Keep Your Rights!!!

“Limited tort” coverage is just that—limited—and it
means that the insured and their family members covered under
the policy cannot receive compensation for pain and suffering
in many cases. This sacrifice in full protection not only
affects accidents within one’s own car but also affects any person
who is injured as a passenger in someone else’s car.
There are some exceptions when individuals who select
“limited tort” are still able to receive compensation for
pain and suffering. Shick details these limited and very specific
circumstances: “Limited tort will cover those who sustain
a serious impairment of a bodily function, significant disfigurement
or death. Individuals are also deemed to have
‘full tort’ coverage if they are a passenger in a commercial
vehicle or if the other party is from out of state or is convicted
of a DUI.”
For these reasons and more, selecting a policy with “limited
tort” coverage should not be considered. Shick adds, “By
choosing ‘limited tort,’ an insured driver is giving
away their rights and their family members’
rights before the accident even happens. The few
dollars saved in the premium is not worth it if one
of your children is hurt in an accident.”
Choosing “full tort” is just one consideration
in buying car insurance. “Individuals can
be hurt in a motor vehicle accident by a negligent
driver through no fault of their own,”
Shick explains. “If the other driver is underinsured or uninsured,
the injured individual must turn to their insurance
carrier for compensation.”
Shick recommends that individuals protect themselves
and their families by purchasing underinsured and uninsured
motorist benefits as part of their policy. By doing so, people
are protecting themselves—and not just protecting themselves
from the “other guy.” When the “other guy” doesn’t have adequate
coverage, the injured party can make a claim for compensation
under those provisions of the policy for which they
are paying premiums. In these challenging economic times,
it is not unusual to find that the other party has not purchased
adequate coverage.
If in a motor vehicle accident, individuals should seek assistance
from an experienced personal injury attorney—one who is able to review the accident facts and has a deep understanding
of the available insurance benefits.

BucksHappening.com

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Check out the article on Linda M. Shick, Esquire - Women in Business.
http://www.buckshappening.com/naftulin-shick-linda-shick

Pennsylvania Child Seat Requirements

CHILD PASSENGER PROTECTION ACT 229 REQUIRES
• Children under the age of four (4) must be buckled into a federally-approved child passenger restraint system
(child safety seat), which must be secured to the vehicle by the seat belt system (or using the vehicle’s LATCH
system, available in newer vehicles), no matter where they ride in the vehicle (front or back seat).
• Children ages four (4) and older, but under the age of eight (8) must be buckled into a federally-approved child
booster seat, which must be secured to the vehicle by the seat belt system, no matter where they ride in a
vehicle (front or back seat). Booster seats must be used in conjunction with lap and shoulder belts.
• Children ages eight (8) and older, but under age 18 must be buckled in a seat belt, no matter where they ride
in the vehicle (front or back seat).
• Drivers are responsible for securing children into an approved child passenger restraint system and ensuring
children under age 18 are buckled up.
VIOLATORS MAY BE FINED AND WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COURT COSTS.
HURT IN AN ACCIDENT - CALL NAFTULIN and SHICK, PC. 800-560-3388
www.Naftulin-Shick.com

Teen Bullying Settlement Made Public

(CNN) -- The parents of a 15-year-old Massachusetts high school student who committed suicide after being bullied by her classmates received a nearly quarter-million-dollar settlement, according to documents made public after a months-long attempt to uncover details of the agreement.

The settlement was reached with the town of South Hadley in November of 2010, but it was only made public Tuesday after a reporter successfully sued to gain access to the records.

The reporter, Emily Bazelon from Slate Magazine, filed the public records lawsuit on December 2 with assistance from the American Civil Liberties Union, after first requesting the documents in May.

Superior Court Judge Mary-Lou Rup on Friday ordered the settlement be made public, adding that Bazelon "demonstrated that she, in her role as a news reporter, and the public have a First Amendment right to access the information contained in these settlement documents."

The agreement centers around the case of Phoebe Prince, whose body was found last year hanging in the stairway leading to her family's second-floor apartment.

On the day she died, Prince had endured a torrent of verbal abuse that began at the school library and continued as she walked home from school in tears, according to prosecutors.

Her parents, Anne O'Brien and Jeremy Prince, received the $225,000 settlement sum after filing a complaint with the state's Commission Against Discrimination in 2010, arguing that South Hadley Public Schools failed to address hazing that preceded their daughter's death.

Tougher Teen Driving Law Goes into Effect in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's new teen driving law, also known as "Lacey's Law" went into effect Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at midnight. The law was named after a Philadelphia teen who died in a car accident in 2007. The bill was signed by Governor Tom Corbett in October.

Since the bill was signed in October, there have been at least two fatal teen driving accidents in the Commonwealth. In December, five New Oxford high school students were in killed in a car crash. A day later, 16-year-old twins, along with their 9-year-old sister, died when their vehicle hit another car.

Under the law, having a passenger under 18 without a seatbelt is a primary offense, which means teens can be stopped and fined. During the first six months, after getting their license, teens can only have one person under 18 in the car with them. This does not include immediate family members. After the first six months, teens can have up to three passengers under 18.

The law also states teens must complete 65 hours of behind the wheel training. The previous requirement was 50 hours. The extra 15 hours are split between night driving and driving in inclement weather.

If you, a friend or family member has been hurt in an accident, call Naftulin and Shick, PC at 800-560-3388. Don't Settle For Less. www.Naftulin-Shick.com

Is Your Cell Phone Transmitting Your Location?

Cell phone tracking via GPS and location privacy is starting to emerge as a big issue, especially with more GPS enabled cell phones on the market. e911 rules require that your cell phone transmit your location data when you make a 911 call. New cell phones and smart phones have a feature commonly called "Location". When it is on, your phone is traceable.

For mobile phones to work, they have to be in regular contact with mobile cell towers. Location services uses cell tower locations to determine your approximate location. To track a cell phone, it has to be "On." There is no need to perform any activity, such as phone usage, emailing or text messaging, for it to be traceable.

Cell phone tracing is helpful in times of emergencies, for example, when a person is in need of help. Most rescue government centers, fire and police departments can use cell phone tracing to find locations of people in need of immediate assistance. This is very valuable in life-threatening situations wherein an individual may not be cohesive enough to describe his or her location--or example, in a case of a car accident or a missing person.

Some parents may find this feature handy to know the whereabouts of their children in case they are running late and they cannot get in touch with them. It can give them the added peace of mind.

Law enforcement officers can also take advantage of phone tracing in their investigative work to find locations of criminals whose cell phone numbers they are tracing.

Make Sure Your Insurance Policy Provides FULL TORT coverage

LIMITED TORT
Under Pennsylvania Law, if you choose Limited Tort coverage on your auto insurance policy, you give up the right to receive compensation for pain and suffering under certain circumstances if you are injured in a car accident. If you have never been injured in an car accident, you may not realize the pain and suffering that a person goes through. Car crashes can lead to injuries and long-term disabilities that last for months or even years.

Many people are unfamiliar with insurance provisions and don’t understand what it really means to have Limited Tort coverage on their auto policy. They choose Limited Tort because they believe that it saves them a few dollars. Or they think they’ll never be injured in a car accident.

By choosing Limited Tort, you sacrifice full protection for you and your family members who are covered under your car insurance policy. Limited Tort not only puts you and your family at risk in your own car, but it even applies when you or your family are injured as passengers in someone else’s car.

There are some exceptions to Limited Tort that would enable you to collect money for pain and suffering under limited circumstances, such as you sustain a serious impairment of a bodily function, significant disfigurement, or death; you are in a commercial vehicle; the other driver is from another state; or the other driver is convicted of DUI.

FULL TORT
With Full Tort, Pennsylvania law permits you to seek money for your pain and suffering due to any injury you receive in an auto accident, provided that someone else is at fault for the accident.

Choosing Full Tort on your policy instead of Limited Tort does cost a little more on your car insurance premium, but it could mean thousands of dollars to you if you are injured in an auto accident. Having additional money to help you through a difficult time in your life is well worth the small expense today.

If you or a loved one are injured as a result of someone else's negligence in a car accident, falldown, or other accident, call Naftulin and Shick, PC for a free consultation at 800-560-3388. Visit us on the web at www.Naftulin-Shick.com. Email us at LindaShick@Naftulin-Shick.com.
HURT IN AN ACCIDENT? DON'T SETTLE FOR LESS!