Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer Blog

A teenager fell down a manhole while texting on her cell phone, according to a recent article released by NBC's Philadelphia affiliate. The fifteen-year-old girl fell four or five feet to the bottom of an open manhole while her vision was obscured by her cell phone. She suffered some scrapes on her arms and back. The girl was also severely shaken up by both the surprise of the fall and the unpleasant experience of landing in a sewer pipe. She was examined at a nearby hospital and then released.

The manhole cover had been removed by the Department of Environmental Protection, which planned to do some work in the area. Apparently, the employee who opened the manhole had turned his back to fetch some orange road cones intended to warn pedestrians about the hole. None of the department employees were watching at the moment that the teenager fell into the manhole, though they removed her promptly after her fall.

The family has announced that it intends to sue the Department of Environmental Protection for their daughter's injuries and suffering from the fall. Department workers who open manholes are supposed to block the sidewalk with warning signs in order to prevent pedestrian accidents such as these.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident in Philadelphia, it pays to know your rights. The experienced Pennsylvania pedestrian accident attorneys at Anapol Schwartz can help you understand your legal options after your accident and help you choose the best course of action. Our skilled legal team will help you hold negligent parties accountable. Call Anapol Schwartz today at 1-866-735-2792 to schedule a free and confidential consultation.

Accidents in which pedestrians are hit by cars occur every day throughout Pennsylvania and the U.S. Some, unfortunately, are fatal. Although some risks always exist when walkers and drivers share the roadway, you can take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones and decrease the chances of a pedestrian accident in Pennsylvania taking place.

For Pedestrians:

1. Wear bright or reflective clothing. Bright colors and jackets with reflective strips will help drivers see you. If you're walking at night, consider carrying a flashlight along with wearing reflective clothing.


2. Never trust drivers. Always make sure that drivers heed a stop sign or streetlight before stepping out in front of them. Remember, the driver may be distracted and may not see you until it's too late.


3. Never cross in the middle of a block. Drivers are rarely looking for pedestrians in the middle of a block, and parked traffic can hide you from a driver's sight. Cross only at intersections, preferably those that are marked for pedestrians with crosswalks and signals.

For Drivers:

1. Avoid distractions. Use your cell phone or look at the map only when your vehicle is parked or safely alongside the road. If passengers are distracting you, remind them to stay quiet, especially in areas with lots of traffic or many pedestrians. Try recruiting passengers to help you scan the road ahead for hazards.


2. Obey all traffic laws. Come to a complete stop at all stop signs and red lights. Pay special attention to intersections and crosswalks. Do not speed up to slip through a yellow light; come to a stop instead if possible.


3. Take special care at dawn and dusk, when the setting sun or the gathering darkness may obscure your vision. If the sun is in your eyes, a pedestrian walking towards you may not realize you cannot see him or her. Drive more slowly if necessary and scan the edges of the road for movement that may signal a pedestrian.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer in Pennsylvania or a skilled Philadelphia car injury attorney can help you get deserved compensation. Our attorneys at Anapol Schwartz have the knowledge and experience to examine the details of your accident and help you hold negligent parties responsible for their actions. Please call 1-866-735-2792 for a free consultation.

A news report on the wdtv.com website informed the public of a dreadful pedestrian accident involving an SUV which took the life of a Pennsylvania man in front of the Cottrrells Store in Morgantown. Sheriffs from the Mon County Department reported that at approximately 9:30 p.m. a 56 year old woman was behind the wheel of a Dodge Durango heading north on Point Marion Road when she ran over a the 43 year old man.

Emergency response teams transported the victim to Ruby Memorial Hospital via ambulance but it was too late, and doctors pronounced him dead. Authorities are investigating the circumstances that led up to the accident and urge the public with any relevant information regarding this case to call the sheriff’s department at (304) 291-7260.

Many of us enjoy eating foods that may not be to healthy for us, which in turn, leads many us to exercise to try to burn some of those pounds off. Many Americans choose to do their exercise outdoors in various fashions such as biking, jogging, or simply taking a stroll around the neighborhood. Unfortunately, each day in the United States, innocent pedestrians are injured by negligent motor vehicle drivers. The effects on injured pedestrians can be quite serious, including broken bones, comas, paralysis, brain injury, and even death as in this story.

Continue reading "Pennsylvania Pedestrian Killed by SUV in Morgantown" »

The centredaily.com website reported in an account on March 23, 2009 that Scott Hilliard was struck and killed by a vehicle while walking alongside Airport Road in the Pennsylvania auto accident in Bellefonte. There is a bike path running along this road but it is a couple hundred feet before it reaches State Route 550. Markings along the road indicate that Hilliard must have been struck while he was walking on the side of the road where the bike path runs short.

Maureen Farber said, “When we found his Bible he had pictures of the kids in there.”

Hilliard’s relatives believe that he was struck while walking home to his apartment on Governors Park Road, and was attempting to reach the bike path that runs alongside that road. The tragic auto accident in Pennsylvania happened around 7pm.

Farber said, “I just feel like Scott, he didn’t really get a chance. His life was brief and he spent most of his time in pain. It really frustrated me that he died with his feet at the bottom of the bike path. There was no where for him to walk.”

According to Farber, many elderly people without cars live in the area were the Pennsylvania wrongful death accident happened.

“They need a way to get back and forth. My own kids had to walk to the high school. It’s not safe. I don’t understand why there’s a bike path with no way to get to it. I don’t ever want to see that happen again,” said Farber.

Ralph Stewart, Borough Manager, said talks have been raised about constructing a sidewalk that would connect into the bike path; but two problems have hindered this from happening. Stewart stated that Zion and Airport Roads are state roads and that “our grant funds did not allow us to do that.” Secondly, the Department of Transportation has plans to widen the roads in that area, possibly changing the alignment of the Airport Road intersection. Stanley Goldman, Mayor, stated they are open to options.

If you or a loved have been involved in serious traffic accident in Pennsylvania you should contact a skilled attorney to protect your rights during this difficult time. The experienced Pennsylvania auto accident lawyers at Anapol Schwartz handle a multitude of cases involving automobile and truck accidents. These cases range from automobile accidents involving modest injuries to those in which death and catastrophic injuries are the result. Please call 1-866-735-2792 for a free consultation.

Jarrad Rocheleau and Loren Welsh, two former University of Rhode Island (URI) students, have settled a lawsuit that accused them of causing the death of a college student from Richboro, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The wrongful death lawsuit alleged that the two students were responsible for the death of Francis J. Marx V who was crushed by a bus in Newport five years ago.

According to an account from philly.com, the wrongful death lawsuit began two weeks ago in Superior Court and was resolved prior to final arguments. Financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Rocheleau and Welsh admitted no wrongdoing as part of the settlement.

Marx was out at a formal dance with friends when he got into an argument with a group of URI students who were out celebrating graduation. According to the lawsuit, the argument escalated to the point that Marx was pushed to the ground and fell beneath the wheel of a bus carrying students on a bar tour. Lawyers for the defendants said they never pushed Marx and suggested that he had been drinking heavily and fell backward on his own, resulting in the fatal pedestrian accident.

While there are many variables involved in this instance, the sad truth is that bus, pedestrian and auto accidents in Pennsylvania are an everyday occurrence. The details surrounding a pedestrian accident are complicated and should not be handled alone, especially while you are trying to recover from your injuries. Contact Anapol Schwartz today for your free consultation with a skilled Pennsylvania pedestrian accident lawyer. We will tell you whether you have a case and whether the best way to proceed is through your insurance company or through a court of law, or maybe both.

Over the course of one day on Friday, February 20, two car accidents in Pennsylvania left one pedestrian dead and one driver in critical condition, according to an article from philly.com.

Around 7pm, Kurt Spielberg, 81, was hit by a car driving westbound on Kelly Drive as he walked into oncoming traffic, according to a police spokeswoman. Spielberg was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital where he was pronounced dead due to the serious injuries. It was reported that it is unknown why Spielberg walked into oncoming traffic and the driver who hit him will not face charges.

Later that night, Lewis Leon, 26, was driving westbound on Somerset Street when he allegedly hit a car stopped at a traffic signal. The woman in the hit vehicle suffered head trauma, extensive bruising, and broken bones from this auto accident in Philadelphia. She was reported to be in critical condition on Monday February 23. Leon was arrested and charged with recklessly endangering another person, driving while under the influence of intoxicants, aggravated assault, and related offenses.

Continue reading "Philadelphia Pedestrian Accident Kills Man While Auto Accident Injures Another" »