Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer Blog

September 26 marked the official day of Mesothelioma Awareness in the United States. Mesothelioma affects 2,000 to 3,000 people each year and is caused primarily by exposure to asbestos. Many construction workers, as well as those rescue crews who were exposed to toxic dust during the 9/11 attacks, are at risk of developing mesothelioma. Some of them already have.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, abdomen, heart and in some cases, the testicles. Because symptoms can arise years after exposure and can mimic symptoms of other, more common medical conditions, this type of cancer can be difficult to diagnose.

While there is no cure for mesothelioma, there are numerous treatments which may extend the life of a patient afflicted with the disease. The rate of survival depends on a number of factors, including which stage of cancer the patient has, the patient’s overall health, age, and other factors. Typically, the survival rate of mesothelioma patients is roughly four to eighteen months, but again, various factors contribute to how treatments will affect a patient.

Many older buildings contain asbestos and newer buildings must adhere to strict guidelines pertaining to worker exposure to the material. In cases where employers do not follow federal regulations and an employee is exposed to asbestos or other toxic materials, the employer may be held liable for their negligence and be legally responsible for all medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages caused by asbestos exposure.

If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos which caused the development of mesothelioma, you may be able to recover compensation for your illness. The skilled Pennsylvania mesothelioma attorneys at Anapol Schwartz have the experience, knowledge and resources to help you hold negligent parties responsible for their actions that caused you to be unnecessarily exposed to asbestos. To learn more about your rights and options, call Anapol Schwartz at (866) 735-2792.

U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers have announced the release of the 2010 Best Law Firms rankings, which marks the first publication of this annual analysis. The personal injury law firm of Anapol Schwartz has been included in the Best Law Firms ranking covered in the October 2010 issue of U.S. News & World Report. In being acknowledged under Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action-Plaintiffs, Anapol Schwartz joins the collection of 30,322 rankings of 8,782 law firms in 81 practice areas.

The ranking provides a categorization of law firms based on peer reviews and client assessments, and incorporates the 3.1 million evaluations of 39,372 individual leading lawyers gathered by Best Lawyers in its most current annual survey. Moreover, clients provided votes for the ranking based on a law firm’s expertise, responsiveness, understanding of a business and its needs, cost-effectiveness, civility and whether they would refer another client to a firm. Attorneys voted on the same points with integrity and whether they would consider a firm a worthy competitor added as additional aspects.

In compiling its list, U.S. News & World Report and Best Law Firms utilized specific criteria to help guide referring attorneys and clients. For over twenty years, U.S. News has given the public rankings that are precise and thorough regarding different kinds of institutions. For the practice area rankings, some information collected relates to data about the number of attorneys at a firm as well as their previous experience, the numbers of clients within various billing scales, numbers of transactions and litigation matters at different dollar levels, pro-bono commitment, diversity, and additional data based on several factors.

To learn more about the successful case results and accomplishments of Anapol Schwartz, please visit www.anapolschwartz.com or call (866) 735-2792.

Anapol, Schwartz, Weiss, Cohan, Feldman & Smalley P.C., a personal injury law firm that practices in Pennsylvania and nationwide, is proud to announce its merge with Coben & Associates, a Scottsdale, Arizona law firm with extensive experience handling product liability lawsuits.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that former Philadelphia attorney Larry Coben has centered the majority of his practice on injury cases relating to brain and spinal cord injuries caused by helmet failure or the failure of air bags, seat belts, and other protective products that have proven to be defective or poorly designed. His experience will couple well with and add to Anapol Schwartz’s attorneys who handle cases involving unsafe drugs, auto accidents, product liability, medical malpractice, mass tort, and various other forms of personal injury litigation.

Anapol shareholder and trial attorney, Sol Weiss stated, “Anapol Schwartz is thrilled to welcome Larry to the firm. In working with him for a number of years, we admire his trial skills and case results.”

With the initiation of the merger, Mr. Coben will return to the Philadelphia area and join Anapol’s team of 25 attorneys, and one Coben firm associate will stay in Scottsdale as a part of the Anapol Firm. In joining Anapol Schwartz, Larry Coben will add his unique and focused experience, helping the firm obtain successful and effective legal solutions for those seriously injured by another’s negligence.

To learn more about the attorneys of Anapol Schwartz and their many accomplishments, please visit www.anapolschwartz.com for more information or call (866) 735-2792 for a free consultation.

Bernard Smalley, Esquire is being honored with the 31st Annual Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award for outstanding leadership and dedication to the practice of personal injury law. A Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association announcement mentions that Mr. Smalley focuses his practice in the areas of pharmaceutical liability, medical negligence, class action, products liability, and defamation, among other areas.

Mr. Smalley earned his Bachelor’s degree in 1971 from Temple University and his law degree from Widner School of Law 1980. Before attending law school, he was the Deputy Court Administrator for Civil Administration for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

With a passion for law and helping injured clients, Bernard Smalley, Esq. is active in various organizations such as the Board of Governors of the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice. Mr. Smalley was also the first ever African-American attorney to be elected President of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and lectures regularly on trial practices local, state and national bar associations.

As an established and successful Pennsylvania attorney with a proven track record, Mr. Smalley has been honored with numerous awards and positions over the years including the Trail Blazer Award by the Minority Caucus of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and induction as a Fellow into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Bernard Smalley, Esquire is married and lives in the West Philadelphia area. He has two children, one daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. He is licensed to practice in the state of Pennsylvania.

Jim Ronca of Pennsylvania personal injury law firm Anapol Schwartz recently won a $19.9 million settlement for patients affected by Bayer AG’s pharmaceutical drug, Trasylol. Mr. Ronca settled 20 cases in the national multi-district litigation and 19 cases in Pennsylvania.

The blood-preserving drug, which was approved for use during high risk heart bypass surgery and coronary bypass redo procedures, and later approved for all coronary bypass procedures, was alleged to cause kidney failure in some patients and increase the risk of death. Trasylol was available in the U.S. from 1993 until 2007 when the FDA requested that the drug be pulled off the market. In April 2008, the pharmaceutical giant recalled all stocks of Trasylol.

2006 saw the first Trasylol lawsuit filed by Anapol Schwartz and the firm was one of the first to earn settlements in litigation. The firm believes that its case played a key role in settlement discussions for both its cases and 34 other cases pertaining to Trasylol.

Anapol Schwartz was founded in 1977 and has established itself as a leading Pennsylvania civil justice and personal injury law firm. With success in handling a plethora of varying cases ranging from medical malpractice, truck accident injury, defective product, and dangerous drug litigation to unsafe toys, car crashes and other practice areas, the firm prides itself in providing injured individuals with the best legal representation possible. If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, contact the Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Anapol Schwartz by calling (866) 735-2792.

The driver of a semi-truck was killed in an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike when he lost control of the vehicle and hit a wall, which caused the truck to catch fire. The crash happened in Bordenton Township at about 3:00 on September 15th, according to a report from ABC 6. There were no other vehicles involved.

While it is unclear as to what caused the truck driver to lose control, an investigation will be able to determine whether or not the truck accident occurred due to driver error, speeding, dangerous road conditions, a defective or faulty truck component, or a plethora of other possibilities. It is the responsibility of trucking companies to ensure that the trucks operated by their drivers are properly maintained and free of defects that could lead to potentially deadly accidents like this one. If it is found that negligence of the trucking company, the municipal agency, the truck manufacturer or another party contributed to this fatal trucking accident, the family of the wrongful death victim may be able to hold that party liable.

If you or a loved one has been injured or if you have lost a loved one in a Pennsylvania trucking accident due to someone else’s negligence, you deserve to know your rights. The experienced Philadelphia injury attorneys at Anapol Schwartz have handled a wide array of truck accident wrongful death cases and have the resources necessary to hold negligent parties responsible. While no amount of monetary compensation will bring a loved one back, it can help lift the burden of funeral expenses, pain and suffering, loss of wages, loss of consortium and other damages. Contact the Pennsylvania truck accident attorneys at Anapol Schwartz at (866) 735-2792 for a free consultation of your case.

A motorist ran out of gas on Tuesday, September 14th in the center lane of Route 287 and was then rear-ended by a tractor-trailer, according to an article on NorthJersey.com. The accident occurred near the NY state border at around 6:30pm. When the tractor-trailer struck the vehicle, it sent the car into the center guardrail. Additionally, the large truck struck the guardrail and then a pole which split the gas tank and leaked nearly 50 gallons of fuel. The truck’s cargo, which consisted of 300-pound rolls of paper rolled out onto the highway. Both the driver of the truck and the passenger vehicle sustained non-life threatening injuries.

It is the responsibility of all motorists to obey all traffic rules and pay attention while driving. It is especially important for truck drivers to pay close attention to their surroundings since it takes a truck longer to stop. It is unclear as to why the truck driver in this particular accident was unable to avoid the crash. Investigators may check to see if alcohol or fatigue played a role in causing the New Jersey tractor trailer accident. If it is found that some form of negligence on the part of the truck driver contributed to the crash, the woman in the passenger car may be able to seek compensation for damages.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a truck accident, the experienced Pennsylvania truck crash attorneys at Anapol Schwartz can help. Our lawyers have the skill and tenacity to successfully handle personal injury cases and have garnered millions of dollars in verdicts for clients. Injured individuals have valid legal rights and should not have to fight insurance companies alone. At Anapol Schwartz, we will ensure that your rights are never violated and will work hard to earn you the compensation you deserve. For more information, call 1(866) 735-2792 today.

A fatal double-decker Megabus accident occurred on Friday which took the lives of four passengers and seriously injured several others. According to the New York Daily News, the bus driver got lost while en route to Regional Transportation Center on Park Street in Central New York and ended up on the Onondaga Lake Parkway where the bus crashed into a bridge overhead. The bus, carrying 28 passengers, including some Pennsylvania residents flipped over.

Four people, including two teenagers were killed in this tragic bus accident. Two of the individuals who were seriously injured and one of those killed were living in Philadelphia before the accident. One of the victims was a 39-year old woman visiting from India and another victim was a 35-year old reverend from Malaysia who was doing a tour of the United States. The bus originated in Philadelphia and was scheduled to stop in Syracuse, Buffalo and Toronto according to a representative of the bus operator, Coach USA. The bus crash shut down both sides of the highway for hours and 24 passengers were taken to a local area hospital. The 59-year old bus driver suffered a head injury but was able to speak to investigators. It is not believed that drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in 2008, there were 307 commercial bus accident fatalities. While bus accidents are fairly uncommon, the sheer size and lack of safety restraints in some of these vehicles can contribute to the tragic outcome that can occur as a result.

Those who are injured in bus accidents caused by another person’s negligence may be entitled to seek compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering and other damages. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus crash, the dedicated and competent Pennsylvania bus accident attorneys at Anapol Schwartz can help. With unparalleled experience in bus accident injury litigation, our lawyers understand how to examine all evidence and build a strong case to ensure that you are compensated fairly and that negligent parties are held responsible for their actions. Call Anapol Schwartz at (866) 735-2792 to learn more about your legal rights.

A 63-year old West Philadelphia man is dead and another is in critical condition after a collision involving three ATVs occurred around 7:30pm on Sunday, September 5. According to a report on ABC 6, the accident happened at 52nd and Jefferson streets when two ATVs collided with the third ATV. The 63-year old man was pronounced dead at the scene with another driver admitted to a local area hospital. The third driver involved in the crash left the scene. An investigation is pending.

It is unclear what caused this tragic Pennsylvania ATV crash, however, there are number of factors that may have contributed. A thorough investigation will determine how fast each vehicle was going when the crash happened as well as whether or not alcohol was a factor.

Additionally, investigators may want to check to see if any of the ATV models were listed in a recent recall for a defective part. Should the investigation conclude that any of these factors contributed to the wrongful death of the ATV driver or to the other driver’s injuries, family members of the deceased as well as the injured victim may be entitled to compensation from negligent parties.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an all terrain vehicle crash in Pennsylvania, you would be well-advised to contact an experienced PA personal injury attorney. They’ll be able to inform you of your rights and help you determine the best course of action for you and your family. The dedicated and knowledgeable Philadelphia ATV injury accident lawyers at Anapol Schwartz understand the strain that a serious injury or sudden death of a loved one can place on a family. With years of successful verdicts and settlements related to ATV and other motor vehicle accidents, our attorneys can ensure that you are compensated fairly and justly. For more information and to learn how we can help you in your Pennsylvania ATV accident case, please call 1(866) 735-2792.

We depend on doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to make sure that we’re taken care of should we need to be admitted to the hospital due to a medical condition. Therefore, making it possible for nurses, whose job it is to monitor their patients’ well-being, to have the proper amount of down-time and also ensuring alarm awareness during their shifts is of utmost importance.

According to an article on Nurses.com, sleep deprivation and alarm fatigue can contribute to medical error that can have catastrophic or fatal results. One example of alarm fatigue is when a nurse tunes out the beeps and alarms that monitoring equipment makes when in use by a patient. Because there are a plethora of varying machines, should a monitor be so sensitive that it alerts a nurse of a problem when the patient is fine, the nurse may turn the alarm off completely. This creates an opportunity for something to go wrong or unnoticed, such as an irregular heart palpitation.

Additionally, nurses’ schedules are notorious for requiring long hours with little time for breaks between shifts. Sleep deprivation, coupled with alarm fatigue, is a recipe for disaster. Studies show that nurses who work 12.5 hours or more in a single shift were three times more likely to make a mistake. The Institute of Medicine recommended shorter shifts in 2003 and continues to push for hospital managers to ensure that all nurses are allowed enough rest so as to minimize the chances of a medical error.

If you or a loved one has been injured due to medical error, it would be in your best interest to consult with an experienced Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorney to learn about your legal rights. It is the responsibility of all doctors, nurses and other medical personnel to ensure the safety and proper care of all patients. When that responsibility is overlooked, patients may suffer as a result. The lawyers at Anapol Schwartz have years of experience successfully handling a wide variety of Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawsuits and can help you attain fair and just compensation for your injuries. Call us today at 1(866) 735-2792 to learn how we can help you with your situation.

The Pennsylvania personal injury law firm of Anapol Schwartz is proud to announce its new Alloderm lawsuit website, www.alloderm-hernia-recurrence-lawyers.com.The website features a resource center that includes information on the side effects, complications, surgery re-dos and hernia reoccurrences that patients who have taken the drug may experience. In addition, the website provides valuable resources for anyone who may be seeking information regarding dangerous drug lawsuits nationwide and in the Pennsylvania area.

AlloDerm is a medical device that is used to repair hernias which is manufactured by LifeCell Corp. It is made from donated cadaver skin that has had all of the cells removed in order to limit the chances of patients having adverse reactions due to the device being made of organic, not manmade, material. However, some patients have experienced AlloDerm hernia recurrences in addition to other side effects that have caused further harm. Originally, AlloDerm was manufactured for burn victims, but the medical field found other uses for it in treating various kinds of hernias and for some procedures involving heart, cornea and bone tissue.

The AlloDerm hernia injury attorneys at Anapol Schwartz understand the financial, physical and emotional burden that an injury of this sort can have on a patient and their family. We created this website in order to provide helpful information and insight for those who may have experienced the negative side effects of AlloDerm. Pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure that the products they design and manufacture are safe for patient use. In the event that a patient sustains injury due to AlloDerm or other similar medical devices, Anapol Schwartz can help victims understand their rights and fight for fair and just compensation.

Many women have chosen the oral contraceptives, Yaz and Yasmin, as their preferred method of birth control. However, in addition to minor side effects associated with birth control pills such as bloating, weight gain and nausea/vomiting, Yaz and Yasmin have been linked to more serious side effects. These more alarming side effects include DVT (blood clots in the legs), pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs), stroke and heart attack, dangerously high levels of potassium, gall bladder disease and pancreatitis, among many other serious conditions. Not all women will experience these types of side effects; however, the women that do should seek medical attention immediately.

Yaz and Yasmin are considered “fourth generation” oral contraceptives. They contain a newer synthetic progestin-like hormone called drosperinone.

In 2008, the maker of Yaz and Yasmin, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, was cited by the FDA for false advertising, failing to properly research the drug, glossing over potential side effects, and failing to recall the drug when the potentially life-threatening side effects far outweighed the benefits of its use.

All oral contraceptives and other medications come with some risk of side effects. However, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to do everything in their power to produce a drug that is as safe as possible for consumer use. If you or a loved one has suffered a serious or life-threatening injury due to the use of oral contraceptives, it would be in your best interest to contact the experienced Pennsylvania Yaz side effect attorneys at Anapol Schwartz. They can help you understand your rights and will work hard to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. To schedule a free and confidential evaluation of your case, call 866-735-2792.

DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson has issued a recall of two of its hip replacement systems, according to the Associated Press. Approximately 93,000 patients worldwide are affected by this recall.

The ASR XL Acetabular System, which is the cup portion of the hip joint replacement device, as well as the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, which is the ball and stem portion of the joint, are included in the recall due to a high number of patients needing corrective surgery. The recall does not necessarily mean that the device needs to be removed. DePuy Orthopaedics suggests that patients be evaluated by their surgeon and monitor the performance of the implant. Hip replacement devices that do not work properly can cause severe pain and the patient may have trouble walking.

Recent data that is soon to be released shows that one in eight recipients of the implants needed to have corrective surgery within five years of the original surgery.

Very few of the recalled hip replacement devices are still on the market as the demand has decreased and the company has placed its focus on creating new versions of these products. Any products that may still be on hospital shelves will be removed.

If you or a loved one has experienced injury, difficulty walking, or excessive pain due to a defective Johnson & Johnson hip replacement system, contact the Pennsylvania defective medical device attorneys at Anapol Schwartz. Our experienced lawyers have gone head to head with large corporations and held the negligent parties responsible for our clients’ injuries. The financial, emotional and physical strain that a defective medical device can cause a patient and their family does not have to be faced alone. You deserve to know your rights and the attorneys at Anapol Schwartz can make sure those rights are protected. Contact our firm today at (866) 735-2792 for a free consultation about your hip implant lawsuit.