Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

It has often been stated by legislators and lawmakers that greedy trial lawyers and their clients take advantage of the legal system by seeking large verdicts after they are injured by the negligence of another or by a defectively designed or defectively manufactured product.

For years, as an experienced catastrophic injury attorney, I would have friends talk to me about the famous “McDonald’s coffee case" when in fact they had no idea what that case was really about. In fact, the hot coffee propaganda campaign in the newspapers was funded by major corporations who have spent millions of dollars to distort the case promoting tort reform.

I urge all of my readers to view “Hot Coffee" which clearly reveals how large businesses and corporations aided by the media manipulated the public with lies to protect corporate interests. The film follows the lives of four individuals whose lives were devastated by the attacks on our courts, and challenges assumptions many Americans hold about “jackpot justice".

For over three decades, I have recognized that the collective 500 years of wisdom of individuals comprising a jury have more common sense than anyone else in the courtroom. It is conventional wisdom that products, cars, amusement rides, and premises should be safe from defects. Occupy Wall Street began a worldwide movement protesting social and economic inequality, corporate greed, as well as corruption and the undue influence that corporations have. The 7th Amendment of the United States Constitution grants us all the right to a trial by a jury of our peers.

Many of the product liability cases that our office regularly investigates and litigates involves someone’s deepest and darkest fears coming true. Imagine receiving a phone call in the middle of the night notifying you that your child or another loved one has been wrongfully killed as a result of being involved in a car accident caused by a defective product design or mechanism that the manufacturers have known for years created an unsafe condition. Everyone has the right to expect that when they purchase an automobile, they are buying a safe car and that safety should never be an option. Yet, in many of our automobile product liability cases, we have been able to show that automobile manufacturers concealed known defects putting the profitability and greed of corporate interests above consumer safety. Simply put, cutting corners on product design or manufacture and not putting safety first is never acceptable. The prevention of an injury must always be priority number one. Cars should be designed to be safe for everyone, adults and children. Concealing safety issues with bold faced lies in the name of business and profits is simply intolerable.

The experienced Philadelphia product liability lawyers of Reiff and Bily understand that one must never be afraid to stand up to big business and corporations. If you or a loved one has been injured by the defective design or manufacture of a product, contact one of our experienced Pennsylvania product liability lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation toll free at 1-800-421-95959 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

I bet many of my readers own or have owned products that were recalled by manufacturers over the last few years. Statistics recently revealed that defective product recalls in the third quarter of 2011 affected nearly six times as many units as the previous three month period for food products. Almost half of the food products recalled were declared potentially dangerous due to undeclared allergens which posed a threat to consumer safety. Recalls of pharmaceutical and medical device products also substantially increased.

As an experienced Pennsylvania product liability lawyer, I welcome the initiative taken by manufacturers and retailers who are now paying closer attention to the safety of consumers by acting more diligently in the discovery and reporting process of potential hazards. For over thirty years, I have litigated product liability claims with brethren across the United States against corporations that were all too often unwilling to admit that a product in question was defectively designed or manufactured, creating a dangerous and unsafe condition to innocent and unknowing consumers. Manufacturers and retailers of defective products historically have emphasized profitability as a priority over safety. The efforts of product liability lawyers throughout the United States have resulted in increasingly holding manufacturers of defective motor vehicles, dangerous drugs, contaminated foods, dangerous and defective machinery, and amusement park rides accountable and responsible for the harm caused to others. I believe that the “fear factor" of a potential plaintiff’s verdict coupled with national and state regulatory enforcement has contributed to a safer world for all of us.

It always surprises me in the jury selection process to learn how biased a pool of potential jurors can be toward a victim or the family of a victim who has sustained a tragic loss or death as a result of a defective product. Many individuals in the jury pools think it is okay for companies to manufacture and place defective products in the stream of commerce until an unfortunate accident or tragedy happens to them or a loved one or family member.

Continue reading "Could It Be That Trial Lawyers, Who Often Get A Bad Rap From Politicians, May Be Responsible For A Dramatic Increase In Product Recalls and Resulting Consumer Safety?" »

The past is often a great predictor of the future. Many times by carefully investigating and gathering evidence of other similar instances involving a product defect, manufacturing defect, or design defect, which results in a catastrophic injury or wrongful death an experienced and skilled product liability attorney will be able use this as the best weapon in the arsenal when taking on manufacturers who claim that the accident was a freak occurrence or unique situation.

The skilled and experienced auto liability defect lawyers of Reiff & Bily have worked with lawyers across the United States for over three decades sharing documents, discovery, as well as evidence of other similar instances. We have developed an extraordinary national network of talented counsel, investigators, and experts who have been involved in similar cases and take a team approach to resolving auto product liability cases that involve seat back defects, seat belt defects, tire failures, SUV rollovers, crashworthiness, airbag defects, and roof crush. Several times a year, we meet as a group of lawyers working on similar cases to brainstorm and discuss issues and concerns with particular vehicle manufacturers, as well as current trial strategies that have been successful. Obviously there are many common product design and manufacturing failures and information is the greatest commodity.

While gathering OSI or other similar instances in a product liability case may be difficult for a “lone wolf" attorney, the experienced product liability and auto defect lawyers of Reiff & Bily work with teams of investigators, experts, and experienced lawyers throughout the United States and possess the experience, knowledge, and documents to fight against some of the world’s largest manufacturers. We continue to practice law representing catastrophically injured victims and those wrongfully killed with a motto that adversity causes some men to break and others to break records. We have a passion for justice.

Reiff & Bily is a catastrophic injury and wrongful death law firm based in Pennsylvania with emphasis on product liability and automotive defect claims. The lawyers of Reiff & Bily have recently 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 at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.