An estimated 16-year high of 42,915 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA). That represents a 10.5% increase over fatalities in 2020. And, fatalities in crashes involving at least one large truck were up 13%. Driver Fatigue Accidents involving large trucks can have a number of causes. One of the [...]
The Attorneys and Staff at Comitz Law are pleased to announce that Attorney Stephen J. Fendler has joined their Legal Team as Senior Counsel. Attorney Fendler will be providing legal counsel to Personal Injury clients throughout Northeastern PA, focusing on auto and truck accidents, slip, trip and fall injuries and work-related injuries as well as Social Security Disability claims, and [...]
“The unwarranted departure from generally accepted standards of medical practice resulting in injury to a patient, including all liability-producing conduct arising from the rendition of professional medical services.” That’s how the Pennsylvania Supreme Court defined medical malpractice. If it sounds complicated, that’s because it is. Medical malpractice law is one the most complex legal practice areas. Medical malpractice occurs when [...]
Administration of an estate involves the management of the assets and liabilities of someone who has died. Typically, a will designates a personal representative (executor) to administer the estate. If an executor isn’t named, the court will appoint an administrator, who serves as the personal representative. There are three ways that assets can pass to surviving heirs: Operation of [...]
“It takes a wise doctor to know when not to prescribe, and at times the greater skill consists in not applying remedies.” So proclaimed Spanish philosopher Baltasar Gracián. Four centuries later, Gracián would have been taken aback by the overprescribing taking place in the United States. Overprescribing is defined as “providing more drugs than are necessary or in dosages that [...]
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 9,560 people died in motor vehicle crashes between January and March of 2022. This makes it the deadliest first quarter since 2002. The 2022 figure represents a 7% increase over January through March of last year, when there were 8,935 fatalities. Annual fatalities for 2021 totaled 42,915, a 16-year [...]
While we can’t predict the future with absolute accuracy, we can plan for it. Estate planning can provide a degree of certainty in an uncertain world. Typically consisting of a number of legal documents, an estate plan serves to provide for loved ones after death and ensure that assets are distributed in a timely manner. The minimization of expenses and [...]
For nearly a year, a 48-year-old woman experienced recurrent lower urinary symptoms. The symptoms first appeared a few weeks after she had an abdominal hysterectomy. A scan revealed a surgical towel and a pair of hemostats inside of the patient. These items led to a fistulous connection between the ileum and the dome of the urinary bladder. The recurrent urinary [...]
Motorcycles provide riders with a feeling of freedom. But the vehicle’s very nature that fuels that feeling also leave riders prone to fatal injuries. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate that motorcyclists are almost thirty times more likely to experience a fatal crash than those in a passenger vehicle per mile traveled. A study released in [...]
Lawsuits by victims Drivers who cause injuries while driving under the influence (DUI) can expect to be sued by victims. Many lawsuits against drunk drivers result in large jury awards, which are motivated by the public’s outrage over fatalities caused by impaired drivers. It’s not surprising that many of these lawsuits result in large jury awards. In one recent Tennessee [...]