READERS: THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND REFERRALS: WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEM!
In particular thanks to Bobby Reed, Lou Coles, Lou P. And Susan M. for your recent referrals.
WHAT IS NEW AT THE TULLY LAW FIRM: As you know, probably 95% of our practice involves injury cases. Mostly car accidents. But we also do workers comp and criminal law. Recently Michael represented a client of ours who had a Felony charge against him. Michael was able to successfully have the Felony charge thrown out at the Preliminary Hearing. Anyone who has ever done criminal law knows that is no small accomplishment. Congratulations Michael!
PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS: We are getting more and more calls for pedestrian accidents where a pedestrian is walking on the street and gets hit by a car or a truck. Pedestrians are at a severe disadvantage because they do not have the protection of a car to shield them from injuries. If you have been injured as a pedestrian please give us a call. We handle a lot of pedestrian type accidents and have gotten some very good offers for clients over the years.
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING INSURANCE COMPANIES LOOK AT WHEN PLACING A $$ VALUE ON YOUR CASE? Records Records Records – More and more insurance companies rely on your treatment records to input their evaluation of your case. You should never get treatment just to run up a bill. But if you are hurt and need continuing treatment for your injuries, we suggest you consult with your doctor or chiropractor. That is the best advice we can give because it will help you get better and let the other side fully understand what you are going through each day.
WHAT IS THE 2ND BIG FACTOR THAT DRIVES THE VALUE OF JURY VERDICTS? It is if the jury gets angry at the Defendant. This can be done in a lot of ways. Like them doing something underhanded at trial or (2)hiding evidence or (3)having an obnoxious attorney representing them. Those are the kind of cases where there are big big verdicts.
JURY CAPS LIMIT YOUR RIGHT TO FULL COMPENSATION – A NEW LOOK: There is a $$ cap on the amount you can receive against a governmental unit. It is usually $250,000 or sometimes even $500,000. However, those small caps may now be tested in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The problem with the current cap is it is so well … little. What it means is that no matter how severely you are injured by the fault of a government agency, you cannot receive a penny more than the current caps. We are hopeful that the new composition of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will change this to benefit you.
THIS MONTH’S TIP FOR INJURY CASES: What is the biggest factor that you can do to increase the value of your case? Smile and be likeable. Juries give $$ to injured people who they like. If you do not come across as likeable, the jury will skunk you.
LEARNING THE LAW – STACKING: WHAT IS IT? Stacking of insurance policies means adding the policy limits of the number of cars in your household on top of each other to increase the potential recovery you can get in your case. Suppose you have three cars insured with Erie. Each car has $50,000 underinsurance coverage. Stacking means you can add the 3 cars you have at $50,000 each to get a maximum recovery of $150,000 from your auto policy. Now that is a good number to work with.
STEELERS NEWS: Congratulations to Coach Bill Cowher and former Steeler great Donnie Shell on being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame! The Steelers HOF list just keeps growing.
PENGUINS: What did you think of the recent criticism of Matt Murray by some Penguin fans? Do you think it was warranted after his 2 Stanley Cups? Just wanted to know your thoughts.
PITT AND DUQUESNE BASKETBALL: As our Newsletter is being written, both the Panthers and Dukes are flying high! Fantastic!
CONGRATULATIONS TO Roslyn B. on winning January’s Newsletter contest. She will receive a $50.00 check from us.
NOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN: If the groundhog sees his shadow, what does that mean?
DID YOU SEE THE ARTICLE ABOUT HOW MUCH IT COST THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH TO REMOVE THE PAT BUS FROM THE SINKHOLE? $88,000!
Your friend and attorney,
Bernard M. Tully
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY