South Williamsport Personal Injury Blog

Wrongful death prompts action from governor

On behalf of The Waffenschmidt Law Firm, LLC posted in wrongful death on Wednesday, October 17, 2018.

For Pennsylvania college students, a new semester can bring both nerves and excitement. As a student attempts to find his or her niche, many are drawn to the appealing prospect of joining a fraternity or sorority. Unfortunately, a "pledge" must often complete a series of challenges to earn one's spot, and some of these tasks can cause serious personal injury or even wrongful death.

The process, often referred to as "hazing," caused at least one death last year. The student in question was required to drink a dangerous amount of alcohol, and was never able to recover. Often, less serious injuries go unreported, because a student is afraid to appear weak, or "uncool," by their peers that have given the instructions, often senior members of the fraternity or sorority.

Accident involving toddler may be wrongful death

On behalf of The Waffenschmidt Law Firm, LLC posted in wrongful death on Wednesday, October 10, 2018.

Pennsylvania parents would likely agree that one of their greatest fears is an accident that causes serious injury or death to their child. Sometimes, negligence on the part of a product manufacturer can be considered wrongful death. Recently, a small child was tragically killed, and authorities have already determined the parents were not at fault.

A 4-year-old child was playing in his home as his parents prepared a meal. He became entangled in a treadmill used for exercise. A Pennsylvania medical examiner determined that the child was killed when his neck was crushed. After an investigation, authorities determined the parents are not responsible and that they had been properly supervising the child.

Car accidents may be handled as criminal cases

On behalf of The Waffenschmidt Law Firm, LLC posted in car accidents on Thursday, October 4, 2018.

Pennsylvania drivers would probably say they do all they can to avoid a car crash. By nature, most crashes are unintentional. Many car accidents do not require much investigation, and the matter can be quickly resolved. Recently, an unusual accident that resulted in death has authorities suspecting the accident was intentional.

The investigation began after several Pennsylvania residents heard a loud noise. The frightening sound turned out to be a vehicle that had exploded. Three people in the car were killed, including a 2-year-old boy. All of the people in the vehicle knew each other, and one of the adult victims was the child's father. The third victim is reportedly a family friend.

Car accidents involving school buses on the rise

On behalf of The Waffenschmidt Law Firm, LLC posted in car accidents on Thursday, September 27, 2018.

Pennsylvania residents might find themselves alarmed as they continue to see news stories where school buses have been involved in crashes. Several have occurred in the state already this year, and the fear that buses continue to be involved in car accidents have many parents concerned. Many families rely on buses to get children to and from school each day, and each moment a bus is on the road is a moment that children are potentially in danger. The latest crash resulted in fatality.

Recently, a Pennsylvania school bus, fortunately empty except for the driver, was involved in a serious accident. A vehicle had come to a stop, signaling a left hand turn. A driver approaching from behind failed to stop in time and swerved to avoid a rear end collision. Unfortunately, this maneuver caused the vehicle to end up in oncoming traffic.

Go-kart parade accident causes severe injuries

On behalf of The Waffenschmidt Law Firm, LLC on Wednesday, September 26, 2018.

During day-to-day activities, most people do not give safety a second thought. There is always the risk of a car accident, slip-and-fall or work injury. However, one freak accident can send a person's life spiraling out of control. While trying to recover from unexpected injuries, feeling helpless is quite normal.

Car accidents resulting in death continue to plague PA roads

On behalf of The Waffenschmidt Law Firm, LLC posted in car accidents on Wednesday, September 19, 2018.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation recently had to close a portion of Route 322 because two crashes occurred on the same stretch within hours of each other. The car accidents appear to be unrelated, but at least one resulted in fatality. Police continue to investigate both crashes, and details have emerged about the first of the crashes, which resulted in death and injuries suffered.

Early reports indicate that a 19-year-old female lost control of her vehicle. While the cause of the driver's trouble is still unknown, it has been established that her vehicle swerved into oncoming traffic. She struck a small car driven by a Pennsylvania man.

Car accidents involving pedestrians can result in legal trouble

On behalf of The Waffenschmidt Law Firm, LLC posted in car accidents on Thursday, September 13, 2018.

Pennsylvania has many large cities, but is far from what might be considered urban. Home to many small towns, the state has one of the largest rural populations in the nation. Small towns may sound idyllic, but are often subject to the same troubles as big cities, and a constant concern is car accidents.

The small town of Chambersburg recently became the scene of a tragic accident that resulted in criminal charges. A driver ran over a pedestrian in front of the local police department. She then fled the scene, leaving the victim lying in the street with what was described as a serious head injury.

Pets may be victims of medical malpractice

On behalf of The Waffenschmidt Law Firm, LLC posted in medical malpractice on Thursday, September 6, 2018.

A pet can be just as important to a family as its human relatives, and many Pennsylvania pet owners go to great lengths to make sure that their furry friends receive the best care. Much like their counterparts in the human healthcare field, veterinarians are held to certain standards, and violations can lead to medical malpractice accusations. A negligent veterinarian can cause injury or death to a beloved pet, and that vet may be held responsible for faulty procedures.

One Pennsylvania vet faces serious charges of medical malpractice after causing animals to suffer injury or death. One family states that the mix of medication she prescribed for their Labrador retriever turned out to be a fatal cocktail that killed their dog. Another family reported that after taking their cat to be declawed the poor cat had it's toes glued together, which required corrective surgery by another vet.

Jobs where slip and fall accidents are abundant

On behalf of The Waffenschmidt Law Firm, LLC posted in slip-and-falls on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.

Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common work injuries in the United States. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), there were nearly 600 deaths and over 47,000 serious injuries from falls in the workplace in 2013.

While almost every job has some potential falling hazard, there are some careers that can put their workers at major risk a falling accident that could land them in the hospital and cost thousands of dollars in medical bills. Even if falls are entirely preventable, it is important for Pennsylvania residents to be aware of what jobs have a high amount of fall obstacles so they can take precaution or prepare themselves if a loved one does get in an accident.

Car accidents sometimes follow serious crimes

On behalf of The Waffenschmidt Law Firm, LLC posted in car accidents on Thursday, August 30, 2018.

Pennsylvania parents would probably agree that one thing they dread is being notified that one of their children has been seriously injured or killed. The loss of a child can devastate an entire family. Car accidents remain a leading cause of childhood death, and recently, one mother learned that her young son had been killed as a result of his father's poor behavior.

The accident occurred after the child's father was attempting to flee from police after allegedly stealing hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise from a local Pennsylvania store. He sped off with his child in tow, who by all reports was not in a car seat as required by law. The father sped right through a red light, causing an accident with another vehicle that had the right-of-way.