Our Blog: Where Law Meets Life

Minadeo is a well-known name to some local Pittsburghers, but others may not have heard the brave tale of John Minadeo. He was a young man from Pittsburgh's Hazelwood area, the son of Italian immigrants in the 1950s, and a hero for an entire neighborhood.

Most of us will never have to pilot a 60,000-pound semi truck. No doubt you've seen these huge tractor-trailers on the highway or navigating busy city streets, but many of us will never sit behind the wheel of these massive vehicles. Sharing the road with big trucks is a part of driving, and we think that looking at it from the truck driver's point of view can help keep everyone safe when we share the road.

In the United States, roughly 450,000 public school buses carry 25 million children more than 4.3 billion miles each school year, but only about 20% of the children traveling to school by bus wear a seat belt during the ride.

On these hot summer days, swimming can be one of the best ways to escape the heat. Jumping into the pool isn’t only fun for kids – adults like to join in too. But sometimes teenagers and adults feel the urge to seek more excitement.

Pittsburgh has a rich, colorful history and geography that led to the construction of over 446 bridges in the city alone – nearly 2,000 in all of Allegheny County. Check out the stories behind some of Pittsburgh's most popular bridges.

Your parents and grandparents have told you stories of how they walked miles to get to school – uphill both ways, of course. Today, most kids take the school bus. In fact, school buses transport 26 million US students every year. Here’s a look back at how schools buses have evolved over the years and why they’re considered one of the safest forms of transportation on the roads.

The sun is warm and the water is bright. It's time to head to your favorite local lake or stream for a day of kayaking or boating. But before you go, it's important to remember the rules that'll keep you safe.

While tubing is a great adventure, like any watersport it has its potential risks. Our law firm wants you to stay safe and have a great time when you're tubing. Keep these tips in mind to have the best time possible.

Many of us simply don’t have the time to eat a sit-down breakfast each morning or return home every night for long meals at the dinner table. Americans eat a significant number of meals on the move. That means chowing down while sitting behind the wheel. Do you know how risky it is to eat and drive?

Generally, we have a pretty good sense of how to avoid choosing the wrong pair of shoes for a certain activity—for instance, you wouldn’t play soccer in slippers or go on a hike wearing pumps. But when it comes to driving a vehicle, an activity that the typical U.S. adult does fairly often (101 minutes per day on average), many of us consistently fail to select the right shoes for the job.

Liability waiver forms, also called waiver or release forms, are quite common in the U.S. Signing the release means that you waive, (i.e. give up) your right to hold the other party legally responsible if you are injured during the activity in question.

If you've ever been running late and stuck behind a driver leisurely waiting until the opposing lane is clear to turn left, you’ve probably cursed the existence of the left-hand turn. But are they really that bad? According to traffic engineers, yes they are.

That little glowing computer that you keep in your pocket or purse can pose a serious safety threat – and not just while you're driving. That's right, using your cell phone while walking busy streets could lead to serious accidents.

Until the early 1900s, the primary mode of daily transportation in the United States had four legs and ran on hay. Then, by the early 1910s, the number of automobiles on the road surpassed the number of horse-drawn “vehicles.” This rapid change outpaced the creation of safety measures and laws to regulate the new traffic.

Today, only 28 percent of 16-year-olds in the U.S. have driver's licenses, and just 46 percent of them have their license by the time they turn 18. This means that far greater numbers of drivers are waiting until they are older than 18 before getting behind the wheel.

Waterparks can provide hours of endless fun on hot summer days. What better way to stay cool than slipping down a waterslide? Whether you're with your kids or are a kid at heart, waterparks offer an adventurous escape from the summer heat. However, like any thrill ride, you should approach waterslides with caution.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced recently that many popular painkillers sold over the counter should come with warnings of increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Playgrounds are a haven for parents and kids alike. They are places where children can play, explore, and burn off some energy. Many neighborhoods even have playgrounds only blocks apart, and kids have their choice of where they want to swing and slide. Yet this wasn’t always the case, and in the early 20th century, a concern for kids’ safety became one of the major factors in the playground “boom.”

What happens when a foul ball or stray hockey puck goes awry and enters the stands? Who's responsible for medical bills, possible lost time at work, and more? The answer might surprise you.

Your wedding day is a joyous occasion, but it can be stressful to host such a large-scale event. A bride and groom-to-be have a lot on their plates that day—in addition to performing their duties as hosts. Since the majority of wedding celebrations involve alcohol, one aspect of these hosting duties is ensuring that guests remain safe by celebrating responsibly.