The reports claimed that texting while walking was outlawed in one New Jersey town. The response was so overwhelming that the Fort Lee, NJ police chief had to make a public statement explaining that the law was taken out of context and, like so many things on the Internet are, blown out of proportions.
Monday morning the residents of New Jersey awoke to the news that texting while walking was now illegal in Fort Lee and that there had already been more than 100 tickets issued. Of course, this had all the avid texters in a tizzy and there was fear that this texting while walking ban could catch on in other Jersey towns. Chief Thomas Ripoli spoke with MSNBC about the pedestrian safety measured and explained that he had been receiving phone calls all day from all reaches of the world.
The article explained that, “Folks who are texting while walking in Fort Lee are indeed issued a $54 jaywalking ticket…but only if they also happen to be jaywalking at the same time.”
So before everyone goes all Angry Birds on Fort Lee officials understand that the ticket is issued for jaywalking, as that is illegal. The crackdown on those who wander into the streets arose from the three pedestrian deaths and 20 pedestrian accidents that have occurred in Fort Lee this year.
Since the measure was decided upon, the Fort Lee police have handed out more than 600 pamphlets and yes they did give out 117 tickets—for jaywalking. There have been no tickets reported to have been issued simply for texting while walking.
This news came on the tail of some research recently put out by the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the University of Maryland Medical Center highlighting the dangers associated with texting and walking, or ‘distracted walking.’ Like distracted driving, distracted walking is everything that takes the person’s attention away from the task at hand—in this case walking without veering into the street, another person, or inanimate object.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Richard Lichenstein, explained in an interview with NBC Washington that, “Everybody is aware of the risk of cell phones and texting in automobile, but I see more and more teens distracted with the latest devices and headphones in their ears. Unfortunately as we make more and more enticing devices, the risk of injury from distraction and blocking out other sounds increases.”
Perhaps, with the real dangers that do stem from walking while texting or performing other actions, a ban on distracted walking is not far off, but for now pedestrians can continue to text to their heart’s desire—just watch out for that car, and that person, and that pole.
Car accidents are such common place in our society that many just write them off as a fact of life. It is true that accidents can happen, but more times than not it was someone’s carelessness that led to the crash. Most motor vehicle accidents could have been avoided if it were not for the other driver’s negligence, and in this instance you should contact skilled car accident lawyers in Philadelphia.
While we know a lot about car accidents and the impact they can have on our life, some of the statistics are shocking. In addition to that, the growth and development of the auto industry over the years is surprising as today it would be hard for us to imagine cars any other way. Check out these 15 facts that you didn’t know about car accidents.
1) Until 1973, some car transmissions took whale oil.
2) Each day an estimated 135,000,000 cars are on the roads in the U.S.
3) The first speeding ticket was issued in 1904—the speedster was traveling at an astounding 12 miles per hour.
4) 40 percent of all fatal accidents involve alcohol.
5) It is estimated that a motorist will curse 32,000 times in their life while operating a car or truck.
6) The first car used a lever not a steering wheel to direct the car.
7) The windshield wiper was invented by Mary Anderson before Henry Ford’s Model A was even manufactured. Her window cleaning device became standard on all automobiles in America in 1916.
8) The majority of car accidents occur within 3 miles of the driver’s home.
9) Each year approximately 15 pedestrian students are killed by school buses—most often these accidents occur after school is out.
10) Vehicle rollovers are the most deadly type of car accidents.
11) According to various research men actually cause twice as many accidents as women.
12) Teens are at a much higher risk of being injured or killed in car accidents. Each year 300,000 are injured and 5,000 are killed on average.
13) When you talk on a cell phone while driving you are increasing your chance of being in an accident by 400 percent.
14) The average text message takes 4.6 seconds to write and send. While driving that would take your eyes off the road long enough to drive the length of a football field blind if you are travelling at 55 miles per hour.
15) In the time it took you to read this list there have been four car accidents. Statistics show that car accidents that involve injury occur every 14 seconds and every 12 minutes a car accident will be fatal.
Car accidents are the most deadly as well as the most common type of personal injury. These crashes can result in serious physical harm which in turn can significantly impact your life. If you were injured in an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence you may be entitled to compensation.
Should you choose to pursue a personal injury claim, contact the Pennsylvania car accident attorneys at Console & Hollawell. They have won tens of millions of dollars for more than 4,000 satisfied clients and are ready to fight diligently for you. Call us today at (866) 778-5500 and speak with one of our lawyers today.
There has always been a turbulent relationship between man and beast. As residents of the northeast are well aware of, we have a particular problem with accidents involving deer. There are many more animals that can cause accidents though. When you are involved in an accident that results in serious injury your life can be severely impacted. By speaking with qualified accident lawyers in New Jersey you are putting yourself in the best position to receive deserved compensation.
In various parts of the world, deer are the least of motorists’ worries. The following five car accidents are not what you may expect and definitely earn their title as being the five strangest accidents caused by animals.
While we many not experience this in New Jersey, except maybe at Six Flag’s Wild Safari, in some places of the world they have bigger worries than deer. In the United Arab Emirates one man was killed when a camel was crossing the road. The man hit the camel and his car caught fire. The camel also died in the accident. As a result of this tragedy local officials ordered that a fence be put up along that road to prevent camels and other animals from crossing.
Just last month, John Chubb of Ohio was driving home from an Ohio State basketball game when the unexpected happened. He was driving along I-70 when he saw a giant turkey fly out from behind a guardrail before he could get the sentence out telling his passenger to look at the bird it came crashing through his windshield. The turkey hit him in the face and sent both feathers and glass into the car. The impact of the bird caused Chubb to pass out with his foot still on the gas pedal. His passenger grabbed the wheel and turned off the car. The car struck a guardrail and a concrete divider that sent it spinning. Both Chubb and his passenger were treated at a local hospital.
In 2009 a multi-car accident was caused in Hartford, Connecticut when a man lost control of his SUV because his pet snakes escaped from his pants pockets. Angel Rolon, 20, was carrying two snakes in his pockets when they escaped and slithered around by his feet. The passenger in his car tried to catch them but Rolon lost control of the car, hit a couple parked cars, and flipped his SUV. When police arrived with animal control they were unable to find the snakes and have not confirmed the driver’s tale of the accident. He was given a ticket for reckless driving and other, unreleased charges.
One man in Germany’s attempt to be kind will cost him a reported £30,000, which is nearly $50,000. The man was driving his Ferrari Testarossa when a hedgehog strayed into the street in front of him. He swerved to avoid hitting the animal but as a result he crashed his car into a barrier when he slipped on wet leaves that were covering the roadway. Both the driver and the hedgehog walked away from the incident unharmed, the Ferrari was not so lucky.
Ireland native John Somers was vacationing in South Africa for his 66th birthday when he and a friend went for a ride in the Pilansberg Game Reserve. When they attempted to pass a large bull elephant, whose name is Amarula, they got an unexpected reaction. It was reported that Amarula must have mistook the sedan for a female elephant when he rubbed himself against the car. Upon realizing it was not another elephant he became enraged and flipped the car over with Somers and his friend inside. They sustained only minor cuts and bruises and lucky for them the whole incident was caught on film by photographer Riaan van Wyk that was a safe distance away.
An accident with an animal can be devastating. While these run-ins may seem out of the ordinary car vs animal accidents are not uncommon and can be deadly. If you or someone you love has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact the New Jersey car accident attorneys at Console & Hollawell today. You can call for a free consultation today at (866) 778-5500.
Green energy has many positives. The cheap cost of electricity production allows many businesses and private homes to trim expenses in an environmentally-friendly way, while also shaking dependence on traditional energy sources. The technology, ever in development, is not without its problems. Wind turbines weigh in the thousands of pounds and sit high in the air. When mechanical problems occur – and they do frequently – these money-saving devices turn into life-threatening hazards. Wind power companies and turbine owners may not be doing enough to limit the risk to people living and working close to turbines. Wrongful death cases and significant injuries from turbine accidents are inevitable, if manufacturers continue to cut production corners.
In 2009, one of 12 wind turbines in Mahanoy Township, Pennsylvania caught fire while crews were performing regularly-scheduled maintenance. Locals in nearby Butler Township were so wary of the dangers that they aggressively fought a proposed wind farm that would’ve placed 27 turbines next to residential homes and schools.
One of 20 windmills in a wind farm in Fenner, New York collapsed like a kid’s bendy straw scattering mechanical parts and jagged steel across the landscape. Enel North America, the company owning the windmill, had more than 260 turbines in various farms throughout the country at the time of the accident. The estimated replacement cost for the single turbine was between $2 and $3 million, according to Syracuse.com. The windmills in Fenner sit 212 feet off the ground, nearly as tall as the town’s highest building.
A wind turbine on the home of Texas State Representative Susan King experienced mechanical failure in October 2011. The turbine’s blades continued to spin even as the engine sparked, ignited and spewed gouts of flame across a two-acre swath of the senator’s property. Crews responding to the emergency needed eight trucks to contain the blaze. Next Era Energy owns the turbines on King’s ranch, according to Friends of Freedom International.
Bolt failures on a windmill in Rugby, North Dakota caused the blades and rotor on the tower to fall off and crash to the ground. Subsequent inspections by the Public Service Commission discovered similar problems in at least four more turbines in the 71-turbine farm. Iberdola Renewables owns the turbines manufactured by India-based Suzlon Wind Energy Corp. Inspectors normally examine bolts every six months, according to “The Bismarck Tribune”. That leaves only two explanations: the bolts show rapid degeneration or those inspectors aren’t keeping up with proper protocols.
With the force involved in these accidents, it’s only a matter of time before someone sustains significant injuries. Companies that fail to properly maintain wind turbines may be liable for damages relating to injuries or life loss occurring as a result.
If you or someone you love sustained injuries as the result of manufacturer negligence, you may have rights to pursue the party responsible for damages. New Jersey accident attorneys are ready to represent your interests and stand up to those at fault for your losses. Having an advocate on your side allows you to focus on what’s important – your recovery.
At any office, no matter the type of business, people will call in with strange or outlandish queries. At our New Jersey personal injury law firm, we have had people call with extremely weird requests. Sometimes you have to just stop and find the humor in these calls and let yourself laugh.
We racked our brains trying to remember the oddest calls we have received and came up with the best of the best. With personal injury in particular there is already a stigma that these lawsuits are frivolous, but the cases we actually take—where our clients have been severely injured because of someone else’s negligence—are nothing compared to these attempts at filing a suit.
Despite popular belief, we are not ambulance chasers. We are not out there to make a quick buck and you would be hard pressed to find an attorney that would take any of the cases we are about to share. These individuals fall into three categories: they are looking to make fast money, they are desperate, or they are simply naïve and do not understand what constitutes a personal injury claim.
Enjoy the stuff our callers say—note that we did not take any of these cases.
1. Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
One man called in wanting to sue a major cookie company. Apparently he had bit into a cookie that had some sort of stick in it. The ‘stick’ broke his tooth. He contacted the cookie company and they offered to pay for his dental bills. He did not accept their offer. He had contacted several other lawyers before calling us, all of whom rejected his case. He informed us that he saved the cookie and the stick for us.
2. I paid you to fix her problems!
Man called in and wanted to sue his wife’s therapist. He alleged that his wife went into therapy and once she began seeing this therapist she decided to leave him and take his children. He felt it was the therapist’s fault.
3. Your glue is too potent!
A woman called us stating that she would like to sue a super glue company. She explained that while using their product she was holding the tube facing towards her face rather than down. When she squeezed it the glue squirted in her eye and ultimately glued her eye shut.
4. Ziploc is supposed to be strong!
Caller wanted to know who she could sue, she was open to anyone. She was injured when she was pulling a raccoon out of a friend’s motor while wearing plastic bags on her hands.
5. It wasn’t me
One man called us trying to find out his legal options. Apparently he had a lady friend who threatened to call the police if he did not stop calling and texting her. He admitted to continually contacting her despite her requests to stop. He asked what we thought he should do—we suggested that he stop calling her.
6. Your sidewalk doesn’t work with these shoes
The man who called us was walking into Target. He was wearing sandals that had tiny treading on the bottom, and the tread got stuck in the crack of the sidewalk outside the store. He tripped and broke his shoulder. He wanted to sue Target because their sidewalk cracks were the right size to make his shoe get stuck.
7. I need to use the restroom…down there looks good!
When people are intoxicated they do silly things, like our one called. He needed to use the restroom, instead of using the one indoors he decided to go out on the deck and urinate from there. After that—or during we are not really sure—he decided to jump off the deck. He hurt himself when he failed to land on his feet. He was interested in suing the homeowner where this occurred.
8. But Officer, I swear to drunk I’m not God
Caller was extremely intoxicated, and when he attempted to walk home he fell, sustained several fractures, and passed out. The police found him, unresponsive, and took him to the hospital. He wanted to sue the police for taking him to the hospital because of the bills. Or perhaps he wanted to sue because he was upset about the police finding illegal substances on his person and they ultimately charged him with possession.
9. Anything but my car!
A man called in and wanted to sue his soon-to-be ex-wife. They had co-signed together on a car and in the divorce proceedings she threatened to take the car from him. He said that he felt her actions were malicious and were causing him serious emotional distress.
And here it is, the strangest phone call we have ever received!
10. You can’t fool me — I know you are a robot!
A young man—or so we thought—called our office to discuss filing a personal injury claim for a car accident that occurred 10 years ago. The caller informed us that he had serious injuries that he did not treat for. We have a set list of information we must gather when a lead comes in to see if it is worth pursuing a lawsuit, and the man became extremely frustrated with us as we asked these questions.
He started to raise his voice and then revealed that he was not the man injured in the accident, SHE was in fact his mother. She had talked in a deep voice to pretend she was her son and throughout the call said things like “I was in an accident,” and “I was injured.” Her claim was that he had been injured in a bus accident when he was 10 (he was now 20 which means his case had to be filed immediately because for minors you only have until 2 years following their 18th birthday). She did not know what caused the accident, who the defendant was, or what bus company it was. She said that his “serious injuries” were that following the accident his temperament changed and he started misbehaving in school.
We informed her that we would give the information to our attorneys to review and would contact her back. Five minutes later she called back and asked to speak with our intake employee again. When she was back on the phone she informed us that she wanted to clarify that she had spoken to a person and not a ROBOT. We sent her a letter stating that we would not be taking the case.
These calls may have been frivolous and outlandish, but every day people are seriously injured due to someone else’s careless actions and that is when you must utilize the civil justice system in this country. When you have been injured it affects you in so many more ways than just the physical pain; there is also the emotional stress and the financial burden for both you and your family. If you or someone you love has been hurt in an accident, contact Console & Hollawell’s accident injury attorneys in New Jersey today. Set up your free consultation by calling (866) 778-5500.
People were certainly letting their Irish pride get the better of them this weekend. While St. Patrick’s Day is a beloved Irish holiday, it is also one of the biggest drinking days of the year and this year was no different with plenty of police activity and accidents. The New Jersey State Police, along with law enforcement agencies across the country, geared up in preparation for this day by having nearly 200 extra cops out. The added police protection was not enough, however, to prevent the mayhem that was St. Patrick’s Day 2012.
Across New Jersey and Pennsylvania there was a flood of reports of scary incidents and some strange finds that went down this past weekend. The following not-so-lucky seven events were the most devastating and shocking of the St. Paddy’s shenanigans.
While the incident is still under investigation, a fight at a New Jersey bar resulted in on Barnegat man’s arrest and another is currently in the hospital listed in critical condition. At approximately 8:35 Saturday night police received reports of a fight happening at Lighthouse Tavern on Route 9 in Waretown. Upon arrival police discovered the victim, Robert Bethanis , 44, unconscious with severe injuries outside the bar. The officers arrested Michael Lombardo, 36, and charged him with attempted murder and aggravated assault according to Patch. Bail for Lombardo was set at $150,000 without the option of 10 percent bail in Superior Court. Bethanis was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he remains in critical condition as of Sunday’s report. Anyone with further information about this incident is asked to contact either the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office (Detective Brian Haggerty, (732) 929-2027) or the Ocean Township Police Department (Detective William Sneddon (609) 693-4007).
2. ‘I’m Just Going to Borrow this Ambulance, If That’s Alright’
The unknown suspect’s route while driving the stolen vehicle (photo credit: NJ.com).
In the wee hours of Sunday morning, which let’s face it still counts as St. Patrick’s Day, one man decided to take a joy ride—in an ambulance. The Press of Atlantic City reported that an unknown man stole the ambulance from AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City and embarked on a 40 mile ride to a bar in Millville. Atlantic City Police Detective, Edward Riege, was unsure of ever encountering this type of incident in his 20 years on the force.
“We’ve had city vehicles taken—I don’t know about an ambulance,” he told the Press.
Police suspect the man above (photo credit: Press of AC).
Police asks that anyone with information regarding the identity or whereabouts of this man contact Detective Tom Holton with the Atlantic City Police Department by calling (609) 347-5766 or emailing him at tholton@acpolice.org.
3. You Can Find All Sorts of Treasures on the Beach: Coins, Jewelry, or Rocket Warheads
On a lighter note, there was a strange discovery in Atlantic City on St. Patrick’s Day, and no it was not a pot of gold—it was a warhead. NJ.com reported that on Saturday afternoon the Army Corps of Engineering was working on a beach replenishment project when the warhead was discovered near New Hampshire Avenue. The bomb squad responded and extracted the warhead, which they then took to an undisclosed area to be destroyed. As of Sunday there was no information regarding the origin of the bomb or whether or not it was live ammunition. This is not as strange as it may sound because last year during a similar beach replenishment project several warheads were found on the beach in Surf City which is located on Long Beach Island. The report explained that, “the discovery of such ordnance is a common occurrence along New Jersey’s coast, due in large part to military activity that occurred during the Revolutionary War and both world wars.”
4. ‘Shoot Me or I Will Shoot My Invisible Gun!’
Grandview Apartments in Keansburg (photo credit: Housing All).
Police in Keansburg are being applauded for their restraint when responding to a domestic dispute on Saturday night. They responded to reports of a domestic dispute at Grandview Apartments on Bellezza Court at approximately 10 p.m. and were met with a man, Ivan Licht, drunkenly waving a pair of kitchen steak knives. It was reported by the Asbury Park Press that Licht’s mother reported her son as drunk and said he was speaking to her in an abusive manner. When officers responded to the reports, Licht made threats to the police stating that he had a gun and would shoot everyone. The officers readied themselves, but when he came out of his apartment he held two 10-inch steak knives rather than a pistol. He then began taunting the officers to shoot him. There were attempts made to subdue him with pepper spray, but that proved unsuccessful. After talking to Licht telling him that he was upsetting his mother he surrendered the knives and was taken into custody without further problems. He was taken for psychiatric evaluation before being transported to Monmouth County Jail where he remained according to reports on Sunday.
5. Woman Runs Red Light, Plows Into SEPTA Bus
Early Sunday morning residents of the 4700 block of Spruce Street in Philadelphia were unpleasantly awoken after a night of partying, ABC reported. At around 4 a.m. a woman driving an SUV ran a red light and plowed into a SEPTA bus. The bus then traveled uncontrollably towards a parked car, which it hit triggering a domino effect of accidents. The bus hit the first car and came to rest when it struck a utility pole, the parked car hit the one in front of it and that continued, damaging eight parked cars. Police are still investigating the cause of this accident.
6. Jackson Man Involved In 1-Car Wreck, Reportedly Driving Erratically
Jackson was also home to some St. Patrick’s debauchery when one man ran his truck into a utility pole. Arthur Carballo, was driving his 2002 Ford Explorer around 11:30 p.m. when he reportedly lost control and hit a pole head-on. The accident occurred when he was traveling down Kettle Creek Road and the pole was located on Blue Sea Drive. Police had received a report shortly before the accident that a vehicle was driving erratically on nearby Hinds Road. Crews had Kettle Creek Road closed for about an hour while they fixed the pole. Carballo was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center and the accident remains under investigation according to the Asbury Park Press.
7. Man Severely Beaten at PA Bar
More bar violence occurred on Saturday in Pennsylvania, when Dave Rogers was severely beaten at Fireside Bar and Grill in Upper Dublin. Not much information has been released about the specifics of the incident, but Rogers posted a photo to Facebook of him with a bloodied face, swollen eye, and wearing a neck brace. Upper Dublin police ask that anyone who was at the bar late Saturday night contact them. No phone number was provided in the ABC report.
As the old adage goes, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt, and there is a lot of truth to that. People often forget how their actions can severely impact another’s life. While most of the accidents that occurred over St. Paddy’s weekend are still under investigation it will not be surprising to discover that many if not all involved alcohol in some way.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a motor vehicle crash involving a drunk driver you may be entitled to compensation. The New Jersey car accident attorneys at Console & Hollawell have been representing accident victims for more than 17 years, and will fight diligently for your rights making sure you receive deserved compensation. Call us to set up your free consultation at (866) 778-5500.
RT @LegalBlogs: Would consumers welcome a water park life jacket requirement for children under 42” in height and smaller? http://t.co/B ... 23 hours ago
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Grandview Apartments in Keansburg (photo credit: 
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