Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer Blog

The Pennsylvania based personal injury law firm of Anapol Schwartz is happy to proclaim the unveiling of their new legal blog website discussion forum, www.pa-law-blogs.com. In hosting blogs since March 2010, PA-Law-Blogs continues to provide resourceful and informative material relating to 18 legal categories: business law, consumer protection, criminal law, employment law, estate law, family law, FDA recalls, IDEA lawsuits, immigration law, insurance law, intellectual property, medical malpractice, personal injury law, product liability law, real estate law, social security, Supreme Court, and workers compensation.

While the law blog forum covers legal news and resources for many regions in Pennsylvania including Allentown, Bethlehem, Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Reading, Scranton, and York, PA-Law-Blogs also focuses on national legal news and important developments within these extremely diverse areas of law.

Read more about the debut of PA-Law-Blogs here.

The following is a guest blog post by the Chicago wrongful death attorneys, Dolan Law Offices:

Former major league player Jim Leyritz has finally resolved half the legal battle that he's facing as his settlement for the wrongful death lawsuit filed against him by the family of Fredia Ann Veitch has been approved. In December 2007, Leyritz crashed onto Veitch's vehicle in Fort Lauderdale in Florida. Reports show that Leyritz was driving under the influence of alcohol.
Veitch's family will receive $250,000 which will be paid by Leyritz's insurance. On top of that, the former World Series star will pay the family $1,000 monthly for 100 months as documents revealed that Leyritz's only source of income is his major league pension. His monthly payments to the family will begin next April.

Leyritz's attorney continues to stress that the settlement was in no way an admission of guilt. He further stated that his client is innocent. Later this year, Leyritz will face a criminal trial for DUI manslaughter.

Wrongful death is a claim against a person responsible for the death of another individual. Negligence, manslaughter, intentional attack, failure to act and murder are common examples of wrongful death acts. Under the "common law", wrongful death claims did not exist before as lawmakers rationalized that it was impossible to compensate a dead person. However, over the years, states have passed laws that allowed survivors of a victim to seek compensation for damages caused by the death of their loved one. These laws were also intended to encourage citizens to act responsibly and carefully.

A person who has been tried criminally for a person's death can still be sued civilly just in like Jim Leyritz's case. Here are some guidelines that will help you determine whether or not you have a valid wrongful death claim: the death was entirely or partly caused by the wrongful act of the defendant; defendant was liable for the victim’s death; and, monetary damages were incurred due to the death of the victim. If your spouse, child or family member was the victim of a wrongful death act, immediately contact a wrongful death attorney in your local area to discuss your legal options.

Dolan Law Offices is a Chicago-based law firm experienced in handling complex civil and criminal cases. Our firm's focus is wrongful death and personal injury cases.

A Florida jury recently awarded a medical malpractice victim $32 million after an improperly placed epidural cost her the use of her right hand and the ability to walk.

The victim received the epidural in 2000 in the hopes that it would help alleviate the chronic pain she had suffered ever since an earlier car accident. Instead, the anesthesiologist inserted the epidural improperly, injecting a steroid and an anesthetic directly into the woman's spinal column. According to The Pittsburgh Channel, the medications caused significant damage to the nerves in the spinal column, leaving the victim without the use of her right hand and with significant difficulty walking.

Unfortunately, the victim faces difficulties in collecting her judgment; the doctor has filed for bankruptcy, listing the victim among his creditors. Also, although the doctor had medical malpractice insurance, his insurer is refusing to pay this particular claim. The doctor's attorney only stated that they will have to prove in a separate case that insurance coverage exists. Until the dispute is settled, the victim in this case may have to wait for any substantial payments.

The doctor was not present during the trial, as he was serving time in a federal corrections institution for a drug conviction.

Establishing your right to compensation in a PA medical malpractice case may mean struggling with insurance companies as well as with the medical professionals believed to be at fault. The experienced Harrisburg medical malpractice attorneys at Anapol Schwartz can guide you through the process of obtaining just and full compensation for your injuries. Our skilled legal team will fight to recover the compensation you need after an injury brought about by a medical professional’s error or negligence. If you've been injured, and you expect a doctor's negligence is to blame, please don't hesitate to call Anapol Schwartz at (866) 735-2792 for a free and confidential case evaluation.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported recently that a county clerk who received $21,600 in workers' compensation payments after a PA slip and fall accident at work has had his claim voided by a judge. The clerk, who blamed water on the marble floor of the office building for the slip and fall, suffered knee and hip injuries. He entered into a $25,000 settlement agreement with the county freeholders.

The judge, however, voided the agreement because the county freeholders had voted to enter the settlement privately, in violation of the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act. The case has led the court to look more closely into previous decisions made by the county freeholders, who, according to some citizens, have been making secret decisions later ratified at public meetings for some time. The county freeholders' behavior is under investigation, as it appears to violate the Open Public Meetings Act. Under the Act, citizens have a right to know what decisions local government makes about workers' compensation payments, as those payments are made out of collected taxes.

The county clerk who was injured in the slip and fall accident had surgery for his injuries, but says he missed only “a day or two” of work and did not need crutches or a cane when he returned.

Accidents that take place at work usually entitle the accident victim to workers' compensation payments from the employer. These payments are meant to help the injured employee with medical expenses and make up for lost wages until the employee can return to work. A skilled Pennsylvania injured at work attorney can help injured employees protect their rights and seek the compensation they need to make a full recovery. If you've been injured while on the job, please contact the attorneys at Anapol Schwartz today by calling (866) 735-2792 for a free and confidential case evaluation.

The number of new medical malpractice lawsuits filed in Pennsylvania declined for the fifth straight year in 2009. According to a recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, 1,533 new medical malpractice cases were filed in Pennsylvania in 2009, down from 1,602 new cases filed in 2008 and 2,904 new cases filed in 2002.

Medical professionals attribute the decline in cases to new regulations enacted in 2002, which sought to limit the filing of medical malpractice suits and decrease the number of medical errors. In 2003, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that medical malpractice suits had to be filed in the county where the malpractice allegedly occurred. The Court also held that plaintiffs seeking to file medical malpractice suits had to get a “certificate of merit” from a doctor stating that negligence has occurred.

The number of Philadelphia medical malpractice cases also declined in 2009. Once seen as the state's medical-malpractice epicenter due to the frequency of large verdicts, Philadelphia had only 491 new medical malpractice suits filed in 2009, compared with 1,365 new suits filed in 2002.

As a patient, you have the right to explore your legal options if you believe that you may have been a victim of negligence by a doctor or other medical professional. If you think medical malpractice has harmed you or a loved one, please don't hesitate to contact the experienced Central Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorneys at Anapol Schwartz. Our team of skilled attorneys will examine the details of your case and ensure your rights are protected throughout the legal process. Please call Anapol Schwartz today at 1-866-735-2792 to schedule a free and confidential consultation.

The Philadelphia Daily News reported recently that a volunteer diver at Adventure Aquarium was bitten in the ankle by a tiger shark. The diver accidentally bumped the shark while climbing on the platform that leads into the shark's tank. The shark retaliated by nipping the diver in the ankle. The diver was treated at the scene and later at a local hospital, receiving several stitches for the bite. He has recovered and has since returned to the aquarium.

The aquarium's director described the shark bite as a “workplace incident” that is not uncommon in aquariums with captive sharks. He said the bite did not concern the aquarium staff because it was not a random, unprovoked bite. Rather, it was the shark's response to being jostled by the diver.

Tiger sharks are a favorite in aquariums for their size and ferocious-looking teeth. Tiger sharks can grow to be ten feet in length and weigh several hundred pounds, with rows of large, jagged teeth. Despite their appearance, however, tiger sharks are not known as a deadly species. Only 29 attacks by tiger sharks on humans have been documented, and only two of those attacks were fatal.

Even unusual workplace accidents generally entitle the injured employee to Central Pennsylvania workers' compensation for their injuries. A third party, such as a contractor, sub-contractor, or a manufacturer of a defective product whose negligence results in an employee's injury may be held liable for damages which the employee may receive in addition to workers’ comp.

Continue reading " Shark Nips Diver in Workplace Accident " »

The Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was tied up recently as two tractor-trailers crashed into one another, resulting in a fire and a complete blocking of the roadway between Lansdale and Quakertown. Based on an nbcphiladelphia.com article, the Turnpike was blocked completely for about three hours, after which police and fire crews managed to open one lane to allow traffic that had been trapped for the entire three hours to squeeze through and exit the Turnpike.

The accident in Pennsylvania occurred as one tractor-trailer rear-ended the other. One of the two trucks was carrying a load of lumber, which caught fire and scattered across all lanes of the Turnpike. The driver of the truck carrying the lumber was injured in the accident.

On average, automobile accidents involving large trucks account for over 100,000 injuries on United States roadways each year. About 35% of these injuries are severe and life-altering. Approximately 5,000 deaths occur each year in tractor-trailer crashes. Although large trucks make up only three percent of all registered vehicles in the United States, they are responsible for over one-quarter of all vehicle-related deaths. The size and weight of large trucks increases the danger to other motorists who must share the roadways with them. This is particularly true when truck drivers are driving while fatigued, driving in unsafe ways, or hauling oversized loads, all of which may be negligent behavior.

If you or a loved one has suffered serious injury or death in a truck accident in Pennsylvania, the lawyers at Anapol Schwartz may be able to help you. Anapol Schwartz's skilled Philadelphia truck accident lawyers have the experience and knowledge to hold negligent truck drivers responsible for their actions and secure the compensation you need to pay medical bills, lost wages, and other losses the accident may have caused. If you've been injured by a truck driver's negligence, call the experienced attorneys at Anapol Schwartz today at 1-866-735-2792 for a free consultation.

The Pennsylvania personal injury law firm of Anapol Schwartz Weiss Cohan Feldman & Smalley is proud to announce that Dennis Gleason has been given the Anapol Advocate Award for his tremendous efforts in helping those affected by injuries embrace productive ways of living. Burn survivor Dennis Gleason received his award from managing partner of Anapol Schwartz, Joel Feldman, at the Crozer-Chester Medical Center’s Nathan Speare Regional Burn Treatment Center.

To honor Gleason and further recognize those who have devoted much energy and time in helping victims affected by severe injuries, the Anapol Schwartz Foundation will be donating $5,000 to the Medical Center’s burn unit. Gleason is the first Anapol Advocate Award winner and has significantly promoted burn prevention and helped better the lives of burn survivors and members of their families. A Philadelphia electrical burn accident resulted in Gleason suffering electrical burns when working as a lineman at PECO, an electric and natural gas utility company located in Philadelphia. Gleason serves as a mentor at the Burn Foundation’s Survivors Advisory Council.

In several instances, burn injury accidents frequently lead to serious burn injuries. This is why burn prevention is so crucial; as are the efforts of courageous and charitable people like Mr. Gleason.

Anapol Schwartz is a personal injury law firm in Pennsylvania with extensive experience in helping burn injury victims receive compensation for expenses associated with their injuries as well as other damages. We understand the many challenges a burn injury victim must overcome on a physical, emotional and financial level; all while coping with potentially significant pain and suffering as well as learning to deal with scarring, disfigurement, and overall rehabilitation. To learn more about the unmatched success record of Anapol Schwartz in assisting injury victims, please visit http://www.anapolschwartz.com/ or call 866-735-2792 for a free consultation with an experienced Philadelphia burn injury lawyer.

Consequences of a slip and fall accident in Pennsylvania can range from mere embarrassment to permanent body damage. If you're involved in a slip and fall accident, here are some tips to protect yourself and your rights.

1. If you are seriously injured, seek medical attention immediately. If you later seek to hold a negligent party accountable for your slip and fall, a medical assessment may become the most important building block in your case. Follow all instructions given to you by your doctor.


2. As soon as you can after the accident, write down everything you remember. What was the date and time? Where were you? How was the lighting? Did you see the hazard that caused your slip and fall, or were you surprised by it? Write down as many details as possible.


3. If there were any eyewitnesses to your accident, try to get their names and contact information. Ask them if they're willing to write down for you the details they remember about your accident. In addition, get the name and contact information of the person or company responsible for the area in which you slipped and fell.


4. Take pictures of the area in which you slipped. If possible, take pictures of the hazard that you believed caused your slip and fall – ice, a spill, a crack in the sidewalk. Also, take pictures of the surrounding area.

Slip and fall accidents can cause serious injury, which can disrupt a person's daily life for months or even years to come. If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident, the experienced Reading slip and fall lawyers at Anapol Schwartz are ready to help. Our skilled attorneys will stand by your side, holding negligent parties accountable and winning you the compensation you deserve. Please don't hesitate to call the experienced Pennsylvania injury attorneys at Anapol Schwartz at 1-866-735-2792 for a free and confidential consultation.