Munley News

Family of Marine killed in truck crash receives $8M settlement

Representing the Stevens family has been one of the greatest honors of our careers. It has been our privilege to advocate on their behalf and bring this case to a just resolution.  Read more about the case below.

On Monday, the truck accident lawyers at Munley Law reached an $8 million settlement in a case stemming from a deadly truck accident in Susquehanna County. The crash claimed the life of 27-year-old Staff Sergeant Andrew Stevens.  Stevens was an active duty Marine and the father of two young boys. He served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was in town for his sister’s wedding. His wife Katherine Stevens was represented by Marion Munley, Robert W. Munley, III, and Caroline Munley. The case was scheduled for trial this week before the Honorable John Jones of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

“The family was devastated by the loss and we are pleased that we were able to bring some small measure of justice,” said Attorney Robert W. […]

Fatal Accidents Pose Questions for Regulators of Self-Driving Tech

Pedestrian Killed by Self-Driving Uber

On March 18, a pedestrian was struck and killed by an autonomous car operated by Uber as she was crossing the street. The Uber, a Volvo XC90, hit and killed the 49 year old woman despite the car’s being equipped with a variety of sensors, including Light Dectection and Ranging (lidar) which is designed to create 3D, 360 degree images of the car’s surroundings and radar that can see objects in the light or dark.  In addition, there was a human safety driver at the wheel, although a video of the accident shows that the driver was not paying attention. Furthermore, the driver was not holding his hands above the steering wheel, as most backup drivers are taught.  However, he had no signs of impairment.  Nor did weather appear to play a role.  The vehicle was moving at 40 mph in a 45 mph zone at the time of the Uber accident.  […]

Lawsuits Mount Against Makers of Xarelto

Lawsuits Against Makers of Blood-Thinner Drug Xarelto

Xarelto, a blood thinner used to prevent blood clots and strokes, was approved for medical use in the US in 2011. Xarelto was developed by Bayer and is marketed in the US by Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. (owned by Johnson & Johnson). Unlike some other anticoagulants, Xarelto does not require routine blood testing nor dietary restrictions of any form. However, the risks of this newer drug are much greater. Lawsuits allege that Xarelto can and has caused deadly internal bleeding.

Tens of thousands of plaintiffs have filed  Xarelto lawsuits against Bayer and Johnson&Johnson for such life threatening complications such as internal bleeding, wound leaks, infections, and strokes. The plaintiffs contend that they were not adequately warned about these risks. These cases have been consolidated into multi-district litigation in Louisiana.

What is Multi-District Litigation? […]

IVC Filter Lawsuit Trial Starts This Week

The first case against medical device maker C.R. Bard goes to trial this week in Phoenix, AZ.

Over 3,000 lawsuits are pending against Bard in the United States. Plaintiffs allege that Bard’s IVC filter is unsafe and has been linked to serious complications and death. The bellwether trial, Sherr-Una Booker v C.R. Bard Inc. and Bard Vascular Inc, is scheduled to begin on March 13, 2018.  Booker has alleged that her complications include filter tilting, fracture and perforation according to DrugWatch.com. We will be watching closely to see how this trial unfolds and what the implications may be for other victims seeking legal recourse.

In a 2015 article, NBC news revealed that Bard continued to sell “G2” IVC filters for five years after it knew that the devices had potentially fatal flaws.  It goes on to state that a Bard document “that includes data through 2010 showed the G2 series filters had more fractures, […]

Truck Accident Lawyers, Local Officials Say No to Bigger Trucks

Bigger Trucks Threaten Public Safety and Infrastructure

“Bigger Trucks: Bad For America’s Local Communities,” a letter written by over 1,000 local government leaders, was presented to Congressional Capitol Hill offices on February 22, 2018.  The letter, signed by mayors, local engineers and public works employees, argues that “Longer and heavier trucks would cause significantly more damage to our transportation infrastructure, costing us billions of dollars that local government budgets simply cannot afford, compromising the very routes that American motorists use every day.” Currently, federal limits are 80,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight.  Notably, some states allow heavier trucks on roads that are not a part of the interstate system.

According to the Washington Post, one 40 ton truck can do as much damage to a road as 9,600 cars.  And the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks cites a US Department of Transportation study stating that increasing truck weight to 91,000 pounds  “would negatively affect more than 4,800 bridges, […]

Fatal PA Turnpike accident shows danger of poorly maintained roads

Badly maintained roads pose car crash risk

Last week, a 70-year-old man was killed driving through the Lehigh Tunnel on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. According to news reports, he was killed when an electrical conduit (a pipe-like tube holding power cables) fell from the ceiling of the tunnel and crashed through the windshield of his truck.

According to reports in The Morning Call  the southbound Lehigh Tunnel is the newest of five tunnels on the turnpike’s system and it is the only one with a conduit located directly above traffic. Federal regulations require that tunnels be inspected every two years. The most recent inspection of the Lehigh Tunnel was in September 2016.

Poor tunnel maintenance can be fatal for drivers

In 2016 alone, American roads carried people and goods over three trillion miles. If roads, tunnels and bridges are not properly maintained they can contribute to auto accidents and result in serious injury or fatality. […]

The Most Common Medical Errors

What are the most common medical errors?

Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, after cancer and heart disease. According to a Johns Hopkins study, medical mistakes kill more than 250,000 people every year. These numbers are scary for patients who quite literally place their lives in the hands of medical professionals every day.

Even in the best hospitals in the country, mistakes can happen. But, that doesn’t mean you should avoid getting necessary medical treatment for fear of something going wrong. Instead, equip yourself with knowledge. Be aware of the most common types of preventable medical errors:

1. Misdiagnosis

Error in diagnosis is a common medical error. Incorrect diagnosis can result in unnecessary or harmful treatment. A wrong diagnosis also means that the patient’s true illness won’t be treated right away, […]

What is uninsured motorist coverage, and do I need it?

The new year is a good time to rethink your auto insurance policy. Do you have the coverage you need? If you don’t have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on your auto insurance policy, you might want to consider adding them.

Why?

If you’re the victim of a collision with a driver who had no auto insurance, or an accident with a driver who has very little coverage, you could be stuck with the financial burden of a car crash.  According to a 2017 study by the Insurance Research Council (IRC), 13 percent of motorists, or about one in eight drivers nationwide, was uninsured in 2015. Although auto insurance is mandatory in Pennsylvania, not all drivers follow the law. And, many drivers who are insured do not have enough insurance to cover serious damages.

What is uninsured & underinsured motorist coverage?

Adding uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to your auto insurance policy can protect you financially and save you a lot of headaches in the event of an accident. […]

Bipartisan Underride Bill Could Prevent Deadly Crashes

Truck underride bill to require new safety standards

Lawmakers from both parties recently introduced a potentially life-saving bill to mandate that underride guards be installed on the front and sides of large trucks. The Stop Underrides Act of 2017 was introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D- N.Y.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as well as Reps. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.).

Under the current federal law, underride guards are only required for the back of trucks. The proposed bill would also require an update of the outdated standards for underride guards on the rear of a truck. Guards would be required to be tested and would need to prevent a vehicle traveling at 35 mph from sliding under a tractor trailer. The standard would apply to single-unit trucks, semis and trailers weighing more than 10,000 lbs.

The goal of this new legislation is to prevent deadly truck underride crashes. […]

Could your prescription medicine affect your driving?

Prescription drugs and driving can be a fatal mix

You know that alcohol and illegal drugs can impair driving ability and cause dangerous accidents. But what about your prescription medication? Many people don’t realize that even medicine that is prescribed by a doctor and taken as directed can affect your driving.

It is an issue that concerns the Munley Law personal injury firm, as well as many lawmakers. The penalty for driving under the influence of medication carries the same penalty as a DUI in certain states. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reported that drugs were present in 43% of fatally injured drivers in 2015, more frequently than alcohol was present. This applies to some legal prescription and over the counter drugs, as well as illegal drugs.

Drugged driving is more complex than driving under the influence of alcohol for several reasons. […]