Last Saturday in Philadelphia, twenty pounds of cocaine were seized by customs at the Philadelphia International Airport. By any account, this is a very large amount of cocaine. In this situation, the cocaine does not appear to have been taken from any single person, but rather from bags found in the cargo hold.
This raises the important question as to what to do when you are searched by customs officials. We must understand that our regular constitutional rights and freedom from being searched do not apply in an airport setting. No one has a constitutional right to board an airplane and therefore one must comply with the safety standards. Obviously, the best way not to be stopped with contraband when coming on or off an airplane is to make sure that one never has contraband. Sometimes, however, people mistakenly leave certain things in their luggage. (more…)
Philadelphia is the land of lawyers. Arlo Guthrie famously sang about the legendary Philadelphia lawyers in his song Philadelphia Lawyer. Looking in the Webster’s Dictionary for the definition of “Philadelphia lawyer” one sees the reputation that Philadelphia has for tenacious and creative lawyers. So in the city of so many lawyers how does one find the best? Intelligence and creativity are essential elements of any lawyer. New studies published in both The New York Times and Bicycling Magazine suggest that if you want a smart and creative lawyer with a finely-tuned brain, then you want a cyclist.
Bicycling Magazine recently cited a study finding those with greater leg power sustained their cognitive ability and brain health far longer than their weaker-legged counterparts. The New York Times examines a recent study showing that exercise not only improves one’s cognitive abilities, but can change the brain, making it stronger. (more…)
Recently, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that an inordinate amount of infections were contracted by patients of open-heart surgery at two local hospitals.
In the article, Penn State Hershey Medical Center admitted that they were contacting over 2,300 patients who they feared could be exposed to infections during open-heart surgery. It is believed that the infections were caused by circulating water being aerosolized through an exhaust vent of heater coils used on the bypass machine during surgery. (more…)
A school bus accident reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer raises the important question of who is responsible when passengers on a school bus are injured. The article titled “Driver in fatal Lehigh U-team bus Crash Identified”, speculates that a driver fleeing the police after a traffic stop caused the accident. Even in a situation where the accident was caused by the criminal conduct of another, there is still the ability to recover financially for injuries. Too often, those engaged in criminal activity are driving an uninsured or stolen motor vehicle. In this situation, the passengers of the school bus and the driver will contact their own Under-Insured Motorist Coverage. (more…)
A recent editorial in the New York Times discusses the important topic of criminal records and their effect on people’s ability to work and reintegrate in society. In this age of hyper vigilance and excess information, employers more and more are using background checks as an initial way of weeding out potential employees. We have gotten to a situation where any individual with a criminal background is essentially precluded from ever holding employment. This is obviously a ridiculous result. This is not limited to restrictions making sense, such as keeping dangerous people out of schools, but extends to every area and profession. (more…)
After being injured in an accident, an immediate concern is paying for your medical treatment. Payment of medical treatment should never stop you from getting the essential medical care. The law in Pennsylvania mandates that automobile insurance pays for medical treatment after a car accident. If you have been injured in a car accident, it is imperative that you give the emergency room or any other medical care providers your car insurance information. Pennsylvania law requires that your car insurance pays for your medical treatment up to a certain amount. At a minimum, this provides you with $5,000.00 of medical coverage. (more…)
ThePhillyLawyers is proud to announce the opening of their free 24-hour Pope hotline for all Pope-related legal questions.
The Pontiff will be visiting Philadelphia on September 26th and September 27th during the 2015 World Meeting of Families. Great chaos and confusion is expected. There will be uncertainty as to the enforcement of laws and the protection of citizens and visitors alike. It is divinely important that everyone have access to experienced legal advice for all Pope related questions.
Whether you are involved in a dispute with law enforcement authorities, injured while traversing through our fine city, or otherwise have a pressing Pope-related legal question, you can reach ThePhillyLawyers at 215-884-9300, 24 hours a day. We have attorneys available by telephone and in person for those located within any of the numerous rings of the Philadelphia Pope security. (more…)
The most important factor in determining the value of your personal injury case is your injuries. The more serious your injury, the more your case is worth. For a case to be worth a significant amount of money, there must be serious and permanent injuries. These may include loss of limbs, brain damage, injuries requiring multiple surgeries, or loss of major senses such as sight or hearing. Back and neck injuries can also be serious life changing injuries, causing paralysis or other severe limitations. These types of injuries are not always immediately apparent and sometimes require multiple surgeries. If you have suffered serious bodily injury then you deserve to be compensated appropriately. (more…)
