Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog

A recent teen car accident in Massachusetts is still being investigated by accident reconstruction teams. Capt. William Breault said that the accident happened in Dover on Dover Point Road right in front of St. Thomas Aquinas High School; a 17-year-old driver reportedly traveled into the path of another vehicle. Both vehicles suffered severe front-end damage, according to Foster's Daily. All four motorists involved in the accident were taken to Wentworth-Douglass Hospital with varying injuries.

Authorities are investigating why the teen driver, who was heading northbound on that road, crossed over into the southbound lanes.

The road was closed for a number of hours so that investigation crews could assess the scene of the accident. Once the investigation is complete, a prosecutor will review the data and could potentially file charges.

Our Boston teen car accident attorneys know the fall is a dangerous time for teen drivers as kids head back to school. Motorists are urged to be on the lookout for these inexperienced, young drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic accidents are the number one killer for teens aged 15- to 20-years-old in the United States. Parents are urged to step up and talk with their young drivers about the importance of safe driving habits and about the consequences of poor driving decisions. Please do your part to help a teen driver avoid a potentially fatal accident this school year.

This is the third entry of a three-part blog that discusses the different modes of travel that our students will be taking to school this year and the dangers that accompany them. Parents are urged to look over the articles and discuss the safe-travel tips with their children to help to ensure that they make it to and from school safely this school year.

There were nearly 2,500 young drivers killed in traffic accidents in the United States in 2009. Another 196,000 teen drivers were injured in these incidents. More than 5,000 teen drivers were involved in fatal accidents during the same year. Teens made up more than 10 percent of all of the drivers involved in fatal accidents during this time.

Massachusetts witnessed nearly 50 teen deaths resulting from car accidents in our state in 2009.

Parents could quite possible be the most influential people in a teen driver's learning process. For this reason, parents are urged to step up and get involved with their teen's driving experience. Offer them plenty of practice time and appropriate feedback regarding their driving skills.

Here are some tips for parents to discuss with their teen driver to help keep them safe on our roadways:

-Make sure teens wear their seat belts. Recent statistics conclude that this age group is least likely to buckle up on our roadways. A majority of teens that died in car accidents were not wearing their seat belts.

-Shut off your phone. Nearly 20 percent of teenage drivers that were involved in a fatal car accident were distracted. Lead by example.

-Limit the number of passengers they're allowed to drive with. Passengers can be one of the most deadly distractions. Limiting passengers limits your teen's risk of being involved in a serious accident.

-Watch the speed. This is especially important for young male drivers. Make sure they know, and abide by, all speed limit postings.

-Warn them about the dangers of drinking and driving. Even though they may not be old enough to buy alcohol, that doesn't mean they can't get it and won't drink it.

-Limit their nighttime driving. Nearly 20 percent of all young driver deaths occurred during the evening hours.

-Make sure your teen's car is safe and is well-maintained. Check the brakes and tire pressure. Look at the fluid levels under the hood. Check that their lights are working properly.

-Set check-in rules for your teen. Make sure that they call or text when they arrive at their destination and when they are leaving to head home.

Continue reading "Inexperienced Teen Drivers Heading to and from School Facing Risks of Car Accidents in Massachusetts" »

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has been working diligently to partner up with approximately 350 schools and more than 115 communities to educate our students about the dangers of walking and biking to school in an effort to make their walk or bike to school is a little bit safer.

The program will be spending nearly $4.5 million for the Safe Routes initiatives this year. This program is expected to reach at least a quarter of all of the students and attempts to reduce the risks of child injury in Massachusetts.

This is the second entry of a three part blog in which we're focusing on the importance of safe traveling to and from school. In the last entry we discussed students and their trips to school on school buses. Throughout this blog entry we will be discussing safety matters regarding students who either walk or bike to school.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that car accidents are the leading cause of death for our young children. Approximately 20 percent of these fatalities are a result of pedestrian-car accidents. This number is so high because experts believe that many children are not properly educated about safe on-foot traveling and that young children are unable to safely negotiate traffic. For this reason, parents are urged to speak with their child who may be walking or riding their bike to school this year about safe traveling habits that can help keep them safe and accident-free on our roadways.

The Safe Routes program focuses on 5 key points:

-Education

-Engineering

-Encouragement

-Evaluation

-Enforcement

In 2007, there were approximately 27,440 children that were treated in emergency rooms for pedestrian-related injuries.

Parents should talk with their child about the following safety tips, provided by the National Safety Council, if your child is walking to school this year:

-Parents are urged to walk to school with students that are under the age of 10.

-Children should always walk on a sidewalk if one is available. If there's no sidewalk, children should walk away from the road, but facing oncoming traffic.

-Remind your child to always cross the street at an intersection or at a street corner.

-Warn children to look both ways for oncoming cars before stepping off the curb to cross the street.

-Keep looking left and right as you're crossing the road.

-Don't run across the street. Always walk. Running makes you more likely to trip and fall in the middle of the street.

-Make sure a child never darts out in front of a parked car because if there's a motorists coming on the other side of the vehicle, they may not have time to react or stop.

Parents should talk with their child about the following safety tips if their child is riding their bike to school this year:

-Make sure your child always wears a helmet when they're riding a bicycle.

-Make sure that the helmet fits properly. To check the fit properly, make sure that the width of two fingers fits between the bottom of the helmet and your child's eyebrows.

-Make sure they understand the rules of the road. If they don't you should ride to school with them until they do.

-Make sure they know to ride on the right side of the road. If they're riding with others then they should travel in a single-file line.

-Always come to a complete stop before attempting to cross the street.

-Wait until a driver signals that it's okay to cross the street.

-If you're riding to or from school when it's dark out, remember to wear bright colors.

-Your child's bike should always have reflective tape and lights on it so that they're more visible to motorists.

-Practice. Practice. Practice!

Continue reading "State Officials Step up Pedestrian Safety Efforts to Decrease Risks of Child Injury in Massachusetts this Year" »

Boston was put under a hurricane watch early Friday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. A hurricane warning is issued by meteorologists at least 36 hours before an area can expect tropical storm-force winds. As Hurricane Irene make its way up the East Coast of Florida, Massachusetts is in its path for the weekend. Since our area is more experienced in preparing to blizzards, out Boston personal injury attorneys are here to help you prepare for the approaching hurricane. Preparedness is your best defense against a storm of this size.

As of the latest reports, Hurricane Irene is passing along the northern coast of Florida and is expected to travel up the East Coast of the country. The storm recently weekened, but is still bringing 110 mph winds. These wind speeds should concern residents. Everyone is urged to pack a hurricane safety kit in an attempt to avoid injuries in Boston and elsewhere in Massachusetts.

As of 8:00 a.m. this morning, the storm was about 400 miles from the coast of North Carolina. It's currently a Category 2 storm and is traveling at a speed of about 14 mph. Irene is expected to hit the coast of North Carolina and then make a trip up the Eastern Seaboard on Saturday.

A number of storm experts expect Irene to bring some serious storm surge that could raise water levels more than 5 feet in some areas.

Because of the storm, the Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, was moved from Sunday to Friday and the Boston Red Sox will no longer be playing against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. That game has been moved to Saturday, according to CNN.

"Irene is capable of inundating portions of the coast under 10-15 feet of water, to the highest storm surge depths ever recorded," said Hurricane expert Jeff Masters who was the co-founder of the Weather Underground website.

A number of airlines have canceled flights. A number of cities that offer subway transportation have closed down operations as well for fear of flooding.

USA Today offers this list of items to include in your hurricane safety kit:

-Insurance documents.

-Bottled water.

-Medications.

-Non-perishable food items.

-Baby formula and pet food, if needed.

-Toilet paper.

-Powdered or canned milk.

-Bandages, gauze pads.

-Antiseptic spray

-Eye glasses, contacts and other necessary eyecare products.

-Blankets, sleeping bags.

-Flashlights, extra batteries.

-Weather radio or a portable radio.

-Extra batteries.

-Some extra money.

-Cell phone, completely charged.

Residents in the path of the storm are urged to gather these items and store them in a waterproof container.

Hurricane Wilma was the last major hurricane to strike the country. The United States saw Wilma in 2005. That storm was a Category 3 which made landfall in Southwest Florida.

Continue reading "Boston Residents Asked to Prepare for Hurricane Irene - Area under Hurricane Watch" »

Motorists are urged to use caution near stopping school buses this year. You're being watched and failing to stop when school buses are stopped could come with a steep price. New programs are being tested in Seekonk, Quincy and Medford that equips local school buses with cameras that aim to catch motorists disregarding children safety, according to boston.com.

The Mayor of Medford, Michael McGlynn says that he's known that some drivers ignore the flashing lights and the stop signs on local school buses, but he never knew how common the problem actually was. Cameras have been installed on 18 buses in his city so far. One of the buses caught more than 100 violations in just 105 days of film. Motorist's total lack of consideration for these young students increases the risk of an accident leading to severe child injury in Medford and elsewhere in Massachusetts.

Our Boston school bus accident attorneys understand the risks our students face on the school bus each year. Approximately 25 million students across the country ride the big yellow bus to and from school every year. Each school year we see a number of injuries and deaths of students from careless motorists. Drivers are asked to be cautious near buses on our roadways and near stopped buses that may be picking up or dropping off students.

This is the first entry of a three-part blog that will be focusing on our young students and their venture to school whether it is on the bus, by foot or on a bicycle. With the help of residents around the state, we can all help to reduce the risks of these preventable accidents.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 150 people killed in school bus-related accidents around the country in 2005. There were another 11,000 people injured in these incidents.

The cameras that local officials are experimenting with on local buses are mounted on the bus' extended stop-sign arm. They are aimed in directions that can catch a passing vehicle's license plate information. Once a driver is caught by the cameras, the footage is then passed on to local officers who will review it to confirm that a moving violation did in fact occur. If the measure is passed on Beacon Hill and this becomes law, then the driver would receive a citation in the mail.

"It was far more than I expected,'' said McGlynn . "I don't think anyone had an idea that it was this severe.''

McGlynn believes that if that proposal becomes law, the revenue generated from these citations would be more than enough to help pay officers whose main focus would be to comb through the bus footage in search of violators.

To help keep children safe near our buses and to help you avoid a costly citation, you're urged to follow these safety tips:

-According to Massachusetts state law, motorists are required to stay at least 100 feet behind a school bus at all times.

-Drive slowly, especially during school bus pick-up and drop-off hours. This is very important in areas that don't have sidewalks.

-Keep an eye out for children playing around their bus stop.

-Remember that yellow flashing lights on a school bus means that it's slowing down and is preparing to stop.

-Red flashing lights and the extended stop-sign arm means that the bus is stopped and is letting children on or off.

-Don't start driving again until the stop-sign arm has folded back up into the bus and the bus begins moving once again.

Continue reading "Pilot Program: Busting Drivers to Prevent Child Injury on School Buses in Massachusetts" »

We've seen 100-degree temperatures in all four corners of the United States during this summer. As a result, there have been a number of heat-related sports injuries in Massachusetts and elsewhere throughout the country, especially to high school athletes.

As many people expect, heat-related illnesses play a large role in sport-related deaths. This year has witnessed the most heat-related deaths in one season since 2006, according to Max Preps.

Our Boston sports injury attorneys understand that this is not a good sign considering we've barely broken into the sporting season. Parents and players are urged to be extra careful out there on the field as these heat-related injuries can seemingly sneak up on you if you're not careful. Luckily, there are several safety measures that you can take to help avoid one of these accidents.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are approximately 7.5 million students that participate in high school sports every year. With the popularity of outdoor sports, it's no surprise that heat illness is the number one cause of death and injury in the United States among high school student athletes. From 2005 to 2009, there were 100 schools used in a study to monitor these types of injuries. Of the sampled schools, there were nearly 120 reported heat-related illnesses among athletes. This means that nearly 2 students for every 100,000 student athletes suffered from a heat-related illness during a sporting event during the study. There was an estimated 9,500 heat-related illnesses in schools across the nation during the study.

Football players were most commonly the victims of this type of illness as they averaged about 4.5 for every 100,000 athlete-exposures. This is a rate that is roughly 10 times greater than the average rate for all of the other sports.

Athletes are most likely to fall victim to a heat-related injury during the month of August. More than 66 percent of these accidents typically occur during this time.

Here are some signs that you might be experiencing a heat-related injury:

-A high body temperature, usually above 103-degrees Fahrenheit, when measured orally.

-Hot, red and dry skin. You will also notice no sweating.

-A quick, strong pulse.

-A headache.

-Dizziness or a feeling of being nauseous.

-Confusion.

-Becoming unconsciousness

How to help a person who may be experiencing a heat-related injury:

-Get them to an area that is shaded.

-Cool them as quickly as possible in whatever way you can. Get them in a cool shower or in a tub of cool water. You can also spray them with cool water from a nearby hose.

-Keep an eye on their body temperature. Make sure that you get it down to at least 101-102°F.

-If you don't receive timely medical response, call 9-1-1 for additional instructions.

Continue reading "Heat-Related Sports Injuries in Massachusetts a Serious Threat to High School Athletes " »

Unsecure loads on trucks are a common cause of serious Massachusetts trucking accidents. A recent fatal accident happened when a loader/backhoe fell off a tractor-trailer being towed by a National Grid truck and landed right on top of a van on Interstate 495 in Southborough, according to boston.com. Criminal charges have not been ruled out completely.

The woman killed was pronounced dead on scene, a female driver was airlifted to UMass Medical Center in Worcester and two children were transported by ambulance to that same hospital. The truck ran off the road, but the driver was not injured. Police are looking to interview witnesses and reconstruction experts are doing their best to recreate the scene.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys realize that one of the first areas that will be examined in this accident is the measures that were taken to secure the heavy piece of construction equipment to that trailer. When the proper safety precautions are not executed, catastrophic injury can result.

Truck drivers can lose control of their tractor-trailers because of heavy-shifting cargo. This shifting can cause the cargo to fall. Oftentimes cargo includes lumber, logs and other heavy building products. It is also risky to transport heavy machinery, such as bulldozers and backhoes, as swerving can cause the cargo to break loose from its moorings. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's regulations require that truck loads remain under a specific weight and for this reason it is important for you to contact an experienced attorney if you're involved in an accident with a truck's loose cargo; they can help to determine if any federal regulations were broken. There are also regulations that specifically detail how cargo is to be secured and fastened so that the truck's maneuverability and stability is not adversely affected.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were approximately 380,000 large trucks involved in traffic accident in the United States in 2008 alone. A large truck is classified as a vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds. Nearly 4,100 large trucks were involved in fatal traffic accidents that took the lives of nearly 4,500 people during that year. These deaths accounted for more than 10 percent of all of the traffic deaths in 2008. Another 90,000 people were injured in these accidents. Even though these large trucks made up only 4 percent of all registered vehicles in the U.S. in 2007, they accounted for nearly 10 percent of all of the vehicles miles traveled.

Those in a passenger-vehicle that are involved in a traffic accident with a large truck are most at risk. According to 2008 statistics, nearly 75 percent of those who were killed in these accidents were occupants of another vehicle (not of the truck), approximately 10 percent were nonoccupants and more than 15 percent were those in a large truck.

Of those who were injured in these accidents, more than 70 percent were those in another vehicle (not in the truck), 3 percent were nonoccupants and more than 25 percent were the occupants of the large truck.

Continue reading "Unsecure Cargo Kills Woman in Massachusetts Trucking Accident" »

A wild bear is taking all of the blame for a recent fatal car accident that sent seven motorists to the hospital, according to the Boston Herald. The two-vehicle accident happened at approximately 11:00 p.m. on Route 16. It all happened when a 225 pound bear strolled onto the roadway. An SUV swerved to avoid hitting the animal and ran into a passenger vehicle, which held a Winthrop and a Boston occupant. Rescue crews at the scene had to use the Jaws of Life to extract passengers from the mess. The three SUV passengers were taken to hospitals and are believed to be in stable condition while the two Massachusetts motorists were taken to Maine Medical Center and are believed to be in stable condition.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there are more than 1.5 million car accidents in Massachusetts and elsewhere throughout the United States that involve deer or other large animals. The months of October through December typically mark deer season although you're are at risk of hitting a wild animal all year long. It is during this time of year that we see many wild animal-car accidents, more than any other time of the year. For this reason, you should be extra careful when driving near forested areas or on any roadway where deer are prone to roam.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys would like to ask motorists to be extra cautious when traveling from the middle of fall all the way until the beginning of winter because this is typically when we see the most deer and wild animals near our Massachusetts roadways. This advice is especially important during dawn and dusk hours as these are times when animals are most likely to wander. It is also important to remember that animals don't travel alone, so if you see one there's likely to be more.

The more than 1.5 million car accidents we experience every year with wild animals in the United States cost about $1 billion in vehicle damage. Roughly 150 human lives are lost and another 10,000 injuries are sustained as a result of these accidents each year. We believe that these statistics are actually higher than reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration because it's assumed that not all incidents are reported.

Safe driving tips to avoid a car accident with a wild animal if you see one on the roadway:

-Avoid hitting the animal at all costs. If you plow through, you're putting yourself in danger. Motorists can die in traffic accidents with wild animals.

-Turn off your head lights. They're likely to be less shocked when you turn off your lights and will be more likely to jump out of the way just from the sound of your vehicle.

-If you can't avoid a collision, at least try not to hit the animal straight on. Striking the animal at an angle will give it a greater chance of spinning away from your cars path.

-Try to slow your vehicle as much as possible as you're approaching it. Hopefully this will allow the animal more time to get out of the way.

-Stay in your lane. Swerving to miss the animal is how a lot of people get into accidents with other vehicles. Do all that you can not to make a bad situation even worse.

-As contradictory as this sounds, speed up at the last possible moment. By speeding up, your vehicle's front bumper will lift up and will reduce the chances of the animal hitting the vehicle and being sent over the top of the car.

Continue reading "Fall Season Brings Wild Animals and Increased Risks of Fatal Car Accidents in Massachusetts" »

A two-vehicle accident landed a 40-year-old pickup truck passenger in a medical helicopter to a local Boston hospital recently. The man required immediate medical attention for his injuries caused by the accident. Upon collision, the passenger was thrown from a pickup truck that ended up rolling over twice. The Massachusetts car accident happened at South and West streets, according to The Sun Chronicle.

"He suffered serious head and chest injuries," said fire Capt. David Laracy.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand how beneficial a hospital helicopter ride can be when dealing with life-threatening injuries. A helicopter ride to the hospital can often mean the difference between life and death. When a helicopter is used by UMass Memorial LifeFlight the on board crew of medical professionals is able to put its advanced skills and technology to work to keep a patient alive during the transport. There's only one downside to this treatment and transportation -- the cost. The average cost, according to The Metro West Daily News, ranges anywhere from about $2,600 to nearly $6,200 per flight. That's only the cost of the ride alone. That doesn't include any hospital treatment.

"They can do pretty much anything in the back of that aircraft they can do in the emergency room," said Rory Duquette, director of communications for LifeFlight.

In this region, Boston MedFlight, UMass Memorial LifeFlight, the Dartmouth Hitchcock Advance Response Team, Life Net of New York and LifeFlight of Maine all work together as part of the North East Air Alliance.

The Worcester-based LifeFlight is the oldest air medical transport service in Massachusetts. Since it took off in 1982, LifeFlight has transported about 25,000 people.

According to the AAA Ambulance Service, medical costs resulting from injury exceeded $21 billion for motor vehicle-related injuries last year. These types of injuries only counted for about 20 percent of all medical costs attributable to injury. This doesn't begin to examine the other costs associated with an injury.

Injuries not only affect direct medical costs, but they can contribute to higher insurance premiums, time away from work and other financial costs to individuals.

In a one-year period, traffic accident-related fatalities in the United States resulted in about $41 billion dollars in medical and work loss costs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Traffic accident fatalities in Massachusetts cost about $400 million in 2005 alone. Roughly $6 million went to medical costs while the other $388 million went to work loss costs.

If you're or a loved one has been involved in a car accident that has resulted in costly medical bills and lost work days, you're urged to seek the advice and the assistance of an experienced attorney. A lawyer can help you to fight for the compensation to cover the high cost of medical care and rehabilitation.

Continue reading "Massachusetts Car Accidents Cost Big Bucks in Medical Costs and Lost Work Days" »

The development of a comprehensive, five-year Capital Maintenance Program (CMP) was recently ordered by Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Mullan.

His plan is to coordinate and enhance the current ongoing maintenance procedures that involve the many tunnels of the Metropolitan Highway System and to reduce tunnel car accidents in Boston.

"The tunnel system is proven safe, thanks to the professional maintenance crews working under comprehensive protocols every day to address the ongoing maintenance needs of the tunnels," said Secretary Mullan. "Today we are taking the next step to develop a comprehensive five-year plan in order to better coordinate these efforts to ensure the tunnels remain safe for generations to come."

Our Massachusetts car accident attorneys have been informed that MassDOT has recruited the infrastructure firm HNTB Corporation to help develop the CMP by the fall of 2011. The completion of this project will help to identify existing and future expected maintenance needs for the tunnel and help to estimate the costs necessary to implement solutions to ensure that the tunnels remain safe.

"MassDOT's Highway Division will focus on the Capital Maintenance of the Metropolitan Highway system, including the CA/T, Ted Williams Tunnel, Sumner and Callahan tunnels, the Zakim and Tobin Bridges and all related ramps and roadways," said MassDOT Acting Highway Division Administrator Frank DePaola. "It is our charge to keep all of these facilities in safe, good working order."

Recently, MassDOT finished installing redundant support straps on all of the 25,000 or so fixtures in the Central Artery tunnels. This system was developed as an interim, 3-5 year solution to the current light corrosion issues to allow time for engineers to evaluate options for a long-term solution. This move was warranted when an engineer noticed a light fixture that was out of alignment with the clips on the right side of the light. That fixture was taken down immediately and new stainless steel clips were re-installed.

"On behalf of the MassDOT Board of Directors and MassDOT Highway Administrator Frank DePaola, I offer my appreciation and thanks to the crews that worked so diligently to complete this effort well ahead of projections to further ensure safety of the public," said Secretary Mullan. "The completion of the strapping to ensure that a redundant system is now in place will go a long way to restoring public confidence in the safety of the system."

The CMP will look into and respond to a number of recent tunnel issues, like securing and ultimately replacing light fixtures, recommending maintenance safety/emergency egress railing and the safety efforts regarding the ongoing water infiltration mitigation efforts.

Back in February, a light fixture in the Central Artery Tunnel fell from the ceiling on Route 92 Northbound near the entrance to the Ted Williams Tunnel. In the wake of this light fixture incident, MassDOT electricians performed a number of inspections of all of the tunnel light fixtures. During this time they searched for an interim solution to secure these fixtures. Strapping material has been used to secure nearly 400 fixtures to date.

As the CMP will also include suggestions regarding tunnel maintenance safety and the emergency egress railing, recommendations have been made from April 2011 that included a plan to get rid of the railing at a number of locations where they are not required to meet emergency egress requirements. Suggestions were also made to retrofit the existing railing with chain link fence mesh fabric around the outside curves and other high risk locations.

You can stay up to date with all MassDOT and CMP plans of the ongoing tunnel maintenance as the Transportation website offers this information.

Continue reading "MassDOT Launches Program to Repair Roadways and Reduce Risks of Car Accidents in Massachusetts' Tunnels" »

A summertime accident on Cold Storage Beach in Dennis left a frequent visitor seriously injured after a beach accident in Massachusetts. The beach's strong winds took an umbrella right out of the sand and caused it to fly directly toward a man, striking him in his left eye, according to the Cape Cod Times.

Lifeguards and a nearby physician rushed over to the man and provided him with first-air care. He was transported to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis and was later rushed to Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston for urgent eye surgery. It was there that doctors spent roughly five hours attempting to fix his ruptured eyeball. Unfortunately, the accident left his retina detached from the optic nerve. This is the nerve that connects the eye to the brain. Just a week later, doctors informed him that he would never be able to see out of his left eye again.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys would like to give credit to the man's wife who says that she holds no anger against the unidentified owners of that lethal umbrella and agree with her in saying that this accident could very well have been prevented. While it should be the responsibility of umbrella owners to properly secure their equipment in the sand, it is also the lifeguards and beach official's responsibility to warn fellow beachgoers to shut their umbrellas on windy days and help to ensure that they're properly set up in the sand.

The town of Dennis has a policy in place to help prevent these types of accidents and was reportedly enforcing it at the time of the accident, but the wife of the victim claims she witnessed no such enforcement.

According to beach statistics, about 6 accidents happen on Dennis beaches each summer with most accidents being less severe than this.

Accidents on the beach are not uncommon. Beachgoers oftentimes will see and/or experience accidents involving boats, jet skis, umbrellas, parasailing injuries, drownings, lacerations from debris in the sand and all-terrain vehicle injuries. Many of these accidents can be prevented with the proper preventative safety measures. Rented umbrellas need to be properly secured by rental companies, jet skis need to meet all equipment rules and regulations, other beach rental companies need to be certified and trained in their operations and lifeguards need to be trained and alert when on the clock.

It is critical for you to contact an attorney if you or a loved one has recently experienced a beach-related accident. An attorney can help you to determine who may be at fault whether it is a company, the designer of a product or another beachgoer.

Here are some simple steps to help you place your beach umbrella securely in the sand the next time you hit the beach:

-First make sure that you choose a beach spot that will allow you and your buddies to have as much personal space as possible. Make sure you leave enough room to walk around and play.

-Before placing your umbrella into the sand, measure and mark the umbrella at least 18 inches from the bottom of the pole, measuring up towards the canopy.

-Put the umbrella into the sand and shift the pole back and forth while pushing down on it.

-Continue doing this until the sand is up to that 18 mark you previously made.

-Adjust the canopy of your umbrella so that the top is slanted towards the oncoming wind. This will help to prevent your umbrella from blowing away.

We hope that everyone gets out there and enjoys the beautiful weather that the summer months provide, but remember to be safe and consider the safety of others as well when you're out enjoying our public beaches.

Continue reading "Man Loses Sight in Left Eye after Massachusetts Beach Accident" »

Boston is endorsing a new type of transportation for enjoyable summer travel -- bikes! The New Balance Hubway, named after the athletic company, is the city's new bike-sharing program. It was recently launched at City Hall Plaza. New Balance is a lead sponsor of the bicycle program. Mayor Thomas M. Menino presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The city looks to use bicycling as a way to reduce roadway congestion and to urge residents to get out and be active, but they warn riders to still be cautious in their travels to avoid a bicycling accident in Boston.

"Over the past four years, we have taken great strides toward making Boston a city that welcomes and encourages bicycling but this innovative bike share system may be the most significant step yet," Menino said in a recent statement. He said officials were confident there is "no better time to make Hubway a reality."

Our Massachusetts bicycle accident attorneys would like to tell you a little bit about the new program. New Balance Hubway consists of more than 60 kiosks that are set up around the city that allow would-be bicyclers to rent one of 610 bikes. When a rider is done using the bicycle, all they have to do is return it to any Hubway kiosk.

In celebration of the Hubway launch, registered Hubway members and employees of Hubway sponsors rode 200 of the bikes around the city.

Looking to rent a bike from Hubway?:

-A bike will cost you $5 for a 24-hour period.

-You can also rent a bike for a three-day period for only $12.

-An annual Hubway membership costs $85.

-Fees are added for rides longer than 30 minutes.

Bicyclists are urged to be cautious on their rented bikes when traveling among motor vehicles. Here are some important safety tips to help keep you safe:

-Make sure that you ride with traffic, never against it.

-Obey all traffic signals, signs and pavement markings. Cyclists are also required to come to a complete stop at red lights and stop signs, just like motor vehicles.

-Never ride on expressways, drives, highways or interstate routes unless authorized by signs.

-Always ride predictably. Do not weave in and out of traffic. Riding predictably reduces your chances of an accident with a vehicle.

-Make eye contact with drivers before changing lanes or making a turn. Make sure that drivers see you before making a turn or crossing in front of them.

-Be on the lookout for open car doors. Always be prepared for the possibility of a car opening in your path.

-Wear brightly colored clothing to remain visible. During the evening hours, use reflective materials and lights.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 650 bicyclists killed because of motor-vehicle accidents in the United States in 2009 alone. Another 51,000 were injured in these incidents. Massachusetts witnessed nearly 10 bicyclist deaths during that same year.

Continue reading "Boston Launches New Balance Hubway -- Advocates Worry about Massachusetts Bicycling Accidents" »

"The baby boom generation grew up and reared their own children in communities that, for the first time in human history, were built on the assumption that everyone would be able to drive an automobile," said John Robert Smith, president and CEO of Reconnecting America and co-chair of Transportation for America. "What happens when people in this largest generation ever, with the longest predicted lifespan ever, outlive their ability to drive for everything? That's one of the questions we set out to answer in this report."

The report he's talking about is the Aging in Place, Stuck without Options report that ranks large, metro areas by the percentage of seniors that have poor access to public transportation, now and in the coming years; it offers other data on aging and transportation issues. Many of these issues involve the increased risks of elderly pedestrian accidents in Massachusetts and elsewhere.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that the population of Americans that are 65 and older and live in communities where public transportation service is poor or non-existent is expected to reach 15.5 million by 2015. We will be even closer to that predicted number as the baby boom generation grows rapidly and "ages in place" in suburbs and exurbs with few transportation options for those who don't drive.

This study aims to figure out how cash-strapped states and local governments will come up with the funds to help accommodate these residents. Researchers believe that these governments will be turning to federal support to help them meet their needs.

In this report, Boston is ranked as the 8th largest metro area, with a population of 3 million or more, with an expected population of residents age 65 to 70 that will have poor access to transit features in 2015. Researchers predict that 231,944, or 45 percent, of people in this age group will be hindered by the lack of access.

Metro areas are encouraged to look into expanding public transit systems to be able to address the mobility needs of these older residents. Communities are also urged to get proactive and to support the creation of community-based programs, like volunteer programs, flex-routes, service routes and deviated fixed-routes that can be tailored to the needs of the residents. These programs should include senior-friendly shuttles to shopping centers, medical facilities and local services. They should also consider flexible route services that can provide transportation for those who have short notice or spontaneous travel requirements. These transit options should also be able to accommodate residents who require wheelchairs or shopping carts.

"The vast majority of people age 50-plus want to stay in their homes for as long as possible, according to our research," said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond. "When they do move, they most often want to stay in their communities."

By offering more public transit options that these elderly residents can effectively use, we can help to reduce their risks of potentially fatal pedestrian accidents in the Greater Boston area.

Continue reading "New Study Urges Metro to Areas Seek Transportation Options to Reduce Risks of Elderly Pedestrian Accidents in Boston and Elsewhere" »

A Taunton teen was hit and killed in a Massachusetts car-pedestrian accident. The teen was out riding his skateboard when he was hit on Bay Street at about 9:40 p.m. one night earlier this month, according to Boston 5.

The driver of the vehicle that collided into the skateboarder did not stop, but instead fled northbound, according to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office. Police immediately issued an alert for the driver of that vehicle. The skateboarder was left with a severe brain injury that later took his life.

Officers closed down a large section of Bay Street near Watson Pond State Park for more than three hours as they photographed, reconstructed and investigated the scene of the accident.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of that 17-year-old boy. Our Boston wrongful death lawyers understand that he was just weeks away from getting his driver's license. Children are more vulnerable to bicycling, skateboarding and other types of pedestrian accidents. For this reason, motorists are asked to be extremely cautious when navigating in areas where children may be.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than 4,000 pedestrian fatalities in 2009. Nearly 250 of these deaths were of child pedestrians age 14-years-old and younger. Nearly 20 percent of the total number of traffic fatalities for this age group was pedestrian deaths. Males accounted for 159 of the young age group's pedestrian deaths. During that same year, another 59,000 pedestrians were injured. The young population account for 13,000 of those injuries. Males accounted for approximately 55 percent of the young pedestrians that were injured.

Those age 14-years-old and younger had the highest percentage of pedestrian fatalities between 4 p.m. and 7:59 p.m. Accidents during this specific time accounted for more than 40 percent of the fatal incidents. The next highest percentage of fatalities among this young age group was between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 3:59 p.m., accounting for more than 20 percent of the fatalities.

Nearly three-fourths of the young pedestrian fatalities happened at non-intersection locations in 2009.

Parents Magazine offers these pedestrian safety tips to children and teens:

-Be sure to look both ways before crossing the street. Pedestrians should never run into the street without looking.

-Always try to make eye contact with drivers when you're crossing the road.

-Avoid using roads that don't have sidewalks. You should also try not to cross busy streets that don't have crosswalks.

-You should always walk in the opposite direction of traffic. Make sure that you're facing oncoming cars. This way you're more aware of the vehicles that are coming towards you.

-Always keep children from playing in a street, parking lot or driveway.

-Don't run through intersections. Walk so you're less likely to trip and fall.

-Always try to take the safest route with the least amount of street crossings.

-Make sure you wear bright, reflective clothing during dawn, dusk or any low-light situations.

-Always abide by traffic signals and signs. Remember that they aren't just for cars.

-Be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Try making your own list about pedestrian safety with your child and post it on the fridge or the front door where they can see it before heading out every day.

Continue reading "Young Skateboarder Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver in Massachusetts Car Accident " »

A 10-year-old girl was run over by the family vehicle as her mother backed the car out of the driveway in Littleton. The Massachusetts backup car accident killed the child. It all happened when the girl was sitting in the driveway playing with her pet bird when her mom came home one afternoon, according to boston.com. The mother says that her view of the downward sloping driveway was blocked by two other vehicles and she never saw her daughter.

After the incident, the girl was taken to Children's Hospital Boston where she was pronounced dead. Authorities do not anticipate filing charges against the mother.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that backup cameras could be required on all new vehicles by the year 2014. This is thanks to the Kids Transportation Safety Act. We understand that backing up a motor vehicle is inherently difficult and potentially dangerous. To help save lives, mainly the lives of children, Congress recently passed the Kids Transportation Safety Act to require all cars to have backup cameras by 2014. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently considering delaying the rule at the request of vehicle manufacturers.

These backup cameras are meant to prevent pedestrian injury and death from accidents that happen when a vehicle is in reverse. Children are especially vulnerable to these types of accidents as they are often too short to be seen by a driver in a rear view mirror.

As it stands today, the new backup camera regulations require the rear camera display to turn on in two seconds or less from the time that a vehicle is put into reverse.

Until these cameras are installed into all vehicles, we must continue to rely on driver awareness to prevent these types of injuries and deaths.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers drivers these tips to help prevent these types of accidents:

-Teach your children not to play in driveways or around cars.

-Be sure to supervise children carefully when in and around vehicles.

-Before getting in your vehicle to back up, you should always walk around your vehicle and check the area.

-Keep a lookout for small children. The smaller a child, the more likely it is you won't see them.

-Cameras ultimately cannot take the place of you actively walking around your car to make sure your children are safely out of the way. You shouldn't rely solely on these devices to detect what's around your vehicle.

-Teach your children to keep their toys and bikes out of the driveway.

-Teach your children to move away from a vehicle when a driver gets in it or if the car is started.

-Always have children in the area stand to the side of the driveway or sidewalk so you can see them as you are backing your vehicle out of a driveway or out of a parking space.

-Actively check your mirrors the entire time you're backing up.

-Make sure that you look behind you while you're backing up slowly in case a child dashes behind your vehicle unexpectedly.

-Be extra cautious if you drive a large vehicle. The larger the vehicle is, the bigger the blind spots are. You should roll down your windows while backing out of your driveway or parking space. This way you'll also be able to hear what is happening outside of your vehicle.

"There is no more tragic accident than for a parent or caregiver to back out of a garage or driveway and kill or injure an undetected child playing behind the vehicle," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Continue reading "Small Child Overlooked in Massachusetts Backup Car Accident" »

Two days after a 73-year-old motorist ran her vehicle through a sliding glass door at the Linden Ponds assisted-living community in Hingham, Massachusetts authorities suspended her driver's license, according to The Patriot Ledger.

Luckily, no one was injured in the Massachusetts car accident. Linden Ponds Executive Director Ian Brown was thankful that there wasn't much damage to the Birch Creek residential building. Sgt. Steven Dearth said Hingham police made a request for an "immediate-threat" license suspension for the North Quincy woman. Police were unable to cite the woman for a traffic violation because the accident happened inside a gated community and not on a public roadway.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that there is a time, that will come for all of us, when we may no longer be able to effectively and safely operate a motor vehicle. Residents are urged to look around to their elderly friends and family members to see if any of them may be at risk for a serious accident on our roadways. This may be a tough subject to approach with a loved one, but it's worth the conversation when it can mean saving their life.

According to officers, the accident happened when the driver was trying to back out of a handicapped parking spot in front of the Birch Creek building. Her vehicle shot over the curb and the grass and plowed straight through the sliding glass door of a ground-floor apartment. It came to rest in the bathroom of that apartment. The elderly driver was able to back out of the apartment before police arrived at the scene.

The driver said that she thought she put the car in reverse before accelerating the first time. She had actually put it in drive, according to officers. The driver has not been identified because she is not facing any charges.

Everyone ages differently. It is important to keep an eye out for warning signs in both you and your loved ones to help determine when it's time to stop driving. According to helpguide.org, elderly drivers are more likely to get traffic citations and are more likely to get into a traffic accident than younger drivers. Fatal accident rates increase significantly after a driver reaches the age of 70. Factors including decreased vision, impaired hearing and slowed motor reflexes.

Here are 10 warning signs from AARP that may hint that you need to talk to your elderly loved ones to stop driving, for their own safety:

-Almost getting into accidents, with frequent "close calls."

-Discovering dents and scrapes on a car or on property, such as fences, mailboxes, garage doors, curbs, etc.

-Frequently getting lost.

-Difficulty seeing or following traffic signals, road signs and pavement markings.

-A delayed response time to unexpected situations on the road, difficulty moving feet from the gas pedal to the brake pedal or confusing the two.

-The inability to judge gaps in traffic at intersections and on highway entrance and exit ramps.

-Road rage behind the wheel or having other drivers frequently honk.

-Becoming easily distracted or having a difficulty concentrating while driving.

-Difficulty turning around to check over their shoulder while backing up or changing lanes.

-Getting multiple traffic tickets or "warnings" from traffic or law enforcement officers.

We understand that it might be very difficult for you to make this call for your loved one. It's important to remember that their safety and the safety of others comes first in this decision. Don't be afraid to have the conversation with them if need be.

Continue reading "Elderly Drivers Face Heightened Risks for Car Accidents in Massachusetts" »

A Massachusetts car accident left a 34-year-old Boston man dead after he lost control of the vehicle he was driving and flipped on Interstate 95 South near the Newport Avenue exit, according The Sun Chronicle.

The driver was taken to the Rhode Island Hospital in Providence where he was pronounced dead.

According to state police and fire officials, the single-car accident happened around 1:00 a.m. between the Newport Avenue exit and the South Avenue exit. The vehicle sustained extensive damage. After flipping on the Interstate, it came to rest driver's side down with the top of the car against the guardrail. The victim was reportedly trapped inside the vehicle for about an hour. He was eventually freed by firefighters who had to use two sets of hydraulic-cutting tools and an assortment of other equipment to get him out and to prevent the car from toppling over.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand the a number of vehicles have a history of rollover accidents. The vehicle you choose can have a significant impact on your safety on the roadway. You are urged to check out safety ratings of vehicles before making a purchase and to understand your car's limits when driving on busy roads such as Interstates.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation. State police accident reconstruction experts are looking into the incident. During the initial investigation, multiple lanes were closed on the Interstate for about three hours.

According to government statistics, rollover accidents account for about one-third of all accident fatalities, or about 10,000 fatalities a year over the past decade. Earlier this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a new rule aimed at enhancing side air bag systems. It seeks to reduce fatalities in the event of a rollover accident by providing more cushioning and also by preventing ejection from the vehicle.

"Safety is our highest priority," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This new standard will help save lives and reduce injuries by requiring vehicles to have a safety system that keeps occupants in the vehicle in a rollover crash."

Ejection accounts for the majority of the fatalities that result from rollover accidents. Over the last 10 years, nearly 50 percent of those killed in a rollover accident were ejected from the vehicle. Accident studies report that most of these ejections occur through the side windows.

Through the new rule, the NHTSA will be requiring that all manufacturers enlarge side curtain air bags, make them more robust so that they stay inflated longer and set them to deploy in all types of serious accidents. The new air bags are also required to be designed so that they keep occupants from being ejected from the vehicle, even when the windows are down or when the passenger is not be wearing a seat belt. Engineers are even using special glass in the side windows -- a unique glazing aims to prevent the glass from shattering in the event of an accident.

You can expect these new airbags to start showing up on vehicles as early as 2013. They will be on all new vehicles in 2017. These new airbag rules apply to all vehicles that weigh less than 10,000 pounds. The NHTSA expects that this new rule will save an average of 373 lives and prevent 476 serious injuries each year.

"Rollover crashes are the deadliest of all crash types and this is another important step in our efforts to reduce fatalities and serious injuries that result from them," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "When fully implemented, we believe this standard will prevent on average 373 fatalities and 476 serious injuries every year."

Continue reading "Rollover Car Accident in Massachusetts Kills Boston Driver" »

A large truck was the cause of canceled train trips after the driver ran his vehicle into an overhead power system near New Haven, Connecticut. The collision caused Amtrak to suspend all trains traveling between Boston and New York for more than three hours last week, according to The Wall Street Journal. Trains between New York and Boston were the only ones affected in the accident.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers urge all residents and visitors to take advantage of the convenient public transportation options that are offered throughout our state. We would also like to take this time to raise awareness about the importance of passenger safety on these rides. This goes out to those traveling near these modes of mass transit as well. Transportation companies are responsible for providing safe transportation for residents and visitors of our city. A number of injuries that occur within mass transit accidents can be easily prevented by taking a few precautionary steps.

As we recently reported on our Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, the MBTA witnesses nearly 2,500 accidents each year that are caused by motor-vehicle drivers. The MBTA believes that roughly 500 of these accidents could be prevented.

New Haven police are investigating the AmTrak accident from earlier this week. No train passengers were hurt in the accident, according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.

Amtrak crews have already made repairs to the damaged tracks and to the overhead power system. Service between New York and Boston has been restored.

There are more than 600 railroads in the United States. About 200,000 miles of track help these trains navigate throughout the country. There have been about 12,000 train accidents annually since 2002. Unfortunately, these accidents took the lives of about 1,000 people. Train accidents can be caused by a number of factors, including the negligence of the train operator, lack of safety provisions by train companies, locomotives, trolleys and even motor-vehicle operators.

These companies are required by law to effectively protect all passengers and operators of their vehicles. These accidents can occur in any number of places, including at railroad crossings where light is dim and where signals fail to notify passenger vehicle occupants that a train is approaching.

Trains are also able to derail. This can happen because of mechanical failures or improper track and equipment maintenance. Speedy or fatigued drivers also contribute to these accidents. Oftentimes cargo can become loose or unsecured in the event of an accident, resulting in spills of hazardous waste or other dangerous objects.

Determining the cause and the fault of a train accident, or any other mass transit accident, can be a complicated and lengthy process. You are urged to seek an attorney if you've been involved in one of these accidents as they can help you determine fault and proper compensation.

Continue reading "Train Accident Shuts Down AmTrack Trips between Boston and New York" »

Another Massachusetts jurisdiction shot down the idea of red-light cameras. Recently, residents gathered at the annual meeting in Raynham and voted 104 to 95 against the idea of petitioning the legislature for permission to install red-light cameras at a number of intersections. Reynham has a population of about 11,000 and all qualified inhabitants were allowed to vote on the issue. Residents want to keep enforcement efforts as they are and don't agree that these cameras will be beneficial in preventing intersection car accidents in Massachusetts.

Currently, our state does not allow these red-light cameras. Lawmakers have been able so far to resist all attempts to pass authorizing legislation. American Traffic Solutions (ATS) has been trying to take their campaign to small town officials, according to The Truth About Cars. ATS is a privately-owned company that keeps looking at city officials as a means for building new business.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that drivers firmly stand on both sides of the issue regarding these red-light cameras. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), roughly two-thirds of drivers in 14 big cities that have the cameras support their functions. A recent study from the IIHS even concludes that these cameras have reduced the rate of deadly red light running accidents by nearly 25 percent in these same cities.

ATS is no stranger to Massachusetts lawmakers as they've previously hired marketing companies to try and persuade Boston officials to launch the red-light program. Previous efforts cost more than $161,000.

Although a majority of big cities support the use of these cameras, there are some opponents. A number of residents view these cameras as an invasion of privacy and tools that are being used specifically to generate revenue for the city. Either way, the IIHS reports that that the issue has gained more supporters than opponents.

"Most drivers don't buy the argument that it's somehow wrong to enforce the law just because you're using a camera to do it," says Anne McCartt, the Institute's senior vice president for research. "They understand that this technology is preventing crashes in their cities."

The Institute study that was released earlier this year illustrated just how effective these cameras are. The study took U.S. cities with populations over 200,000 and compared those that have cameras to those that don't. These red-light cameras reportedly saved nearly 200 lives in cities that had cameras from 2004 to 2008. The Institute estimates that more than 800 lives have been saved if these cameras had been operating during those years in all large U.S. cities.

Of more than 3,000 people interviewed about the cameras:

-More than 9 of 10 drivers surveyed reported that running a red light is unacceptable.

-More than 8 of 10 say that it a serious threat to personal safety.

-Two-thirds of drivers support red-light cameras.

-More than 40 percent strongly favor the cameras.

-A majority of them say the cameras have made intersections safer.

-Half of surveyed drivers know someone who has gotten a ticket at an intersection with a red-light camera.

-Nearly 20 percent have gotten a ticket themselves.

-Only about half of drivers that received a ticket believe that it was deserved.

-About a fifth of drivers said that they support cameras but are opposed to right-on-red enforcement.

-More than 40 percent of drivers support using cameras for right-on-red violations.

"Right-on-red violations usually aren't associated with T-bone crashes, but they make intersections much more dangerous for pedestrians in particular," McCartt says. "The survey results show cities need to do a better job explaining this issue to drivers."

Continue reading "Another City rejects the use of Red-Light Cameras to Monitor Intersection Accidents in Massachusetts" »