However, to provide a level of protection for victims, legal ethics require inexperienced PA personal injury lawyers to enlist appropriate legal help until they can learn the issues to competently represent the client. That’s all fine and good, but did you know you can get an experienced Philadelphia injury lawyer for the same price? Simply call 1-800-465-8795 for a free consultation for your Pennsylvania case.

Most PA personal injury lawyers prefer to focus on a few areas of injury law to better gain the knowledge and experience necessary to provide high quality representation to their clients.

Personal injury litigation and trial law involves a broad scope of claims including accidents, medical malpractice, product liability, car accident wrongful death, and many more. It’s not a generally accepted principle that if you narrow your focus you become better at those things you specialize in. Some Pennsylvania injury attorneys choose to devote the majority of their time and energy to a few specialized areas within personal injury law, thus becoming more experienced at handling very specific types of cases.

You can see by using my navigation menu that I focus my practice on just a handful of specialties. I do have relationships with other injury attorneys in other areas of the law, so feel free to contact me and I will put you in touch with the best lawyer for you.

Choosing the Size of the PA Law Firm

Injury lawyers may start a solo practice or join a small, mid, or large sized law firm as an associate. Owners of a personal injury law firm are referred to as may “partners” in their firms. Attorneys typically start as associates and work their way toward partner.

Solo practitioners of personal injury law offer a number of benefits to clients, including more personal attention and a one-on-one working relationship between the lawyer and the client that a larger firm may not be able to provide. Depending on experience level, sole practitioners are often willing to take on smaller cases of particular interest to them, and may even have lower contingency fees than large firms with higher overhead.

A small injury law firm may employ three to ten lawyers and support staff who provide expertise in any number of personal injury matters, and can handle a surprisingly wide range of legal cases among them, as they pool their collective knowledge.

Mid-size and large firms, with ten to hundreds of lawyers may offer legal representation in almost every major area P.I. law, and have several highly experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyers, but the interests of the client start to become secondary to the interests of the firm. These firms are most useful for high profile cases due to the fact that they may have a number of well known “name attorneys” with high levels of expertise. But as you may guess, those high profile lawyers tend to have their associates do the real work.

Call the Law Office of Jeffrey Harlan Penneys, Esquire to get the most personal service of any Philadelphia injury attorney. We are a very specialized, client oriented Philadelphia firm that handles cases across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Call 1-800-465-8795 (that’s 1-800-injury-law) 24/7 365 days a year!

Although loss of consortium is primarily thought of with regard to sexual relations with a spouse, it extends beyond that. It is meant to compensate the victim for the loss of companionship and quality of the marital relationship. While most damages in an injury case can be easily defined by money, such as the cost to replace an automobile, or the medical bills that the victim incurs, or the loss of wages – loss of consortium is a gray area. This is where an experienced Philadelphia injury lawyer can really make an impact on your results.

Marital relationships involve many things beyond sexual intimacy, including affection, emotional support, and partnership duties. All of us who are married tend to take some marital benefits for granted. But when these things have been take away, it creates a real impact. Such service oriented things as the ability to help around the house with things like home repair, cooking, raising the kids can be lost as the result of an accident.

Another major section of loss of consortium is the financial support the spouse would have contributed to the relationship and how that affects the couple’s lifestyle. Not to be confused with “lost wages”, which is awarded to the victim, “loss of support” is awarded to the spouse in a two income marriage.

Loss of consortium damages are sought quite often in injury cases, especially if there is significant scarring due to the accident and the victim no longer feels attractive. This is clearly pain and suffering that a good Philadelphia injury attorney will go after.

In summary, loss of consortium is not only the inability to have normal marital relations, which is a euphemism for sexual intercourse, it encompasses all those highly prized emotional attachments in a relationship. These can be for a period of time or permanently due to the injury, and encompasses everything from mental distress to physical activities, due to a defendant’s negligence. In plain talk, the uninjured spouse can join in the injured spouse’s lawsuit with a claim of loss of consortium, the value of which is speculative.

Call Philadelphia injury lawyer Jeffrey Harlan Penneys at 1-800-465-8795 (1-800-Injury-Law) for your free consultation in Pennsylvania accident cases.

This “personal injury claim” can be of a physical or psychological (emotional) nature, and must be as a direct result of the actions or inactions, referred to as negligence, of another person, a company, a governmental agency, religious organization or other entity.

Philadelphia injury lawyers are especially knowledgeable and have experience with regard to “tort law,” which involves civil wrongs and economic or non-economic damages to a person’s property, reputation, or rights, as opposed to other areas of law, such as corporate, family, civil, or criminal law – to name a few.

A PA personal injury lawyer (as in Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer) is trained and licensed to practice virtually any field of law however, they typically only handle cases that fall under tort law.

What is tort law? Tort law includes, among other things, work injuries, collisions such as automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, Septa bus or train accidents, defective products that cause injury, medical mistakes, and more.

Responsibilities of PA Personal Injury Lawyers

A personal injury lawyer takes on many responsibilities in the service of victims, known as plaintiffs. Our first order of business is interviewing a plaintiff or claimant to  determine the legal remedies that may be available.

After taking on a case for a client, we identify the issues and perform extensive research into all relevant issues to build a strong case. This case is used to convince insurance companies, or in some cases juries, that the plaintiff has the right to compensation and damage awards for their accident and personal injuries.

The responsibility to obtain justice and compensation for victims losses and suffering is achieved through client counseling, legal advice, advocacy, written arguments with insurance companies, and ultimately oral arguments to a jury in some cases if a settlement cannot be reached.

Injury lawyers adhere to strict standards of legal ethics when dealing with clients. PA codes of conduct state that a lawyer must knowledgeably evaluate legal matters and exercise competence in any legal matter undertaken. Personal injury lawyers are obligated to provide clients loyalty and confidentiality and work vigorously to protect their clients’ best interests.

PA injury attorney responsibilities encompass professional codes of conduct established by The Pennsylvania state bar association, through which lawyers are licensed. Once licensed to practice law by their the Pennsylvania Bar Association, an injury lawyer is legally permitted to advertise their services, offer legal advice to injury victims, file legal complaints on behalf of clients, draft legal documents, and argue cases in court.

For your free legal consultation call Philadelphia injury lawyer Jeffery at 1-800-465-8795 24/7, 365 days a year.

However, the Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court opened the door for injury attorneys to ask for damages beyond negligence in Hutchinson v. Luddy, a case where an employer allowed an employee to do harm despite knowing that it could happen.

Presumably this additional level of damage awarding has come into play because moral lines continue to be tested in all walks of life. It is only fitting to have in place a method to deter future conduct unfitting to society, and possibly even to deter others for embarking on similar behavior.

The method is called  ”Punitive Damages,” which are damages over and above standard “pain and suffering” damages. Punitives are intended to penalize defendants in injury cases for outrageous conduct that ”shocks the conscience” of a reasonable person.  They are also intended to deter individuals from repeating the conduct and to send a message to others not to engage in such conduct.

In PA, it is up to Pennsylvania injury attorneys to prove these types of damages to deter and punish wrongdoers.

As a Philadelphia car accident lawyer, if I can successfully prove that the defendant is liable for some misconduct, I must also prove a right to damages resulting from that misconduct. For example, a negligent driver is liable for driving recklessly. Any damages flowing from the liability of that behavior will depend on how much damage was done to my client’s car, the amount of any hospital bills, and the severity of the my client’s injuries. I must prove that the specific harm done to my client occurred as a result of the misconduct, a.k.a. negligence, of the defendant. The value of this harm is then subject a calculation of damages that we ask for.

Punitive damages, however, go beyond this scenario. The Supreme Court has held that a defendant has to have consciously disregarded a known risk to the plaintiff, either through their actions or inactions. If a defendant consiciously disregards a high risk of harm to others, and injuries result, punitive damages are in order. A driver who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a good example. Getting behind the wheel while under the influence is consciously disregarding a risk of injury to other drivers. Likewise, there are many cases where the at-fault driver was on his or her cell phone when a crash occurs. This is also a scenario where punitives are in order.

This kind of knowledge of the ‘wrong’ being done goes well beyond what is needed to establish liability for negligence. In fact, it is probably the last step away from finding criminal responsibility. The argument could be made that the line is actually blurred. A drunk driver can be convicted of vehicular manslaughter. The resultant punitive damage would be jail time. But that is criminal law, not civil law.

The difference between compensatory damages and punitive would appear to come down to the intent of the negligent party’s actions. The mere knowledge of facts that could present a high degree of risk to the plaintiff is not enough to prove punitive damages – the defendant would also need to have actually appreciated the risk and chosen to ignore it.

I am Philadelphia injury lawyer Jeffrey Harlan Penneys. If you have been involved in a personal injury in Pennsylvania contact me at 1-800-465-8795 (1-800-injury-law) for a free consultation.

A good trial lawyer knows the law that is applicable to his cases as well as his or her strengths and limitations.

To be truly effective your personal injury attorney works the strengths of your injury claim and mitigates any weaknesses. It may surprise you to hear an accident lawyer discuss weaknesses, but a good defense lawyer can find a weakness in just about every injury case.

PA accident lawyers need to know all the facts and the evidence for each case. They also need to anticipate how the evidence will be interpreted by a jury. He needs to know what issues to raise before trial, and which ones to hold until trial. You would not believe how often clients withhold facts or evidence from their own lawyer, thinking that it will help their case. That NEVER works.

Knowing the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, as well as the unwritten rules of any particular judge, is key. Reading a judge or jury is a talent as much as experience. Some accident lawyers have it, some don’t.

Being proactive is important in this day of constant information flow via phone and email. The accomplished trial lawyer knows how to plan the actions needed to win your case.

A trial lawyer must also be able to think on his feet and react to the changing landscape of a case as it unfolds. Each deposition can significantly change the potential outcome of a case. There may be events throughout the life of a case that hurt the client’s position. The good injury lawyer will take these in stride and overcome them.

A good trial lawyer will know when to make big moves. They have confidence in their decisions after consideration of relevant facts and are not afraid of consequences of those decisions.

A PA accident lawyer must constantly juggle a lot of different aspects in a case and a good trial lawyer will stay organized and enlist the help of experts and staff to stay on top of exhibits, witnesses, deposition records, dates, times, and many other factors.

A good trial lawyer will evaluate not only the case, but the client. A good client to represent is one that knows that the attorney cannot jump to conclusions and must go through several levels of questioning and fact checking to determine if a case can be won, and what potential that client has to be “jury friendly.”

Being a PA Accident Lawyer is Really About Caring for People

A mission is very important. Some lawyers are after fame, some are after riches, but the good ones are here to help people, first and foremost. The passion to help people – families, children – and to right wrongs is a strong motivator to be the best at what we do.

Those are things that are the basis of any good injury attorney. However, the real important part for a trial attorney is the human condition aspect.

Good trial attorneys understand people. How they think, how they interact with others, how to trigger empathy in others. Injury accidents can happen to anyone, at any time. Juries need to be reminded that this could easily be their situation at some point, and prompted to do the right thing.

I care enough about clients to take the time to actually hear what they experienced, and to visit the scene of the accident, and to reconstruct not only what happened, but what led to the accident – why did it occur?

I am Philadelphia injury lawyer Jeffrey Harlan Penneys and I can be reached at 1-800-injury-law 24/7 to help you with your Pennsylvania accident injury claim.

Reasons you hire a Philadelphia injury attorney, even if you are not located within the greater Philadelphia area.

It is no accident that Wikipedia refers to “Philadelphia Lawyer” as a term to describe a lawyer who knows the most detailed and minute points of law, or is an exceptionally competent lawyer.

Aside from the astuteness of Philadelphia lawyers, Philadelphia is the county in PA where settlements and jury verdicts are higher than anywhere else in the state.

But of course, the best reason to hire a Philadelphia injury lawyer is the fact that Philadelphia lawyers are considered the best; this is a widely accepted belief in the law community. Of course there are exceptions throughout the country, but overall this is accepted.

Whether you are comparing medical malpractice lawyers, real estate lawyers, attorneys practicing family law or divorce, or even criminal defense lawyers, top legal minds tend to be in Philadelphia.

Maybe it is because of the reputation that these quaint sayings came about:

• Referring to someone who addresses a point straight on as saying they “are like a Philadelphia lawyer”.
• When someone is talking in a way that is considered erudite, they are “talking like a Philadelphia lawyer”.

The phrase Philadelphia lawyer has been defined as “a lawyer knowledgeable in the most minute aspects of the law”, by Merriam-Webster

The first known use of the phrase appears to be around 1788. But some believe it came about as early as 1735 when distinguished Philadelphia lawyer Andrew Hamilton successfully defended printer John Peter Zenger in a freedom of the press case, which was a major freedom of speech case that helped to establish that truth is a defense to an accusation of libel.

Bartlett’s Dictionary of Americanisms lists ‘He knows as much as a Philadelphia lawyer’ and ‘that beats a Philadelphia lawyer’ as common sayings, which infer that the bar in Philadelphia are distinguished for their learnedness and shrewdness.

So call the most caring injury lawyer, Philadelphia attorney Jeffrey Harlan Penneys at 1-800-injury-law, that is 1-800-465-8795 for a free consultation on your Pennsylvania injury accident no matter where you are located in the Keystone state.

“Jeffrey took care of everything with regard to helping me seek out the best medical care we could find that would work with me, as I had no medical insurance at the time. The medical care I received was top notch, and Jeff kept in touch with me 100% during the process. Jeff was easily accessible and responded to me swiftly. At a point where I did have some concerns, he invited me to his office and I left feeling up to date, and knowledgeable about my situation. My case was against [SEPTA] a local transportation authority. After researching, I came to the understanding that it is not often that a case such as mine would ever come to my favor. At one point, the transportation authority had submitted a motion to dismiss, and Jeff was honest with me that they had a good argument. However he remained dedicated to my case, and with all his research and hard, well though out work, gathered all of the required documentation and supporting evidence to have their motion of dismissal denied. Not long after, the case was settled out of court. Not only was I happy with the settlement, but Jeff shared in my enthusiasm as if he were a close friend of mine! My case was a difficult one to win, and not only did Jeff Penneys win, but he did it honestly, with dignity and intelligence, and I couldn’t have been happier with any other service. This experience has taught me to both never give up when told something isn’t worth fighting for, and that if the right person is found to help you out, you can, and will succeed. Jeffrey Penneys is that right person. He was a gem. Trustworthy, kind and completely successful.” Read full testimonial

~ Kristen, SEPTA injury client, Philadelphia

“SEPTA injury attorney Jeff Penneys definitely is available for all forms of communication, whether it be email or direct call. He’s very upfront and professional. He keeps you informed and let’s you know what to expect upfront and the process of your case. Good attorney who I would definitely recommend.”

~ Daun, SEPTA Fall Down Client, Philadelphia SEPTA bus injury

People tend to view these friendly, engaging commercials and think of insurance companies as the good guys. After all, they are protecting you from having to pay out of pocket when an accident occurs, right? You may even be friends with your insurance agent.

An injury lawyer on the other hand, is someone you really don’t think about until someone is negligent and causes you serious injury. Lawyers are often thought of in a generally negative way.

So, when it comes time for a personal injury claim in Pennsylvania, it is only natural for you to think that insurance companies are benevolent entities that exist to take care of you.

Don’t confuse the company that you have paid a lot of money to over the years, and maybe even received yearly birthday greetings from, with the defendant’s insurance company. Even if it is the same company as yours, you can bet they want to pay you as little as possible.

The reality of the situation is that most insurance companies are very hard to negotiate with when it comes time to pay a personal injury claim. It’s all about the money when this time arrives.

Who’s your new best friend? Your Philadelphia injury lawyer of course! It is my purpose to help people. This usually comes at a very difficult time, when nothing seems to be going your way. I will step in and take the pressure off of you and make sure you get everything you are entitled to

As a matter of fact, it really isn’t worth your time and effort to speak to the insurance company. They will most likely make you very upset and you will only be allowing them time to get their case together, and gather evidence against you. They may even try to record you and trick you into saying something you will regret.

When you contact Philadelphia injury attorney Jeffrey Harlan Penneys, it will feel like a huge weight has been lifted from your shoulders. We handle everything, so you can concentrate on recovery.

Call 1-800-injury-law immediately after your accident for help in making the most of your Pennsylvania personal injury claim, whether it’s an auto accident, or a SEPTA injury claim, or another type of personal injury.

~ Bonnie H., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Year first hired: 1999 (hired more than once)

“Working with Jeffrey was a great experience. He handled my case very diligently. Great communication between him and I made the process go very quickly. Jeffrey is so easy to talk to and made sure that I was comfortable with any situation. I would recommend Jeffrey to anyone who has a Philadelphia personal injury claim. Thanks!!”

~ Deanna A., personal injury client, Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia Head Injury Lawyer

“I had a blow to the head which resulted in me needing both physical and mental rehab. A freind of mine found Mr. Penneys office while i was still in the hospital. I was very fortunate to have been led to Mr. Penneys, which by sheer coininsidence was around the cornor from where i got injured!
My case lasted close to two years whereas Mr.Penneys and i were in contstant contact as we needed to be. I got along well with Mr. Penneys and can highy recommened him as an attorney for your legal needs.”

~ Steve G., Head injury case, Philadelphia, PA

Personal Injury Philadelphia

“Mr Penneys is a stand up guy. A great lawyer. And I would recommend him to everyone.”

~ Jonathan S., injury client, Philadelphia, PA

Expert Injury Attorney

“Jeff Penneys is an outstanding personal injury attorney who works hard for his clients. He is the only lawyer that I know that I would call upon no matter what legal situation I am faced with. He is a expert in his field.”

~ Deara P., Philadelphia injury

Philadelphia PA Car Crash

“My family found Philadelphia injury attorney Mr. Penneys on the internet. We were desperately looking for an injury attorney who was willing to represent our 7 year old who ran out into the street between two parked cars and was struck by a truck. This was not an easy case, but somehow Mr. Penneys was able to State Farm to tender their policy. It was a long, difficult car crash case, and we prevailed. I cannot thank you enough, Jeff.”

~ Cherie D., Philadelphia, PA Car Crash Victim’s Mother

In order to determine whether you have a case of negligence, your SEPTA accident attorney will start with asking whether three elements are present:

• there must be a mistake (known as negligence) by SEPTA
• there must be an injury to you (or a loved one), and
• the injury must have been caused by the mistake

Let’s take these one by one.

First, a Philadelphia SEPTA accident lawyer must make a determination as to whether there was a mistake made by SEPTA. This could be a driver’s error, a mechanical failure, or something else. Driver error could be an accident between the Septa vehicle and another vehicle, the Septa driver slamming on his brakes causing passengers to fall, or the Septa vehicle colliding with a fixed object. The most common mechanical failure I come across is when the doors close on a passenger who is entering or exiting the Septa vehicle.

Second, the SEPTA accident victim must have suffered an injury. This could be contusions (bruises), lacerations (cuts), broken bones, whiplash, etc. The more severe the injury, the more likely it is you have an actionable case. For instance a broken hand is probably actionable, but a sprain may not be. This is simply a factor of how much monetary recovery is possible.

Third, The mistake itself must have caused the injury. For example, if you stepped off a SEPTA bus and broke your ankle, neither the driver, nor the SEPTA vehicle caused the accident, unless of course, the driver pulled away too soon causing you to fall off the bus as you stepped.

If you are not sure whether you have an actionable claim against SEPTA, it is in your best interest to contact Philadelphia injury attorney Jeffrey Harlan Penneys at 1-800-injury-law for a free evaluation of your situation. That is 1-800-465-8795, and you can call 24/7, 365 days a year.

Don’t let a potential recovery of compensation slip by. If you have been injured, call to find out about your rights. There is no cost to you unless we win compensation for your injury. You have nothing to lose by calling.

Mr. Penneys has also garnered 11 Peer endorsements. His professional conduct score is the highest available. His 17 years of service has included over 5000 personal injury cases, of which 10% is litigation. His areas of specialization include dog bite law, SEPTA accidents, Motorcycle accidents, and car accident cases.

Throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Mr. Penneys offers free consultations to help clients determine if they have an actionable case without having to spend money to make those determinations. In addition, if he takes your case, Philadelphia injury attorney Jeffrey H. Penneys offers a “no recovery, no fee” handling of personal injury cases in Pennsylvania. A contingency fee is paid out of your award when your case is won.

Here are what some of his cients are saying about this Philadelphia injury lawyer:

“Working with Jeffrey was a great experience. He handled my case very diligently…” Read Entire Testimonial

“This has been my first time being represented by an attorney and I am 110% pleased with the service provided by Mr. Penneys…” Read Entire Testimonial

“He obtained the police accident report right away, and it was clearly not in my favor, which I was not surprised about. Because Mr. Penneys is a caring, compassionate attorney who genuinely cared about me, he agreed to take the case…” Read Entire Testimonial

“I have not only refered my friends and family to Jeff, but used him on several occasions myself… Read Entire Testimonial

I am sure I didn’t shock you with that tidbit – everyone knows that cars are safer than motorcycles. However, it may surprise you to learn just how much more dangerous they are. In 2010, US government sources estimated that deaths in motorcycles accidents were about 30 times the number of deaths for car accidents, per miles traveled. These deaths were primarily a function of the frequency of head injuries, which are much more common injuries that motorcyclists sustain vs. car operators. Approximately 67% of the brain injuries could be prevented, and about 37% of motorcycle fatalities could be prevented by the cyclist wearing a helmet.

A total of 4,300 motorcyclists were in fatal crashes in 2010. This count was more than double the statistics from 1997! Motorcycle accident deaths accounted for 13% of all motor vehicle deaths in 2010. It’s no surprise, to a motorcycle accident lawyer at least, that 55% of the motorcyclist fatalities that year occurred in multi-vehicle crashes. A rider in an incident without another vehicle may get thrown off the bike, and suffer some injuries such as pavement burn (road rash), or some broken bones, but usually this does not result in death. However, when you get another vehicle, with the larger mass it holds, colliding with a motorcycle and it’s rider, it naturally entails much more serious results.

Motorcycle deaths had been on the decline since the early 1980s, up until 1998, then they began to increase again through the year 2008. When thinking about motorcycle vs car accident statistics, a person would assume that auto accident death statistics would follow the same pattern of decrease for motorcycle accidental deaths; but this is not the case. 22,200 passenger vehicle occupants died in crashes in 2010 – fewer than any year since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began keeping track of fatal crash data in 1975. Motorcycle deaths are actually increasing, while car deaths are decreasing.

One reason for the increase may be that the engine size of the motorcycles involved in fatal motorcycle accidents have increased dramatically. 29% of the accidents involved an engine size larger than 1400 cc! A decade earlier only 9% had an engine that size or greater. In 2010, 83% of touring bikes had engines larger than 1400 cc.

More than half of the motorcycle fatalities in 2010 occurred on major roads, that were not interstate highway or freeways. This is not surprising at all to a PA motorcycle accident attorney. The bigger the road, the busier it tends to be, and this increases the chances of interacting with other motor vehicles.

The average age of victims from a motorcycle accident has been on the increase for years. In the mid-1970′s, the average age of the motorcyclist who died in accidents was under the age of 30, but now the number of over 50 year old rider deaths has surpassed the number of 30-year-olds, and is the highest age group, by decade.

These numbers of motorcycle accidents are even more amazing when you realize that in parts of the country, such as Pennsylvania, we have a shorter riding season for cycles than cars. June, July and August are the highest percentage of motorcyclist accidental death statistics – during the peak of the riding season. 50% of these motorcycle accidents were on the weekend, and were more likely to occur after 6 PM, presumably because of the difficulty of other vehicles to see the motorcycles.

If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident in Pennsylvania, before you talk to an insurance adjuster (yes, even the nice ones), contact Philadelphia injury attorney Jeffrey Harlan Penneys at 1-800-465-8795 for a free consultation to protect your rights.

The statistics for this article came from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

As we all know, when vehicles (whether they be cars, busses, motorcycles, etc.) travel on Commonwealth of Pennsylvania streets, the normal motion of the vehicle involves jerking and jolting. This happens on a bus when it has to stop suddenly due to any number of reasons; when the road itself has potholes or defects; or when the driver of the bus suddenly accelerates. The law in Pennsylvania takes into account that these types of things are common, ordinary occurrences that happen whenever a vehicle is in motion. These SEPTA accidents only involve the SEPTA vehicle, as opposed to when the vehicle collides with something.

It is VERY difficult for bus accident attorneys to recover damages for their personal injury clients in a SEPTA accident jerk and jolt case. And it makes sense. If passengers were allowed to sue SEPTA every time they had minor injuries due to the jerking and jolting of their vehicles, SEPTA would be out of business very quickly.

For that reason, the law in Pennsylvania is that a passenger can usually only get personal injury damages if it can be shown by their SEPTA Accident Lawyer that the jerk and jolt was so “unusual” or “extraordinary,” that at least two people were injured as a result of the jerking and jolting. As you can see, that is not an easy burden for bus accident attorneys to overcome.

That being said, I have recovered many, many times on behalf of my clients and against SEPTA for these types of Philadelphia bus “accidents.” I recently settled a case for $40,000 for a lone woman who was injured when the bus jerked and jolted, causing her personal injuries to her neck and back.

Although she testified that she was the only one actually injured, she also said that the force of the jolt was so strong that it knocked her out of her seat, onto the floor and her glasses flew off of her face. Luckily this was a reported accident (meaning SEPTA knew about it right when it happened), and my client was a great witness — very likeable.

So even though these types of Pennsylvania bus accident cases are difficult, they are not impossible. It always helps to report a SEPTA accident as soon as possible so SEPTA cannot later claim that they never knew that it happened (unreported). Of course, it also goes a long way if the injured party is a good, likeable person who was genuinely injured.

I have heard from several people that they took small offers on their Philadelphia SEPTA personal injury cases that were clearly worth much more.

Another development in SEPTA lawsuits is that a recent appeals court ruled that SEPTA is not required to pay their passengers a dime if the bus is completely stopped when an accident occurs. This includes not only making payments for bodily injuries (pain and suffering), but likewise, for paying PIP (Personal Injury Protection) benefits. The law used to be that if you are a passenger on a SEPTA bus, SEPTA had to pay your medical bills up to $5,000, regardless of whether or not SEPTA was at fault for the accident. This is no longer the case. Such payments will no longer be made if the SEPTA bus is stopped when an accident occurs, such as when another vehicle strikes the bus.

I recently had a case resulting in a SEPTA settlement, where the bus had just started moving when it was struck by a vehicle that wasn’t paying attention. SEPTA fought hard to avoind paying my client any damages, but at the end of the day, they paid my client not only pain and suffering money, but also paid his medical expenses up to $5,000.

The other vehicle, the one that caused that bus accident, was forced to pay my client much more; but my point is that SEPTA paid because the bus, while hardly moving, WAS in fact moving. That is all you need in most SEPTA cases, movement of the bus.

Taking this thought a bit further, I have also been very successful getting my Philadelphia personal injury clients money both for pain and suffering AND for medical bills even when the vehicle is at a complete stop, but the doors of the vehicle close onto my clients. This happens much more than you would imagine. Often the operator closes the door before the passenger has a chance to fully exit the vehicle, thereby crushing them in between the doors.

Often these types of Philadelphia bus accident cases need to be litigated, because after the passenger extracts herself from between the doors, the vehicle is gone and therefore not reported to the driver. In these types of cases, it helps to have witnesses. At a minimum, it is advised that you immediately call SEPTA OR track down a SEPTA employee in the vicninty and report it to them. Then contact Philadelphia SEPTA accident lawyer Jeffrey Harlan Penneys at 1-800-465-8795, that’s 1-800-injury-law. There is no fee unless I win your case.

Probably the first level you need to look at is if it is an injury accident. Car accident injuries come in all types, some not so obvious. So if you feel, at all, that you have been injured by the other driver’s negligence, always talk with your Philadelphia car accident lawyer prior to making a claim.

Philadelphia injury lawyers are well-versed in handling medical issues with both insurance companies and medical providers.

If you are sure you are not injured, you are probably not going to benefit much from a car accident lawyer, but just to be on the safe side, it doesn’t hurt to consult one, in case you have injuries that become apparent as time passes. Philadelphia car accident claims made without the aid of an attorney can oftentimes result in you signing away future rights.

If you are involved in an auto accident with an uninsured motorist and are assigned fault for the collision when you know that you are not at fault, you may want to consult a car accident lawyer in Philadelphia for advice on how to handle the situation.

A typical “fender bender” where there are no personal injuries, does not usually require attorney involvement in a car accident claim, unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as if you were driving an exotic car that would be expensive to repair. The typical car insurance company has better things to do than haggle over the cost of fixing scratches and dents. The same is true of a Philadelphia car accident attorney who has a robust practice.

If you are involved in a car accident that was your fault, your insurance company will have attorneys to defend you so you do not need to seek an attorney in that situation.

No matter what, if you are looking at litigation after a Pennsylvania car accident, you should contact Philadelphia injury attorney Jeffrey Harlan Penneys. Be aware that car accident attorneys specialize in litigation, therefore can get you much larger compensation from your car accident than you would be able to get on your own due to complexities in the law, and how insurance companies treat accident victims who are attempting to represent themselves in a car accident action in Pennsylvania.

Hiring a Philadelphia injury lawyer is more or less a necessity for a fatal injury because the stakes are very high for insurance companies to avoid paying out large sums of compensation money. Do not doubt that it is worth your while to pursue wrongful death damages in Pennsylvania to help you and your family cope with things like medical expenses that were paid to the victims death, funeral expenses, lost financial support, or any emotion distress. These are very important to your quality of life moving forward.

As your Philadelphia wrongful death lawyer I will organize and advise you on all of the many decisions you need to make, and be your spokesman and advocate. Our goal is to make sure the insurance company pays all that is owed to your family. Hiring a trial lawyer, will send a strong signal to them that we are prepared to take the fatal motorcycle accident case as far as we need to for compensation.

In these stressful times, you will find that I am easy to talk to and have a compassionate approach to this somewhat disorienting, and painful time of your life. To inquire as to whether you have a wrongful death case, or can collect survival damages for your loved one’s Pennsylvania fatal motorcycle accident call me at 1-800-465-8795 for a no obligation consultation. I’ll provide an honest opinion of your situation.

There is never a fee unless I win your case.

Initially, fatal car accidents may often not appear as complex as most of them really are.  The potential damages, as far as how much money is on the line, may be quite large in a fatal car accident lawsuit. A ruthless case will likely be built against your loved one by the insurance company so that they don’t stand the opportunity to lose what could be a sizeable sum.  Many factors may indicate more complexity in the auto accident lawsuit than initially thought such as:

• One, or possibly more, of the drivers that were part of the accident may not cooperate with parts of your investigation or respond to your questions.
• You may be hammered with questions about the car accident or your family member by the insurance adjusters.
• Your statements are being requested to be recorded by the insurance adjusters. This is usually a huge sign that it is necessary for you to hire a Philadelphia injury attorney.
• You are asked to sign away your right to file a lawsuit by accepting a sum of money from the insurance company.
• Even though this is a fatal car accident case, your insurance company offers a small settlement.
• One, or possibly more, of the drivers that are part of the accident have insurance protection by a company that you have never heard of prior to this accident.
• One driver, or possibly more, that was involved in the accident does not have any type of insurance coverage.
• Your gut tells you your insurance claim is not being handled properly.

Insurance Company Tactics Following a Pennsylvania Fatal Car Accident

There is a big possibility that the insurance company will challenge your claim, especially when a fatality is involved, since it will more than likely cost them a lot of money. You should be aware that insurance adjusters pose a large risk to your case. Consequently, hiring a Pennsylvania fatal car accident attorney to represent you in these types of situations can assist your family toward getting fair compensation and seeking justice against those responsible for your loss.

Many insurance adjusters play on your family’s emotions and take advantage of their grief after a fatal car accident, getting them to sign away their rights when their minds are not yet emotionally prepared. There is a big probability the insurance adjusters had knowledge of your loved one’s death, even before you did. They may have no problem in asking difficult questions and requesting statements from family members at the hospital and the morgue.  They know the chances that you have spoken to a Philadelphia accident attorney in the immediate aftermath of a fatal car wreck in Pennsylvania are slim. Their goal is to get you to sign your rights away before you have a chance to do so. 

Due to their own enormous amount of grief, many people are victim to this tactic due to unclear thinking.  Philadelphia car accident lawyer Jeffrey H. Penneys is concerned that this does not happen to you and does not wish for an insurance adjuster’s gimmicks to cause you to lose your right to seek justice.

In an ideal world, insurance companies would discuss the damages your loved one’s death caused and a fair compensation auto accident settlement would be offered to you and your family to help cover your loss. This is rarely the case, especially for fatal car accident victims and their families.

The goal of the insurance company is often to pay as little as possible and to work against a victim.  Most people do not have total comprehension of how complex their case is until it is too late.  Unfortunately, many cases may suffer from irreparable damage before victims and their families seek the help of a personal injury attorney.  Don’t let this be the case with you. 

A Fatal Car Accident Attorney Will Protect Your Rights

I can ensure your case is not damaged as a result of their underhanded tactics. I will negotiate on your behalf with these insurance companies. Since I have purused claims against nearly every major insurer in the country, they’re often well-aware of who I am and what I am capable of in the courtroom. Consequently, they won’t attempt their tactics with me.

Fatal car accident lawyers help you to determine whether the the fatal accident was a “wrongful death” due to negligence of others, and to prove it in court to compensate you after your loss. Losing a loved one to the negligent actions of another driver is something that happens all too often. Cell phone usage while driving, including texting, as well as drunk driving or otherwise driving under the influence (DUI) are most often to blame. 

Philadelphia injury lawyer Jeffrey H. Penneys can help you if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death automobile accident in Pennsylvania.

No car trip should ever end with loss of life. Whether the fatal car accident was due to the actions of a negligent motorist, or defective equipment (e.g., airbags that do not deploy) are to blame for the fatal car accident, someone will be held accountable. Whether it’s the other driver, the bar that the drunk driver was drinking at, the owner of the driver’s car or the automobile manufacturer, Philadelphia car accident lawyer Jeffrey H. Penneys will fight aggressively to secure the justice you deserve.

Unlike many Pennsylvania auto accident lawyers who cannot, or choose not to, provide personalized attention to the families of wrongful death victims, you can count on me to be there for you every step of the way — answering your questions and keeping you informed on the status of your case.

The first thing you should be aware of prior to filing such a lawsuit is that it is nearly impossible for a non-attorney to win this type of case as they can be incredibly complex.

An insurance company will work to deny your claim and aggressively fight to win a wrongful death case no matter how severe the injuries or the number of victims. Pennsylvania fatal car accident lawyer Jeffrey H. Penneys has the ability to fully explain the workings of wrongful death lawsuits. Furthermore, Mr. Penneys has the experience required to bring to justice those that are responsible for your loved one’s death.

What Damages Can a Plaintiff Seek for a Wrongful Death Lawsuit Following a Pennsylvania Fatal Car Accident?

There is no monetary amount that can ever truly compensate you for the loss of someone dear to you like a family member.  The entire family can be impacted with such an emotional and sudden loss.  The fact of the matter is, not only do you have an emotional crisis, the loss can also be extremely devastating financially, thus creating a burden for the family as a whole.  After sustaining financial losses from a myriad of circumstances following the loss of your loved one, I will do everything to make sure you receive proper compensation as your auto accident compensation lawyer.  Not only do I want to guarantee that your family does not suffer from the economic hardship due to your family member’s death, I will also assist you with bringing the negligent parties to justice.

The stakes are quite high in wrongful death lawsuits, and you will need proper representation by a Philadelphia fatal car accident lawyer in order to fight against highly skilled insurance adjusters and defense attorneys.

Contact Philadelphia injury attorney Jeffrey H. Penneys at 1-800-465-8795 to discuss whether or not your case qualifies for compensation.

Read Part 2 to learn insurance company tactics if you don’t have a Fatal Car Accident Attorney

Most often, drivers say that they did not see the motorcycle before the crash, which is why there is a high level of impact delivered directly on the body causing serious injury, permanent disability and even death. This is obviously because if the driver did not see the cycle, then the driver had no time to slow down or slam on the brakes prior to impact. Every year, more than 2,000 motorcyclists are killed in accidents with cars. Jeffrey H. Penneys, Esq. handles motorcycle accident settlements on a daily basis. For over 16 years, I have  been helping my clients and their families get the compensation they deserve for motorcycle accidents.

The most common motorcycle accident injuries after a motorcycle crashes with a car.

Major contributors to having an accident, motorcycle riders experience poor road maintenance, defective motorcycle components, lack of visibility to other drivers, collision avoidance, stationary objects, and inattentive drunk drivers as most common factors in a Pennsylvania motorcycle accident occurrence. Failing to brake, over-braking and lack of ability to counter-steer, can leave motorcyclist in a serious accident.

Contrary to popular belief, weather is not a common factor in Pennsylvania motorcycle accidents because it is typically a warmer weather activity.

As a long-time personal injury lawyer, motorcycle lawyer Jeffrey Harlan Penneys is dedicated to helping clients, and has a detailed understanding of insurance policies and provisions, Pennsylvania motorcycle regulations, and the need to have an investigator on the scene as soon as possible. I always get the most for motorcycle injury claims, for my clients, because I am extremely experienced in handling motorcycle cases, and know ALL the ins-and-outs of these cases.

Call 1-800-465-8795 for a free consultation on your accident; motorcycle accidents across Pennsylvania!

Biker’s Arm
When a motorcyclist falls from the bike in a motorcycle accident, the upper arm typically receives most of the impact. “Biker’s Arm” is nerve damage and paralysis of the arm caused from the initial fall from the cycle during an accident.

Broken Bones
Elbows, shoulder breaks, and pelvic fractures are the most common types of broken bone injuries in a motorcycle accident.  Finger, wrist, knee, and spinal fractures are less common breaks but can lead to permanent disability or permanent loss of motion (paralysis). Often, cyclists are not using the correct type of footwear, and as a result, toes are easily broken or amputated as a result of the crash.

Brain Damage
Concussions and brain damage happen when the head makes contact with the inside of the helmet or the ground. Depending on how bad the bleeding and swelling in the brain is, head injuries can also lead to paralysis and loss of brain function. Motorcycle riders can reduce the risk of death by 37% percent by wearing a protective helmet. I know that in PA we have no requirement that cyclists wear helmets, but that is a really, really bad idea.

Road Rash
Road rash happens when any part of the body slides across the pavement. Leather jackets, reinforced denim or other thick, durable and motorcycle-specific material between the rider’s body and the cement can reduce the risk of road rash by over 50%.

Permanent Disfigurement
When unprotected skin slides across the ground or makes impact with an object, aside from road rash, the risk of permanent disfigurement arises. Over 35% percent of all motorcycle crashes result in major impact on the face, causing permanent disfigurement if the rider is not wearing a full-face protective helmet.

If you have been in a Pennsylvania motorcycle accident, through no fault of your own, Philadelphia motorcycle accident lawyer Jeffrey Harlan Penneys offers a free motorcycle accident lawsuit consultation. Call me at 1-800-injury-law today to go over your options.