Butler Personal Injury Law Blog

Five injured when debris breaks through windshield

On behalf of Conlon Tarker, P.C. posted in Truck Accidents on Friday, March 22, 2019.

This blog has often noted the potential dangers posed to other vehicles by large trucks. Because commercial trucks are so large and heavy, any collision between a truck and a passenger car can be devastating for occupants of the smaller vehicle. However, large trucks can sometimes pose other dangers as well.

Five people were injured recently on Pennsylvania's I-476 when debris flew the windshield of their car, according to news reports. Police said the debris may have fallen off a truck traveling in the opposite direction on the interstate.

How to design a safe stairway

On behalf of Conlon Tarker, P.C. on Saturday, March 9, 2019.

An unsafe stairway puts everyone at risk. Though we negotiate the stairs many times per day, you should never underestimate the danger. One slip is all that it takes. A fall can lead to a brain injury, a skull fracture, a spinal injury or even death.

If you have ever slipped on a single stair and caught yourself on the next step, you know how fast it can happen. As you stand there with your heart hammering in your chest, you think of just how badly it could have gone. It happens without warning and you could fall a significant distance on a very hard and unforgiving surface.

Car accident injuries can have long lasting repercussions

On behalf of Conlon Tarker, P.C. posted in Car Accidents on Tuesday, March 5, 2019.

The majority of people see travel by vehicle as a safe and standard way to get around Butler. However, for those who have suffered injuries in a car accident, they know that car travel is not always safe. When a person is injured, it usually takes the victim and their family totally off-guard.

It's imperative that the victim take steps to find out just what caused the car accident and the resounding injuries. Understanding if another driver was at fault can make all the difference in collecting damages. If a driver failed to uphold a standard duty of care for others on the road and this negligence caused the car accident, this could be the basis for a personal injury suit.

Workers' compensation and personal injury

On behalf of Conlon Tarker, P.C. posted in workers' compensation on Tuesday, February 19, 2019.

When employees show up to work, they have a right to a relatively safe work environment. However, not all accidents can be prevented, and so to help ensure injured workers have an outlet for relief when unable to work, the state workers' compensation provides benefits. Think of workers' compensation like a safety net in which workers have a recourse if unable to work due to injury sustained on the job or due to the activities of the job.

Employers are required to carry workers' compensation insurance to help them provide benefits to their employees if they are injured on the job. Workers' compensation generally covers injured workers in the short term, typically less than one year. For injuries lasting longer than one year, other types of assistance, such as Social Security Disability, may be necessary.

Gear you should have in your car all winter

On behalf of Conlon Tarker, P.C. on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

Winter driving increases your risks, and not just because you're more likely to lose control of your vehicle on the slick pavement. You also have to consider the impact of the weather conditions after a crash.

It's easy to underestimate it because you never expect to get into an accident. For instance, imagine that you're driving 20 minutes to the store. You warm your car up in advance, so you don't put on a coat, hat or gloves when you leave. You'll only be outside for a few minutes, after all, walking through the parking lot. You don't need all of that gear.

Two-car crash required one driver be extracted from their vehicle

On behalf of Conlon Tarker, P.C. posted in Car Accidents on Tuesday, February 5, 2019.

Winter conditions can put drivers more at risk for car-accident injury. However, winter conditions have not yet been ruled a factor in a two-vehicle Adams Township accident that happened recently. The two vehicles collided at an intersection, sending one driver to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. Police are investigating the crash and have shared a few bits of information.

Intersections, by definition, are a place in which vehicles meet, or come together. This makes them a hotspot for car accident incidents. According to reports, one vehicle was traveling west on Route 228, while the other was making a left turn from Warrendale Road onto Route 228. Authorities report that one vehicle may have run a red light, causing the vehicles to collide. A silver sedan flipped over as a result of the collision. This made it nearly impossible to extract the man from the vehicle. A medical helicopter was called in to rush him to a nearby hospital to treat his serious injuries sustained in the crash. It isn't yet known which vehicle ran the red light, the other driver managed to walk away with just a headache.

Businesses have to take the time to prevent falls

On behalf of Conlon Tarker, P.C. on Monday, February 4, 2019.

Slip-and-fall accidents happen to people far too often. It is sometimes a reality that business owners don't take their responsibilities seriously, failing to maintain the property and causing, through their negligence, another person to get hurt.

Slip-and-fall accidents are particularly common in the winter, but proving liability then can be more difficult. For instance, if a customer walks into a store with wet shoes, the floor may become slick. The next person who comes in might slip and fall. Should people know that the floors may be slick? Yes, they should. Is the business liable for failing to prevent those falls? Usually.

Were you or a loved one injured in a slip-and-fall accident?

On behalf of Conlon Tarker, P.C. posted in slip-and-fall accidents on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.

Falls are a number one cause of injury amongst workers and the elderly. However, you don't have to be working or and elderly person in a nursing home to suffer a slip-and-fall accident injury. Even the most average person can be victim when they enter a premise in which the property is unsafe and it can quickly cause injury.

When you were a kid on the playground, you probably played with you friends and took a spill or two. The difference between then and now is you probably bounced right back up. Now, a fall on a wet concrete floor could have a completely different outcome. Losing control of your body in a fall can cause a person to land on it awkwardly or to land on a body part that isn't meant to be impacted.

Can truckers use cellphones?

On behalf of Conlon Tarker, P.C. on Saturday, January 5, 2019.

In the old days, truckers would stop and use payphones when they needed to get in touch with co-workers or loved ones. When they were on the road, they were essentially out of contact for hours at a time. They did use radios to talk to other truck drivers, but part of the reason for their stops was so that they could have phone access -- along with gas, food and other essentials.

Those days are over. Payphones are obsolete and nearly impossible to find. The cellphone industry completely crushed them, right along with house phones. These days, most people carry their phones everywhere they go and they can get in contact with others at any time.

Defensive driving to protect yourself from distracted drivers

On behalf of Conlon Tarker, P.C. on Wednesday, December 19, 2018.

At every turn, it's easy to spot distracted drivers. Maybe it's the teenager on the phone with friends. Maybe it's the commuter trying to find the right podcast for the drive. Maybe it's the parent with three kids under five years old in the back seat of the van. Maybe it's the college student trying to do some last-minute studying at red lights.

People get distracted in a lot of different ways. Cellphones are the biggest issue, but they're not the only one. You need to know what to do to keep yourself safe. It goes beyond simply not giving in to distraction yourself. You have to protect yourself from everyone else. Here are a few tips that can help: