Pennsylvania Injury Attorneys Blog

June is National Safety Month

Published on: June 10, 2016 | O'Connor Law

“Safety first” may seem like an old and perhaps cliche phrase, but, this month it means so much more.

According to the National Safety Council, June is annually deemed National Safety Month. This includes safety at home, at work, on the road and in the community. The focus of the month is to prevent injuries and deaths in each of these environments.

Each week in June, the NSC will be providing online materials for anyone to download and utilize during the month. Every week corresponds with a new safety topic:

Attorneys Michael J. O’Connor & David Miller Named to Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists 2016

Published on: May 13, 2016 | O'Connor Law

Attorney Michael J. O’Connor has earned a place on the 2016 Super Lawyers list for his work in the workers’ compensation field, and Attorney David Miller has been named to the Rising Stars list for his work in PI General: Plaintiff. Both are prestigious honors.

This is Attorney O’Connor’s thirteenth time on the Super Lawyers list Attorney Miller’s eighth time named to Rising Stars.

Both Attorneys O’Connor and Miller will have this achievement published in the June 2016 editions of Pennsylvania and Delaware’s Super Lawyers Magazine, Philadelphia magazine and Pittsburgh Magazine. This opportunity will allow thousands of people to learn about the impressive work the lawyers at O’Connor Law provide.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

Published on: May 12, 2016 | O'Connor Law

After signing an official proclamation, Governor Tom Wolf has named May Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. In 2015 alone, there were 3,400 crashes in Pennsylvania involving motorcycles. That number rose from 2014, but fortunately, the number of fatalities declined with a decade low of 179.

“Staying aware while driving or riding, obeying speed limits and being responsible will help keep fatalities and injuries as low as possible,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards in a news release earlier this month.

O’Connor Law wants to do their part to prevent motorcycle accidents. Follow these tips to help keep the roads safe:

PennDOT Implements 70 MPH Speed Limit Zones Across 1,000 Miles of Pennsylvania Highways

Published on: May 5, 2016 | O'Connor Law

Starting this week, Pennsylvania motorists will begin seeing an increased number of 70 mph speed limit zones on several hundreds of miles Interstate Highways, state highways and turnpikes all over the state.

The new zones include…

I-79 from I-90 in Erie County, 97 miles south to just north of the PA 228 interchange in Butler County.

Ready to Ride: Five Ways to be a Clutch Copilot

Published on: April 30, 2016 | O'Connor Law

You and your friends are about to pile into the car to embark on a day trip that is sure to be packed with all sorts of fun and adventure. The driver knows their role, but the fight for the front has only just begun as the passengers try to wage their arguments for who deserves the highly-coveted front passenger “shotgun” seat in the car.

After numerous futile “dibs” calls, a footrace that likely ended with a physical struggle in front of the car door, and pleas for sympathy from one friend claiming severe car sickness, a victor emerges and assumes their rightful throne while the less fortunate squeeze into the back where they will immediately begin barking for more leg room.

The story illustrated above is a familiar occurrence for friends and groups as they prepare to travel, but there’s actually a lot more that goes into “riding shotgun” than just full control over legroom and air vents.

Food Product Residue Scare Prompts Recall of Children’s Applesauce

Published on: March 17, 2016 | O'Connor Law

When it comes to our children, there is no such thing as being “too safe.”

Earlier this month, a popular children’s applesauce pouch brand voluntarily recalled pouches dated between December of last year through March 2017. The reason for the recall comes from health inspection findings by the Michigan State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), where food product residue was discovered in the factory pumps. Thankfully, no illnesses of any kind have been reported in connection with the pouches.

The company, GoGo squeeZ, released a statement saying that no evidence of residue has been found in the applesauce, and that they ensure nothing short of extensive product testing.

EvenFlo Recalls Popular but Defective Children’s Car Seat

Published on: March 4, 2016 | O'Connor Law

A popular children’s car seat manufacturer has decided to recall thousands of car seats due to easily loosened internal harnesses.

The company, EvenFlo, will recall 56,000 harnesses that possess a front button on the harness that can be adjusted by the child wearing it if it is in reach.

Tampering with such a harness can lead to increased chance or more severe injury should the car get into an accident.

Volkswagen Facing Another Recall; This Time for Fatal Airbags

Published on: February 25, 2016 | O'Connor Law

After facing major consequences for faulty emissions tests, Volkswagen faced yet another vehicle recall for potentially fatal airbags.

The car manufacturer initially refused a government mandated recall to fix the defective airbags, claiming that recalling the vehicles was unnecessary. Eventually, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, Volkswagen cooperated and went through with the recall.

The recalled vehicles include U.S. Audi and VW vehicles between the years 2006 to 2014. There are roughly 850,000 vehicles involved in the recall. In a letter to the safety agency, Volkswagen argued against the recall by stating that many of the vehicles had perfectly functioning airbags made at the Takata factory in Germany.

Pennsylvania Meat Packaging Company Recalls Product

Published on: February 11, 2016 | O'Connor Law

A Pennsylvania meat packing company is recalling a little more than 1,300 pounds of beef products due to mislabeling.

The packaged meat may contain pork and the additive erythorbate, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The recalled meats are 1 lb. plastic shrink-wrapped “BERKS Heat & Serve Knockwurst” links with establishment number “EST. 8782.”

Potential Recall of 24-Million Vehicles Following Death Caused by Forceful Airbag in Ford Ranger

Published on: January 31, 2016 | O'Connor Law

More than 390,000 Ford Ranger pickup trucks are being recalled due to overly strong driver’s side air bags.

The airbags in the recalled 2004-2006 vehicles have been found to cause injury upon release. The faulty airbags played a role in the death of 52-year-old Joel Knight, a South Carolina native whose truck crashed and caused deadly shrapnel to penetrate his neck.

In addition to Knight’s accident, the airbags are responsible for nine other deaths and more than 100 injuries. Many of the airbags have also simply failed lab tests as well.