Hospitals Facing Dire Shortage of Needed Medications

We are all aware of the critical shortage of medical equipment such as N95 masks needed to protect our health care workers, and ventilators to help ill patients breathe. But hospitals are now running low on essential drugs as well.  

Medications needed to support ailing respiratory systems, antiviral medications and sedatives are all in short supply.  Premier, a company that works with many hospitals for their medication purchasing, has compiled a list of 15 critical drugs for treating COVID-19 that are either facing a shortage or already in short supply. They have reported that 70% of acute care responders reported at least one shortage of one of these COVID-19 drugs.  Among non-acute responders, such as pharmacies, long term care facilities, and home care facilities, 48% reported shortages.

These drugs are used for a variety of purposes, including pain management, […]

Risks to Truckers During Coronavirus Epidemic

Trucking can be a lonely job during the best of circumstances.  Drivers spend extended amounts of time away from family and friends while they drive their rigs across long highways.  But driving during a pandemic, with all individuals asked to maintain social distancing of 6 feet, creates a whole new level of isolation.   Long haul drivers are spending nearly 24 hours a day in their trucks – cooking, sleeping, “relaxing” all done within the confines of their cab. 

Truck drivers are keenly aware that if they contract COVID-19, they have the potential to spread it around over the vast geographic area that they travel.  They are also aware that without their continuing to work, not only do they not have an income, but ever increasing demand for shipped goods, will not be delivered.  As more and more states ask their residents to stay at home, […]

How to get tested for COVID-19 in Philadelphia

The landscape of how and where to get tested is evolving, as more drive through test sites are opening up.  But right now, here are your testing options:

Abington Hospital, Abington Township

Testing only with a referral from an Abington-Jefferson Health physician.

See more details here.

Penn Medicine, West Philadelphia and Radnor locations

Testing available to anyone experiencing coronavirus-like symptoms.  

If you’re a Penn Medicine patient, you should contact your health-care provider for a referral.

If you are not a Penn Medicine patient, you should call their toll-free hotline at 833-983-1350.

See more details here

Temple University, Ambler campus in Upper Dublin Township

Tests by appointment only to people who meet one or more of the following criteria:

Symptoms of sudden illness such as fever, […]

COVID-19 Resources

During this time of uncertainty, it is more important than ever to have a list of resources ready in case you need help and don’t know where to turn.  We have put together a listing, by category, of links to what we think are some very important sources of information during this trying time period.

Employee Rights – Paid Leave, Unemployment and Workers Compensation

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

FFCRA Supplemental Questions and Answers

US Department of Labor Guidelines

Information for PA Employees Impacted by COVID-19

Information for NJ Employees Impacted by COVID-19

Information for NY Employees Impacted by COVID-19

Social Security

Social Security Administration

Information for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 (the list is extensive and we have listed just a few)

US Small Business Administration

EXIM Bank Coronavirus Response

Forbes List of COVID-19 Small Business Relief Funds

PA Working Capital Access Program

Philadelphia COVID-19 Fund

Philadelphia Small Business Relief Fund

NYC Assistance and Guidance for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

  […]

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act)

Covered employers (see definition below) are now required to provide their employees with paid sick leave, expanded family or medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

This newly established Act will remain in effect until December 31, 2020.

In general, covered employers must provide the following:

Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave if the employee is quarantined, experiencing symptoms of coronavirus and seeking a medical diagnosis. 

OR

Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay because the employee has a bona fide need to care for a quarantined individual, or a child under 18 whose school or day care facility has been closed as result of COVID-19, or other specified reasons.

Up to an additional 10 paid weeks of of expanded family and medical leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay, […]

Unemployment Benefits and COVID-19

The $2 trillion stimulus package recently signed by President Trump greatly expands unemployment benefits for laid off workers.  Unemployment benefits will increase by $600 per week on top of the currently provided payments.  The stimulus package also broadens the numbers of individuals eligible for these benefits. 

Who is eligible for unemployment benefits?

Unemployment insurance is administered at the state level.  While specific plans vary by state, Americans are generally eligible if they have been laid off from their jobs.  The new plan has been expanded to include the self-employed, independent contractors as well as part time employees.  

According to the PA Office of Unemployment Compensation, you might be eligible if:

• Your employer temporarily closes or goes out of business because of COVID-19
• Your employer reduces your hours because of COVID-19
• You have been told not to work because your employer feels you might get or spread COVID-19
• You have been told to quarantine or self-isolate, […]

Economic Stimulus Checks

An economic stimulus plan has recently been signed into legislation in order to help the millions of Americans negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The plan includes direct payments to individuals, expanded unemployment benefits, and more. Here are  some of the most commonly asked questions pertaining to stimulus checks.

How much will my check be for?

Individual taxpayers will receive $1,200 each if their Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is less than $75,000. 

Married couples will receive $2,409 each if their Adjusted Gross Income is less than $150,000.

For individuals with an Adjusted Gross Income in excess of $75,00 or married couples with an Adjusted Gross Income in excess of $150,000, they will receive lesser amounts – a $5 reduction for every $100 in income above the threshold. 

There is an additional $500 payment for each dependent child under the age of 17. […]

Daniel Munley: Lawyer of the Year, Product Liability Litigation-Plaitiffs, Allentown

Daniel W. Munley has been named “Lawyer of the Year in Product Liability Litigation-Plaintiffs for the Allentown Metro Area” by The Best Lawyers in America©  in 2020.

Dan Munley, a board-certified civil trial advocate (according to the National Board of Trial Advocacy), is a longstanding truck accident lawyer with a national reputation for successful representation of clients in trials. In addition, he is certified by the Association of Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America (AITLA).

Mr. Munley has received numerous awards. Among others, he has been named one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers  in Pennsylvania by the National Trial Lawyers Association and recognized by the French Consulate in New York City and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America for his representation of the family of a victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. […]

Marion Munley: 2020 Lawyer of the Year, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Allentown Metro

Marion Munley Recognized as 2020 Lawyer of the Year in Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs in the Allentown, PA Metro Area

Marion Munley has been named “2020 Lawyer of the Year in Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs – Allentown Metro Area” by The Best Lawyers in America©  in Pennsylvania.

A board-certified personal injury lawyer, she was named Lawyer of the Year  in Product Liability Litigation-Plaintiffs-Allentown Metro by Best Lawyers in 2017 and 2019. She also was selected by her peers for inclusion in “Best Lawyers in America” in the areas of Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs from 2012 through 2020. Marion holds an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a peer rating for the highest level of professional excellence and high ethical standing. […]

Making the Case | Specific Loss

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Multiple couples sue CHA Fertility Center over embryo mix-up

This week, two couple filed separate lawsuits against the same fertility clinic in California after a devastating mix-up. One mother gave birth to children who turned out not to be her own, and another would find out that her son had been born to someone else.

Here’s what happened…

A New York couple had been trying for more than six years to have children of their own. They underwent multiple cycles of in vitro fertilization (IVF), a costly process by which embryos are created using the mother’s egg and father’s sperm, stored and preserved, and then are implanted in the womb, with the hope of a successful pregnancy. After multiple failed cycles, the couple was informed that they finally succeeded, and were expecting twin girls (the embryos they created had been female). The first signs of trouble came when ultrasounds showed two male babies, […]

DOT to relax trucker drive-time regulations

The Department of Transportation is poised to loosen federal regulations that govern how many hours at a time truck drivers can legally stay behind the wheel.

The current hours of service regulations limit driving to 11 hours in a 14 hour on-duty period, followed by at least 10 hours of rest off-duty before a new shift can begin. Additionally, regulations require that drivers take a 30-minute break before hitting the 8-hour mark. Violating these rules can come at a steep cost, even putting drivers “out of service” for a day or more. When you’re paid by the mile, that time can make a big difference.

To enforce these rules, the previous administration mandated the use of electronic logging devices or ELDs. While paper log books could be easily falsified (something we often found in truck accident investigations), it’s harder to fool an ELD, […]

E-Commerce means more truck traffic in NEPA

In the past decade, Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) has rapidly become a hub for e-commerce distribution.  E-commerce, or the ability to buy and sell items online, is quickly becoming one of the most popular and easiest ways for people to shop.  As a result, more tractor trailers carrying online purchases are on the road than ever before.  For this area especially, tractor trailer traffic has increased exponentially.  Distribution and fulfillment centers continue to pop up throughout the region—across Lackawanna, Luzerne Monroe, Wayne and Schuylkill Counties, there are over 30 industrial centers, each with their own small community of businesses.  Twenty-two industrial centers are located in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties alone.

                Companies
with distribution and fulfillment centers located in this area include Walmart,
Amazon, Gatorade, PepsiCo, ABF Freight, Quaker Oats, and Hershey.  Currently, Chewy.com, Patagonia, and Adidas
are working on building their own fulfillment and distribution centers in the
area.  […]

$29.4 million verdict in Johnson & Johnson talcum powder case

On Wednesday March 13, 2019 a California jury awarded Teresa
Leavitt $24.4 million and her husband, Dean McElroy $5 million in a trial
brought by them against Johnson & Johnson. 
Teresa Leavitt believes her mesothelioma, a terminal disease caused by
asbestos exposure, is linked to her regular use of Johnson & Johnson’s
talcum powder. 

The Leavitt case is the first case to be tried since a
bombshell report by Reuters and the New York Times about the contamination of
baby powder with asbestos.  Both reports
sighted leaked internal documents showing Johnson & Johnson knew about the
problem as far back as 1971.

Johnson & Johnson said they were disappointed in the verdict and they would pursue an appeal. Johnson & Johnson’s spokesperson, Kimberly Montagnino said, “we will pursue an appeal because Johnson’s Baby Powder does not contain asbestos or cause cancer.”  […]

Gov’t shutdown halted investigation of deadly crashes

Amid the 35-day partial government shutdown earlier this year, NTSB investigations of deadly crashes were put on hold. At this point, crucial evidence may be lost forever.

On December 22, 2018, the United
States government came to a grinding halt in what would become the longest
government shutdown in U.S. history.  The
shutdown, which was temporarily brought to an end on January 25, 2019, not only
left government workers furloughed or working without pay for 35 days, but also
negatively impacted several federal agencies and organizations.

                One such agency is the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).  The NTSB is responsible for determining the probable cause of transportation accidents, promoting transportation safety, and assisting victims of transportation accidents and their families.  Any delay in investigations has the potential to prevent insurance companies from paying claims to victims and their families as well as preventing justice from being served in the event of criminal cases. […]

Trucking app promises progress, but raises safety questions

Technology has the capacity to transform the trucking industry and improve truck drivers’ way of life. Of course, that technology comes with questions about highway safety and to what extent tech companies can be held liable as their products become increasingly central to our lives.

The trucking industry is a fast-paced, competitive environment worth hundreds of billions of dollars. This market, combined with the overall unavailability of a direct and easy way for truckers to arrange the loads they haul, leaves a gap for the ever-growing technological advancement of our modern age to creep in. In 2013, Drew McElroy and Jonathan Salama took advantage of this gap to create the app “Transfix.” This app aims to make it easier for independent truckers to schedule loads, thereby decreasing the amount of time a truck may sit empty, losing money. Typically, independent truck drivers rely on freight brokers to schedule the loads they haul. […]

It’s resolution time: Four ways to be a better driver in 2019

It’s that time
of year again, when the beginning of a new year motivates people to make
resolutions and work hard to better themselves. 
These resolutions often include eating healthier, working out more
often, and spending less time on social media. 
But one thing that is often, quite unfortunately, overlooked is the
desire to practice safer driving habits. 
These resolutions do not have to be complicated, and can simply focus on
being a more vigilant, responsible driver when behind the wheel.  Here are a few easy resolutions to help you
become a safer, better driver in 2019.

            Always keep your focus on the road and your surroundings.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), thousands of people are killed each year via accidents caused by distracted driving.  Make a promise to yourself to put down your phone, avoid letting passengers distract you, and keep your radio at a reasonable level.  […]

Pennsylvania’s new DUI law goes into effect

A new DUI law, Act 153, went into effect in Pennsylvania on December 23, 2018, introducing tougher penalties for repeat offenders.

What’s new about this law?

Under the new DUI law, individuals convicted of a third DUI with a BAC of .16 or higher, or those convicted of four (or more) DUI’s can be charged with a felony. Under the previous law, Pennsylvania was one of only a few states in which a third DUI was treated as a misdemeanor.

The new law also increases penalties for offenders who cause the death of another person while driving under the influence. Increased penalties include potential felony charges for repeat offenders, and an additional five years of prison time for someone who commits homicide by vehicle while driving without a license or with a suspended license.

Additionally, the law increases fines and jail time for driving under suspension for a prior DUI. […]

Compensation Funds Offer Path to Justice for Abuse Victims

In the wake of the August grand jury report that documented decades of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the state, several dioceses in Pennsylvania have taken steps to establish a victim compensation fund. The report estimated that hundreds of priests in Pennsylvania molested over 1,000 children since the 1940s.

In early November, the Dioceses of Philadelphia, Scranton, Harrisburg, and Allentown announced programs that will compensate survivors who were sexually abused by priests in the Catholic Church. The announcements did not mention a total dollar amount for the funds or their maximum potential individual payouts. Participation in these programs will be voluntary.

Five of the dioceses have hired veteran compensation fund coordinator Ken Feinberg to map out and oversee their programs. The Philadelphia fund has set a filing deadline for claims at the end of next September, with Harrisburg and Scranton expected to begin their programs in January. […]

Travel Safely This Thanksgiving!

According to AAA, the number of Americans traveling for Thanksgiving will increase 11% as compared to last year. This means that almost forty million people will be reaching their holiday destination by driving. With more vehicles on the roads, travel risks increase. Poor weather conditions and distracted driving can cause serious accidents. Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys offers these tips to keep you and your family safe this holiday travel season.

Know your route and the risks before you leave your home. Make sure you know the latest weather forecasts and road conditions along your route. Have your directions mapped out in your mind, as well as plugged into your GPS. This will keep you on the most direct, traffic-free path, which can reduce your risk of being in an accident.

Before you get on the highway, prepare your vehicle for long-distance travel. […]