Prevent Injuries and Fatalities- Don't Drink and Drive

Parties, picnics and fireworks are just some of the festivities that lead droves of Americans onto our nation’s highways every Fourth of July. Unfortunately, the celebrations too often turn deadly when drinking alcohol leads to drunk driving.

This year, Americans will celebrate the Fourth on a Monday, which means the holiday weekend starts at 6 p.m. Friday, July 1st and ends on Tuesday, July 5th at 5:59 a.m. In 2014, over the Fourth of July holiday (6 p.m. July 3rd to 5:59 a.m. July 7th), 164 people were killed in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter or higher. Those preventable deaths make up 41 % of the 397 people killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes over the Fourth of July period.

If you plan to partake in the weekend's festivities PLEASE don't drink and drive! Even if you are not drinking and traveling throughout the holiday weekend be aware of other drivers. If you suspect someone on the road is drinking and driving call your local police department and stay a safe distance away from them.

Here are some other tips to keep you and your family safe this holiday weekend:

• Plan a safe way home BEFORE the fun begins
• Designate a sober driver or use public transportation to get home safely.
• Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app at www.nhtsa.gov/link/saferride/.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local police department.

For more information visit our website or call 1-800-444-5309.

Pisanchyn Law Firm Settlement March 22

Family settles fatal motorcycle accident suit for $1.5 million

By Terrie Morgan-Besecker
The Times-Tribune (TNS) 

 

The family of a Scranton man killed when a tractor- trailer struck his motorcycle reached a $1.5 million settlement with the trucking firm.

 

Thomas M. Burke Sr., 65, of Park Drive, Scranton, was riding his 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Carbon County on Oct. 4, 2013. The driver of a tractor-trailer owned by Lily Transportation Corp. of New Jersey moved into Mr. Burke’s lane and struck his motorcycle, pushing it into a barrier. Mr. Burke was pronounced dead at the scene.

 

Michael Pisanchyn of Scranton, attorney for Mr. Burke’s wife, Lela Mattern-Burke, initially filed suit against the company and the driver, Joh Hatterer, in Philadelphia County Court.

 

The case was later transferred to U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

In a press release, Mr. Pisanchyn said evidence showed Mr. Hatterer, who died while the lawsuit was pending, was previously involved in several collisions and had a long history of driving violations.

A settlement was reached following a meeting with a mediator on March 22. The agreement sets aside $600,000 in attorneys fees to be split evenly between Mr. Pisanchyn’s firm and Jason Provinzano, who represents Mr. Burke’s estate.

 

“The Pisanchyn Law Firm believes that this settlement sends a message to other trucking companies that if they do not follow the rules … putting our community in danger, there will be severe consequences,” the release says.

Motorcyclist Invisibility is Not an Excuse for Other Drivers

While there are numerous scenarios that can cause a motorcycle accident, the most common cause is the "invisibility" of motorcycles to drivers of normal passenger vehicles.

Motorcyclists are somewhat undetected by other drivers, especially distracted drivers. Due to how small motorcycles are it is often common that bikes and the riders on them end up in many drivers' blind spots. This is a common cause of accidents, and a common excuse used by other drivers after an accident happens. All drivers should be aware of their surroundings and should drive with extra caution, especially in nice weather, in the event a motorcyclist is on the road.

Cut-offs, violation of the motorcyclist's right-of-way, and contact between the two vehicles are the most common accidents that occur due to motorcycle invisibility. Most motorcycle accidents are caused by a car, truck, or SUV making a left turn in front of a motorcyclist's right of way at an intersection.

In almost half of all motorcycle accidents, the driver's view of the motorcycle is limited by glare or obstructed by other vehicles. In these cases, the motorcyclist has less than two seconds to successfully react and maneuver to avoid an accident. Motorcyclists can not always be expected to make up for driver error.

 

If you or a loved one were injured in a motorcycle accident, you should be focusing on one thing – getting better. Aside from our free consultations, no win no fee representation, and 24/7 on-call assistance, our Pennsylvania motorcycle accident attorneys will be on your side every step of the way and will take the worries and stress off your hands. From the moment you hire us to get your compensation we will:

• send investigators to the scene of the accident.
• have experts reconstruct the accident when needed.
• gather evidence to support your motorcycle case.
• most importantly, fight the insurance companies that don’t have your best interest in mind.

Call us now at 1-800-444-5309 or visit our website for more information.

The Most Likely Offenders of Distracted Driving Are...

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness month. Our law firm is participating in this effort because we know first hand just how dangerous distracted driving is.

This month we are going to focus on the facts, stats, and tips to help you and those you love stop distracted driving. We feel this information will help us all be a little more conscious when we are behind the wheel and hopefully reduce the urge to give in to distractions while driving.

Last week we retweeted an article by The Washington Post that really had an impact on us. The article stated that adults are more likely to text and drive than teenagers. This information was shocking to us, as all surveys and research up to this point has said the contrary. We tracked down the survey results and were again surprised at the information that was found. (click on the photo for full story and results)

 

According to this research, done by AT&T, almost all adult drivers (98%) know that texting while driving is dangerous but half of them do it anyway. This is very sobering information and has made those in our office realize that even if they don't participate in distracted driving, just about everyone else on the road is, which is why it's so important to get the information about distracted driving out there in hopes of reducing that number.

 

If you or a loved one have been injured or harmed as a result of a distracted driver, we can help. Our attorneys have handled numerous cases where an innocent client was harmed because of someone participating in distracted driving. Call us now for a free consultation 1-800-444-5309.

 

For more information and tips and things you can do to help stop distracted driving, click on the links below and continue to follow our posts on Blogger, Twitter, and Facebook. 

AT&T's "It Can Wait" Campaign
USA Today's Article on Distracted Driving
The Washington Post's Article on Distracted Driving

Why Hire an Accident Lawyer?

Our attorneys hear, on an almost daily basis, "I have insurance, I don't need an attorney," but the truth is, you may not WANT an accident attorney, but you are certainly going to NEED an accident attorney if you want to get the full amount of compensation you deserve after being injured in an accident.

Here are few reasons why you should at least consult with our experienced accident lawyers after being injured an a car crash:

1. It has been proven that personal injury victims obtain far more money once they hire an attorney
2. Our accident injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis which means our representation to you is completely free until we win your case, and even then you won't be paying us out of your own pocket, we'll actually be paying you the money you deserve. 
3. Insurance companies job's are to pay you the least amount possible to settle your claim so even though they may offer a quick settlement, it more often than not is not a fair amount.
4. Insurance companies offer the least amount of money to settle a claim and if that offer is not accepted, they purposely drag out the claim to delay paying their clients the money they deserve.
5. Sixteen percent of adults have experienced financial hardship while waiting for a claim to be settled. Don't let this happen to you!

Another reason to consult with our accident lawyers? Aside from our contingency fee representation, we also offer free consultations and our attorneys are on-call 24/7. We're available when you need us, so why not give us a call?

The sooner you contact our accident attorneys, the sooner we can help you get the compensation you deserve after being injured as a result of someone else's careless driving and mistake. You can reach our attorneys at 1-800-444-5309, or you can email us directly from our website.

Fall in Love With Pisanchyn Law Firm

Don't have a Valentine this year? Don't worry about it! You can be ours!
 
At The Pisanchyn Law Firm our Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys, Attorney Michael J. Pisanchyn Jr., Attorney Douglas Yazinski, Attorney Keith J. Figured, Attorney M. Lee Albright, Attorney Andrew Ferguson, and our paralegals and staff pledge, without any equivocation, that should you retain us as your Pennsylvania injury law firm, we will represent you skillfully, compassionately, and most of all, aggressively.
 
Choosing a law firm to help you after suffering an injury is extremely difficult. Commitment is hard, we understand. That's why we offer free consultations! Furthermore, our clients pay no fees until we win their case and even then it is never out of their own pocket; we will only be paying you the money you deserve. We will help you through your difficult time. If we cannot do the job we will refer to you the best person who can. Our attorneys are available to you 24/7 including nights, holidays, and weekends, which is more than any Valentine we've ever had!
 
If you've been injured by the negligence of another, be it an automobile accidents, tractor trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, workers' compensation, social security, or catastrophic injuries, we can help.

Still not sold? Get to know us better!

• Attorney Michael Pisanchyn
• Attorney Douglas Yazinski

Attorney Keith Figured

• 
• Attorney M. Lee Albright

• Attorney Andrew Ferguson

You can also follow us on twitter, facebook, and google+, or give us a call at 1-800-444-5309 with any questions or concerns about your case you may have.

Happy Valentine's Day, from all of us at The Pisanchyn Law Firm

How to Get Compensation for your Pennsylvania Tractor Trailer Accident Injuries

Were you or a loved one injured in a Tractor Trailer accident? If so, it is imperative you contact our Pennsylvania Tractor Trailer Accident attorneys. Our truck accident lawyers are well-versed in the vehicle codes and regulations of these semi's. Truck accidents are handled differently than normal passenger vehicle accidents.

Both State and/or Federal law, depending on if the truck was involved in intrastate or interstate transport may govern trucking accidents. Trucking companies as well as their drivers have to follow many State and Federal regulations to operate a commercial vehicle. Hiring our Pennsylvania trucking accident injury attorneys, who are experienced in tractor trailer accident litigation, is the only way to ensure that all required regulations have been followed, and if they weren't you could receive compensation for your trucking accident injury. Some of the regulations are as followed:

·      Trucking companies are required to follow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) regulations concerning equipment and hours of service.

·      Truck drivers are required to maintain a driver's log.

·      Commercial driver's license standards are Federal regulations in place to reduce or prevent truck collisions and resulting injuries and/or deaths. Drivers of certain vehicles are required to obtain a single commercial motor vehicle driver's license.

·      Alcohol of any kind is not permitted in the trailer or the cab of the vehicle unless it is part of a shipment. This includes cough/ cold medications.

·      Federal regulations require commercial trucks to carry certain levels of insurance coverage, depending on the nature of the materials hauled. These regulations protect victims of large truck crashes from truck owners who may not have the financial resources to pay damages out-of-pocket.

The trucking companies pay out a great deal of money for their truck insurance policies due to the high risks and possible damages that could occur in the event of an 18 wheeler collision. Trucking companies begin an investigation into the accident as soon as it happens. If fault is found to be on behalf of the driver or company then the insurance adjusters just as quickly offer an insufficient settlement to compensate the victim for their negligence. These quick offers are a ploy to minimize costs paid out to you, the victim. Don't let this happen to you, if you or a loved have been involved in a tractor trailer accident call our PA trucking accident injury attorneys as soon after the accident as possible.

Our Pennsylvania tractor trailer accident attorneys can help you receive the full amount of compensation deserved for your trucking accident injuries, loss, and traumatic experience. Never agree to any offer made by the trucking company or their insurance adjusters without first consulting legal aid. At The Pisanchyn Law Firm our PA tractor trailer accident attorneys offer free services until we win your truck accident case and even then you will never pay out of pocket; we will only be paying you the money you deserve. Once you hire us as your attorneys we will immediately send out our own investigators to the scene, have them speak with witnesses, and review and report our findings so that you and your interests are fully protected.

Do You Know the Difference?

1. It’s common for us to ask if you have full tort on your insurance policy and many times people will respond with, “I have full coverage.” Full coverage and full tort are not one in the same.

Normally, full coverage means you have all the state required liability options, as well as collision and comprehensive on your policy. While you do have to pick a tort coverage, full or limited, full tort is not required in Pennsylvania. This means if you have all the required liability options, collision, and comprehensive, but selected limited tort, you can not get compensation for pain and suffering.

What does compensation for pain and suffering mean exactly? Sometimes an injury is severe and will last for many months or even years causing you medical treatment for months or years to come. By choosing full tort you can protect yourself in the event of a long lasting injury that is caused by the negligence of another.

As we've mentioned before it's smart to think of 'what if' scenarios when setting up your insurance policy.

The accident attorneys at The Pisanchyn Law Firm want to be there for you through every step of your claim to help you get the compensation you deserve. Please call us as soon as you are the victim of another driver's negligence. For more information on Auto Insurance and to ensure you and your family truly are, "fully covered," visit our website.

Do You Know When Your Insurance Premium Can be Increased?

5. If you're worried your insurance premium will be increased after you report a claim, don't be. The insurance company can only increase your premium for one reason.

An insurance company can only increase your insurance premium based on "risk." If an accident is more than 50% your fault then you are more at "risk" and only then can the insurance company raise your premium. If you are the victim of another driver's negligence your premium can not be increased.

The accident attorneys at The Pisanchyn Law Firm want to be there for you through every step of your claim to help you get the compensation you deserve. Please call us as soon as you are the victim of another driver's negligence. For more information on Auto Insurance and to ensure you and your family truly are, "fully covered," visit our website.

Week in Review 5/11/2012

This week we explained what uninsured motorist coverage on an insurance policy is, and what the benefits of choosing this coverage are. We also explained what a Phantom Driver Accident is and what steps you should take to make an uninsured motorist claim if you are ever the victim of a phantom driver.

There are a number of things you can do after being involved in a phantom driver caused accident in an attempt to make a viable uninsured motorist claim.

• At the scene of the accident be sure to ask everyone who shows up if they saw the phantom driver.
• When the paramedics, hospital staff and/or doctors ask what happened let them know the phantom driver caused you to lose control.
• Tell the police at the scene of the accident, and at any interviews following the accident, about the phantom driver and how it caused the accident.
• Examine your vehicle for ANY proof of contact.
• Contact an attorney so they can begin an investigation to prove your statement that a phantom driver caused your accident.

There are many exceptions and technicalities to this area of law, especially with these types of accidents, that if you are not aware of could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our car accident lawyers are experts when it comes to dealing with insurance companies and will fight aggressively on your behalf to get you or your loved one the compensation you deserve.

When Just in Case Turns Into Now What

We explained yesterday what a phantom driver accident is, and what kind of coverage you should have on your insurance policy to protect yourself just in case you are ever the victim of a phantom driver. In this post we are going to go a little more in depth on what you should do when a phantom driver accident occurs.

In order to file a claim with your insurance company about a phantom driver you must report that another vehicle caused you to wreck, then fled the scene, to the police as well as your insurance company within 24 hours, or soon thereafter if 24 hours is not possible due to injury or other extenuating circumstances.

After reporting the accident, as well as the cause of the accident, to the police and your insurance company you should immediately call our experienced accident attorneys at The Pisanchyn Law Firm to help you with your claim.

There are many exceptions and technicalities in this area of law, especially with phantom driver accidents, and if you are not aware of them it could cost you thousands of dollars. Our accident attorneys are experts when it comes to dealing with insurance companies and will fight aggressively on your behalf to get you or your loved one the compensation you deserve.

Hit and Run...Minus the Hit?

Did you know in Pennsylvania another vehicle does not have to physically touch your vehicle to be treated the same as a hit and run?

Are you wondering how that's possible? Doesn't hit and run mean, someone hit you causing you to crash, then fled the scene? Yes, however if someone, for example, cuts you off in traffic, causing you to lose control and wreck, then flees after the fact, this is handled in the same manner as a hit and run. This type of accident is called a phantom driver accident.

We'll post more about phantom driver accidents as the week continues, but first we want to cover the insurance aspect of these accidents. If you don't have the right coverage on your insurance policy you could be left with all the bills resulting from a hit and run or phantom driver accident. Uninsured Motorist Coverage doesn't only protect you if an uninsured driver causes your crash, it also protects you in the event of a hit and run or phantom driver accident. Hit and run drivers and phantom drivers are  considered to be uninsured.

By having uninsured motorist coverage if you are ever the victim of a hit and run, phantom driver, or uninsured motorist, your insurance company then steps in to take the place of the uninsured/unknown driver. While this sounds cut and dry, there is a lot more to it. You should never handle any type of accident claim without the help of an experienced attorney. There are many things about this area of law that if you don't know, could cost you thousands which is why it is of the utmost importance to contact an attorney as soon as possible after an accident.

Call our accident attorneys at The Pisanchyn Law Firm as soon as you or a loved one are injured in an accident so we can help you obtain the compensation you deserve. For more information about accidents, insurance, and all other injury matters please be sure to visit our website.

Are You Covered?

Too often people come to us thinking they have "full coverage" on their insurance policies only to find out too late that they have the basic coverage required by law, or not enough coverage to pay for the hospital bills and damages.

Insurance policies can be tricky to configure, and when you see the monthly payments add up with the more you add to your policy it's easy to be discouraged into lowering your coverage. This month we're going to inform you on the different types of coverage and why it's important to have them all on your insurance policy.
Already we've posted a link on our twitter (@pisanchynlaw) explaining why you should always contact an attorney when you're involved in an accident whether you have insurance or not. As mentioned in the link, we were able to obtain $850,000 more than the insurance company offered one of our clients; that's just one of the many reasons contacting an attorney after an accident can be beneficial to you.

Remember, if you or a loved are unfortunately the victim of an accident, please call The Pisanchyn Law Firm. A car accident in traumatizing enough, fighting with your insurance company or stressing over how you're going to pay your bills shouldn't be your focus; your focus should be on recovering and putting your life back together.

Biker Safety- Week 3

Our motorcycle safety tip this week (see our motorcycle safety post for more information) is to know your surroundings as well as the obstacles and risks motorcyclists face.

When riding, be sure to watch out for and keep in mind these common causes for motorcycle accidents.

Remember, if you or a loved are unfortunately the victim of a motorcycle accident, please call the The Pisanchyn Law Firm. Having an experienced motorcycle accident attorney on your side will protect you from the bias assumptions made against motorcyclists. We will work around the clock to ensure that you are not only compensated for your injuries but that you are treated without bias throughout your claim.