Media Pennsylvania Legal Blog

Even when you do your best to avoid rush hour traffic, this isn't always possible. This is particularly true if your commute takes you in close proximity to Philadelphia or another major city.

Rush hour is one of the most dangerous times on the road, so it's imperative to adjust your driving style with safety in mind. Here are five things you should do:

• Stay in your lane: Don't be one of those drivers who is always switching lanes in an attempt to save a few minutes. Stay where you are until it's time to exit. Not only does this help prevent an accident, but it also reduces your stress level.
• Leave more time to reach your destination: For example, if you know rush hour traffic is bad in the morning, leave a few minutes early. When you're not in a hurry, you won't take risks in an attempt to make better time.
• Don't become distracted: It's easy to lose focus in slow moving traffic, such a by scanning radio stations, talking to passengers and checking your email. Any distraction increases the risk of an accident.
• Check your route: It's likely that there's more than one route to your destination. Even if the mileage is longer or it takes you a few more minutes to reach your destination, if you're able to avoid heavy congestion, it may be worth it.
• Leave a greater following distance: In stop and go traffic, leaving a greater following distance is a must. This gives you more time to stop your vehicle in the event of an emergency.

Even though property owners are supposed to keep their premises as safe as possible for visitors, not all of them do this. In fact, slip-and-fall incidents are common occurrences on many properties in Pennsylvania for this reason. Fortunately, those who are seriously hurt as a result of a property owner's negligence can pursue financial recoveries in court -- just as the injured parties did in the following real slip-and-fall accident case examples:

(1) Blinded man awarded $4 million after falling on sidewalk

Imagine you were injured in a car accident, and you want your or the at-fault party's insurance company to cover for the damages. You'll need to file a claim as soon as possible. Filing this claim is essential if you are seeking compensation. It's also essential that you file the claim correctly.

To do this, you will first need to determine whether you're filing a first-party or a third-party insurance claim.

Imagine you grew up staring at dad's "Dogs Playing Poker" painting in the den, and eventually the painting became yours. Now, your kids have grown up looking at the very same painting and all of them love it.

Even though your "Dogs Playing Poker" painting isn't worth much from a monetary perspective, it's worth a great deal in sentimental value. In fact, it's worth so much to your kids that they could end up fighting over it in court after you're gone. As such, you'll want to decide who will get the painting now, indicate it in your will and tell your kids about the decision.