Pennsylvania Injury Attorneys Blog

Tractor Trailer Crash Sends Car Off Bridge

Published on: August 29, 2013 | O'Connor Law

A tractor trailer crash in Baltimore in July that pushed a car off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

According to an article on the WashingtonPost.com, the driver of the truck was employed by a Canadian company and was on his first solo trip in the United States. Although there were no mechanical defects found on the tractor-trailer, the report said it was the driver’s first trip without being paired with a more experienced driver.

The article said that before the accident, the truck driver had looked at his driver-side mirror because of sounds and lights behind him. When he looked back on the road, traffic had stopped and he was unable to avoid hitting the car in front of him. His truck pushed the car forward, hitting another car. The second car was then pushed over a barrier wall, falling 27 feet into the bay. The driver of the second car was able to get out of the car and swim to safety with minor injuries.

Watch for Students and School Buses as the School Year Begins

Published on: August 26, 2013 | O'Connor Law

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) urges motorists to be alert for students and school buses now that school has begun here in the state.

In a press release, PennDOT secretary Barry Schoch said, “As students return to the classroom, drivers who haven’t had to drive around buses or students for months must be alert for bus stops and school zones. The consequences of just a moment of distraction could prove to be tragic.”

PennDOT reminds motorists that if they approach a school bus when its red lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended, their vehicle must stop at least 10 feet from the bus. Only when a school bus is stopped on the opposite side of a highway clearly separated by a divider such as concrete barriers or grass medians. Still, motorists should be watching for students crossing the road. A motorist who violates the school bus stopping law faces a $250 fine, five points on their driving record, and a 60-day license suspension.

Motorcyclist Killed in Collision with Jeep in Erie

Published on: August 13, 2013 | O'Connor Law

An accident that took the life of a motorcyclist in Erie is a stark reminder that all drivers must look out for motorcycles on the road.

According to an article on GoErie.com, a woman driving a Jeep Liberty struck a man on a motorcycle early last week in Union City. The crash took place about 2 PM at Wager Road. The woman stopped at an intersection and then proceeded to turn left, turning into the path of the motorcycle. When she realized she had pulled in front of the motorcycle, she swerved her vehicle sharply to the left. The motorcyclist tried to pass the Jeep on its driver’s side, but collided with the Jeep instead. The man was thrown from the bike, struck an embankment, and died instantly.

Tractor Trailer Accident Kills 3; Driver Charged

Published on: August 5, 2013 | O'Connor Law

In a horrific accident over the weekend in New Jersey, a mother and two of her small children were killed when a tractor-trailer driver made an illegal U-turn and crashed into their SUV.

According to an article on NBCPhiladelphia.com, a 9-year-old boy and a 3-month-old boy were killed along with their mother. The father and an 8-year-old daughter were injured and taken to the hospital where they were later released. The family was Levittown, Pennsylvania.

In the article, police said the truck driver made an illegal U-turn. The accident happened on Business Route 1 in Lawrence Township, NJ. He was arrested and charged with three counts of death by auto. He is currently being held in jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Children Injured When Truck Strikes Bus

Published on: July 29, 2013 | O'Connor Law

About 25 children were injured on Friday when the bus they were riding in was struck from behind by a tractor trailer on Interstate 81 in Hazle Township.

According to an article by the Associated Press, the children were part of a summer program through the Hazleton YMCA. They were on a day trip when their bus was hit by the truck as it traveled in the southbound lanes of 81. The children suffered only minor injuries.

The Times-Tribune reports that the accident happened when the school bus slowed as it entered a construction area along 81.

Where is the Most Dangerous Place to be on a Motorcycle?

Published on: June 12, 2013 | O'Connor Law

According to the Administration for National Highway Traffic Safety, on average 3 motorcycle riders are killed in multivehicle accidents at intersections every day! 46% of motorcycle crashes happen in this way. Sadly, it is the riders fault only 4% of the time.

The reason this is so common is because when people are making turns or other maneuvers at intersections, they will normally check around them looking for other vehicles, they are usually not looking for motorcycles. They may not notice the rider because they are much smaller than cars or trucks.

So how can you help avoid such a devastating accident when there is a 96% chance it won’t even be your fault? Here are a few tips:

Is Television Causing People to Drown?

Published on: June 11, 2013 | O'Connor Law

It may seem like a far-fetched accusation, but what we see is what we believe.

Think of what it looks like when you see a person who is drowning. It’s pretty easy to bring to mind, isn’t it? They flail their arms and splash as they are trying to stay above water, they yell for help and they cause a big scene, right?

Wrong. This is what most of us picture when we think of someone drowning, but this is completely wrong. Television and movies have taught us to think this way because they exaggerate real life events. It’s called “dramatic conditioning.” Guns don’t make a cocking noise every time you point them at something; knives don’t make that sinister “schling” sound every time you lift them, and people don’t really flail and scream when they are drowning… in fact they can’t.

Winner of “Cutest Pet Contest” and New iPod Shuffle Announced

Published on: May 29, 2013 | O'Connor Law

The attorneys and staff of O’Connor Law had their pick of the litter last week when they announced that Jill Strunk of Pottsville and her Saint Bernard puppy, Boudreaux, were the winners of the “Cutest Pet Contest.” The content began in March when clients were asked to send a picture of their pets to the O’Connor Facebook page (www.facebook.com/mjoclaw). Pictures were posted on the Facebook page through May 1 and the picture of the pet that received the most “Likes” was named the winner. The prize was a brand new iPod Shuffle 2GB, an easy-to-use portable device for storing hundreds of songs.
Congratulations to Jill and Boudreaux! Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

May Is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

Published on: May 24, 2013 | O'Connor Law

Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer. As the weather begins to warm up here in Pennsylvania, we begin to hear the rumble and roar of motorcycles as they parade down our highways. So we’d like to take a moment to share an important message from our friends at the Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) by reminding everyone that May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in the state.

During this month, ABATE encourages motorists and motorcycles to share the road safely and to “Look Twice to Save A Life.” When you see lawn signs that read “Watch for Motorcycles,” those have been placed by ABATE to help bring motorcycle safety and awareness to the forefront of everyone’s attention.

Earlier this month, Governor Tom Corbett proclaimed May at Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and said, “If car, truck and motorcycle operators follow simple steps like looking out for each other and obeying speed limits, we can work together to reduce the number of crashes and highway deaths we see each year.”

Attorney Miller of O’Connor Law Attends NJ Association for Justice’s Boardwalk Seminar 2013

Published on: April 20, 2013 | O'Connor Law

The attorneys and staff of O’Connor Law pride themselves on keeping up-to-date on their areas of practice. This week, Attorney Dave Miller is attending the New Jersey Association for Justice’s Boardwalk Seminar 2013 in Atlantic City, NJ. The two and a half day training event includes in-depth educational lectures on trial strategies and litigation techniques, including personal injury, nursing home neglect, and medical malpractice, just a few of the firm’s areas of practice. The seminar also provides attorneys the chance to visit with over 160 legal vendors and network with almost 2,000 other attorneys.