Lessons learned: how to choose your legal team after a vehicle crash
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on January 6th, 2011
Auto accidents happen all the time, but they are not always accidents. In most cases, vehicle crashes are the result of the negligence or poor decisions of others. The problem is that such negligence and poor decisions can have grave impacts on others – including you and your family members – causing horrific injuries, pain and suffering and even death. [caption id="attachment_1053" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Image credit: © iStockphoto.com/Svenler"][/caption] Such was the case of a 36-year-old...
Legal update: It’s about time — the Pa. State Police will no longer ticket people for cursing
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on January 5th, 2011
As crazy as it sounds, until this week, you could be ticketed and fined for cursing in public in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania if your profane speech was overheard by a state trooper. In fact, the state police had in the past issued more than 750 such citations in one year to residents. Not anymore. [caption id="attachment_1048" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="An image of a police summons. Image credit: © iStockphoto.com/slobo"][/caption] In a settlement announced yesterday between...
MyPhillyLawyer TV ALERT… NOON E.T. TODAY … Dean Weitzman appears on Talk Philly on CBS Channel 3
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on December 8th, 2010
MyPhillyLawyer TV ALERT... MyPhillyLawyer's Dean Weitzman will appear at noon today on CBS TV 3's "Talk Philly" news program to discuss the use and controversy surrounding the new full body scanning machines being installed in airports across the nation. Listen in with Dean and the show's co-host, Ukee Washington, today at noon! We'll post a link here later so you can catch the show online. [caption id="attachment_1042" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Ukee Washington, the co-host of CBS-TV...
Police stun guns, legal liability and you
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on November 12th, 2010
Police departments around the nation routinely use TASER and other brands of "stun gun" devices to temporarily disable suspects who are aggressive or combative when authorities try to arrest or question them. For police, the devices are seen as equalizers that allow officers to get the upper hand over dangerous suspects in difficult situations when police arrive to make arrests or investigate a crime. The problem, though, is that these devices can also be dangerous....
Alcoholic energy drinks, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, legal liability and you
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on November 9th, 2010
The PLCB asks retailers to stop selling Four Loko and other energy drinks containing alcohol and caffeine until health impacts are understood In an unusual move last week, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) asked every one of the 17,000 beer distributors, restaurants, bars and other organizations that sell alcoholic beverages in the Commonwealth to voluntary and immediately stop selling "alcoholic energy drinks." The drinks, which come in colorful cans and usually have fruity flavors,...
Racial profiling suit filed in Philadelphia, but the problem persists across our nation
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on November 4th, 2010
It's 2010, and still across the United States, people are stopped by police for no other reasons than the color of their skin or that they're in the wrong place at the wrong time. The problem is that police departments and cities across the nation still insist on stopping people based on "profiles" of observable behavior or actions that could indicate criminal activity. In these cases, though, there's not yet any evidence of any criminal...
Airport body scanners, security, privacy and you
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on November 3rd, 2010
The introduction last week of the first full body security scanners in Terminal F at Philadelphia International Airport means that air travelers here will have more decisions to make in balancing convenience, privacy and personal security when they fly. The full body scanners – which produce detailed images that allow Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel to see if a traveler is carrying a concealed weapon or bomb device underneath their actual clothing – have been...
Birth injuries and your legal rights
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on October 26th, 2010
The birth of a child is a joyous and wonderful event as a new life comes into the world and into our lives. Sometimes, though, complications and medical errors can arise, with catastrophic consequences for a family. Doctors can make critical mistakes, hospitals and nursing staffs can introduce errors in patient care and other problems can arise during births, leaving a family unsure of their legal options and responsibilities. Last week, a Pennsylvania Superior Court...
Your children are playing sports: Is their safety equipment protecting them?
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on October 25th, 2010
Serious injuries, including concussions, have been occurring more and more lately in football games from the pros to colleges to youth football leagues across the U.S. A junior at Rutgers suffered a spinal cord injury during a football game on Oct. 16, rendering him paralyzed from the neck down. Concussions during NFL football games have been happening at a brisk pace in recent weeks, as hard hits have led to serious injuries on the field...