O'Donnell Law

What Should You Do After a Truck or Commercial Vehicle Crash in Scranton?

O'Donnell Law Offices — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 18:08:36 +0000

A collision involving a tractor-trailer, delivery truck, work van, bus, or other commercial vehicle can cause devastating injuries. These cases can also involve multiple companies, insurance policies, and federal or state safety requirements.

If you were injured in a commercial vehicle crash in Scranton or Lackawanna County, O’Donnell Law Offices can help you take the following steps, preserve critical evidence, and pursue compensation from those responsible.

1. Report the Crash and Seek Medical Attention

Call 911 and request assistance from law enforcement and emergency medical personnel. If you can safely do so, move away from traffic and remain at the scene until first responders arrive.

Seek medical attention even if your injuries do not initially appear serious. Concussions, internal injuries, and spinal damage may not produce immediate symptoms. Keep records of your treatment, expenses, prescriptions, and time missed from work.

O’Donnell Law Offices can help document how the collision affected your health, employment, and daily life.

2. Document the Commercial Vehicle and Crash Scene

If your condition allows, take photographs or videos of:

The vehicles and their positions
Damage, debris, and skid marks
Traffic signals and road conditions
The truck’s license plate
Company logos and vehicle numbers
The U.S. Department of Transportation number
Your visible injuries

Obtain the driver’s name, employer, insurance information, and driver’s-license information. Collect contact information from witnesses as well.

If you cannot gather this information because of your injuries, O’Donnell Law Offices can investigate the scene, obtain the police report, locate witnesses, and seek available photographs or surveillance footage.

Attorney Michael O’Donnell – Photographed in Scranton

3. Do Not Give the Trucking Company a Recorded Statement

A trucking company or insurance carrier may contact you shortly after the collision. Its representative may ask for a recorded statement, broad access to your medical history, or a quick settlement.

Do not agree before speaking with O’Donnell Law Offices. The trucking company’s insurer is protecting its own interests and may use your statements to dispute your injuries or reduce the value of your claim.

O’Donnell Law Offices can take over these communications and protect you from pressure while you focus on recovering.

4. Preserve Evidence Before It Disappears

Important commercial vehicle evidence may include:

Electronic logging-device records
Event data recorder information
GPS and dash-camera footage
Driver schedules and hours-of-service records
Inspection and maintenance histories
Driver training and qualification files
Dispatch communications
Cargo-loading records

Electronic data can be overwritten, and records may be lost if they are not requested promptly. O’Donnell Law Offices can send preservation notices and take steps to secure this evidence.

5. Let O’Donnell Law Offices Investigate Who Is Responsible

Responsibility may extend beyond the commercial driver. The trucking company, vehicle owner, maintenance contractor, cargo loader, parts manufacturer, or another company may have contributed to the crash.

O’Donnell Law Offices can investigate every potentially responsible party and pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent injuries, and other losses.

Contact a Scranton Truck Accident Attorney

O’Donnell Law Offices represents truck accident victims in Scranton, Clarks Summit, Dunmore, Old Forge, Taylor, Carbondale, and throughout Lackawanna County.

Commercial vehicle companies often have insurers and investigators working immediately after a crash. Put an experienced Northeastern Pennsylvania legal team to work for you.

Consultations are always free. Never a cost unless we win.

Call O’Donnell Law Offices at 570-821-5717 or schedule a free consultation with an attorney online.

The post What Should You Do After a Truck or Commercial Vehicle Crash in Scranton? first appeared on O'Donnell Law.

Restaurant Reservation Services Are Creating New Headaches for Operators

O'Donnell Law Offices — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:45:10 +0000

Written by Attorney Connor Graham and Attorney Neil T. O’Donnell

In society’s ongoing quest to app-ify everything, restaurants began accepting reservation requests through online apps. Today, that process is becoming more trouble than it’s worth.

Reservation Apps Compete for Exclusive Access

Reservation apps have begun seeking seat-exclusivity deals with restaurants. The goal is to lock table reservations to the app company’s top customers.

That practice has evidently become so prevalent that there is now a secondary market seeking to get around the principal reservation apps, such as OpenTable and Resy. Add in credit card perks and membership agreements, and reservations have become a complex web for restaurants to manage.

Source:
Heather Haddon and Adam Chandler, “Reservation Apps Have Made Getting Into a Restaurant a Nightmare,” The Wall Street Journal, August 8, 2026.
Read the article

Restaurants Are Already Facing Significant Financial Pressures

Americans spend nearly $1.5 trillion eating out. Despite that lofty figure, restaurant businesses continue to struggle.

According to the National Restaurant Association, roughly 42% of restaurant operators reported losses in 2025. The outlook remains challenging in 2026, with stressors including uneven traffic and rising costs.

According to the Association, cost increases are attributable to cattle inventory remaining at a multi-decade low, persistent poultry disease risk, and tariffs. Menu price increases are practically certain, and a majority of restaurants are seeking to renegotiate contracts with suppliers or find alternative suppliers altogether.

Source:
Matthew Liedke, “National Restaurant Association Estimates $1.5 Trillion in Sales For 2026,” Franchise Times, February 20, 2026.
Read the article

Reservation Platforms Add Another Layer of Complexity

It’s not just the app companies contributing to operating costs. Restaurants also pay swipe fees on transactions, and swipe fees in the United States are among the highest in industrialized nations.

However, the app-reservation sector has become a noticeable influence on the restaurant market.

Marco Shalma, founder and editor-in-chief of We Eat Here, a newsletter focusing on the New York City dining scene, put it simply:

“Owning the reservation layer means owning the customer relationship. And that is extremely valuable... whoever controls the reservations can influence discovery, traffic and demand patterns across entire cities.”

For restaurants, that means reservation technology is no longer simply a convenient way for customers to book a table. The platform through which a reservation is made can increasingly affect how diners discover restaurants and how available tables are distributed.

Source:
Jordan Valinsky, “The Restaurant Reservation Wars Show No Signs of Slowing Down,” CNN Business, March 17, 2026.
Read the article

Restaurants Must Manage an Increasing Number of Platforms

Unfortunately, it is often up to restaurants to manage reservations booked across several different apps.

DoorDash, which recently entered the business with its purchase of SevenRooms, has pitched a service that would pool reservations across apps. One would imagine that service would not be free.

Sometimes the Simplest Option Is Still the Best

The CEO of New York City restaurant Gramercy Tavern suggests a novel idea: call the restaurant directly.

Pointing to the New York City restaurant market, he says that approximately 10% to 15% of reservations cancel or result in no-shows. Restaurants want to fill those gaps, so it may still be worth simply picking up the phone.

Stay Informed With O’Donnell Law Offices

Technology continues to reshape how businesses and consumers interact, often creating new complications along the way. O’Donnell Law Offices continues to follow developing legal, business, and consumer issues affecting individuals and communities throughout Pennsylvania and beyond.

If you have questions about a legal matter, contact O’Donnell Law Offices today. Consultations are always free, and there is never a cost unless we win.

The post Restaurant Reservation Services Are Creating New Headaches for Operators first appeared on O'Donnell Law.

That “Forced Arbitration Agreement” May Not Be Enforceable

O'Donnell Law Offices — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 18:04:04 +0000

By Neil T. O’Donnell and Connor Graham

Almost nobody reads the Terms and Conditions for online purchases. But buried in that fine print may be language that affects an important legal right: your ability to have a dispute heard by a jury.

Oftentimes, the fine print contains a forced arbitration clause requiring disputes to be resolved through arbitration, sometimes in a county selected by the company. Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution in which an arbiter acts much like a judge.

However, simply placing an arbitration provision in Terms and Conditions does not necessarily make it enforceable. Courts may refuse to compel arbitration when the process used to obtain a consumer’s agreement does not comply with governing law.

When Can Arbitration Be Required?

When determining whether arbitration can be compelled, courts generally consider a two-part test:

Whether a valid agreement to arbitrate exists; and
Whether the underlying dispute falls within the scope of that agreement.

The existence of a valid and binding agreement is especially important when the agreement arises from an online transaction.

Courts may refuse to enforce an arbitration agreement related to an online purchase if the consumer was not adequately informed that agreeing to the Terms and Conditions meant waiving the Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial.

Consumers Must Receive Clear Notice of a Jury Trial Waiver

In practical terms, an appropriate waiver of the right to a jury trial requires clear notice.

According to the court decision discussed in this article, two elements are particularly important:

The registration or application screen should explicitly notify the consumer that the Terms and Conditions contain a jury trial waiver.
Within the Terms and Conditions themselves, the jury trial waiver should appear prominently, such as through bold and capitalized text.

Companies therefore may need to do more than simply place an arbitration clause deep within a lengthy set of online Terms and Conditions. Consumers should be clearly informed from the outset that agreeing to those terms includes giving up the right to have certain disputes decided by a jury.

Why Clear Disclosure Matters

Most consumers do not closely review online privacy policies or Terms and Conditions before agreeing to them.

A 2019 Pew Research Center survey found that 97% of Americans had been asked to agree to a company’s privacy policy, yet only 9% of adults said they “always read” those policies.

When arbitration provisions and jury trial waivers are placed inside similar online agreements, the manner in which those provisions are presented can become an important issue when a court determines whether the agreement should be enforced.

Sources:
Duffy v. Tatum, 354 A.3d 14, 20, 24 (Pa. Super. 2026).

Brooke Auxier et al., “Americans’ attitudes and experiences with privacy policies and laws,” Pew Research Center, Nov. 15, 2019.

Questions About an Arbitration Agreement?

If you are involved in a legal dispute and have been told that an arbitration agreement prevents you from pursuing your claim in court, the enforceability of that agreement may depend on how it was presented and whether you knowingly agreed to waive your rights.

Talk With O’Donnell Law Offices

If you have questions about your legal rights, contact O’Donnell Law Offices to discuss your situation with an attorney. Consultations are always free.

Never a cost—unless we win.

The post That “Forced Arbitration Agreement” May Not Be Enforceable first appeared on O'Donnell Law.

Six Steps to Take After a Truck Accident in Wilkes-Barre

O'Donnell Law Offices — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 19:16:17 +0000

Truck and commercial vehicle collisions are more complicated than ordinary car accidents. A crash involving a tractor-trailer, box truck, delivery vehicle, construction truck, bus, or company van may involve corporate insurance coverage, electronic vehicle data, driver records, and multiple responsible businesses.

If you or someone you love was injured in a truck crash in Wilkes-Barre or Luzerne County, contact O’Donnell Law Offices for help protecting your rights and taking these important steps.

1. Call 911

Report the crash and remain at the scene unless emergency personnel take you for treatment. The police can document the drivers, vehicles, witnesses, roadway conditions, and other important details.

Tell the investigating officer what happened, but do not guess about facts you did not clearly observe. O’Donnell Law Offices can obtain and review the police report as part of its investigation.

2. Obtain Medical Care

Truck crashes can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, internal bleeding, broken bones, and other serious conditions. Get checked by a medical professional even if you initially believe you can recover without treatment.

Follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations and retain your medical bills, treatment records, medication information, and proof of lost income.

O’Donnell Law Offices can use this documentation to demonstrate the full physical, financial, and personal effects of the collision.

3. Take Photographs and Gather Information

If you can do so safely, photograph the vehicles, damage, debris, tire marks, intersection, traffic controls, and road conditions.

Make sure you capture the commercial vehicle’s:

License plate
Company name and logo
Vehicle or unit number
U.S. Department of Transportation number
Trailer and cargo, when relevant

Ask witnesses for their contact information. If your injuries prevent you from documenting the scene, O’Donnell Law Offices can investigate on your behalf and search for witnesses, traffic cameras, business surveillance footage, and other evidence.

4. Refer Insurance Companies to O’Donnell Law Offices

The trucking company or its insurer may ask you for a recorded statement, medical authorization, or early settlement. You are not required to face that process alone.

Refer insurance representatives to O’Donnell Law Offices. Its attorneys can manage communications, evaluate settlement offers, and prevent an insurer from pressuring you into resolving your case before the extent of your injuries is known.

Avoid posting about the collision, your treatment, or your activities on social media. Insurance companies may monitor public posts and attempt to use them out of context.

5. Have O’Donnell Law Offices Preserve the Trucking Evidence

Commercial vehicles may contain electronic information showing speed, braking, location, driving time, and other activity before a crash. The company may also possess driver logs, maintenance records, dispatch messages, training files, and dash-camera footage.

This information may be erased or overwritten. O’Donnell Law Offices can act promptly to demand that the trucking company and other businesses preserve relevant evidence.

The firm can then determine whether driver fatigue, distracted driving, unsafe loading, inadequate training, poor maintenance, or pressure from an employer contributed to the collision.

6. Identify Every Responsible Party

The truck driver may not be the only party responsible. A claim could also involve the driver’s employer, the vehicle owner, a maintenance company, a cargo-loading business, or a manufacturer of defective equipment.

O’Donnell Law Offices can identify the responsible individuals and companies and pursue compensation for:

Medical treatment and rehabilitation
Lost wages
Reduced future earning capacity
Property damage
Pain and suffering
Permanent impairment or disfigurement
Other losses caused by the crash

Call a Wilkes-Barre Truck Accident Lawyer

From its Kingston office, O’Donnell Law Offices represents people injured in truck and commercial vehicle crashes in Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, Pittston, Hazleton, Dallas, Mountain Top, Nanticoke, Plains, Forty Fort, and throughout Luzerne County.

The trucking company may already be building its defense. Let O’Donnell Law Offices preserve the evidence, investigate the collision, deal with the insurers, and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Consultations are always free. Never a cost unless we win.

Call O’Donnell Law Offices at 570-821-5717 or schedule a free consultation with an attorney online.

The post Six Steps to Take After a Truck Accident in Wilkes-Barre first appeared on O'Donnell Law.

Jury Duty Scams: How to Recognize the Warning Signs

O'Donnell Law Offices — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 18:53:48 +0000

Written by Attorney Connor Graham and Attorney Neil T. O’Donnell

With the internet and artificial intelligence making it easier to collect personal information and impersonate others, scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated. One alarming example involves fraudsters posing as sheriffs, U.S. marshals or other authorities and falsely claiming that the person they have called missed jury duty.

How a Jury Duty Scam Works

The storyline is generally simple. A scammer calls while impersonating a law enforcement officer or another government official. To sound convincing, the caller may recite basic personal information, such as your name and address.

Then comes the hook: The caller claims that you failed to report for jury duty and that a warrant has been issued for your arrest. The scammer may demand thousands of dollars in supposed bail or fines, often insisting that payment be made immediately through a payment app, cryptocurrency or another difficult-to-reverse method.

Although the story may seem suspicious in hindsight, these scams are designed to trigger panic. By creating fear and urgency, the caller attempts to push the victim into acting before there is time to question the suddenness or strangeness of the demand.

Warning Signs of a Jury Duty Scam

The Federal Trade Commission offers several important reminders for recognizing this type of fraud:

Police will not call or email you an arrest warrant.
Law enforcement will not call to warn you of an impending arrest.
A legitimate officer will not threaten to arrest you simply for ending a phone call.
The government will not demand immediate payment by phone through cryptocurrency, a payment app, gift cards or similar methods.

If you receive a call like this, do not let the caller's threats or sense of urgency control your response. Hang up, take a moment to think and independently contact the relevant court or law enforcement agency using a verified public phone number.

What to Do If You Were Scammed

If you sent money or shared financial information, contact the bank, credit card company, payment app or other company involved as soon as possible. Explain that the transaction was fraudulent and ask whether it can be reversed.

If you gave the scammer your Social Security number or other sensitive personal information, visit IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan. You should also report the scam to the FTC. Reporting fraud helps authorities identify patterns and respond to evolving scams.

Sources

Joe Barrett, The 'Jury Duty' Scam That Cost This Family $25,000, The Wall Street Journal, August 10, 2026.
Federal Trade Commission, Ignore Calls, Texts, and Emails Threatening Arrest for Missing Jury Duty.
Federal Trade Commission, What To Do if You Were Scammed.

O’Donnell Law Offices Is Here for You

If you have questions about your legal rights, contact O’Donnell Law Offices at 570-821-5717 or send us a message online. Consultations are always free.

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What Should You Do If You Are Sexually Abused by Someone in a Position of Power?

O'Donnell Law Offices — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:38:23 +0000

Sexual abuse can happen anywhere—including at work, at school, in a place of worship, within an athletic organization, at a medical facility, or in another environment where one person holds authority or influence over another.

A supervisor, teacher, coach, counselor, clergy member, medical provider, law-enforcement officer, or other trusted individual may exploit that power imbalance to intimidate, manipulate, or silence a victim. They may threaten the victim’s employment, education, reputation, opportunities, or relationships. They may also try to convince the victim that no one will believe them.

For survivors in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and communities throughout Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties, knowing what to do next can feel overwhelming. Your immediate safety and well-being come first. Taking the following steps may also help preserve evidence and protect your legal rights under Pennsylvania law.

If this happened to you, it was not your fault. You deserve to be safe, supported, and treated with dignity.

1. Get to a Safe Place and Contact Someone You Trust

1. Get to a Safe Place and Contact Someone You Trust

Your immediate safety comes first. If you are in danger, move to a secure location and call 911 when it is safe to do so.

Consider contacting someone you trust, such as a family member, friend, counselor, or victim advocate. You do not have to face the immediate aftermath alone.

If the person who harmed you controls your employment, education, housing, transportation, finances, medical care, or access to other necessities, leaving or reporting the situation may be especially difficult. A victim advocate can help you consider your immediate safety needs.

You may also contact O’Donnell Law Offices for a free, confidential consultation. Attorneys experienced in representing sexual-abuse survivors can help you understand your rights before you communicate with the person responsible, the institution involved, or its insurance company.

Learn More about our experience with abuse cases:

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2023/01/17/pittston-area-settles-sex-abuse-cases-with-no-public-dollars/

2. Seek Medical Attention After Sexual Abuse or Assault

Consider seeking medical care as soon as possible, even if you do not see visible injuries or have not decided whether to report what happened.

A medical professional can evaluate and treat injuries, discuss testing or preventive care, and help arrange a sexual-assault forensic examination when appropriate. A forensic examination may preserve evidence that could become important if you later decide to make a police report or pursue a civil claim.

If the abuse happened recently and you may want evidence collected, try to avoid bathing, changing clothes, brushing your hair, or cleaning the area where the incident occurred, if you are able. Clothing and other potential physical evidence should generally be placed in a paper bag rather than a plastic bag.

Even if you have already showered, changed clothes, or waited to seek treatment, you can still receive medical care and ask about your options.

O’Donnell Law Offices can help connect survivors with appropriate resources and explain how medical records and forensic evidence may relate to a potential civil sexual-abuse case.

3. Consider Reporting the Abuse to Law Enforcement

Sexual assault and abuse may be crimes. You have the option to report what happened to local law enforcement.

A police report can begin a criminal investigation and create an official record of the allegations. When speaking with investigators, provide as much accurate information as you can, but do not feel pressured to remember every detail immediately. Trauma can affect how events are processed and recalled.

It is also important to understand that criminal and civil cases are separate. A criminal prosecution seeks to hold an offender accountable for violating the law. A civil claim seeks accountability and compensation for the harm suffered by the survivor.

Even if criminal charges are not filed—or do not result in a conviction—a survivor may still have the right to bring a civil claim. O’Donnell Law Offices can explain the differences between these proceedings and help survivors understand how a criminal investigation could affect a civil case.

4. Preserve Messages, Records, and Other Evidence

People who abuse positions of power may communicate through text messages, emails, direct messages, workplace platforms, school accounts, or social media. Preserve anything that could document the conduct, the relationship, or the authority the person held over you.

Potential evidence may include:

Text messages, emails, and social-media communications
Photographs, videos, or audio recordings
Work schedules, school records, calendars, or appointment records
Performance reviews, disciplinary notices, grade changes, or other evidence of possible retaliation
Names of witnesses or people you told about the abuse
Medical records, counseling records, or police reports
Internal complaints made about the person or institution
Employee handbooks, school policies, codes of conduct, or reporting procedures
Letters, gifts, financial records, or other evidence of grooming or manipulation

Do not delete communications, even if they are upsetting. Take screenshots, retain the original files, and store copies somewhere the person or institution cannot access.

O’Donnell Law Offices can help identify and preserve evidence before messages, records, security footage, or internal documents are deleted or lost. The firm can also investigate whether other complaints were previously made against the person responsible.

5. Be Careful When Reporting Abuse to a School, Employer, or Institution

A workplace, school, religious organization, medical institution, government agency, or athletic program may have an internal process for reporting misconduct. An internal report can be important, but survivors should understand that the organization may also be concerned about its own reputation, finances, and legal exposure.

Before signing a statement, accepting compensation, agreeing to confidentiality, participating in an internal investigation, or attending a meeting with administrators, consider speaking with O’Donnell Law Offices.

An experienced sexual-abuse attorney can communicate with the organization on your behalf, help you understand its reporting process, and take steps to protect your rights if the institution attempts to minimize what occurred or retaliate against you.

6. Contact an Attorney Experienced in Sexual Abuse Cases

Sexual-abuse cases involving a person in authority can be legally and factually complex. Responsibility may extend beyond the individual who committed the abuse.

Depending on the circumstances, a school, employer, religious organization, government entity, medical facility, athletic organization, or other institution may share responsibility for:

Negligent hiring or retention
Inadequate supervision
Ignored complaints or warning signs
Failure to follow reporting requirements
Failure to enforce safety policies
Concealment of prior misconduct
Retaliation against a survivor or witness
Conduct that allowed the abuse to occur or continue

O’Donnell Law Offices has experience representing survivors of sexual abuse by people placed in positions of authority. The firm’s attorneys can:

Explain your rights and available legal options
Help preserve important evidence
Communicate with the institution and its insurance company
Investigate what the organization knew and when it knew it
Identify individuals and institutions that may be legally responsible
Examine earlier complaints or warning signs
Explain the relationship between criminal proceedings and a civil claim
Protect you from pressure to accept an unfair agreement
Monitor the legal deadlines that may apply to your case

Legal deadlines can vary depending on the survivor’s age, when the abuse occurred, who committed it, and the type of institution involved. Speaking with O’Donnell Law Offices promptly can help ensure that evidence is preserved and potential legal rights are not lost.

7. Connect With a Confidential Sexual-Assault Resource

Help is available whether or not you are ready to make a police report or pursue legal action.

The Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect connects survivors with free and confidential crisis counseling, advocacy, hospital accompaniment, police accompaniment, and local support services. Its statewide hotline is 1-888-772-7227.

The RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline also provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

These organizations can provide emotional support and crisis services. O’Donnell Law Offices can provide legal guidance, investigate potential claims, and pursue accountability from the person or institution responsible. Survivors may choose to contact both a victim advocate and an experienced attorney as they consider their next steps.

Help for Sexual-Abuse Survivors Throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania

O’Donnell Law Offices represents survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. This includes cases involving teachers, coaches, supervisors, clergy members, medical providers, school employees, law-enforcement officers, and others placed in positions of authority or trust.

From its Kingston office, O’Donnell Law Offices serves survivors and families throughout:

Luzerne County, including Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, Pittston, Hazleton, Dallas, Mountain Top, Nanticoke, Plains, Forty Fort, and surrounding communities
Lackawanna County, including Scranton, Clarks Summit, Dunmore, Old Forge, Taylor, Carbondale, and surrounding communities
Wyoming County, including Tunkhannock, Factoryville, Nicholson, Meshoppen, and surrounding communities

O’Donnell Law Offices has experience pursuing accountability not only from the person who committed the abuse, but also from institutions whose actions or failures may have allowed it to occur or continue.

Speak With a Scranton or Wilkes-Barre Sexual Abuse Attorney

If you or someone you love experienced sexual abuse or exploitation by a person in authority, you may have legal options. O’Donnell Law Offices represents survivors in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, Pittston, Hazleton, Tunkhannock, and communities throughout Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties.

We will listen to your story with compassion and discretion and explain the options that may be available under Pennsylvania law.

Consultations are always private and free. Never a cost unless we win.

Call O’Donnell Law Offices at 570-821-5717 or schedule a free consultation with an attorney online.

The post What Should You Do If You Are Sexually Abused by Someone in a Position of Power? first appeared on O'Donnell Law.

AI Security Cameras Vandalized

O'Donnell Law Offices — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:45:58 +0000

Written by Attorney Neil T. O’Donnell and Attorney Connor Graham

How Flock Safety’s AI-Assisted License Plate Cameras Work

Flock Safety purportedly helps law enforcement by installing AI-assisted cameras in certain areas. They photograph the license plates of vehicles and collect other identifying information for law enforcement use. The company claims that they scan approximately 20 billion license plates per month. That data can be shared by police departments across the country.¹

Flock Safety AI Cameras Vandalized

AI cameras owned by Flock Safety have recently been vandalized by saws or spray paint.²

Questions About Flock Cameras and Crime Reduction

Flock’s website boasts that these cameras lead to faster cases, fewer officers, and tighter budgets. An advertisement on their website perplexingly points to lowering crime statistics. This is despite crime, both violent and property, having been steadily decreasing since the 1990s.³ As such, it’s difficult to discern the level of utility these cameras provide to fighting crime. What we do know for certain is that these cameras are emboldening various heartbroken or clingy individuals in law enforcement.

Unauthorized Police Use of Flock’s Camera Network

Reports indicated that at least 50 law-enforcement personnel have used Flock for unauthorized purposes, mostly related to stalking their significant others and ex-girlfriends.⁴ In one instance, a policeman searched his ex’s license plate hundreds of times. Flock gave departments broad discretion regarding safeguards that would deter misconduct. Those safeguards were underutilized, which resulted in those personnel having a very expensive search service at their fingertip.

Flock Safety’s New Data Privacy Safeguards

For what it’s worth, Flock says that they are working to enhance safeguards. These include tools to adopt flags for abnormal usage activity for review, as well as reducing the default data-retention period from 30 to 7 days. One wonders how the latter will be much help, since the department can change data retention from the default rate. Regardless, this is just another example of AI accelerating onwards, and some people being subject to privacy violations.

¹ Youn, Soo and Kindelan, Katie. Flock announces security changes after dozens of reports of law enforcement abuse and public backlash. ABC News, Aug. 14, 2026. Accessed Aug. 17, 2026.

² Albert, Victoria. Flock Plans to Add Safeguards to AI Surveillance Tools After Backlash. The Wall Street Journal, Aug. 13, 2026.

³ Gramnlich, John. What the data says about crime in the U.S. Pew Research Center. April 24, 2024. Accessed Aug. 17, 2026.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/04/24/what-the-data-says-about-crime-in-the-us/.

⁴ Harwell, Drew, et. al. How rogue officers turned a nationwide camera network into a tool for stalking. The Washington Post. Aug. 2, 2026. Accessed Aug. 17, 2026.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/08/02/how-police-officers-used-vast-network-cameras-spy-their-exes/.

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Fresh Insurance Woes, to the Surprise of Few

O'Donnell Law Offices — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:08:28 +0000

Written by Attorney Neil T. O’Donnell and Attorney Connor Graham

Rising Insurance Claim Denials

Plaintiff’s attorneys across the country have noticed an uptick in denials of uninsured/underinsured motor coverage (UM/UIM) by insurance companies. The concrete data is now coming in.

A recent Wall Street Journal article finds that, over a span of 10 years, there have been a striking increase in denials of auto-insurance liability, medical, and UM/UIM claims.¹ Employees of the Journal analyzed date filed to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for the period between 2016 and 2025. Liberty Mutual had the highest increase of denials, surging from 29% in 2016 to 54% for 2025. They are closely followed by State Farm, who went from 26% to 47%. Geico was relatively steady, going from 35% to 37%; their insureds know of the company’s consistency right from the Gecko.

What May Be Driving the Increase

The cause of this phenomenon is assumably multifaceted, but we can gleen some information from the numbers. Team Shoreline, a public adjuster company servicing Florida, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, notes that the share of low-dollar claims dropped from 41.5% in 2019 to 25.5% by mid-2025.² This means that drivers are filing a larger share of expensive claims, which insurers fight harder against.

Bad Faith Insurance Practices

Some of this may be bad faith insurance practices.³ Bad faith requires proving that (1) the insurer did not have a reasonable basis for denying benefits under their respective policy, and (2) the insurer knew or recklessly disregarded its lack of a reasonable basis in denying the claim.⁴ Some examples of bad faith border on ludicrous company behavior.

What This Means for Insurance Claimants

Taken together, insurance claimants are increasingly feeling that the deck is being stacked against them. Claimants’ attorneys feel that bad faith insurance practices can’t be properly pursued under governing law. It can at times be a vexing situation, but not unworkable.

If your insurance carrier refuses to have your auto injury claim - call us - we can help.

¹ Eaglesham, Jean, and Jeffrey-Wilensky, Jaclyn. If You Get in a Car Crash, the Risk Is Growing Your Insurance Won’t Pay, The Wall Street Journal. Aug. 9, 2026. Accessed Aug. 17, 2026. https://www.wsj.com/finance/if-you-get-in-a-car-crash-the-risk-is-growing-your-insurance-wont-pay-1522236c?st=mK7R7Z&reflink=article_email_share.

² Auto Isnurance claim Trends: Why Your Payout Is Shrinking And What To Do About It,Shoreline Public Adjusters. March 2026. Accessed Aug. 17, 2026. https://www.teamshoreline.com/blog/auto-insurance-claim-trends

Data obtained from CCC Intelligent Solutions’ analysis of paid claim trends, See https://www.cccis.com/reports/crash-course-2025/q4#Paid-Claim-Trends.

³ In Pennsylvania, if an Insurer acts in bad faith during the claims process, a party is entitled to additional remedies. See 42 Pa.C.S. § 8371.

⁴ See Devincenzo-Gambone v. Erie Ins. Exch., 2025 PA Super 235, 347 A.3d 1116, 1122

Has Your Auto Insurance Claim Been Denied?

If your insurance company has denied or undervalued your auto injury claim, O’Donnell Law Offices can help you understand your rights and determine your next steps. Contact us today for a free consultation. There is never a fee unless we win.

The post Fresh Insurance Woes, to the Surprise of Few first appeared on O'Donnell Law.

Guthrie Kidnapping Stretches Beyond 6 Months

O'Donnell Law Offices — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:21:53 +0000

More than 6 months after a kidnaping that stirred the nation, little progress seems to have been made.

The Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie

Nancy Guthrie, an 84-year old retired university administrator and mother of the former Today Show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing at 12:03 p.m. on Sunday, February 1, 2026.¹ A family friend had called Nancy’s middle child, Annie, that Nancy had been absent for a routine church service that morning. Annie went to the home and found the back door open along with personal items that Nancy always keeps close. At 2 p.m., the sherrif’s department lead supervisor on the scene reported this as a missing person case. Minutes later, he called the homicide department.

Questions Surrounding the Investigation

Evidently, the homicide department of Pine County, Sgt. David Stivers, has been the center of local controversy. He was previously blamed for delays in securing crime-scene evidence, and accused of poor judgment. Homicide arrived at the scene, but neglected the blood on the porch for hours. The blood was suspected to have originated from an unrelated incidental injury. After analysis, the department began to believe it was related to the kidnapping. The department’s $1.7 million surveillance aircraft remained unused for several hours; only one pilot was trained for its use, and he or she was recently demoted following a workplace complaint. The plane began flying at around 6:30 p.m., but by then it was too dark to be of effective use.

Ransom Notes Issued

Two ransom notes, allegedly from the kidnappers, were issued. The first demanded an exchange of $4 million in Bitcoin by February 5 at 5 p.m. for Nancy’s release. That price was never paid. Unfortunately, the second ransom note, released the following Friday, hinted that Nancy was already dead. The FBI, who quickly partnered on the case, has determined those notes to be fakes.²

No Suspects Publicly Disclosed

There are apparently no lead suspects, at least, none publicly disclosed.

¹ Buarlein, Valerie, Mitovich, Jared, and Critchfield, Hannah. Trail of Missteps in Guthrie Case. The Wall Street Journal. Aug. 3, 2026.

² Gorman, Steven and Winter, Jana. Nancy Guthrie kidnapping notes determined to be fakes, FBI source says, USA Today. July 1, 2026. Accessed Aug. 13, 2026.

Seeking Justice After Abuse or Institutional Negligence?

When misconduct, negligence, or a failure to act causes serious harm, victims and their families deserve answers and accountability. The experienced attorneys at O’Donnell Law Offices represent individuals and families throughout Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and Northeastern Pennsylvania in complex personal injury and institutional negligence cases.

Consultations are always free, and there is never a cost unless we win.

Contact O’Donnell Law Offices to speak directly with an attorney.

The post Guthrie Kidnapping Stretches Beyond 6 Months first appeared on O'Donnell Law.

Uber Moves to Disclose Outside Investors in Litigation

O'Donnell Law Offices — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 19:35:46 +0000

Uber has received a lot of bad press in the personal injury sphere. A recent Arizona bellwether trial, involving an Uber driver sexually assaulting a passenger, resulted in a $8.5 million judgment against the rideshare company.¹ New events may add more bad press to the pile.

Uber Seeks Disclosure of Outside Litigation Funding

Uber is seeking to have disclosure requirements for lawsuits funded by outside investors.² Under Uber’s plan, customers or drivers who sue the company will have to disclose those funding arrangements. This is an effort to counteract a rapidly evolving litigation funding industry, where parties agree to fund litigation efforts against companies such as Uber in consideration for a share in settlement or judgment winnings. Uber, joined by several other companies, is lobbying Congress and several State legislatures for statutory changes to curb these practices, but those efforts have stalled.

Uber’s Efforts to Limit Liability

This is evidently an attempt by Uber to limit liabilities resulting from numerous lawsuits arising from Uber drivers assaulting and/or harming customers. An $8.5 million verdict is easily payable by Uber, but the company has a vested interest in stemming the tide of potential litigants. Whether or not these measures will be effective remains to be seen.

A Better Focus: Effective Background Checks

In our view, Uber’s efforts are better directed toward effective background checks.

Sources

¹ Subin, Samantha, Uber held liable, ordered to pay $8.5 million in driver rape suit, CNBC, February 6, 2026. Accessed July 10, 2026.
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/06/uber-liable-pay-8-5-million-driver-rape-suit.html?msockid=13d2caba6d0e6fc828a6dc316cc46eff.

² Siegel, Emily R., Uber Targets Litigation Funders in rider, Driver Agreements (1), Bloomberg Law, July 9, 2026. Accessed July 10, 2026.
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/uber-targets-litigation-funders-in-rider-driver-agreements.

Injured by an Uber or Rideshare Driver?

If you have been the victim of an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare service in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, or anywhere in Northeastern Pennsylvania, call O’Donnell Law Offices.

Our attorneys have experience helping victims pursue justice in these types of cases. We will listen to what happened, explain your legal options, and fight to hold the responsible parties accountable.

Call O’Donnell Law Offices at 570-821-5717 or contact us online for a free consultation. There is never a fee unless we win.

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