Posts tagged "Philadelphia"

At least 15 SEPTA bus riders and the bus driver were injured on June 20 when the bus was rear-ended by a dump truck. According to Philly.com, the accident occurred at Germantown and Windrim Avenues in the Logan section of Philadelphia. The article said that a SEPTA spokesman was not sure if people were getting on or off the bus at the time of the accident.

Because of their size and power, dump truck accidents can often be fatal. Their size, weight, speed, and power make them very dangerous unless operated in a completely safe manner. Fortunately, based on the report, it sounds like none of the injuries the passengers suffered were life threatening. The cause of the accident is still being investigated. If there was any negligence on the part of the dump truck driver, he could be held liable for the injuries caused. It is very possible that the driver was speeding or distracted at the time of the crash.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a serious accident resulting from another person's negligence, contact an attorney who can assist you in determining the right course of action to take. Marciano & MacAvoy, P.C. are personal injury attorneys who are prepared to investigate the facts that led to your truck accident. We have a great deal of experience handling injury claims related to Philadelphia truck accidents and welcome your inquiry after a serious accident in Pennsylvania. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Source: Philly.com, 16 hurt when dump truck crashes into SEPTA bus, June 20, 2012

The Pennsylvania wrongful death trial concerning two foreign students killed when a barge guided by a K-Sea Transportation tugboat struck a Ride the Ducks tour boat was barely underway when the judge urged the parties to work out an agreement. A wrongful death settlement of $17 million was reached just days into the trial. The families of the two deceased students will split $15 million while 18 crash survivors will share $2 million.

According to Fox News, the tour boat was sitting idle in an active shipping lane of Philadelphia's Delaware River when the tug boat pushed the 250-foot barge into and over the 33-foot tour boat. Survivors were pulled from the water but the two students were killed. On the first day of the wrongful death trial, a video was shown of one of the deceased students throwing a life jacket to an overboard deckhand seconds before the crash.

A 30-year-old construction worker was killed after he fell from scaffolding at a Philadelphia construction site. According to Philly.com, the accident happened on April 30 in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. The worker fell to the ground from the third floor of a building after he came in contact with a live wire.

The article did not say who the man worked for. The accident is still under investigation.

Construction sites are notoriously dangerous places to work or visit. In 2010, 751 U.S. workers in the construction industry were killed. Falls are some of the most frequent causes of injuries and death on a construction site. There were 35 construction workers killed in falls that year. Other common construction site accidents include: crane accidents, aerial lift accidents, scaffolding collapses, trench collapses, falling debris accidents, trip-and-fall accidents, vehicle accidents, explosions, chemical exposure, electric shock injuries, electrocutions, and crush injuries.

The victim's family would be well advised to seek the advice of a worker's compensation attorney who will follow the investigation. They may be entitled to worker's compensation death benefits in addition to proceeds from a wrongful death claim against a negligent third party. When a third party, such as contractor, sub-contractor, premises owner, or even the manufacturer of a defective product caused the injury, you may file a wrongful death claim against that person or entity. A third-party claim is usually worth a lot more than worker's compensation benefits.

If you lost a loved one in a construction accident, the Philadelphia construction accident attorneys at Marciano & MacAvoy, P.C. can help coordinate your workers' comp claim and injury claim against a negligent party. Call today for a free consultation.

Source: Philly.com, Worker dies at city job site, May 1, 2012

Related Source: Bureau of Labor Statitstics

On March 29, Philadelphia tow-truck driver Glen McDaniel was convicted of using his tow-truck to kill another driver in September 2010. The drivers were from competing companies and had been arguing prior to the accident. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, McDaniel was found guilty of first degree murder for running over the victim repeatedly.

The article said that video surveillance showed that McDaniel, who worked for Straight-Up Towing, sideswiped the victim in a parking lot and then ran over him 3 or 4 times with his truck. He then left the scene of the accident and was found a short distance away. He also admitted to being under the influence at the time of the accident.

A death like this is a shock to family members. In addition to emotional stress the family must deal with, there are numerous losses and expenses for funeral costs, lost wages, and more. When a person is found to have been negligent for a fatal accident, the family may seek compensation by filing a wrongful death claim.

If you have recently lost a loved one in a fatal accident, the wrongful death attorneys at Marciano & MacAvoy, P.C. welcome your inquiry. They have the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to help you and your family cope with the financial aspects of a wrongful death. Call today for a free consultation.

Source: Philadelphia Daily News, Tow-truck driver is guilty in rival's death, March 29, 2012

A ballerina, who was in her third year at a dance school in Pennsylvania, was killed recently when an alleged drunk driver struck her as she was attempting to cross a street. The teenage driver initially fled from the scene on foot, but was apprehended by police when he later returned to his vehicle to grab his belongings. He has been charged with driving under the influence and aggravated assault in connection with the drunk-driving accident.

The 22-year-old ballerina was returning from a Chinese restaurant at about 4 a.m. on March 18 when a 19-year-old driver ran a red light and struck her, according to police. Paramedics rushed her to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where she was placed on life support. However, she died two days later on March 20 from injuries sustained in the crash after she was taken off the life support.

A 21-year-old college student has filed a lawsuit against Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA after she suffered injuries in a 2010 incident. On December 2, 2010 the victim suffered a broken ankle after being under a pile of men who were fighting in the stands at an Eagles game. Although security evicted the men early in the game, they let them back in later.

According to the article on Philly.com, the suit alleges that the Eagles and the stadium were negligent because they did not provide adequate security and that Aramark Food services was negligent for selling beer to people who were intoxicated.

The Linc, like any retail store, office building, apartment complex and other type of property, owes a duty of care to people who visit these premises. Anyone who is seriously injured on a commercial property may have a viable premises liability lawsuit.

Additionally, Aramark could also be held financially liable if it's proven that the alcohol servers knew that their customers were obviously intoxicated on their premises before injuring the victim. Dram Shop laws hold alcoholic beverage servers financially liable for harm that visibly intoxicated individuals cause to other people, themselves, or property. A dram shop claim can help with compensation to pay for medical bills, therapy, and rehabilitation.

If you are dealing with a painful injury after a premises accident or if your accident points to a dram shop claim, contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

The attorneys at Marciano & MacAvoy, P.C. are experienced in the areas of premises liability and dram shop law. Call today to discuss your case.

Source: Philly.com, Injury at Linc spurs lawsuit, March 13, 2012

Two people were killed and one was seriously injured in a two-car crash on Kelly Drive in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the accident happened just before 3 p.m. on January 16.

According to the report, the driver of a silver Volkswagon was speeding on Kelly Drive when it crossed the roadway and collided head-on with a green Toyota Sienna. The Volkswagon's driver and passenger were both killed.

The article did not say how fast the driver was going. With its sharp curves and narrow underpasses, Kelly Drive can be a dangerous road if drivers do not follow the posted speed limit. Poor road conditions, rain, snow and ice, as well as severe curves in the road can all take a driver's control away if they are speeding.

A crash is considered speeding-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if an officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit contributed to the crash. In 2010, there were more than 30,000 accidents in Pennsylvania involving a speeding driver. At least one person was killed in 597 of those speeding-related accidents.

If you have recently been in a car accident caused by a driver who was speeding, the most important thing you can do is contact a personal injury attorney who can quickly investigate your accident. They will look into the causes of your accident to determine any liability. Marciano & MacAvoy, P.C. are a proven and effective source of information and help and offer a free consultation. Call today.

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, Kelly Drive reopened after fatal crash, January 16, 2012

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that a 47-year-old bicyclist was injured on December 28 when he was struck by a SEPTA trolley in Philadelphia.

With many people using their bicycles as a means of transportation to and from work, bike accidents are increasingly common. In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported that 21 PA bicyclists were killed and 1,474 were injured. Every year in the U.S. about 50,000 bicyclists are injured.

There are many ways bicyclists can protect themselves from being injured and even killed. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that all bicyclists wear properly fitted helmets, as it is the most effective way to prevent a head injury. They also must obey traffic signals, signs and lane markings, and ride in the same direction as traffic. Brightly colored clothing and bike reflectors will also increase their visibility at night.

The article did not say if there was any negligence on the part of the trolley. Because the law concerning train, trolley and subway accidents can be complicated, the victim and his family would be well advised to consult with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney.  Marciano & MacAvoy, P.C. are experienced personal injury attorneys who will be able to investigate the accident to determine whether the victim is entitled to any compensation for their medical bills, pain and suffering, and loss of wages by SEPTA.

If you or a loved one has recently been in a Pennsylvania bicycle accident, contact Marciano & MacAvoy, P.C. today for a free consultation.

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, Trolley strikes bicyclist in Southwest Philadelphia, December 29, 2011

Related Source: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

A pedestrian is killed about every two hours and injured every nine minutes in traffic crashes and the majority of pedestrians are injured in cities. There were 4,474 pedestrians injured in Pennsylvania last year and 64% of those injuries happened in a city.

Like most cities, Philadelphia streets are busy with activity and pedestrians must share the road with cars, trucks and other motor vehicles. Because of a current construction project surrounding the Dilworth Plaza outside City Hall, pedestrians in Philadelphia need to use extra caution to ensure their safety. Due to barriers that go right up to the street, there is nowhere for people to walk. Some pedestrians have been walking in the road, which puts them at risk for getting hit by a motor vehicle. Jim Kenney, a city councilman, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he is concerned that someone is going to get hurt.

There are some simple steps that pedestrians can take to ensure their safety. If possible, cross the street at a designated crosswalk and always stop and look left, right, and left again before crossing. Increase your visibility at night by carrying a flashlight and wearing reflective clothing. If you must walk the street, walk facing traffic.

Drivers must also use caution and follow traffic laws. They are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing streets in marked or unmarked crosswalks in most situations. And, it is crucial that the person or persons overseeing construction projects make sure pedestrians can safely cross the street and walk on sidewalks near the construction site. The pedestrians also must be able to travel safely around equipment and materials.

 If you or your family member has been injured in a pedestrian accident, it is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible. Call the personal injury attorneys at Marciano & MacAvoy, P.C. today to schedule a free and confidential consultation.

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Dilworth project puts pedestrians in traffic," December 7, 2011.

Related source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "Traffic Safety Facts 2008: Pedestrians"