What is Litigation?
Litigation is the process of taking legal action and filing a lawsuit.
According to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute (LII), litigation is defined as “the process of resolving disputes by filing or answering a complaint through the public court system.” As such, a judge or jury examines the evidence and makes a legally binding decision. This process can include various stages such as filing pleadings, conducting discovery, engaging in pre-trial motions, going to trial, and potentially appealing the court’s decision.
Litigation is beneficial because it allows for a formal resolution of disputes based on laws and legal precedent. However, litigation can be time-consuming and costly, as well as prolonged periods of uncertainty. Understanding litigation is crucial for individuals, businesses, and legal professionals navigating legal disputes and seeking to protect their rights and interests within the judicial system. It involves a comprehensive understanding of legal procedures, strategic decision-making, and effective advocacy to achieve favorable outcomes in court.
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Pennsylvania Accident Victims Should Request a Copy of Their Vehicle Accident Report
Earlier this month our PA truck accident lawyers offered some information regarding vehicle accident investigations. However, we did not include information on the crash report and what happens with all the information that is compiled – and how you can access that information. Below we explain the importance of a Pennsylvania crash report.
The Pennsylvania State Police, along with the state’s nearly 1,300 local municipal police departments, have a duty to investigate each traffic accident that occurs on the Pennsylvania roadways. That is no easy task with over 120,000 miles of roads and highways in the state. According to the 2010 Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Statistics, in 2010, PA police investigated 121,312 traffic crashes. Of those accidents, 1,324 people died and 87,949 were injured.
When police come upon accidents the scene is often chaotic. The police must first make sure all of the accident victims are properly attended to and then they need to redirect traffic. […]
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Facebook and Twitter to be Offered as Features in New Cars
Earlier this year U.S. automakers unveiled their latest features, including improved airbags and seatbelts, focused on saving lives and preventing serious injury in automobile accidents. These features were applauded by safety advocates for helping to keep car occupants safe on America’s highways. However, as carmakers unveil their latest Internet-based features, safety advocates fear automakers are contributing to the distracted driving epidemic.
According to the New York Times, automakers are planning on offering high-tech features in some of their 2013 models allowing drivers to stay ‘wired’ while in the car, without accessing their smartphones. Some of the apps that will be offered by Mercedes-Benz, Acura, Honda, Lexus, and Subaru, among other automakers, include GPS, Pandora streaming music, movie ticket ordering and even restaurant reviews from Yelp. However the carmakers aren’t stopping there. Some of the dealers will be offering access to social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. […]
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Small magnets pose risk to children if ingested
We previously published an article warning parents of the health hazards posed to children by Buckyballs, a set of round, high-powered magnets that are meant to be used by adults as a stress-relieving desk toy. Now, the dangers of small magnets are in the headlines again after an article in the Lancet reports two cases of children being injured after swallowing the small magnets in the U.K.
The authors were particularly concerned of the swallowing incidences, one by an 18-month-old and the other by an 8-year-old, since they both happened within the last 18 months and no other cases had occurred in the UK. The 18-month old swallowed ten small, round magnets. The older child swallowed two 2-cm long magnetic strips. Both children had to have the magnets surgically removed, and both made a full recovery. Although the US and Canadian governments have both issued health warnings regarding small magnets, […]
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Teen Sentenced to Prison in Distracted Driving Accident
Just this month one judge ruled in a first-of-its-kind case that someone sending a text message cannot be held liable for a distracted driving accident. Now, in the first ruling in Massachusetts history where someone has been convicted for causing a fatal accident while texting behind the wheel, a judge found a teen guilty of killing someone when distracted by his cellphone while driving.
In February 2011, the then 17-year-old killed a 55-year-old man and seriously injured the man’s 50-year-old girlfriend when he crossed the center line and crashed into the oncoming vehicle. After just four hours of deliberation the jury returned a verdict of guilty in the fatal accident, according to CBS News. The teen was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail, with a year to serve and the remainder suspended. In addition, the teen lost his driver’s license for 15 years and owes an unspecified amount of restitution. […]
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Pennsylvania State Police Announce Pursuit Statistics
The Pennsylvania State Police announced Monday that the number of pursuits across the state increased in 2011. Pennsylvania police were involved in 1,453 vehicle pursuits last year, a slight increase over the 1,413 pursuits reported in 2010.
A pursuit is initiated by police “when the driver of the vehicle is resisting the apprehension by maintaining or increasing his speed or by ignoring the police officer’s audible or visual signal to stop.”
According to the press release, thirteen pursuit-related deaths were reported in 2011. Twelve of those killed were fleeing from police; one death involved an uninvolved person. No Pennsylvania police officers were killed as the result of pursuits. However, in a case we reported in February, a West Virginia policeman died in the midst of a pursuit that crossed the PA line.
Many police chases result in serious car accidents. Last year, […]
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