Pennsylvania Injury Attorneys Blog

The driver of the World Wide Travel bus that crashed on Interstate 95 in New York in March, killing 15 passengers, was indicted on manslaughter charges in Bronx State Supreme Court on Thursday.

At the time of the accident, the bus was returning to Manhattan’s Chinatown from an overnight trip to a Connecticut casino. Along with those who were killed, dozens were injured.

According to the article, prosecutors allege that the driver not only lacked a valid driver’s license, but that he also was sleep deprived. An investigation into the accident has revealed that the driver had been driving during what should have been his off hours, causing a lack of adequate sleep. In the article, Gary Weil, a prosecutor in the Bronx district attorney’s office is quoted as saying, “This defendant owed it to his passengers to do better. What makes this a reckless act is he knew what his condition was and chose to ignore it.”

The approach of the Labor Day holiday marks the end of summer and for many parents, their favorite time of year: back to school. So we thought a refresher course in back to school safety was in order, compliments of the website SafeKids.org.

Reminders for Drivers

• Slow down and be especially alert in the residential neighborhoods and school zones.

As Hurricane Irene barrels up the east coast this weekend, we urge our clients and neighbors to stay safe and be prepared. Our local paper, The Republican Herald, reports that Gov. Tom Corbett has declared a state of emergency in PA, in anticipation of the wind, rain, and flooding that Irene is likely to leave in her path. The hurricane is expected to affect the eastern half of the state.

Pennsylvania could see as much as 7 inches of rain in the Philadelphia area that could cause the Schuylkill River and other bodies of water to flood, according to CNN.com. As a result, the National Weather Service in State College has issued a flash flood watch for Schuylkill, Lebanon, York, and Lancaster Counties from Saturday evening through Sunday morning.

We’ve listed a few websites below where you can find the most up-to-date information on the storm, as well as helpful tips to keep you safe as Irene passes through our area. From everyone here at O’Connor Law, stay safe this weekend!

A man and woman on a motorcycle were killed in Birdsboro, PA when another man drove a van into the path of the motorcycle.

According to The Mercury of Pottstown, the accident occurred in Union Township. The man driving the motorcycle and his female passenger were killed. Both were wearing helmets.

The motorcyle was traveling east on Route 724 when the van pulled out from a pharmacy parking lot. The driver of the van was not injured.

In an effort to reduce the number of tractor-trailer crashes in the Keystone state, the Pocono Record recently reported that the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, state police, and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) have combined their efforts and are working together.

In fact, the Pennsylvania state police recently earned the highest possible rating from the FMCSA for providing timely and accurate crash inspection data, according to the state police. More than 93,000 random truck inspections were conducted across PA, a 14 percent increase from 2009.

Specially trained officers are used from Pennsylvania’s Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, state police, the state Public Utility Commission and other local and regional police departments. They inspect required commercial driver credentials and vehicle components, including tires and brakes.

The Delaware Count Daily Times reported that around 4:45 PM on Friday Interstate 95 was close in both directions because of a hazardous leak from a tractor-trailer.

The newspaper reported that a state trooper noticed the leak and pulled over the tanker in Tinicum Township. The truck was reported to be carrying acetic anhydride, a chemical that can be noxious and corrosive.

A decontamination unit had to assess the damage before travel could resume. Both lanes of I-95 reopened around 10 PM.

The truck driver involved in a crash that killed a man in 2009 on I-81 in Carlisle is being sued, along with 4 trucking companies, by the man’s widow.

At the time of the accident, the truck driver lost control of his rig and crossed the median, then became airborne and crashed into the man’s car. According to an article on Cumberlink.com, it was soon after the crash that state police obtained a warrant to search the truck for evidence of mechanical failure, trip logs, shipping papers, as well as evidence of illegal stimulants, to try and determine the details of the accident.

The lawsuit asserts that each defendant owed a duty of care to others on public streets and highways to obey state and federal regulations with regard to safe, prudent, and lawful operation of a commercial motor vehicle, as stated by the law firm representing the man’s widow.

An early morning accident on Friday forced dozens of families from their homes after a tractor-trailer spilled hazardous liquid in Indiana County.

Hazmat crews were called to the scene because corrosive liquid leaked from the truck after it overturned along Route 119 in North Mahoning Township.

WTAE.com reported that some families were able to return to their homes, but other families would only be allowed to return once the scene was clear.

Fox 43 has reported this week that a PennDOT truck made an illegal u-turn on a road in Perry County, striking a car and killing the car’s passenger.

State police reported that the accident happened Tuesday morning at the Amity Hall on-ramp of SR 11/15. As the dump truck entered the right northbound lane of the highway, it began to make the u-turn and hit a car in the middle of its passenger car, causing the car to spin. The front passenger in the car died. The driver and a 5-year-old child riding in the back of the car were flown to a local hospital.

A tragic story like this is hard to accept when it is proven that it could have been prevented. The evidence points to the driver of the truck who was making an illegal u-turn. We may want to overlook the rules of the road if we have become lost or missed our exit, but this is a perfect example of why we must obey them. If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck or auto accident and the fault is the driver of the other vehicle, you may be eligible for compensation. Contact the auto accident attorneys of O’Connor Law for a free review of your case.

Popular children’s toy manufacturer, Fisher-Price, recalled it’s Little People Builders’ Load ‘n Go Wagon on Thursday due to a problem with the wagon’s handle.

The wagon was sold at retail stores nationwide from June 2009 through July 2011 for approx. $25. The model number is P8977 and it can be found on the bottom of the wagon. The toy name “Little People Builders” is found on a label on the side of the wagon. Wagons with green handles are not included in this recall.

The wagon’s handle has molded-in reinforcement that can cause a laceration of the child falls on it.