PHILADELPHIA – A local judge said it was incumbent on plaintiff counsel to explain their client’s failure to appear for a recent mandatory pre-trial conference, or risk the case being dismissed.
On June 15, Judge John M. Younge ordered a rule issued upon plaintiff Marybeth Haslam-Houck and her counsel Blake L. Berenbaum, to show cause why the plaintiff’s case should not be non-prossed for failure to prosecute, at a meeting slated for this past Wednesday at Philadelphia City Hall.
All parties were called to appear unless the case was settled or withdrawn, in which case counsel must immediate notify the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in writing.
On April 4, 2013, Haslam-Houck allegedly sustained injuries when the vehicle she was operating stopped due to traffic between 13th Street and Broad Street on the Vine Street Expressway in Philadelphia, when it was rear-ended by defendant Sean McCarthy’s vehicle (in turn, owned by fellow defendant Christopher Henderson). The suit says speeding and negligent driving were among the causes of the crash.
Haslam-Houck allegedly suffered injuries to her head, neck, arms, back and legs in the accident and may have incurred losses in excess of the maximum recoverable amount under the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law (PMVFRL).
The plaintiffs are each seeking damages jointly and severally, in excess of $50,000 in this case. This includes a claim from Christopher Houck for loss of consortium.
The plaintiffs are represented by Berenbaum of Richman Berenbaum Associates, in Trevose.
The defendants are represented by Janet Law of the Law Offices of Francis D. Mackin, in Marlton, N.J.
Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas case 150400250
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nickpennrecord@gmail.com