Pennsylvania Taking Baby Steps On The Cell Phone Front…
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on July 10th, 2009
Driving while texting: proposed Pa. law would levy $100 fine Tired of seeing drivers texting from cellphones and PDAs while they’re behind the wheel of their cars, minivans and trucks? So are we, as is every other rational person who doesn’t want to get hurt in a vehicle accident due to someone else’s carelessness. Well, some good news came out of the Pennsylvania State Senate yesterday – a bill passed the Senate by a 44...
Auto Accident Checklist from MyPhillyLawyer
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on July 9th, 2009
If you have ever been involved in a car accident, even one that is minor, you know that the aftermath can be very hectic and chaotic. If you have serious injuries or property damage, you will definitely want to document as much information as possible about the accident, the drivers, the vehicles and objects involved. MyPhillyLawyer provides a helpful Auto Accident Checklist as well as six critical steps you should follow immediately after an accident....
GM Bankruptcy Amended to Address Some Concerns
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on June 30th, 2009
Since the announcement of Chrysler’s bankruptcy plan nearly a month ago, opponents have gathered to express outrage at the injustice of this plan. As we discussed previously, the Chrysler bankruptcy plan leaves people who are injured as the result of defective Chrysler vehicles without legal claims against the “new” emerging company. This outrage did little to alter the fate of Chrysler; the bankruptcy was approved with minimal interruptions. Chrysler has emerged from bankruptcy without liability...
Breathalyzer Source Code as an Issue in DUI Defense
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on June 25th, 2009
For years, DUI defense attorneys have questioned the reliability of breath test results used as evidence of alcohol intoxication in DUI cases. Criminal defense attorneys across the nation have suggested that the source code used to program alcohol breath test machines have errors that make the machines render unreliable results in certain circumstances. Reliability of the results is important because in a criminal prosecution, defendants have a right to cross-examine witnesses against them. But for...
Philly Hospital Errors Demonstrate Need for Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on June 23rd, 2009
Last Saturday, the New York Times published an article about rampant medical negligence in a Philadelphia hospital, drawing national attention to a terrible local problem. According to the article, with broken equipment and minimal oversight, a "rogue cancer unit" at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center botched 92 of 116 procedures intended to help prostate cancer patients. The article cites many problems, from a regulatory system that allowed the doctor to revise his surgical plan after...
Video Blog: What Makes a Good Case?
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on June 16th, 2009
If you have been injured in a car accident, a work-related injury or other personal injury accident or hurt by medical malpractice, you may be wondering how you will pay your medical expenses, keep up with your own bills and heal from your injury. For information on personal injury matters, what makes a good case, how to retain an attorney without fronting the costs, and other common client questions, you can watch and listen to...
Luzerne County Travesty
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on June 16th, 2009
What a racket. Private companies come in to operate two juvenile detention facilities in Luzerne County and Butler County. Then two Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas judges allegedly accept kickbacks from the juvenile detention facilities to send juveniles for lengthy, profitable stays, regardless of the facts of the legal cases against the kids. It’s like a bad made-for-TV movie script. But the worst part of it is, that’s exactly what federal prosecutors say actually...
Philadelphia Police Chase or Not? Tragedy beyond belief regardless.
By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on June 14th, 2009
A careening car, four young victims – was it a police chase? Even as the police investigation continues, questions persist in the deaths of three young children and a 22-year-old woman in Philadelphia’s Feltonville neighborhood on June 10, where an attempted vehicle stop by police resulted in a vehicle chase, a fleeing car and a tragedy that has rocked the city. According to an account of the crash in The Philadelphia Inquirer, officers were responding...
Medical Amnesty Legislation in New Jersey
By Dean I Weitzman, Esq. on June 9th, 2009
The recent tragic deaths of two young people from excessive drinking at New Jersey colleges have prompted action in the New Jersey Legislature. Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini introduced a bill known as the 911 Legislation or Lifeline Legislation, which provides amnesty for minors who seek medical attention for themselves or friends who have become dangerously intoxicated. Statistics from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence - New Jersey (NCADD-NJ) reveal the dangerous risks that...