Munley Law Blog

Are Uber and Lyft Drivers in Pittsburgh Held to a Higher Legal Standard Than Regular Motorists?

Uber and Lyft drivers transporting passengers in Pittsburgh are required to operate their vehicles safely and responsibly, just like every other driver on Pennsylvania roads.

The state regulates rideshare companies as Transportation Network Companies, not as common carriers. This means that the higher duty the law places on taxis and Port Authority buses does not automatically attach to the rideshare driver who picks you up in Oakland or on the South Side.

What changes after a rideshare crash is not the standard of care. It is the insurance behind the driver, and the question of who you can hold responsible.

What Does a Higher Legal Standard Actually Mean?

A higher legal standard refers to the common carrier doctrine. Under Pennsylvania law, businesses that hold themselves out to carry the public for a fee, traditional taxis and buses among them, have long owed their passengers the highest degree of care. […]

Why Atlanta’s I-285 and I-75/85 Connector Are Among the Most Dangerous Truck Corridors in the Southeast

Atlanta moves freight like few other cities in the country. I-285 rings the metro, the Downtown Connector funnels I-75 and I-85 into one of the busiest stretches of interstate in the Southeast, and trucks pour through both at every hour. When one of these trucks is involved in a crash, the people in the passenger vehicles are the ones who get hurt.

A truck crash on an Atlanta interstate is not a routine fender bender, and the trucking company knows it. Munley Law has built its reputation on truck accident cases, and our Atlanta truck accident lawyers help people who were seriously injured on the region’s most dangerous corridors hold the right parties accountable under Georgia law.

If you were injured in a truck crash on I-285, the Connector, or anywhere in metro Atlanta, call our Atlanta office for a free consultation. We charge no fees unless we win. […]

Why Luzerne County Emergency Room Mistakes Are Harder to Prove Than Other Malpractice

An emergency room visit is meant to be the moment a medical crisis is recognized and treated.  When a Luzerne County ER misses a heart attack, misreads a CT scan, or sends someone home with an untreated infection that later turns septic, the harm can be permanent, and the family is left wondering whether anyone will be held accountable for it.

Emergency room malpractice is real, but in Pennsylvania, it is harder to prove than almost any other kind of medical negligence. Munley Law has handled medical malpractice cases across the Wyoming Valley for decades, and the first thing we tell families is that a bad ER outcome is not automatically a winnable case. The law sets a higher bar in the emergency room, and you need to understand it before you decide what to do next.

If you believe an emergency room mistake in Luzerne County seriously injured you or a loved one, […]

Who Is Responsible When a Visitor Gets Hurt at a Berks County Farm or Agricultural Event?

Berks County summers and falls bring families out to farm markets, pick-your-own fields, corn mazes, hayrides, and petting areas. These visits feel about as far from a legal problem as you can get, until a child falls from a wagon, a guest steps in a hidden hole, or a piece of equipment injures someone who came to enjoy the day.

When this happens, families are often surprised to learn that a special Pennsylvania law can limit a farm’s responsibility, and just as surprised to learn that the same law does not excuse a farm that was genuinely careless with the safety of the families it invited onto its property.

The Basics of Premises Liability in Pennsylvania

When a farm opens its property to paying visitors, those visitors are owed the highest level of care recognized by the law. A business that invites the public onto its land has a duty to inspect for hazards and either fix them or warn about them. […]

Who Is Responsible When a Rented ATV or a Pocono Rafting Trip Ends in an Injury?

A summer trip to the Poconos often includes a rented ATV, a guided whitewater run on the Lehigh or Delaware River, or an afternoon on a zipline. Most visitors hand over a credit card, sign a form without reading it, and never think about it again.

However, when a ride ends in a broken leg or a head injury, the questions come fast. Who is responsible for what happened, and does the form you signed at the counter really mean you have no options? The answer depends on what failed and why, and it is rarely as simple as the rental company would like you to believe.

More Than One Party May Be Responsible

An injury on rented equipment in Monroe County can involve several different parties, and determining who is at fault is the first real step. 

Those who may be responsible include:

•  The outfitter or rental operator may be responsible if it failed to maintain its equipment, […]

How a Traumatic Brain Injury From a Route 22 Crash Changes a Family’s Legal Claim

A crash on Route 22 happens in a few seconds, but the effects of a traumatic brain injury can last for the rest of a person’s life. When a Lehigh Valley family is dealing with both at once, the legal claim that follows looks nothing like a routine car accident case, and treating it like one is a costly mistake.

A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, changes the medical picture, the financial stakes, and the way the entire claim has to be built. Munley Law has represented catastrophically injured clients across Lehigh County for nearly 70 years, and we know that a TBI case is measured in decades, not in repair bills and a few missed paychecks.

If your family is facing a brain injury after a Route 22 crash, call our Allentown injury lawyers for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win. […]

Do Pedestrians Always Have the Right of Way?

No, pedestrians do not always have the right of way in Pennsylvania. Under the state Vehicle Code (75 Pa.C.S. § 3542), a driver must yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, but a pedestrian cannot step off a curb into the path of a car that is too close to stop, and must obey walk signals.

Outside a crosswalk, the pedestrian yields to traffic. Munley Law has represented pedestrians struck by vehicles across Pennsylvania, including a $20 million recovery for a client who suffered catastrophic injuries. Call today to schedule a free consultation with our experienced pedestrian accident lawyer.

When Do Pedestrians Have the Right of Way?

Pedestrians have the right of way in several situations in Pennsylvania, but it always comes with a shared duty to avoid a collision. The clearest cases are marked crosswalks with a walk signal, […]

Staying Safe in Scranton Traffic During the Big Boy Reunion at Steamtown

From June 15 through June 30, thousands of people will head to downtown Scranton to see two Union Pacific Big Boy locomotives lined up side by side at Steamtown National Historic Site. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event for the city. It is also two weeks of heavy traffic, packed parking garages, and crowded crosswalks in downtown Scranton.

The National Park Service has issued warnings of increased traffic throughout Scranton during the reunion, and with crowds this large, the risk of crashes and pedestrian injuries is rising.

Munley Law has called Scranton home for generations, and we want everyone who comes downtown for the Big Boys to get home safely. If you are injured in a crash or fall during the event, call our Scranton office for a free consultation.

Why Will Scranton Traffic Be So Heavy During the Big Boy Reunion? […]

When Can a Carbondale Business Be Held Liable for a Slip and Fall Injury on Its Property?

Under Pennsylvania premises liability law, a Carbondale business can be held responsible for a slip and fall if it failed to address or warn customers about a hazardous condition it knew about or reasonably should have discovered.

This issue has become increasingly important in downtown Carbondale, where the Main Street Matters redevelopment project is bringing new shops and restaurants into century-old buildings. A fall in one of them can leave a person with a broken wrist, a hip fracture, or a head injury. After a fall, the first thing most people want to know is whether the business is responsible or if it was just an accident.

Does a Fall Alone Make a Business Liable?

A business is only responsible if it had notice of the hazard, meaning it actually knew of the danger but still did nothing to address it. 

For example, […]

Why Is Building a Strong Spinal Cord Injury Case in Allegheny County Different From the Start?

A spinal cord injury case is fundamentally different from an ordinary injury claim. The costs and consequences can last a lifetime, essential evidence may vanish within weeks, and the actions taken in the first few days often determine the strength and value of the case for years to come.

For the injured person and their family, life can change in an instant. One moment, someone is driving on the Parkway East, working at a construction site, or walking through a downtown parking garage. Next, they may be facing paralysis, extensive rehabilitation, lifelong medical care, and a home that must be completely reconfigured to meet new physical needs.

The medical reality is overwhelming on its own. However, legally, the family still has choices to make, and those choices start almost immediately.

Why is a Spinal Cord Injury Claim Not an Ordinary Injury Claim?

Most personal injury claims focus on helping someone recover and return to the life they had before the accident. […]

How Wrongful Death Claims Work for Philadelphia Families Under Pennsylvania’s Wrongful Death Act

When someone dies in a preventable accident, the impact reaches far beyond the accident itself. Families are often left dealing with funeral expenses, unpaid bills, and the sudden loss of financial and emotional support at a time when nothing feels settled.

However, when another party’s actions lead to a fatal injury, Pennsylvania’s Wrongful Death Act provides a way for families to recover the financial losses tied to the death.

Who Can Recover Compensation in a Pennsylvania Wrongful Death Case?

Wrongful death claims are not open to every member of a person’s extended family. In Pennsylvania, the right to recover damages is generally limited to a surviving spouse, children, and parents.

For many Philadelphia families, this means compensation may be available for:

• A spouse who depended on the deceased person’s income
• Children who lost a parent’s financial support and guidance
• Parents who depended on an adult child for assistance or support

The compensation recovered belongs to the eligible family members, […]

What Lehigh Valley Warehouse Workers Should Know About Light Duty Assignments After a Work Injury

The warehouse corridor along I-78 and Route 100, stretching through Upper Macungie, Fogelsville, and Breinigsville, employs tens of thousands of Lehigh Valley workers in physically demanding jobs. Long shifts spent lifting heavy loads, repeatedly reaching for products, and standing or walking on concrete floors take a toll, leading to back strains, shoulder injuries, and knee damage.

When one of those injuries forces you off the job, employers often reach out within weeks, offering a light-duty assignment that may seem like the next logical step. How you respond to that offer affects your workers’ compensation benefits more than almost any other decision in your claim, and Pennsylvania law has specific rules that most workers have never heard of until it’s too late.

How Light Duty Works Under Pennsylvania Workers’ Comp

Light duty, called modified duty in most claim paperwork, is work your employer offers that fits within the medical restrictions your doctor has set. […]

Warning Signs of Nursing Home Neglect in Luzerne County

Families across the Wyoming Valley place their parents and grandparents in Luzerne County nursing homes, trusting that trained staff will keep them safe and treat them with dignity. When something does not feel right, the hard part is telling the difference between the ordinary changes of aging and the early signs of neglect.

Recognizing the signs of neglect early gives you the chance to step in before a small problem becomes a serious one. The good news is that once you know what to look for, the signs are usually easy to see, and Pennsylvania law gives families real tools to act on them.

Physical Signs That Deserve a Closer Look

Neglect is often evident on the body before anyone says a word about it. 

Pressure sores, also called bedsores, are one of the clearest red flags. They form when a resident is left in the same position for too long, […]

Why Workers’ Comp Claims Are Harder for Scranton’s Healthcare Workers

Healthcare is one of Lackawanna County’s largest employment sectors. Between Geisinger Community Medical Center, Regional Hospital of Scranton, Moses Taylor Hospital, Allied Services’ rehab facilities, and the nursing homes spread across the county, thousands of local nurses, aides, techs, and support staff spend their shifts doing physical work that takes a toll on their bodies.

When healthcare workers get hurt, they run into a workers’ comp system that is harder on them than on almost any other type of worker. The injuries healthcare workers face are genuine, yet the nature of these injuries often unfolds gradually rather than through a single traumatic event.

The slow progression of certain conditions allows insurance companies to challenge claims, as they may argue that the injuries or illnesses are not directly work-related. This makes it harder for employees to get support for their claims.

What Injuries are Common Amongst Scranton Healthcare Workers? […]

What Pocono Raceway Fans Should Know About Heat, Crowds, and Injuries at the Track

The Great American Getaway 400 is expected to bring tens of thousands of NASCAR fans to Pocono Raceway in Long Pond on June 14, and most of them will spend ten or more hours in the sun. A day at the Tricky Triangle includes long walks from gravel parking fields, steep grandstand stairs, packed infield campgrounds, and very little shade around the 2.5-mile track.

Most fans head home with nothing worse than a sunburn and a sore throat from cheering. But a long, hot day in a crowd that size sometimes results in real injuries. Fortunately, a few simple precautions can prevent a great weekend from ending in the emergency room.

Heat Is the Biggest Race Day Health Risk in the Poconos

June in Monroe County can be deceptively hard on the body. Temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s can feel much hotter on aluminum grandstands, […]

How Wrongful Death Claims Work After a Fatal Crash in Berks County

A fatal crash on Route 422 or the 222 corridor leaves a Berks County family with more than grief. Within days, there are funeral costs, a household income that just disappeared, an insurance adjuster calling with questions, and sometimes, a police investigation that hasn’t reached any conclusions yet.

Pennsylvania law gives families a way to hold the responsible driver or company accountable, but the system has rules that surprise almost everyone who encounters it for the first time. Knowing how these claims work helps a family make clear decisions during the worst weeks of their lives.

Pennsylvania Gives Families Two Separate Claims, Not One

What most people call a wrongful death case is actually two distinct legal claims in Pennsylvania, and they compensate different losses.

The first is the wrongful death claim itself, brought under Pennsylvania’s Wrongful Death Act. […]

Why Route 309 Is One of Luzerne County’s Most Dangerous Stretches for Truck Accidents

Anyone who drives between Wilkes-Barre and Mountain Top knows the climb well. Route 309 rises out of the Wyoming Valley in a long, steep grade. Every day, hundreds of tractor-trailers make that climb and descent, serving the Crestwood Industrial Park and the warehouse corridor that has grown up around I-81.

For commuters who share this road, the math is uncomfortable as the risks are high. A loaded tractor-trailer can weigh 80,000 pounds, and the descent into the valley is exactly the kind of grade where truck brakes fail. Crashes on this stretch are not random; they tend to follow patterns, and these patterns usually point to decisions made long before the truck started down the mountain.

What Makes the Mountain Section on Route 309 So Dangerous?

The danger of Route 309 starts with geography. The grade between Mountain Top and the valley floor is long and steady, […]

What Pittsburgh Bridge and Road Crews Should Know About Workers’ Comp Injuries This Construction Season

With roughly 446 bridges within city limits, Pittsburgh has more bridges than any other city in the country. Since the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse in 2022, the region has been working through a backlog of inspection, rehabilitation, and replacement projects that will take years to complete. Summer is when this work peaks. Crews are on the Parkway corridors, on county-owned spans, and over the three rivers, doing some of the most dangerous civilian work in the region.

When a bridge or road worker gets injured, the workers’ compensation system is supposed to support them. It usually does, but how well it does depends on decisions made in the first days after the injury.

What Are The Most Common Bridge and Road Work Injuries?

Bridge and road work concentrates several distinct dangers into one job. Falls lead the list due to scaffolding and platform work over water or ravines, […]

Who Is Responsible When a Pocono Short-Term Rental Property Causes an Injury?

Summer is peak season for the Poconos’ short-term rental market, and Monroe County sits at the center of it. Thousands of houses in Tobyhanna, Pocono Pines, and the private communities off Routes 940 and 611 are now available as Airbnb and VRBO rentals. Many of these properties are owned by investors from New York and New Jersey who have never spent a night in the house.

But when a guest gets hurt at one of these properties, a deck railing gives way, a child is injured in an unfenced pool, or someone falls on a dark staircase, the first question families ask is always the same. Who is responsible for this house? The answer involves more parties than most guests expect.

What a Rental Owner Owes Paying Guests Under Pennsylvania Law

Pennsylvania premises liability law sorts visitors into categories, and paying rental guests fall into the most protected category. […]

How Lackawanna County Families Can Protect a Loved One’s Rights in a Pennsylvania Nursing Home

According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, nearly one in five residents of Lackawanna County is age 65 or older, making the county one of the counties with the largest senior populations in Pennsylvania. This means that thousands of local families have faced the difficult decision to move a parent or grandparent into a nursing home in Scranton, Dunmore, Clarks Summit, or another nearby community.

Handing a loved one’s daily care to a facility takes trust. But if that trust is broken, what can families do about it?

Pennsylvania law gives nursing home residents and their families more rights than most people realize. Knowing these rights before a problem starts is the strongest protection a family has.

What Rights Does a Scranton Nursing Home Resident Have?

Every resident of a nursing home that accepts Medicare or Medicaid is protected by the federal Nursing Home Reform Act. […]