What You Need to Know About Full Tort vs. Limited Tort Car Insurance
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on March 23rd, 2018
When drivers buy car insurance in Pennsylvania, they have the option of choosing from two kinds of coverage – limited tort, which covers a driver's medical treatment and related expenses, but not pain and suffering – or full tort, which maintains their rights to sue for pain and suffering in all cases. The decision about which coverage to purchase is one of the most important a driver can make. On its face, limited tort coverage...
How You Can Choose the Right Lawyer for Your Family
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on March 16th, 2018
Every Sunday morning, callers to our MyPhillyLawyer Court Radio broadcast dial in to talk about their legal situations. And inevitably, some of our callers, who are often avid fans of the show, explain that they were recently involved in a car crash, hired a lawyer and now are not happy with their choice of representation. They ask to make an appointment with our firm to discuss their situation. Then I ask them why they didn't...
What You Need to Know About Statutes of Limitations and Car Crashes
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on March 2nd, 2018
Sometimes when people are involved a car crash, they don't think much about it, perhaps not realizing they are even injured in the adrenaline rush of the moment. Other times, injured parties are talked out of reporting their injuries from a vehicle crash by the driver of the vehicle, who doesn't want to report the incident to their insurance company due to concerns about being hit with higher premiums. That's what happened to a recent...
$1.7M Verdict to Boy Struck in Head by Baseball at Youth Ball Game
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on February 26th, 2018
The family of a boy who suffered a severe brain injury after he was struck in the head by a foul ball while standing in a dugout during a youth baseball game in April of 2015 has been awarded a $1.7 million verdict by an Allegheny County jury. The boy, Zachary Hoffman, was a day shy of his 12th birthday when he was struck by the foul ball, which had passed through an 11-foot gap...
$2.75M Settlement to Man Seriously Injured by Falling Streetlight Pole
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on February 2nd, 2018
A man who suffered serious head injuries when he was struck by a falling streetlight as he walked through Philadelphia's Chinatown neighborhood in 2015 has reached a $2.75 million settlement with two defendants in the case. The victim, Xue Ping Gao, was hurt on April 23, 2015, as he walked at 10th and Apple streets in Chinatown just as a tractor-trailer was backing up to drop off musical equipment to the nearby Trocadero Theater, according...
$40M Jury Verdict to Delaware County Family in Birth Injury Case
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on January 31st, 2018
A $40.3 million medical malpractice verdict has been awarded to the family of a 6-year-old Delaware County girl who suffered a spinal injury at birth in 2011 at Delaware County Memorial Hospital. The child, Grayson Charlton, and her twin sister were delivered at the hospital on March 2, 2011, according to a Jan. 25 story in The Legal Intelligencer, but unlike her sister, who was born first, Grayson was born breech, or feet-first. The babies...
Keeping Older Drivers Safe on the Road: A MyPhillyLawyer Guide
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on January 23rd, 2018
As drivers get older, their reaction times, eyesight and driving skills can deteriorate, making them less safe on the roads. For families which have older drivers, including grandparents and elderly parents, this can be a difficult and sensitive subject to raise, but it is important that such discussions be considered and taken on. We all remember the freedom, the thrill and the excitement of getting our driver's license when we were teenagers. With that piece...
What to Do if You are in a Car Crash: A Guide from MyPhillyLawyer
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on January 12th, 2018
Vehicle crashes can happen anytime, especially when winter weather turns slippery and nasty. That's why it’s a good idea to periodically review the correct steps to take to protect you and your passengers if you are ever involved in a vehicle crash with another motorist who is drunk, distracted or making bad choices on our roadways. These kinds of crashes happen when innocent drivers least expect them. Here's what you can do if you are...
Winter’s Back: Here’s Your MyPhillyLawyer Winter Driving Safety Guide
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on January 5th, 2018
Since winter began officially on Dec. 21, the Philadelphia metropolitan area has already endured several powerful winter storms, with measurable snow, ice, sub-freezing temperatures and the slippery and snarled roads that come with it all. Of course, this is only the beginning of the winter storm season. So with that in mind, we at MyPhillyLawyer again bring you some of our best winter driving safety tips from a range of experts to help reacquaint our...