Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog

At least 20 people have been injured in a Boston subway after an electrical fire late Thursday, MSNBC reported.

An electrical fire forced the removal of passengers from trains and shut down several subway lines; at least 20 people suffered from smoke inhalation. The fire started after 10 p.m. Thursday just north of the Downtown Crossing Station in a Red Line tunnel. The congested area contains several crossing tracks at an underground intersection.

The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority reports that the fire was contained to that tunnel but that heavy, thick smoke spread into several nearby stations and onto platforms.

Power to the Orange and Green lines was shut off as a precaution and Silver Line buses were kept above ground near South Station. Witnesses reported the heavy smell of an electrical fire. Passengers reported smoke too thick to see through, trouble finding their way out of stations and severe hacking and coughing. One passenger said he was doubled over with severe pain upon exiting the station.

Delays continued Friday with the MBTA reporting that the fire had caused signal problems in the downtown area. Crews worked through the night to clear the tracks and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Continue reading "At least 20 injured in Boston subway after electrical fire reported" »

Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Jeffrey B. Mullan took to Boston streets during rush hour last week on his way to the inaugural Boston Bicycle Safety Summit.

There, Mayor Thomas M. Menino and others urged motorists and cyclists to adopt safe driving habits at the outset of the spring and summer riding season, the Boston Globe reported.

As we reported last week on our Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, spring is a particularly dangerous time for Massachusetts bicycle accidents; motorists are urged to use extra caution to help keep the roads safe for our cycling friends.

A total of 716 cyclists were killed in bicycle accidents nationwide in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Seeking to become a cycling haven, Boston has added 15 miles of bike trails, installed more than 500 bicycle racks and instituted a $100 fine for parking in bike lanes. This year's budget includes $450,000 for 20 more miles of bike lanes.

The Mayor said he wants drivers to respect cyclists and police officers to enforce the law.

"Autos will not rule the road any longer," he said. "It's a health issue, it's a convenient way of getting around the city. And we want to listen to the very active (cycling) community."

Continue reading "Officials urge motorists to keep cycling safety in mind, reduce Boston cycling accidents" »

Members of Boston College's national championship hockey team are among seven teenagers charged after an accident with an MBTA trolley early Sunday morning, the Boston Globe reported.

The Boston car accident occurred when a Jeep carrying seven teenagers tried to make a U-turn across the tracks on Commonwealth Avenue near Greycliffe Road. The Jeep struck an outbound train heading for Boston College shortly after midnight, according to a MBTA spokesperson.

The driver and three passengers were transported to city hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, according to a college spokesperson. The MBTA reported that the other three passengers took themselves to St. Elizabeth's Medical Center with minor injuries after fleeing the scene.

Three of the teens are members of the National Championship hockey team at Boston College.

Police reported finding Vodka in the Jeep and all seven teens face charges of underage alcohol possession. The Jeep was heavily damaged and a bar connecting two of the trolley cars was also damaged. The investigation is ongoing.

The Boston Herald reported that the trolley driver had no time to stop and said several of the teens tossed alcohol from the car as they fled the scene.

The driver of the vehicle said she had not been drinking and a spokesperson for the college told the Herald that police reported alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

Continue reading "Boston college hockey champs involved in car accident with MBTA trolley" »

Safety concerns remain in Big Dig tunnels, nearly five years after a high-profile incident in which a 28-year-old motorist was killed in a 2006 Boston car accident caused by collapsing ceiling panels, the Boston Herald reported.

The chronic problems plaguing the Big Dig are a glaring example of road defects causing or contributing to Massachusetts traffic accidents. But a variety of safety hazards frequently contribute to serious traffic accidents, including inoperable traffic control devices, missing signs, poorly maintained roads and overgrown vegetation, which can obstruct the view of oncoming traffic or signs and traffic control devices.

While the report found that Massachusetts has done a good job of implementing safety improvements following the accident, the Highway Administration needs to do a better job in three areas: Ensuring the safety of ceiling anchors in the Ted Williams Tunnel; improving fire preparedness, and assuring the accuracy of concrete viaduct calculations.

The Review was prompted by the July 2006 accident, in which several 4,600-pound ceiling panels broke free, crashing into a passenger car and killing a 38-year-old Boston resident. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded the accident was the result of the wrong type of epoxy used to hold the ceiling bolts in place.

The Big Dig has also been the site of a number of serious and fatal Boston construction accidents. Though, while the City Journal reported insurance calculations initially estimated 40 serious construction accidents would occur over the course of the project's history, the Dig has reported less than half that many serious or fatal work accidents.

An Amherst bicycle accident injured a 22-year-old University of Massachusetts student, after he was struck by a car Saturday night on Main Street, the Patriot Ledger reported.

The driver of the car, believed to be a dark sedan, fled the scene.

The Massachusetts bicycle accident is the latest in a series of accidents this spring that have cycling advocates voicing frustration at the risks of navigating busy, narrow streets and the lack of better safety measures. A 22-year-old Mission Hill man was killed earlier this month in a Boston bicycle accident with an MBTA bus, the Boston Globe reported.

That accident occurred on a stretch of road near Huntington Avenue, just after the South Huntington split, which cyclist describe as a dangerous free-for-all.

The Boston Globe reports there were a total of 700 cycling accidents in 2008, including 10 fatalities. A total of 66 MBTA bus accidents were reported.

Nationwide, 716 cyclists were killed and 52,000 were injured in bicycle accidents in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The federal government will release accident statistics for last year in the coming weeks.

The average age of cyclists involved in fatal accidents has increased with the popularity of bicycling for recreation and fitness, from 32 in 1998 to 41 in 2008.The Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Security reports that the most at-risk age groups are those 10-14 years of age and those 35-44 years of age.

The City of Boston's bicycle safety program offers safe biking resources and advice on a number of topics, including sharing the road, traffic principals, lane positioning, dealing with parked cars, changing lanes, turning and turn lanes, bike lanes and traffic lights.

State inspectors continue to review an accident earlier this month in which four firefighters were injured when a Framingham fire truck rolled over while returning from a call, the MetroWest Daily News reported.

The truck was on Edgell Road about 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning when it rolled 360 degrees and took out a utility pole before landing on its wheels and coming to rest in the front yard of a home, according to the Boston Herald. The cause of the accident, which occurred on a straightaway in the road, is unknown, although neighbors said crashes frequently occur in the area.

Traffic accidents are a leading cause of Massachusetts work injuries and work accidents and worker's compensation claims nationwide.

A total of 5,071 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of those, 2,053 were classified as transportation injuries, including traffic accidents, struck by moving equipment, and railway, waterway and aircraft accidents.

Forty-four firefighters were killed on the job, including 27 in transportation accidents.

In Massachusetts, 61 fatal work accidents were reported, including 18 transportation accidents, 8 assault fatalities, 8 equipment fatalities, 15 falls and 10 deaths resulting from harmful exposure or environmental incidents.

Continue reading "Framingham firefighters injured in Massachusetts work-injury accident" »

A Boston motorcycle accident on Sunday sent a 46-year-old man to the hospital with life-threatening head injuries, the MetroWest Daily News reported.

Sunday's accident occurred shortly after 11:30 p.m. on Grove Street in Framingham. The victim was flown by rescue helicopter to Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston. The investigation continues and details of the accident were not available.

Spring is a dangerous time for Massachusetts motorcycle accidents. As new riders take to the roads and veteran riders gear up for the spring and summer riding season, motorists need to remain vigilant for the presence of motorcycles on the road.

While the overall number of traffic accidents has declined nationwide, the number of serious and fatal motorcycle accidents has increased each year for more than a decade as the popularity of motorcycle riding has skyrocketed. In 1998, a total of 3.8 million motorcycles were registered and 2,294 fatal accidents were reported. In 2007, a total of 7.1 million motorcycles were registered nationwide and 5,174 riding deaths were reported on the nation's roads.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 5,178 riders were killed and nearly 100,000 seriously injured in motorcycle accidents in 2008. The government will release statistics for last year in the coming weeks.

In Massachusetts, 41 riders were killed in motorcycle accidents in 2008.

There are steps you can take to help prevent a motorcycle accident. Based on advice from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, here are 10 things every motorists should know about motorcycles:

1) Motorcycles are much harder to spot than other vehicles on the road. Motorists should take special care in looking for motorcycles, especially at intersections.

2) A motorcycle's small size makes distance and speed difficult to judge. Predict a motorcycle is closer than it looks and, when in doubt, wait for it to pass before proceeding.

3) Motorcycles are easily hidden in a vehicle's blind spot, or masked by poles, parked cars or other roadway obstructions. Take time to check thoroughly whenever changing lanes or proceeding through an intersection or into a roadway.

4) Don't assume all motorcycles are speed demons. Their size often makes them appear to be moving faster that is usually the case.

5) Motorcycles frequently slow down by easing off the throttle, so brake lights are not a good indicator of a slowing bike. Allow more following distance and predict a bike will slow without warning.

6) Turn signals on motorcycles usually do not shut off on their own. Some riders, especially new riders, sometimes forget to shut them off. Make sure of a motorcycle's intentions before proceeding and do not rely on signals as a solid indication.

7) Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane, to see more clearly, to avoid debris, or to negate wind or other hazards. A motorcycle is entitled to its own lane; don't crowd them.

8) The ability to maneuver quickly is one of a motorcycle's best characteristics. However, don't expect a motorcyclist to always be able to dodge out of the way.

9) Motorcycles require about the same stopping distance as other vehicles. Slippery pavement or other hazards can also make stopping more difficult. Allow more distance when following a motorcycle and don't expect them to be able to stop on a dime.

10) Think of a motorcycle in motion as a person; they are just as vulnerable.