Philadelphia Top Injury Lawyer Blog

Last week, a horrifying New Philadelphia auto accident unfolded while bystanders watched, helpless to intervene. Although this blog typically reports only on Pennsylvania and Philadelphia personal injury matters, this horrific crash merits some extra attention.

Blow by Blow of a Horror Story

In the middle of the afternoon in Ohio's Stark County, an 83-year-old man named Peter Mingo lost control of his Ford Explorer and started driving chaotically. Other cars veered out of the way to avoid getting hit. One witness, David Mathey, followed the vehicle to track it down and prevent it from hitting someone. Mathey later reported: "I thought, oh my God he is going to kill somebody." Unfortunately, Mathey and the Ohio Highway Patrol could not get to the Explorer in time. The vehicle swerved into the southbound lane on Route 800 and slammed into a Mercury Grand Marquis and then spun off and hit a 2003 Jeep Liberty. All told, the accident resulted in the deaths of four people - Peter Mingo (the driver of the Explorer), 61-year-old Bruce Goudy, 5-year-old Kira Goudy and 8-year-old Alex Goudy.

Mingo's daughter was horrified at the news and reported that her father had been taking nearly two dozen different medications. Possibly, some bad drug interaction made Mingo suddenly lose control of his vehicle and not be able to stop in time.

This Philadelphia personal injury story highlights an important lesson: namely, that normal freeways and streets can turn quickly chaotic and deadly without any advanced warning. Since driving is something that most of us do on a regular basis, we tend to underestimate its risks -- e.g. the dangers associated with driving to the grocery store or dropping our kids off at school. But statistical analyses paint a scarier picture. Even a cursory look at Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration statistics reveal just how dangerous the simple act of driving can be.

The takeaway here is that it is well worth everyone's time to examine systems, tactics and strategies to reduce the number and severity of Philadelphia auto accidents. On a personal standpoint, for instance, you might rethink driving at the most dangerous times - such as Friday and Saturday nights and holidays like the 4th of July, Labor Day and New Year's Eve. You should also eliminate any distractions that could imperil your ability to drive defensively. Most people know not to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs and to avoid driving when overly fatigued. But few realize that driving while talking or texting on a cell phone can be as hazardous. Indeed, some recent studies - conducted by institutions like Virgina Tech - suggest that driving while texting may be even worse than driving under the influence of alcohol.

If you or a family member got injured in a Philadelphia auto accident, or if you suffered significant property damage, you may need a lawyer to represent you to get you compensated for your wages lost, medical bills, and pain and suffering.

Continue reading "New Philadelphia Auto Accident Tragedy Ends with Four Dead as Horrified Bystanders Watch" »

Philadelphia personal injury law aims to protect our most vulnerable citizens from harm inflicted by negligent, careless, and destructive people. A recent Phildelphia auto accident tragedy highlights the degree to which our citizens are vulnerable to random disasters. On that fateful Sunday (August 15th), a 67-year-old woman left the Philadelphia Zoo with a 4-year-old child in her charge. Minutes later, she got into a car crash near Gerard Avenue on 33rd Street. Her vehicle flipped over, ejecting the 4-year-old and causing serious injuries to him. The boy got treated at a children's hospital in Philadelphia after losing consciousness and suffering a fracture to his leg.

This Philadelphia car accident tragedy can give us lessons. The 4-year-old had been at the Philadelphia Zoo, where he saw dangerous animals, such as (one might assume) lions and tigers. People tend to associate encounters with wild animals as dangerous. But in this case, the real danger was something far more mundane - a traffic accident. The takeaway here -- the counterintuitive lesson that this case highlights -- is that we all have certain biases about what constitutes real danger. In particular, we tend to overestimate the dangers of things like unusual encounters with wild animals (although dog attacks and dog bites in Philadelphia are certainly a serious problem). And we simultaneously underestimate the dangers of more mundane activities - activities we do every day - like driving.

So how can we resolve this dissonance? How can we go about our lives in a way that maximizes our safety and minimizes the chance of ever needing the services of a Philadelphia personal injury lawyer?

One obvious answer would be to look at real statistics. Although many of us fear things like getting hit by a lightning or getting attacked by a shark... statistically speaking, these events are very, very unlikely. Instead, we should focus on things like improving our safety behind the wheel and eliminating factors from our diet that contribute to chronic disease (such as refined carbohydrates and sugars).

All that said, if you or a family member has been in a Philadelphia truck or car accident, you likely need solid and immediate legal guidance to develop a strategy for how to get paid back for your medical bills and the time you've missed at work.

Continue reading "Zoo Accident Sends 4-Year-Old to Hospital: Philadelphia Personal Injury Experts Weigh In" »

In the wake of a Philadelphia auto accident, drivers, passengers, and police usually work quickly to take care of injuries, exchange information, and get those who need help to medical facilities ASAP. But in the midst of the frenetic post-accident activity, another drama often takes place on the sidelines -- a tow truck turf war.

Tow truck drivers across the city scramble to respond to Philadelphia auto accidents to tow away damaged cars for profit. Ordinarily, these "wreck chasers," as they are colorfully known, don't intervene much with Philadelphia auto accident injury crashes. But recently, a turf war exploded in a hail of gunfire, blown up cars, and allegations of attempted murder.

Tow Truck Turf War Background

Several weeks ago, in response to police reports of a Philadelphia motor vehicle accident in North Philly, Jose LaTorre Jr. showed up at the scene in his Cadillac Escalade and claimed the right to tow away a broken Dodge Neon. A few minutes later, another tow truck driver from the company Mystical Towing arrived on scene to tow away the Neon. The two tow truck operators got into a war of words - LaTorre Jr. said that he arrived first. The other driver said that, since LaTorre didn't have a truck, he couldn't claim the right to tow the car. Ultimately, LaTorre whipped out a gun and shot the Mystical Towing driver in leg.

Two days later, a suspect torched 13 cars on the lot of Jose LaTorre's company. That same night, someone fired gunshots at John Campbell, the owner of Mystical Towing, and nearly hit Campbell's wife. Campbell told police that he believed a third tow truck company might have been responsible for both the gunfire and for the torching of the cars at the J & Son's lot - Campbell believes this third-party was trying to instigate an even more brutal turf war to clear out the competition.

The tow truck turf war is an ongoing headache for police and local law makers, who want to reassure victims of Philadelphia auto accidents that they will be safe and protected if they need emergency road help. But many local residents are more than a little alarmed. After all, accident victims are particularly vulnerable, afraid, and in need of help - the last thing they need is gunfire drama pulling focus and potentially preventing them from getting care.

Continue reading "Philadelphia Auto Accidents Serve as Staging Ground for Tow Truck Turf War" »

Early Tuesday morning (around 2 a.m.), a horrific Philadelphia car accident shook downtown, as a bus and police car simultaneously crashed into the front of the popular Monk's Cafe on the corner of Spruce Street and 16th.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) bus driver and the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) police officer both got hurt enough to be sent to the hospital. Fortunately, the patrons of the restaurant were unscathed by the crash. That said, the collision devastated the cafe. Two families who live in the building upstairs from the cafe had to be evacuated. The Red Cross immediately offered help to these families.

And investigation is ongoing. As of this blog posting, investigators do not know what caused the crash. Fortunately, no one got seriously hurt -- both drivers appear to be recuperating nicely at nearby Jefferson Hospital. Officials have said, however, that the DPRA car hit the bus (instead of the other way around). The owner of Monk's Cafe reported to police that he woke when he heard the crash and saw a billowing cloud of dust in his restaurant.

This case starkly illustrates how random and terrifying Philadelphia car accidents can be. They occur unexpectedly in unexpected locations. And even hours or days after they occur, investigators may have a difficult time understanding precisely what went wrong and who was at fault. All of this is to say that, if you or a family member has been in a Philadelphia car, truck, or motorcycle accident -- even one not as dramatic as the collision at Monk's Café -- you may seriously want to consider retaining an attorney to advise you about your rights and to suggest how to most effectively pursue a claim against liable party or parties.

If you are involved in a Philadelphia car accident, your first step should be to get first aid and emergency help. Move your vehicle out of traffic, and get other passengers and victims out of harms way. Collect contact information from people at the scene (including eye witnesses). Be meticulous. Get VIN numbers, insurance information, license numbers, names, contact info, and so forth. If you have a camera handy, take pictures of the accident scene - and of injuries to you or your passengers. Report the incident to the police, but don't discuss "fault" at the scene of the accident.

You may also want to consider consulting with a reputable Southeastern Pennsylvania car accident lawyer to explore your options.

A jury rendered its decision in the Pennsylvania medical malpractice case of Garner v. Girard Medical Center, awarding the estate of a 64-year-old woman injured by physician negligence a sum of $1.75 million, pursuant to the Wrongful Death Act and Survival Act. This preventable tragedy unfolded when health-care workers ignored surgeon orders not to feed Ms. Garner orally following surgery she had to reverse a colostomy. Ms. Garner's caretakers fed her both liquid and solid foods only four days after the surgery concluded.

As a result of her caretakers' dereliction of their duty, Ms. Garner developed a fistula, which in turn led to sepsis (infection), which spread to her whole body. The infection ultimately caused organ failure, which precipitated her death. The plaintiffs also alleged that the medical professionals in charge of Ms. Garner's care failed to take effective action once she developed the complications (i.e. the fistula and the sepsis).

In complicated Pennsylvania medical malpractice cases, like Garner v. Girard Medical Center, a lengthy and detailed investigation may be required to show a chain of "cause-and-effect" leading from physician negligence or carelessness to patient injury. It's not enough simply to assert that a patient got harmed or even killed while being treated at a hospital. Nor is it enough to say that a doctor or other provider was negligent or careless. You need to draw a very clear, detailed, and evidence-backed argument -- one that would convince a reasonable outside adjudicator -- that the error, omission, or negligence indirectly or directly cause significant harm.

In a Philadelphia medical malpractice case like this one, a variety of parties can potentially be held liable, including the responsible caretakers, the hospital, and insurers representing any named defendants. Plaintiffs can seek compensation for medical bills, loss of companionship, loss of current and future wages, burial costs, pain and suffering, and legal and court fees.

Often, in the wake of a Philadelphia medical malpractice incident, the victim of bad care (and the victim's family) may be left confused, demoralized, weakened physically and emotionally, and unsure about how to seek compensation and justice.

If you or a loved one has been victimized by Pennsylvania medical malpractice, you need not suffer alone.