Windy, gusty snowstorms don’t just shove snow around; like any other windstorm, debris often gets caught up in the air like rocks, limbs, leaves, and salt. Sometimes you cannot avoid driving during a snowstorm. We get it. You have to get to work, pick up groceries, or shuffle the kids around. Just because there is a winter storm doesn’t mean life stops. Our car accident attorneys in Pittsburgh at Shenderovich Shenderovich & Fishman are here to give you some tips on avoiding the “brake failure” excuse when in an accident.   

Braking in the Snow and Slush 

Experienced drivers know that it is an art to drive in the snow. You can’t push the brake too hard or not at all. More than likely, drivers may know what to do but may not follow safe driving in the snow. Thankfully local news’ severe weather meteorologist visited Pittsburgh’s International Race Complex to test out how to brake in the snow. 

The final verdict is a slow, steady brake is the best course of action. The meteorologist noted that you cannot brake better or faster even though you may have a four-wheel drive. If someone hits you, was it really because of brake failure or their inability to brake in the snow? 

What Happens When Brakes Fail? 

If your brakes fail, here are common behaviors people conduct if their brakes are out. First, they try to pump the brakes. The most common reason brakes fail is due to a lack of brake fluid. Pumping the brakes can help move whatever fluid is left or may be stuck. Second, they downshift. Third, if all else fails, they try to slowly rub their car against a guard rail, curb, or ride on the shoulder. At this point, the driver is beeping their horn and using their hazard lights to alert other drivers. If a driver hit you, were they acting as if their brakes gave out, or is it just an excuse? Did you hear the beep or see their hazards? If not, the accident was more than likely due to driver negligence and not brake failure. 

Brake Failure is Common Excuse for an Accident 

Our Car Accident Attorneys are sincerely protective of our clients. We want everyone to drive safely. However, at the scene of an accident, a driver will blame everything to avoid fault. If another driver hit you, more than likely, it was due to their negligence and not the brakes.  We are here to

• Coverage of all crash-related medical expenses
• Lost income if you cannot work while recovering
• Pain and suffering damages
• Loss of enjoyment of life damages
• Possible punitive damages against a negligent driver

If you were injured in an accident, don’t hesitate—you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 888-988-9467.

When we are running errands, picking up our children, and simply getting from one place to the other, we expect the roads to be safe and clear of danger. At the least, we expect everyone to be safe and following the rules of the road. The car accident lawyers at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman want to talk about a recent case here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that ended the life of a driver due to someone’s terrible negligence.

What happened in this Pittsburgh Car Accident?

In October 2020, a 33-year-old man died due to colliding head-on with a Pepsi truck on the Parkway North/Interstate 279 near the North Shore of Pittsburgh. The driver was driving the wrong way down the interstate at a high speed when he crashed into the truck, being killed instantly.

The truck driver, a 62-year-old man, was treated for injuries at a local hospital.

The truck driver was fortunate, but not everyone else is. This driver, though his life ended tragically, could have killed many people by these careless and dangerous actions. A simple wrong turn and being in the wrong place at the wrong time can tragically and irrevocably change someone’s life for the worse.

Careless Drivers Cause Havoc, Tragedy and Heartache

We usually see car accidents on our daily travels and most of them happen on the highway due to high speeds and the number of drivers. Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, our Pittsburgh car accident attorneys, find that are many negligent and dangerous drivers on the road and we want to be able to help you through this trying time.

Victims who have experienced a car accident due to someone’s negligence typically deal with:

• Psychological issues caused by the injury
• Loss of mobility
• Disfigurement
• Loss of cognitive skills
• Emotional and physical trauma
• Temporary or permanent family separation
• Loss of time with family and loved ones

We want to help you recover from the damage a car accident has caused you and your loved ones. We want to act quickly on your behalf because the time to act is very narrow. The statute of limitations is two years for a car accident case in Pennsylvania, and that does not leave you much time to get the compensation you deserve. We want to start your investigation immediately to relieve you of the unexpected burdens you are facing.

Please call us for a free consultation on your case.

If you or somebody you love has been the victim of a car accident caused by someone’s negligent and careless actions in the Pittsburgh area, please contact us immediately. We promise to conduct a thorough and full investigation into your claim so we can secure the compensation you need. There is only a two-year window for you to receive the help you deserve. We want you to receive compensation for:

• Lost wages from the victim
• Medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• Psychological care
• Punitive damages

When you need a Pittsburgh car accident lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 888-988-9467.

We have all been in this situation before – driving on a local roadway or highway and having to maneuver around a construction zone. Roadway construction is important, and most road construction projects seek to increase efficiency. However, while the construction is ongoing, serious accidents can occur. Here, the attorneys at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman want to discuss what you can do if you have been involved in a construction zone accident. These cases could become complicated, especially when working to determine liability.

Steps to take following a construction zone accident

If you have been involved in a construction zone accident, there are various steps you can take both immediately and in the days following the crash that can help your case.

• Seek medical assistance immediately: The first step you need to take after a construction zone vehicle accident is to seek medical care for any injuries you have sustained.
• Make sure law enforcement is involved: Call 911 and make sure the police come to the scene of the crash so they can perform a preliminary investigation and complete the accident report.
• Gather evidence: Get the names and contact information of any eyewitnesses to the crash. You should use a smartphone or another type of camera to take photographs of any property damage, injuries, causes of the crash, construction zone signage, temporary road markings, and more.
• Contact your insurance carrier: You need to let your insurance carrier know about the crash as soon as possible. You do not have to go into much detail about the incident initially, but they do need to know that the crash occurred.
• Speak to an attorney: You need to consider speaking to a Pittsburgh car accident attorney as soon as possible. An attorney will help you obtain and preserve any evidence needed to prove liability.

There may be various parties that could be held liable in the aftermath of a construction zone crash. Sometimes, liability will fall onto the drivers involved. However, construction zones are often managed by construction companies, government authorities, contractors, or subcontractors. These other parties may be held liable if they:

• Failed to alert drivers of hazards by using adequate warning signs
• Left equipment in the roadway that could cause a hazardous condition for drivers
• Neglected to properly mark off dangerous areas, such as unexpected rises or falls in the pavement or potholes
• Failed to properly mark off temporary lanes for drivers to follow
• Failed to guide traffic when necessary

Contact an attorney for a free consultation of your case today

If you or somebody you love has been injured in a vehicle accident that happened at a construction zone in or around the Pittsburgh area, seek assistance from an attorney as soon as possible. At Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, our qualified and experienced team will work to investigate every aspect of your case so we can secure the compensation you need. This can include coverage of your medical bills, lost wages, property damage expenses, pain and suffering damages, and more. When you need a Pittsburgh car accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 888-988-9467.

If you have seen Uber and Lyft in the news over the last few weeks, you may have realized that it has nothing to do with Pittsburgh. Right now, there is talk of Uber and Lyft shutting down operations in California over a conflict about whether or not their drivers are employees or independent contractors. However, even though this case has nothing to do with Pennsylvania, it has brought back questions about what happens if you are involved in an accident with an Uber or Lyft vehicle. The reality is that insurance can become a nightmare in these situations, and victims may need help from a Pittsburgh rental car accident attorney to secure the compensation they need.

Who is liable for compensation in these crashes?

The aftermath of an accident involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle can be a confusing time. This is particularly true when trying to determine whose insurance is responsible for covering the crash. This will all depend on the status of the driver at the time of the collision.

• If the Uber or Lyft driver is not signed into the rideshare app to work, then they are going to be on their personal time. If they cause an accident in their vehicle, then their personal insurance carrier is going to be responsible for covering the expenses. The minimum insurance requirements in Pennsylvania include bodily liability insurance coverage of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident as well as $5,000 in property liability coverage.
• If the Uber or Lyft driver is signed into the rideshare app to work but they do not have a passenger and they cause a crash, their personal insurance carrier is still going to be the primary coverage provider. However, both Uber and Lyft will provide supplemental insurance coverage that will kick in if the driver’s personal insurance coverage limits are exhausted or if their carrier denies a claim. Both rideshare companies will cover up to $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily liability coverage as well as $25,000 for property damage coverage.
• If an Uber or Lyft driver has a sanctioned passenger or is on the way to pick one up, then both rideshare companies provide a $1 million insurance policy that is supposed to cover everybody involved in the crash. This includes the rideshare driver and passengers, as well as anybody else involved (those in other vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.).

Let us help after an Uber or Lyft Accident

If you or somebody you love has been injured in a car accident involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle, you need to speak to an attorney as soon as possible. At Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, we understand that these cases can become incredibly complicated, but our attorneys have extensive experience helping clients recover compensation in complex personal injury cases. This includes coverage of all medical bills, lost income, household out-of-pocket expenses, pain and suffering damages, and more. When you need a Pittsburgh Uber or Lyft accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 1-888-988-9467.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so many facets of our lives. Unfortunately, staying at home orders has kept many people from being able to go to work or enjoy their daily activities. While these measures have been necessary to slow the spread of the virus, they have also negatively impacted our economy. However, most major automotive insurance carriers have offered automatic rebates to policyholders. With so many people not driving, the risk to insurance carriers has gone down. While this may seem like a kind gesture on the part of the insurance carriers, there may be some negative drawbacks in the event you do get into an accident.

Settlement negotiations may have gotten harder

It is important to always remember that automotive insurance carriers are “for-profit” companies. Insurance carriers do not like to pay out large settlements. Even individuals who are clearly not at fault for an accident often struggle to recover the compensation they need from an insurance carrier.

Major insurance carriers employ aggressive insurance adjusters who thoroughly investigate each incident and regularly work to ensure the company pays as little as possible for a claim.

Now, with less money coming in through premiums, at least temporarily, the insurance carriers may be even more reluctant to payout fair settlements for claims. This could be a major problem, particularly as the economy begins to open up in and around the Pittsburgh area. Traffic will slowly begin to rise back to normal levels, and we can expect traffic collision incidents to rise as well.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, there were 128,420 total car accidents during the latest reporting year in the Commonwealth. Out of these incidents, there were more than 78,000 injuries and 1,190 total fatalities. While the statistics for 2020 may not be as dire because there has been less driving for months, we can still expect that plenty of people in the Pittsburgh area will require assistance from insurance carriers. This is especially true as we move into the summer travel months and through the holidays towards the end of the year.

You can be sure that insurance carriers will be using various tactics to recoup any losses to their bottom line, and these tactics will often hurt car accident victims.

Our team is ready to handle your claim

If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an accident caused by another driver’s negligence, contact an attorney as soon as possible. At Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, you can count on our team to thoroughly investigate your claim and work to secure the compensation you are entitled to.

Our Pittsburgh car accident attorneys have no problem standing up to aggressive insurance carriers. We will conduct a thorough investigation of the incident and gather all evidence necessary to prove liability. Our goal is to secure compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering damages, and more. Let our Pittsburgh car accident lawyers get to work on your case today. You can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 888-988-9467.

When word of Kevin Hart’s horrific crash began to spread in September, residents here watched closely. Although his accident happened in California, Kevin Hart is originally from Philadelphia. The actor and comedian have charmed Americans for years, but this crash nearly took his life. 

At Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, we want to discuss the Kevin Hart crash and how it relates to vehicle safety. Our car accident attorneys are here to help if you are injured in a car accident caused by another person’s negligence. 

What Happened In Kevin Hart’s Crash?

In September, Kevin Hart was one of three people injured in a car crash in Calabasas, CA. According to the California Highway Patrol, Kevin Hart was the passenger and owner of the vehicle. He sustained serious injuries and was transported to the hospital. Driver Jared Black was also taken to the hospital for a back injury. Another person in the vehicle, Black’s fiancée Rebecca Broxterman, did not suffer any major injuries. 

The three were traveling down the highway in a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda owned by Hart. The California Highway Patrol said that Black was driving at the time and was turning onto Mulholland Highway when he accelerated in lost control of the vehicle. The Plymouth ended up careening down an embankment and slammed into a tree. 

As of this writing, Kevin Hart is still recovering from major back injuries as a result of the crash. In an Instagram post, he said that “I was involved in an accident. My world was forever changed.”

Car Accidents Are Common In And Around Philadelphia

Car accidents can happen to anybody. When we look at the latest reporting year of data from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, we can see that there were more than 128,000 total car accidents. Out of those incidents, 1,190 people died, and 78,219 sustained injuries. 

The car accident attorneys at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman regularly help clients who have suffered severe injuries caused by other drivers’ negligence, including:

• Broken or dislocated bones
• Severe lacerations or amputations
• Internal organ damage
• Internal bleeding
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Compensation for all medical bills related to the crash 
• Coverage of lost wages if you cannot work 
• Mental anguish damages
• Loss of enjoyment of life damages
• Possible punitive damages against a negligent party