Personal Injury Lawyers At Ostroff Injury Law Blog

Are Midstate Drivers Being Ticketed for Texting and Driving in PA?

Admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:32:12 +0000

The answer, according to a recent article in the Patriot News, is no. Not many mid-state drivers are being ticketed for texting and driving because police officers are having a hard time determining if someone is texting and driving in violation of Pennsylvania State law.

Specifically, police departments in Upper Allen, Lower Allen, East Pennsboro, Susquehanna, and Lower Paxton Townships have not issued any tickets for texting and driving to date. State police issued 42 citations statewide from March 8 – April 27, 2012.

As personal injury attorneys in PA, we urge motorists to remember that avoiding a ticket is not the point of the texting and driving ban. Avoiding an accident, particularly an accident that causes a serious injury or a fatality, is the point and it is important to stop texting and driving because of the potential human consequences – not just because you might get caught.

Does Your Car Have a Spare Tire? Should It?

Admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:53:20 +0000

Recently, AAA MidAtlantic released a report that found that 1 in 8 new cars come without a spare tire. Instead of spares, cars may come with tires that supposedly run while flat or repair kits. The goal is to improve gas mileage by reducing extra weight in the vehicle.

Despite the trend, AAA warns that lack of a spare tire can be a safety issue. This may be especially true if you are traveling in rural areas where it can take a long to get help. Not only may you be subject to the elements, such as extreme temperatures, but you may also be at risk of being hit by an oncoming vehicle.

Our personal injury attorneys in PA encourage you to consider your plan for a flat tire and to take the steps necessary to protect yourself and your passengers from potential accidents.

Fracking Complaints Filed with PA Department of Health

Admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:52:13 +0000

At the end of April, the Pennsylvania Department of Health indicated that it has received 30 complaints over the last year from people who claim that their health has been impacted by fracking or natural gas drilling. So far the agency has refused to disclose the nature of the complaints and details such as the locations of the complainants and the negative health effects they claim to have suffered.

It is unclear how many fracking reports were received the Department of health prior to April 2011.

Have you been hurt by fracking in PA? If so then we encourage you to contact a Pennsylvania fracking injury lawyer for more information about your rights and potential recovery.

Who is Most Likely to Step on the Gas Pedal by Accident?

Admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:53:55 +0000

A recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study found that older females are more likely than people in other demographic groups to cause accidents by mistakenly stepping on the gas pedal instead of the brake. In fact, the study found that almost two thirds of these types of accidents were caused by older women.

As personal injury attorneys in PA, we find this study important not because it places the majority of blame on one group but because by identifying those most likely to be hurt in gas pedal crashes, those crashes may become easier to prevent. The next step is determining how to teach those most at risk to avoid these potentially serious types of car accidents.

Some Pennsylvania Physicians Concerned About Fracking Law

Admin — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:13:12 +0000

Part of the natural gas drilling, or fracking, law in Pennsylvania contains very specific provisions for physicians that has some doctors concerned. According to the law, a doctor who needs to know about chemicals used in the fracking process in order to diagnose or treat a patient must request that information in writing and sign a confidentiality agreement. The confidentiality agreement could prevent the doctor from sharing the specific chemicals with the public, with other doctors and possibly even with the patient being treated.

If you have been hurt by fracking then it is important to contact a Pennsylvania fracking lawyer to make sure that all of your rights are protected and to determine whether you should file a fracking lawsuit in PA.