Newsletter - Perskie, Fendt & Cannaday, PC

SPRING
2015
Brought to you by
M. Daniel Perskie
450 Tilton Road, Suite 260
Northfield, NJ 08225
[609] 645-2111
Robert T. Fendt
1500 Walnut Street, Suite 1620
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Thank
You!
Thank you!
All of us here at Perkie Fendt & Cannaday P.C., want to thank you for your loyalty and for
trusting us with your legal needs over the years. We feel that you are as much a part of our
families as our own flesh and blood.
We have been a leading law firm in this community for many years. We have assembled
a team of professionals who view our clients as members of our extended family. Our
attorneys, paralegals and staff are both legally savvy and caring. That means high-quality
legal services from people who are truly concerned about your specific situation and want
to help you with your legal needs. It’s important to us that you feel comfortable with the
people who can provide the legal help you need, so we take the time to listen, answer your
questions, and explain what we can do for you.
Tara L. Cannaday
[215] 569-0019
Among the
cases we
handle are:
Automobile accidents
Dog-bite claims
Slip and falls
Workers’ compensation
Medical malpractice
Defective products
Wrongful death
Municipal court
Bankruptcy
Our team strives to provide legal services you can count on whenever you need legal help.
There is never a charge for an initial consultation. To learn more about the many services
we offer, please call us. We are here to help you.
When dogs Bite
Every year in the United States, approximately 800,000 people seek medical
attention for a dog bite.
If you are bitten by a dog or other animal, the first thing you need to do is seek
medical attention. If left untreated, a bite can cause severe injury, infection, and
even death if the animal is diseased. The next step is to contact an attorney.
Depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to recover damages for
medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damages. We can
help to determine what compensation is appropriate to seek in your particular case.
During your consultation with us, we will ask you for information like the name and
phone number of the animal’s owner and any witnesses. It is also helpful to know if
the animal has a history of aggressive behavior.
“We take your family’s safety and security personally.”
www.pandflaw.com
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION:
When do you need an attorney?
Workers’ compensation claims are rarely simple. Knowing when you can handle a claim on your own
and when you need representation can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.
If your injury is relatively minor, you expect to return to work after a short recovery period, and the
insurance company has paid your claim, you probably do not need an attorney. However, if any of the
following apply to your case, you should call our office to schedule a free consultation.
injury required surgery;
•Your
Your
believes your health will not return to the condition it was prior to your injury;
•You dodoctor
not
believe
• due to your injury; you will be able to return to work at your previous job, or work at any other job, •You believe your employer, their insurance company, or the State workers’ compensation division has not treated your claim fairly;
do not understand any part of the workers’ compensation process and would feel more • You
comfortable knowing you had a legal expert on your side.
We generally take workers’ compensation cases on a contingency basis, meaning we don’t get paid
unless you win. If you choose to meet with us, we will evaluate all aspects of your claim. You’ll need to
bring any relevant medical records, information about your job and employer, information from your
employer regarding their workers’ compensation policy, receipts of any medical expenses incurred so
far, wage information, and a description of the cause of the injury with a list of any witnesses. Please
feel free to contact us with any questions or to schedule a consultation.
Watch your step!
It is quite common for slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents to occur on stairs.
As with other slip/trip-and-fall accidents, the victim must prove fault in order
to receive compensation for their injuries. To do so, it must be shown that
the party responsible for the property was guilty of one of the following:
• They knew about a dangerous condition on the property and did not fix it;
• They caused a dangerous condition and did not fix it;
• They should have known about a dangerous condition because
another “reasonable” person in their position would have known
about it.
Of course, it is always better to prevent an injury than to try to
prove fault and collect damages. Stair-related accidents are often
caused by common dangers such as slippery surfaces, wet or
icy conditions, lack of handrails, and improper or uneven stair
height or depth.
If you or a loved one was injured in a stair-related fall, we can
help you determine if it is possible to collect damages from
the party responsible for the property. Call us to schedule a
free consultation.
(609) 645-2111
PAGE 4
Distracted driving
increases accident risk
Talking on a cell phone while driving has been found to quadruple the risk of being in
an accident. That’s about the same as driving drunk! Texting is even worse, elevating the
risk of being in an accident to eight times normal.
Distracted driving has become a serious problem on our roads. It’s not just cell phones
either; eating, drinking, grooming, changing the music, reading, programming the GPS,
and watching a video are among the many other distractions that increase the chance
of having an accident.
According to traffic safety experts, there are three main types of distractions - manual,
visual, and cognitive. That means taking your hands off the wheel, eyes off the road, and
mind off the task of driving. Texting is so bad because it involves all three types.
If a driver spends just five seconds sending or receiving a text message, at highway
speed, it means the car will travel about the length of a football field without that driver
paying attention. A lot can happen on that amount of road.
While many states and localities have passed laws regarding distracted driving (with
more on the way), it is ultimately up to each of us to make sure we are paying attention
when behind the wheel.
The group End Distracted Driving is trying to raise awareness of this growing safety
problem. To find out what they are doing and what you can do to help, visit them on
the Web at www.EndDD.org.
Not just a
teen problem:
Adults more
likely to text
& drive
You may assume it’s only those crazy teens
who can’t keep their hands off their phones
while behind the wheel, but according to
research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic
Safety it is adults ages 25-39 who were most
likely to report that they text while driving.
Those over 60 were least likely to engage in
the high-risk behavior. Overall, about one in
three Americans have texted while driving.
Texting and driving is one of the most
prevalent examples of distracted driving.
Talking on the phone (even hands-free),
eating, applying makeup, changing the music,
and watching a video are also ways a driver
could be distracted. Whatever the distraction,
taking one’s attention off the task at hand –
operating the vehicle – is a surefire way to
increase the odds of being in an accident.
Do not post!
The best way to use social media when you are involved in a legal
issue is to not use it. There are just too many ways that a seemingly
simple post to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram could come back to
cause serious problems down the line. It’s not worth the risk. Even
something you are sure would be okay may be spun by your opponent’s
attorney to convince the jury that your case is not what it seems.
A post like “I wrecked into a truck today” reads like you’re admitting fault for an
accident. Posting a picture of yourself holding your 5-year old when you’re under
doctor’s orders not to lift over 25 pounds can make it look like you’re exaggerating
your injuries. Disclosing details of a settlement that includes a confidentiality
agreement can nullify the deal.
A recent Facebook post disclosing details of a settlement cost a Florida family a lot
of money. Patrick Snay settled an age discrimination suit with his former employer,
Gulliver Preparatory School, for $80,000. It included a confidentiality agreement. After the
settlement, the man’s daughter posted on her Facebook page, “Mama and Papa Snay won the
case against Gulliver. Gulliver is now officially paying for my vacation to Europe this summer.
Suck it.” The school found out about the post and argued that it violated the confidentiality
agreement. The Court agreed and forced Mr. Snay to repay the $80,000.
www.pandflaw.com
Warning:
Posting ANYTHING related to your
case on social media at any point
in the process can cost you money!
PAGE 4
Testimonial of Jane P.
My name is Jane. On March 29, 2010, I was injured in an automobile accident which was the fault of another driver. The injury I suffered
ultimately led to a surgical procedure called a one level fusion in my lower back. Although it would seem somewhat uncomplicated, the
insurance company of the driver that injured me disputed both my injury and the happening of the accident. In all fairness, I was injured
in the same part of my body a number of years before. I went to the firm of Perskie & Fendt for both accidents. With the first injury, the
case settled without fanfare. However, with the second accident (where I needed the one level fusion), the insurance company disputed
everything. They would not concede they were at fault, and just as importantly, they maintained that my injuries were all pre-existing.
Dan Perskie insisted that I take the case before a jury. Before we went to the jury we had to appear for a mandatory arbitration before a
panel which awarded $50,000.00 on my case. Dan tried the case before a jury and got me an $800,000.00 verdict!!!
It goes without saying that I was ecstatic with Dan and his firm. Most importantly, unlike the larger firms that I was recommended to go
to, they did not treat me like a mill. I was not another number to these people. Both the staff and Dan treated me like family.
Dan’s trial skills are the best I have seen or ever heard about. I know other people who have been hurt and I am sympathetic towards their
plight. However, to not go to the firm of Perskie and Fendt is a huge mistake for anyone that has been injured in any type of accident as a
result of negligence.
I cannot say enough good things about Dan and his firm. If you are injured in any type of accident you owe it to yourself to contact this
firm for representation. The attorneys and staff care a great deal about their clients and it shows in the results achieved.
PERSKIE, FENDT
& CANNADAY, P.C.
450 Tilton Road, Suite 260
Northfield, NJ 08225
PRESORTED
STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
LANCASTER, PA
PERMIT NO. 242
Visit us online at
www.pandflaw.com
(609) 645-2111
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The information included in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for professional legal advice. For your specific situation, please call the appropriate legal professional.
Do you like to “tell-a-friend”?
If so, this message is for you.
Many of us ask friends or family members for recommendations for anything from plumbers to restaurants to
mechanics. Almost without fail, they are happy to offer a referral. Everyone likes to talk about “their guy” who
does the best work in town for the fairest price. They love to “tell-a-friend.” We do too. Do you?
Referrals are the rare win-win-win (triple win) situation! If your friend is looking for an electrician and you refer
the company that did a good job replacing your breaker box last year, everyone wins! Your friend gets an
electrician they can trust (because you, their friend, recommended him). The electrician gets a new customer.
You get to help your friend – and everyone likes helping their friends.
The next time someone in your life is in need of a personal injury attorney, we hope you will tell-a-friend about us.
www.pandflaw.com
PAGE 4