Marcus & Mack Summer 2024 News

Russell Bopp, Esq., attorney at the law firm of Marcus & Mack, P.C., was recently appointed as a Hearing Committee Member serving the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Attorney Bopp will serve a three-year term as a Hearing Committee Member in the District IV disciplinary district.

The Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania was created to establish and regulate the rules of conduct for all attorneys practicing law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. According to their mission statement, the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is “dedicated to protecting the public, maintaining the integrity of the legal profession, and safeguarding the reputation of the courts.” Based on the 2023-2024 Annual Attorney Registration data, there are more than 75,000 attorneys that are eligible to practice law in Pennsylvania.

As a Hearing Committee member, Attorney Bopp will conduct hearings and act as a formal reviewing body to determine if a case might move forward in pursuit of a particular course of discipline. There are approximately 150 Hearing Committee Members appointed across the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Attorney Bopp has a profound respect for the practice of law and is honored to represent Indiana County in his capacity as a Hearing Committee Member. He believes “that attorneys have an ethical obligation to give back to their communities and the legal profession in tangible ways.”

Attorney Bopp has been recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyer in Pennsylvania by the National Trial Lawyers Association every year since 2021 and has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star, a distinction reserved for only 2.5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania. He was also recently elected as the Treasurer on the Board of Governors for the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association.

Attorney Bopp’s practice at Marcus & Mack, P.C., is dedicated to representing individuals and the family members of those that have lost loved ones or suffered catastrophic injuries through no fault of their own. Attorney Bopp has been recognized as a member of the Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum based on the outstanding results he has achieved for his clients.

When he is not at work, Attorney Bopp enjoys spending time with his wife, Brittany Bopp, seven-year-old son Rowan Bopp, and five-year-old daughter Harper Bopp, and is an avid Pittsburgh sports fan.

3 Ways Insurance Companies Avoid PayingAuto Accident Victims

Being the victim of a car crash is traumatizing. Those feelings will only increase if an insurance company refuses to pay your claim, even though they are responsible for doing so.

The sad reality is that insurance companies are for-profit businesses. Therefore, the goal of insurance companies is to maximize profits by denying claims and paying less than full value for other claims. Thus, insurers will find excuses to avoid paying victims the compensation they need and deserve.

Three of the top ways insurance companies avoid paying auto accident claims are:

• Pressuring victims to accept a fast settlement that pays far less than they deserve: This method involves insurers coercing victims toward a hasty
  settlement or accepting minimum compensation. Fast settlements may occur before victims understand the full extent of their accident-related injuries. As a result, they may not receive full compensation.
• Denying or delaying claims: Insurance agencies often drag their feet to avoid paying victims: They may delay the claims process despite offering verbal assurances that the claim is being processed soon. Insurers might also deny claims outright in bad faith.
• Urging victims not to hire an attorney or stop medical treatment: Insurance adjusters might tell victims medical treatment isn’t worth their time or energy. They may also advise them not to seek legal guidance.

How You Can Protect Yourself

Did an insurance company deny your car crash claim? Did you receive a low offer? Our experienced auto accident lawyers are here to help. Call our office today.

Motorcycle Safety

Over the past 10 years motorcycle fatalities have increased 19%. Motorcycle helmets are estimated to be 37% effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle operators and 41% effective for motorcycle passengers. Many motorcycle crashes cause serious head injuries.

States across the U.S. are hoping to decrease the number of motorcycle-related injuries and deaths by:

• Encouraging helmet use. Wearing a helmet is required in more than 20 states.
• Training police to identify drunken motorcyclists and increasing high- visibility drunk driving enforcement.
• Enforcing speed limits. More than 35% of motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were speeding.
• Making rider training more accessible with more courses at convenient times.
• Educating motorists about sharing the road with motorcycles.

Staying Safer on Your Motorcycle

One of the most common reasons drivers give for cutting off or pulling out in front of a motorcycle is that they “didn’t see it.”

Bikers can prevent crashes and injuries by:

• Keeping headlights and marker and taillights on at dusk and in dark or rainy weather.
• Staying three to four seconds behind a vehicle they intend to pass, checking oncoming traffic from the left side of the lane, signal- ing the intention to turn and then checking for oncoming traffic before passing.
• Checking their rearview mirror and quickly turning their head to ensure the vehicle is a safe distance behind them when completing a pass.
• Wearing helmets that meet a high protection standard.
• Wearing proper clothing, eyewear, and sturdy closed-toe footwear.

Sharing the Road with Bikers

Motorists can help to make the roads safer for motorcyclists by taking some simple precautions:

• Be extra cautious on weekends when more motorcyclists take to the road.
• Provide motorcyclists adequate room to maneuver.
• Allow extra maneuvering room in areas with potholes, pavement transitions and railroad crossings. Motorcyclists may need to slow down, stop or adjust their lane position.
• Never try to share a lane with a motorcycle. Motorcycles have the same right to lanes as any other vehicle.
• If motorcycle is nearby, check your mirrors carefully before changing lanes. Motorcycles may be in your blind spots or difficult to see because of their smaller size.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle collision, call our office today. We are here to help

Tech Support Scams

Here is a new twist on tech support scams. A warning pops up on your computer. It says your computer has a virus and gives you a number to call for help. You often end up paying hundreds of dollars to a scammer who pretends to deal with the fake virus. Now scammers are upping the stakes — instead of hundreds of dollars, people are unknowingly handing over tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to tech support scammers. Here’s how.

Tech scammers still use fake security pop-ups to get you to call a number. However, instead of telling you there’s a virus, they now say someone hacked your bank, investment or retirement account and is using it for fraud. To “help,” they transfer you to another scammer who pretends to be with a government agency (like the Federal Trade Commission or the FBI) or the fraud department at your bank. The scammer says the only way to protect your money is to transfer it to a new account. The problem is the scammer controls that new account and quickly cleans it out.

Other scammers take the same approach but tell you to “protect” your money by buying gift cards and sharing the numbers on the back, buying bitcoin and sharing the account information or withdrawing cash or buying gold and dropping it off to someone in person.
Here’s what to know:

• Never call a number on a security pop-up warning. Pop-ups that tell you to call tech support are always scams.
• Never move or transfer your money to “protect it.” Only a scammer will tell you to do that.
• Never give someone a verification code to log in to your account. Scammers want it to get into your account.
• Call your real bank, broker or investment advisor if you’re worried. And call a number you know is real.

Car & Truck Collisions

Everyone knows that car and truck collisions are very common. What everyone may not know is that if you are seriously injured and it isn’t your fault, you are entitled to damages that cover the cost of your pain, suffering, inconvenience, medical bills and lost wages.

After a collision or personal injury caused by no fault of your own, the last thing you want to worry about is whether your personal injury case will be successful. While the role of your attorney is important, there are several things you can do to help your personal injury attorney get the best result in your case.

1. Be proactive, act fast and gather evidence
2. Take photos of your injuries on a continual basis
3. Get appropriate medical treatment
4. Keep your attorney informed about your injury treatment and recovery
5. Don’t talk about your case
6. Save documents in a central file
7. Get copies of your medical bills
8. Keep your attorney informed about witnesses

Both you and your attorney have the same goal in your personal injury case: to get you the compensation you deserve after a collision caused by someone else’s negligence. To achieve the best results and accomplish this goal, it is important to work together to keep lines of communication clear.