Category: Pennsylvania car accident

Philadelphia Teen Critically Injured in Accident

May 17, 2012   Staff   No comments
Philadelphia car accidents

A car accident in the early morning hours Thursday left a Philadelphia teenager critically injured. Authorities say 19-year-old Leslie McClelland was travelling at high speed when he lost control of his vehicle, crashing his 2004 Mitsubishi into a concrete barrier on the Vine Street Expressway. The SUV then rolled over, ejecting McClelland. Medical personnel rushed the teenager to Hahnemann University Hospital with grievous injuries. There’s no word on his condition at this hour other than he’s still in the hospital and has no timetable for his release as yet.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident, according to CBS Philadelphia. Police closed The Vine Street Expressway for a couple hours Thursday morning while crews worked to clean up the accident wreckage.

To look at video footage from the scene, it’s a miracle Leslie survived the accident. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as he struggles to recover. Hopefully, a resulting investigation of the accident scene can yield some clues or answers as to why he lost control of his car. Because of the late hour of the crash, 2:20 a.m., perhaps driver fatigue was to blame.

In 2010, there were 93 accident fatalities in Philadelphia, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Of all accidents occurring in the city during that year, only 41 percent involved seatbelt use. That places Philadelphia at the very bottom of all counties and municipalities in the state for use of safety restraints during accidents. Research has shown time and again that these devices save lives. Using them can mean the difference between walking away from a crash with a few bumps and not surviving to see family members again. Predicting the behavior of other drivers is next to impossible, but taking the proper safety precautions can help limit injuries, if something unexpected does occur on the road.

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of another driver, you may be entitled to compensation. Reaching out to a team of experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers is an important step in preserving your rights to seek damages to pay your medical bills from the crash and replace your lost wages. Don’t allow the insurance company involved in the claim to delay your settlement or attempt to intimidate you. You have rights; we’ll help you keep them.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Read More

Twins Injured in Philadelphia Accident

May 14, 2012   Staff   4 Comments
PA Bicycle Accidents

A twin boy and girl are in the hospital today after sustaining serious injuries in a Philadelphia bicycle accident that almost turned into a hit-and-run. Emily Sanchez, 11-years-old, is in critical condition with undisclosed head and leg injuries. Her brother, Eduardo Sanchez, sustained a broken leg and arm in the collision. The two kids were riding their bicycles on 9th and Birch streets on Sunday afternoon when a Ford SUV careened down the road and struck multiple parked cars before striking the twins.

Witnesses said bicycle parts were strewn over the accident site. The SUV involved in the crash had the frame of one bike bent around its wheels.

One eye-witness, Luis Diaz, actually prevented the SUV’s driver from fleeing the scene. He grabbed the keys from inside the vehicle, though that didn’t stop the driver from attempting to run away. Another witness, Ramon Martinez, ran after the driver, a 58-year-old man, and caught up with him two blocks later.

My thoughts and prayers are with those kids as they struggle to recover from their injuries. Also, I’d like to extend a special note of thanks to the witnesses at the scene who rendered and stopped the driver responsible from leaving. Their quick-thinking may make law enforcement’s task easier in reconstructing the accident.

In 2010, there were 1,487 accidents involving bicycles in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Those accidents resulted in the deaths of 21 bicyclists across the state. In an effort to promote bicycle safety, Pennsylvania lawmakers passed new regulations this spring requiring all drivers to give bicyclists at least four feet of clearance when passing on roadways. While bicyclists of any age have an obligation to obey the laws of the road, drivers must remain alert at all times to avoid potentially severe accidents.

If you or a loved one has sustained injuries in a car accident while on a bicycle, you may be entitled to compensation. Contacting a team of experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers is an important step in upholding your rights to damages and holding those responsible for your injuries accountable for your costs.

Photo Credit: Fort Worth Ology

Read More

Texting Blamed in Teen’s Accident Death

May 11, 2012   Staff   No comments
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

A 20-year-old driver died Wednesday in a car accident police are blaming on texting behind the wheel. Morgan Strubel, of New Providence, was reportedly driving on May Post Office Road when she failed to properly direct her car through a curve. Her vehicle crossed the double-yellow lines and into the teeth of oncoming traffic. She struck another car driven by a 66-year-old woman head on. Strubel died at the accident scene while the other woman sustained minor injuries. Pennsylvania’s law banning texting while driving went into effect this past March. Violators receive a fine of $50.

My heart goes out to the victims’ family and friends. Losing a child is the most painful loss a parent can experience. While this event is tragic beyond measure, it underscores the need to remain focused on the road at all times when driving. Everyone needs to put the cell phones down, lock them in the glove box or just turn them off.

Taking focus from the road to send a text message – even for as little as four seconds – is the equivalent of driving with a blindfold on for nearly 100 yards.  In 2010, distracted driving contributed to 3,000 traffic-related deaths in the United States, according to The U.S. Department of Transportation. What do you think? Is Pennsylvania’s texting ban going far enough to deter drivers from gazing at their cell phones?

Accidents involving distracted drivers can be particularly violent because the drivers don’t realize accidents are happening until it’s too late to stop. That means no reduction in speed, no swerving to avoid oncoming cars or bracing for impact. Colliding with vehicles head on, as happened in Strubel’s accident, greatly increases the risk of serious injury and death. Waiting to send text messages until vehicles are at a complete stop and parked can mean the difference between people making it home to their families and sustaining life-altering injuries.

If you or someone you love sustained injuries in an accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Contacting a team of Philadelphia accident lawyers is a key step in preserving your rights and preventing insurance companies from delaying your claim.

Photo Credit: Public Broadcasting

Read More

Chester County Teen in Coma After Hit-and-Run

May 07, 2012   Staff   No comments
Hit and Run accidents

A hit-and-run accident in Miami has left a Chester County teen in a medically-induced coma just days before she was to return home for summer vacation. Eliza Gresh, 19, of Paoli, was in the final days of her spring semester at the University of Miami when a driver struck her at more than 50 mph without stopping to render aid. Police identified the driver as 24-year-old Luis Felipe Moya with the help of a local mechanic. Moya attempted to have the accident damage to his Mercedes Benz repaired, but the shop quickly contacted the authorities after a mechanic saw Eliza’s story on a local Miami news channel.

Moya remains at large, however police have arrested his mother with charges she attempted to cover up the hit-and-run. Suffering from a number of injuries, doctors opted to sedate Eliza rather than have her conscious during this critical time in her recovery. She’s a 2011 graduate of the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr.

My thoughts and prayers are with Eliza and her family as she passes through this integral stage in her medical care. I hope for a speedy recovery as well as swift justice for those who would allegedly attempt to get away with harming her so terribly.

In 2010, there were 32,885 accident fatalities on United States roadways; 1,324 of those deaths occurred in Pennsylvania. Pedestrian deaths in 2010 in Pennsylvania, 145, were the highest in three years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If the data continues to show a rising trend in pedestrian fatalities, it could be indicative of increased driver distraction. In Pennsylvania, efforts to combat driver distraction include the state’s new ban on texting behind the wheel. The new law, effective in March, makes using a handheld device a primary traffic offense. This grading means police officers can pull drivers over for texting even when no other traffic violations are present.

Suffering severe injuries in a car accident can change your life. You may have reduced usage of your limbs, be unable to walk or face months of grueling physical therapy. The insurance company you thought would take care of your bills may delay your claim, deny you rightful coverage or try to get you to accept a reduced settlement that doesn’t meet your financial needs. Contacting a team of knowledgeable Philadelphia car accident lawyers is important to protect your rights and hold those responsible for your injuries accountable.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Read More

Construction Sign Kills Woman on PA Turnpike

April 18, 2012   Staff   No comments
Road Work Sign

A Norristown woman died Monday in a freak car accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A box truck’s side mirror struck a construction sign along the Turnpike, which sent the sign airborne and hurtling towards Emily Morris’ sedan. The sign crashed through her Passat’s windshield and struck her in the head causing her to lose control of the vehicle.  Morris, 31, later died from her injuries at Reading Hospital, according to WFMZ-TV.

Morris worked for Montgomery Media as a web editor and as a freelance editor for the “Lebanon Daily News”. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends as they cope with this sudden and unimaginable loss. An accident of this type may leave more questions than answers for Emily’s survivors.

In 2010, there were 121,312 reported car crashes in Pennsylvania. Those accidents resulted in the deaths of 1,324 people across the state. During that same year, 2,525 crashes were reported on the Pennsylvania Turnpike with 1,297 people injured and 16 killed, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. While fatal accidents on the PA Turnpike are relatively rare given the road’s total length, that doesn’t mean drivers shouldn’t remain vigilant for aggressive behavior and other factors that increase the risk of serious accidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident due to another driver’s negligence or fault, you may be entitled to compensation. Contacting a team of Philadelphia car accident lawyers is an important step in standing up for your rights and holding at-fault parties responsible. Don’t give in to pressure from your insurance company or individual to sign documents agreeing to a settlement prior to speaking with your legal advocates. Doing so could limit your ability to pursue damages to pay for your continuing medical costs, replace your lost wages and help restore your quality of life.

Photo Credit: Blacksburg Daily Photo

Read More

15 Astonishing Facts You Didn’t Know About Car Accidents

April 12, 2012   Staff   No comments
car accident facts

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.

Read More
« Older posts

  • How Can We Help?

    1. (required)
    2. (valid email required)
    3. (required)
    4. (required)
     

    cforms contact form by delicious:days