Philadelphia car accidents

Philadelphia Teen Critically Injured in Accident

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, More »

child riding bicycle

Childhood Bicycle Accidents: The Significance Of Understanding Fractures In Youth

While a child continues to grow, while it is true that the child’s bones are more pliable and less prone to fracture, when a fracture occurs, special attention much be paid to More »

Texting Ban for pedestrians

Is Banning Texting While Walking the Next Step?

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 More »

Red Sox Announcer Dies in Car Accident

May 10, 2012   Staff   No comments
Boston Red Sox Announcer Dies

The public address announcer for the Boston Red Sox died Wednesday from injuries sustained in a car accident after suffering a heart attack while behind the wheel. Carl Beane, 59-years-old, was driving his SUV when the attack struck. He reportedly crossed the double-yellow line and veered off the roadway before hitting a tree and crashing into a wall. Medical personnel at Harrington Hospital pronounced Beane dead not long after the incident. It remains unclear if Beane would’ve survived the heart attack,  if his SUV hadn’t crashed in such a way.

Beane won the Red Sox announcer gig after an open competition at Fenway Park at the end of the 2002 season. In 2004, the Red Sox won the World Series for the first time in more than 80 years. The win ended one of the longest championship losing streaks in baseball history. He also lent his voice to updates and sound bites for national news outlets, including the Associated Press, ESPN and Sirius Satellite Radio, according to 8 News Now. He leaves behind a wife, Lorraine, his daughter Nicole and granddaughters Gena and Maddie.

My thoughts and prayers are with the surviving members of Beane’s family and all those who knew him. The announcer’s voice in your favorite ballpark is just as iconic as players’ uniforms or the famous names on the field. This accident underscores the fact that tragic events can occur at any time. Regardless of your baseball affiliation or favorite team, the Red Sox organization and all their fans have lost a good man. The team plans to pay tribute to Beane at Fenway Park Thursday night when they take on the Cleveland Indians.

Losing a loved one in an accident is an unimaginable loss. Replacing that person is impossible, but with an experienced New Jersey car accident attorney on your side, you can pursue those responsible to help replace your loved one’s lost income and pay final medical expenses. That replacement income may mean the difference between you paying bills in the wake of your loved one’s death and losing your home or place of business.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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Truck Accident in Pittsgrove Kills Two, Critically Injures a Third

May 10, 2012   Staff   No comments
NJ Commercial Vehicle accidents

A truck accident involving a commercial vehicle in Pittsgrove Township left two dead and severely injured a third on Wednesday morning. Authorities say 37-year-old Kevin Shelton’s vehicle crossed the center line on State Route 40 and struck a tractor-trailer head on. Shelton and his five-year-old son Cole died at the scene, while his three-year-old daughter Cassidy remains hospitalized in critical condition as of Thursday morning. Police are investigating the cause of the accident as it wasn’t immediately apparent what caused Shelton to cross into oncoming traffic. The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 47-year-old Tennessee native, wasn’t injured in the crash.

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ family during this exceedingly difficult time. My hope is Cassidy’s condition continues to improve, allowing some good to come from this tragic event.

A majority of accident fatalities (nine) that occurred in Salem County in 2011 happened on state highways or interstates. Popular drive times – morning commute, afternoon lunch, rush hour – were the most common times for these accidents. As of May 2012, four of Salem County’s seven accident deaths have occurred on roads in Pittsgrove Township.

Collisions involving commercial trucks and tractor-trailers can be particularly violent because of the force generated by these large vehicles. Passengers in smaller vehicles are at higher risk for severe injuries. In head-on collisions with commercial haulers, as was the case with Kevin Shelton and his children, people in passenger vehicles often have low survival rates. Being aware of the roadway is critical to avoiding these types of accidents. While we may never know the circumstances that led to this horrible event in Salem County, we can help prevent future accidents by remaining alert, focusing on the road and always obeying traffic signals. Even at low speeds, collisions with commercial trucks can cause significant damage.

If you or a loved one has sustained injuries in an accident with a commercial vehicle, you may be entitled to compensation. Contacting a team of experienced New Jersey personal injury attorneys is an important part of standing up for your rights to damages. Without knowledgeable legal professionals on your side, the insurance company involved in the case may try to reduce your claim or convince you that you’re not entitled to the compensation you deserve.

Photo Credit: NC Department of Agriculture

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Pivotal Ruling for Distracted Driving Coming Soon

May 08, 2012   Staff   No comments
Texting while Driving

A pivotal court ruling about your rights when sending a text message to a driver could be just around the corner. In a hearing scheduled for May 25th, a New Jersey Superior Court judge must decide whether Shannon Colonna is responsible for a text message she sent to then 19-year-old Kyle Best that led to his distraction while driving back in 2009. The lawsuit filed David and Linda Kubert claims that the text message directly contributed to the car accident that resulted in each spouse losing a leg.

Best was driving the pickup truck in 2009 that crossed a double-yellow line in Mine Hill and side-swiped the Kuberts who were riding together on a motorcycle.

If the judge in this case rules in favor of the Kuberts, it could set a precedent for all future cases involving distracting driving. Imagine a world where you send a text message to a driver who causes an accident, and you get the bill – sounds extreme right? That could be a reality, if the rulings in this case lead to the judge laying a portion of liability on Colonna for the accident.

This case isn’t the only legal maneuvering currently in the works for drivers caught texting behind the wheel. Proposed legislation in the New Jersey Senate would increase penalties for those who cause accidents while using handheld devices, including cell phones. The penalties would be on par with those who drive while intoxicated or reckless driving. That means drivers who cause injuries while texting could face assault by vehicle charges. Those who cause fatalities could face vehicular homicide or manslaughter charges.

What do you think? Should drivers who text behind the wheel receive treatment on the same level as drunk drivers? And what about those who text the drivers? How can we possibly know where everyone is every second of the day to make sure we don’t inadvertently text someone who’s behind the wheel?

Those who sustain injuries in accidents still retain their rights to pursue those responsible for compensation. If you or someone you loved has suffered injuries at the hands of another driver, contacting a team of knowledgeable New Jersey car accident attorneys is an important part of your legal strategy. Don’t allow the insurance company to take advantage of you or delay your rightful claim.

Photo Credit: Car Insurance.Org

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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

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Father of Rider University Student Killed in Truck Crash

May 04, 2012   Staff   No comments
New Jersey truck accidents

An investigation into a truck accident that killed one and injured four others on Thursday is still ongoing. Police say a minivan carrying members of a family headed back to their native China struck a dump truck on U.S. Route 1 in South Brunswick. Chunhua Jin, 53, was sitting in the backseat of the minivan when it collided with a Mack Truck. He died on impact. Jin’s family is receiving treatment at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at this hour. Doctors list Jin’s wife, 52-year-old Juing Zhang, and the couple’s seven-year-old grandson in stable condition. Jin’s daughter, Rider University student Xiayun Jin, 21, sustained minor injuries, was treated, and released.

At this time, it’s unclear which vehicle caused the accident. Police are asking anyone with information relating to the incident to contact Investigator Greg Morris at 732-745-3300 or Officer Frank Mongalieri 732-329-4646.

My heart goes out to the victims and their families during this impossible time. Losing a loved one is difficult enough without the event occurring in a foreign country. Hopefully, the results of the police investigation yield some closure for them.

In 2011, Middlesex County had more fatal car accidents (54) than any other county in New Jersey, according to the New Jersey State Police. As of May 2012, Middlesex is still the leading county for accident fatalities in New Jersey with 23. Nine deaths have occurred in South Brunswick in Middlesex over that two-year span.

Losing a loved one in a car accident is a devastating event. The emotional upheaval can make performing even mundane life tasks difficult. Even as you grieve and attempt to settle the final affairs of your family member, an insurance company may attempt to convince you they’re not responsible for any payout on an existing policy. Don’t allow them to take advantage of you. Contacting a team of experienced New Jersey car accident attorneys is the first important step in preventing underhanded insurance company tactics and preserving your rights to compensation from those at-fault for your loved one’s death.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

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Oh no! That shoulder belt might wrinkle my shirt!

May 04, 2012   Staff   No comments
Oh No! That Seatbelt Might Wrinkle My Shirt

Improper use or lack of use of a vehicle’s passenger restraint systems can increase your chances of sustaining fatal injuries by 60 percent. Seat belts were designed to spread out the force of the crash over the strongest parts of the body to significantly reduce injuries and to keep you within the vehicle.

The driver and all passengers should use the occupant restraint systems installed by the factory and not exceed the recommended number of passengers for that vehicle. Children should be restrained using a car seat or booster appropriate for their age and size that is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. An unrestrained passenger can move throughout the cabin of the car and either injure other passengers or be ejected.

One of the most common misuses of wearing a seat belt is by placing the shoulder belt or shoulder harness under the arm rather than on the shoulder mainly because the belt is not comfortable on the shoulder, it rubs the neck, or it might wrinkle a shirt. Not only is wearing a seat belt like this in most areas a violation, underarm use of the shoulder belt can cause significant internal or fatal injuries in what could have been a survivable car accident and also cause your upper body to move violently forward in a collision thus defeating the purpose of the shoulder belt. There have also been cases of amputations by wearing a seat belt this way. The shoulder belt should fit crossing the center of your chest and on the shoulder. If the shoulder belt is uncomfortable or does not fit properly, most vehicles allow you to adjust to fit, you can get a device to adjust the belt from the vehicle’s manufacturer, or you can place a comfort sleeve on the belt. You should only get these types of devices from the vehicle’s manufacturer as aftermarket accessories may not have been properly tested.

Being injured in a car accident is a traumatic and stressful event. To make sure you get the compensation you are entitled to such as medical expenses and lost wages, consult with a reputable and experienced personal injury lawyer to review your case.

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