained by your guests if they hit the road while intoxicated and cause an injury to themselves or others. Louis Paster was quoted as saying that chance favors the prepared mind.

According to a new survey on homeowner’s insurance by The Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America, many homeowners are unaware of the risks that they may be taking or of their own responsibilities to insure that their guests don’t hit the road drunk. Additional risks of a homeowner to watch out for are defects on the property where someone may slip and fall, including uneven carpets or uneven flooring surfaces, ice or snow on the entrance way that has not been shoveled, food poisoning from prepared or catered food, as well as many other situations that the average homeowner may not think of.

Continue reading "Did You Know That You Can Be Liable For The Injuries Of Your Guests If You Host A Holiday Party. Chance Favors The Prepared Mind." »

I have been a lawyer since 1979, aggressively protecting the rights of catastrophically injured individuals. Yes, I am a greedy trial lawyer. I am greedy for justice. As I listen to politicians, including presidential candidates, conveniently noting that lawyers are like bottom feeders or the “scum of the earth” or where I hear ignorant people telling me that trial lawyers are greedy, I can only think to myself that had it not been for trial lawyers, the greed of corporate America and Wall Street would certainly doom us all. When one thinks of greed, we think intuitively that greed is bad. We think of a self-serving, selfish individual who cares about nothing but accumulating wealth. Until lately, we did not hear much about greedy banks, greedy insurance companies or greedy Wall Street investment firms. What we did hear about most is greedy trial lawyers. Today the individual taxpayers are left holding the bag for the most massive bailout of greed in the history of developed nations. It is only when we feel the pain individually that we have the tendency to catagorize something or someone as greedy. Anyone living in today’s world knows that trial lawyers have been under attack and many of the rules applicable to injured and innocent victims have been changed or legislated away to give big corporations more and more power. The most contentious area of tort reform, and the area in which tort reform advocates focus, is on personal injury and the greed of the trial lawyer.

I am fortunate to live and practice law in the United States where juries decide cases and where compensatory and punitive damages are available to injured plaintiffs and to assist in policing the system of corporate greed. Tort reform has become a contentious political issue particularly because of the alleged high cost of compensating injured victims. It is my feeling that lawyers are the silent policemen of society. We protect the hopes and the value of hope of innocent victims. How do you know if your household products or automobiles are defective and could be causing a potential injury to you or your family? How do you know if your medicines are doing more harm than good? How do you know if the toys you purchase are safe for your children? Under current law, many defective and hazardous products remain on store shelves and in medicine cabinets and are in the houses of millions of Americans and you never know they are dangerous. Government and big corporations get away with keeping this information from us. They seal public records in court cases and try to keep everything a secret, even when victims are successful in holding corporations accountable for defective and hazardous products. They are forced to enter into secrecy agreements which prevent them from informing other consumers of the injuries they defend. The practice of secrecy in tort reform is an example of how corporations can legally put profits over people. Politicians claim that lawsuit abuse destroys jobs, forces doctors out of business, and forces companies into bankruptcy. They want to deprive innocent and injured clients of the hope of the judicial system and the access to the courts dictated by the founding fathers of the United States Constitution. Corporations have and will continue to place profits over safety unless policed by trial lawyers and the court system.

Continue reading "I AM A GREEDY TRIAL LAWYER" »

Approximately three weeks ago, I was contacted by clients who allegedly sustained catastrophic injuries. When I initially went to meet the clients, he and his wife provided me with convincingly and tearful recollections of a catastrophic accident in which they were allegedly passengers in a commercial transportation vehicle operated by another commercial vendor that was allegedly struck broadside, rolled over, and ejected the passengers, the result being multiple internal injuries, broken bones, scarring and extensive hospitalization. The initial meeting was quite emotional as the alleged clients were tearful, with other family members attempting to calm them down. The next day I went to my office and met with our staff and investigators and over the process of the next 24 hours learned that these clients were, in fact, imposters attempting to secure financial benefits for themselves by attempting to defraud our office, financial institutions, and potentially an insurance carrier. As we continued to investigate the matter, we also learned that these individuals had contacted other law firms in the same manner.

At the Philadelphia personal injury law firm of Reiff & Bily, we are committed to representing honest clients and cautiously practice law with the motto that today’s best client can be tomorrow’s worst enemy. The dangers posed to lawyers and law firms representing dishonest clients are clear. Often, we read news reports or allegations whereupon law firms are cited for aiding and abetting the dishonest clients’ fraud or misconduct therefore harming other innocent third parties. Not surprisingly, the Insurance Information Institute has estimated that insurance fraud accounts for 10% of property/casualty insurance industry’s incurred loss and loss adjustment expenses of about $30 billion dollars a year. Common frauds include padding or inflating actual claims, misrepresenting facts on insurance applications, submitting claims for injuries or damages that never occurred, and staging accidents.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau has identified ten cities with the highest numbers of staged auto accidents. One of the many types of staged accidents involves a vehicle that is positioned in front of an unsuspecting motorist with a sudden application of brakes causing a rear-end crash.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the number 5 city in the United States with the highest rate of automobile insurance fraud. Just as many alleged clients attempt to commit fraud, unfortunately, so too is the case with many lawyers or healthcare providers. In any profession, there is occasionally a member who is dishonest. Although not all professions or industries protect victims of their dishonest members, the legal profession has generally offered financial protection to members of the public whose money has been stolen by their lawyer or whose lawyer has committed a fraud.

Continue reading "THE DISHONEST CLIENT - A LAWYER’S BIGGEST NIGHTMARE" »

PHILADELPHIA INSURANCE CLAIMS LAWYER, JEFFREY REIFF, SPEAKS OUT

Over the past few weeks, many Americans learned about the AIG insurance crisis and the lawyers and staff at the Pennsylvania insurance claims law firm of Reiff & Bily received many phone calls from insurance agents, clients and other concerned Pennsylvania citizens. It appears that there is more trouble on the horizon for the beleaguered insurance industry and potentially a number of Pennsylvania citizens may be affected. According to a recent article in Investment News, the benefits of some 164,000 long term care policyholders at Conseco Senior Health Insurance Company may be in danger as they are moved to an independent trust. Conseco, an Indiana-based insurance company, without notice to policyholders decided to move 144,000 long term care policies in a trust that may have devastating consequences for senior care citizens. Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department found that Conseco had violated insurance claims handling practices and fined the company $32.3 million dollars. Acting Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner, Joel Ario, defined the bulk of the fines as “restitution to consumers who were harmed”. Conseco reported a second quarter loss of $487.1 million dollars or $2.64 at diluted share. Conseco also disclosed recently that it held $103 million in securities with American International Group and Lehman Brothers Holdings, both in New York and Washington Mutual in Seattle. (Investment News article)

Bensalem, Pennsylvania-based Conseco Senior is a subsidiary of Conseco Inc. of Carmel, Indiana and according to industry critics is a victim of its own underwriting, signing on more policyholders than it could afford, leading to the creation of the trust. According to the Investment News article written by Darla Mercado, Frank Darras, managing partner of Shernoff Bidart Darras & Echeverria LLP of Claremont, California, stated “This product is oversold, underpriced and poorly performing because they underwrote everybody. These policyholders will either lapse on their payments or the unhealthy people will be so ill that there won’t be enough premiums to keep the trust going.” A spike in premium rates could force healthy policyholders to terminate their LTC insurance with Conseco Senior leaving the unhealthy with coverage that is so costly that the premiums approach the cost of the claim for each contract, according to Philip J. Bieluch an Avon, Connecticut insurance consultant at Insurance Strategies Consulting LLC.

Continue reading "YET ANOTHER TROUBLED INSURANCE CARRIER IS PLANNING TO MOVE ITS POLICIES INTO AN INDEPENDENT TRUST - HOW THIS WILL AFFECT PENNSYLVANIA POLICYHOLDERS" »

PENNSYLVANIA HOTEL LIABILITY LAWYER, PENNSYLVANIA HOTEL LIABILITY LAWYER, JEFFREY REIFF, WEIGHS IN

According to a story published on September 28, 2008 by the Sunday News in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, inspectors for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, responding to consumer complaints at the Holiday Inn in Lancaster County, were surprised when they found a laundry list of offenses. According to the article, when the hotel’s walk-in refrigerator failed, hotel employees moved the contents to a guest room for cooling. The room’s air conditioner was turned all the way down to 65 degrees, 25 degrees higher than the maximum temperature allowed by Pennsylvania State Health guidelines. On the same day of the food inspection, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement Officers searched the hotel and found that it was selling liquor without a license and had been doing so for over a year when the ownership changed hands and new owners never sought to renew the liquor license. It is reported that Treasury officials claim that the hotel had failed to pay taxes since July 21st and it is impossible to determine how much the hotel owes due to the fact that the figures come from the hotel’s monthly reports which are not accurate or complete either (according to the report). According to records, the State Department of Revenue placed a lien on the property for $29,259.28 in unpaid sales taxes for November and December 2007. Employees of the hotel paint and even grimmer picture for this Lancaster County Holiday Inn. They state that paychecks have been late, have been bounced and they have been paying insurance premiums out of their paychecks, yet, this hotel is not actually carrying insurance, according to reports.

One employee found this out the hard way when he went in for surgery and was told he did not have insurance, even though he had been paying for it through his employer. It was further reported that housekeeping employees have been instructed to rinse out and reuse disposable supplies in guest rooms. This included refilling used shampoo bottles and rinsing out and reusing trash bags. It was further reported that utilities and cable have been shut off at the hotel for failure to pay bills and that the building has failed fire code inspections as well.

Continue reading "HOLIDAY INN IN LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA DOESN’T PLAY BY THE RULES - ARE THEY PUTTING THEIR CUSTOMERS AT RISK?" »

Imagine this scenario, you go to a restaurant or franchise later in the evening to enjoy a meal and you are assaulted, stabbed or shot by one of the restaurant’s employees. Imagine another scenario, you are at your home, order takeout, and the delivery man comes and assaults or kills you or a loved one.

In the last few months, Philadelphia personal injury attorney, Jeffrey Reiff, was contacted by individuals who had each suffered a separate and catastrophic incident as mentioned above.

Many restauranteurs employ security systems, attend conferences, hire the best security consultants and set forth rules to insure a safe, crime free workplace and the safety of their customers and employees. But despite the focus on security, horrible crimes are defeating the best systems in place. According to an article published in Nations Restaurant News (www.nrn.com) since 2003, 341 restaurant employees and an unknown number of guests have been murdered on restaurant properties according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although the number of deaths fell more than 25% between 2003 and 2004, the number is headed north again, jumping nearly 21% from 73 deaths in 2005 to 88 deaths in 2006.

The NRN article quotes Chris McGoey, head of Crime Doctors, a security consulting firm with offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, “All the studies I’ve seen say that late night retail and your businesses (restaurants) are the leading sites of employee homicides in the United States and the number one place for male fatalities in the workplace”. Mr. McGoey goes on to state “As more chains open 24 hours, we will experience more workplace violence, serious injuries and death in the restaurant business because I don’t think your industry gets it”.

Continue reading "AS THE ECONOMY CONTINUES TO WORSEN, RESTAURANTS EXPOSE THEMSELVES TO LIABILITY AND OTHERS TO HARM WITH INCREASED LATE NIGHT HOURS, INADEQUATE SECURITY AND IMPROPER BACKGROUND CHECKS ON EMPLOYEES - A PHILADELPHIA INADEQUATE SECURITY LAWYER WEIGHS IN." »

The safety and privacy of hotel guests should be the top priority for hotel owners and operators. Many times, this simply is not the case. Many hotels, cruise ships and apartment homes are actually full of poorly lit corridors, tunnels, nooks and crannies, and other places were crimes can be and are easily committed. Lack of security in hotels, motels, apartment houses and on cruise ships is a big issue for the tourism and rental housing industry and also an issue that we do not often hear too much about. Usually when we do hear about it, an easily avoidable tragedy has occurred.

Recently, a hotel security guard, with an unrevealed lengthy arrest record, sexually assaulted a teenage occupant of a hotel in Panama City Beach, Florida and then threw his victim from a sixth floor balcony, according to Panama City Florida police. The girl hit two lower roofs, landing in a second floor stairwell, suffering serious injuries. The security guard was questioned by police and released without realizing that he was wanted on an outstanding warrant from the State of Indiana. This attack happened at 1:00 a.m. at a Panama City Beach resort where the security guard was on duty and supposed to be protecting guests from such an event. Research after the violent crime indicated that the security guard had an extensive criminal history, including convictions for burglary, escape, auto theft and receiving stolen property, as well as shoplifting and marijuana possession charges. (article)

Hotel owners, apartment owners and cruise ship operators must be oriented towards security of their guests in today’s world and they must insure that the proper security equipment is installed, maintained and regularly used, and that security guards have their employment and criminal backgrounds properly checked. Technology is an important part in meeting today’s security requirements. Surprisingly, a survey conducted of hotel managers by The Cornell School of Hotel Administration revealed that most hotels made no changes to safety and security staffing or procedures in the year following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Many times horrific injuries and incidences occur at hotels and motels due to poor lighting, inadequate security, locks that do not function, and the lack of easily affordable and available technological security devices such as closed circuit cameras. Because of such inadequate security, many unsuspecting guests are robbed, shot, killed, rape, stabbed or assaulted in hotels, motels, shopping malls, apartment parking lots, office buildings, condos and/or cruise ships.

Continue reading "SAFETY AND PRIVACY OF HOTEL GUESTS IS A TOP PRIORITY; ARE YOU REALLY SAFE WHEN YOU CHECK INTO YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME - A PENNSYLVANIA PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER SHARES HIS THOUGHTS" »

Premises liability assigns blame to the owner of the venue where a violation is committed. A building code is generally a set of rules that sets forth guidelines for acceptable safety levels for constructed objects such as buildings, apartments, hotels, houses and other structures. These codes were enacted to protect public health, safety and general welfare of individuals as they relate to the construction and occupancy of buildings and structures.

I recently concluded a case where a young mother and her two year old daughter stepped on her apartment balcony, which was three stories above the ground, after which the balcony became unsecured from the premises, tilted to the ground causing the plaintiff to be thrown three stories resulting in a substantial and life altering injury. Our experts and structural engineers investigated the matter and determined that the balcony was never secured properly, was improperly maintained, and was never inspected in a proper and due fashion. A method of affixation of the balcony to the building was in violation of the building codes. The landlord’s failure to maintain and inspect the balcony was completely irresponsible and negligent, subjecting a rent-paying tenant to undue risk, harm and, ultimately, life changing injuries.

Building codes were established to set forth minimal acceptable standards necessary for protecting people and property. Normally, we hear about violation of building codes when a natural disaster strikes. However, many times owners of homes, buildings, or apartments attempt to save money by taking shortcuts in violation of local laws and building codes. For example, commonly electrical work is performed by non-licensed electricians. The fire prevention code limits the number of wires under each screw in a receptacle or switch. It appears safe to use but fires can occur when the second wire pops out from underneath the screw so one is maximum. Code also requires that outlets be placed every six feet along walls in most rooms and every two feet along kitchen counters to accommodate short safety cords on kitchen appliances. Also, all light fixtures must be grounded. In kitchens, there must be a 15 amp lighting circuit, as well as a separate circuit for the dishwasher and refrigerator and two 20 amp circuits for receptacles. Local and federal codes change regularly so it is important that the necessary research be committed before starting a project.

For approximately 30 years, the Philadelphia personal injury lawyers of Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys have been successfully prosecuting premise liability claims. Property and land owners are required to maintain their properties in such a way that it protects those who are lawfully upon the premises.

Continue reading "VIOLATION OF BUILDING CODES AND PREMISES LIABILITY IS YOUR APARTMENT, HOTEL ROOM OR OFFICE SAFE? " »

Swimming pools, diving boards and hot tubs often pose a significant risk of serious injury and even death if proper safety measures are not followed. Each year in Pennsylvania, swimming pool accidents claim the lives of many innocent children as well as thousands of adults. Homeowners, hotel owners and apartment owners who have pools owe a small responsibility to provide a safe environment for both children and adults but too many times this does not happen.

Often times a swimming pool draws children like a magnet that swimming pool accidents are the second leading cause of death for children under the age of 14. Each year in the United States, 1,000 children die and 5,000 others are hospitalized with catastrophic injuries due to swimming-related accidents. Unbelievably, drowning is the leading cause of death among children from ages 2-4. When a child submerges for 2 minutes or more in the water, the child loses consciousness. Irreversible brain damage sets in after 4-6 minutes of water submersion.

Diving board accidents or dives into shallow pools are responsible for about 10% of all catastrophic spinal cord injuries. The lawyers at the Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys and swimming pool injury law firm of Reiff & Bily have represented numerous Pennsylvania families and individuals who have suffered injury or death as the result of swimming accidents. Most swimming pool injuries occur because of improper design or improper construction or failure to properly secure the pool from small children or failure to maintain the pool in good condition.

Continue reading "Pennsylvania Swimming Pool and Hot Tub Accidents: Is Your Swimming Pool Safe?" »