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.
