Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog

Before we kicked off this year's Independence Day festivities and fireworks displays, our Boston personal injury attorneys warned residents and visitors about the dangers that come with fireworks. We also offered some simple safety tips to help to prevent related injuries. Each and every year, thousands are injured by these lights in the sky. Most of the accidents happen around the Independence Day holiday. This year's celebration was no different as a fireworks accident in New England wound up injuring 11 people, including 5 children.

According to the Boston Globe, both an 8-month-old and a 2-year-old were sent to the hospital and treated for some serious burns when some of the family's fireworks were accidentally all set off at once during one of the areas Fourth of July residential celebrations. The explosion wound up engulfing the family's back deck in flames.

According to accident reports, it all happened when a wayward firework accidentally flew right into the main supply of the family's fireworks causing them all to ignite. Witnesses report that the explosion rumbled the entire neighborhood and sent a ball of fire into the air.

"The whole thing went off like a bomb," said Skip Harrington, mother of the 2-year-old who was seriously burned in the accident.

The child was playing near the fireworks when the accident happened. The child was reportedly covered up in flames. Luckily, mom was nearby to swoop in and help to save the child before it was too late.

The young child was induced into a coma at the hospital so that doctors could work to treat his injuries. There was one firework that would up lodging itself into his arm. Medical officials say he'll be in the hospital for at least a month because of these injuries.

Also injured in the accident was the child's 32-year-old mother. She was only recently released from the hospital, but continues to wait by her child's side.

According to a spokesman for the family, the 2-year-old is the only family member that remains in the hospital. All others were treated for their burns and have already been released.

The two children who suffered "significant burns" in the accident were both airlifted to Boston to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Investigators have yet to pinpoint the cause of the accident. All they know is that there were fireworks going off when the explosion happened. The state fire marshal, J. William Degnan, says that the explosion is still being investigated.

Authorities are looking into the fireworks that were involved in the accident to see if any fall under the list of banned fireworks in the state.

Officials with the local fire department say that they've confiscated a number of fireworks from the family's home. This fireworks display was an annual hosting and elaborate event that oftentimes drew in dozens of onlookers.

Continue reading "New England Fireworks Accident Injures 11, Including 5 Children" »

Right now, there is a crew of carpenters, sheet-metal workers, repairers and others who have been working day-in and day-out trying to repair and maintain some of the T's oldest cars, the ones on the Orange Line.

There's even one car, subway car 31, that is more than 60-years-old and has logged nearly 2 million miles during its time on the tracks, according to the Boston Globe.

According to Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) repairman Dave Campbell, fixing these old cars takes a lot of new-age technology. They use laptops to test out the 1970 a/c units in the cars and replace some of their parts with some of the parts from the newer Blue Line cars. Maintenance officials are even using deli-counter hairnets to help to protect sensitive traction motors from snowdrifts. It's all a way to help to protect riders, to keep the cars working and to reduce the risks of MBTA accidents in Boston in the middle of a financial crisis.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that the cars on the Orange Line were built back in the 70s and the 80s. It's not that they were built back then that's concerning officials, it's that they're only designed to run about 25 years, and that's only if they've had some major repairs and component replacements. They typically don't last that long, especially under the demands of Massachusetts' travelers. The problem is that it would cost about $500 million to replace the more than 150 cars. That plan is still another 5 to 10 years out. Instead, officials are using a portion of their $4 billion replacement/repair backlog to help to improve the system and the cars for transporting nearly 1.5 million riders each weekday.

The T isn't doing too well. It's not only fallen behind on revenues, but it's also behind on fares and state sales tax. Most every fare dollar that makes it to the T is used to pay off its debt. A lot of this debt is the result of the expansion project on Beacon Hill. Costs such as fuel, electricity and employee health insurance have outstripped inflation.

At the same time, the T's ridership has increased dramatically. Increases, according to travel experts, are the result of more people living and working near T stations in addition to the high gas prices. These factors lead to more people on the platforms waiting for the aging and overworked trains. With these conditions, trains are more likely to break down and riders are more likely to experience delays. To help to keep the flow going, MBTA officials are turning to quick and low-cost fixes to compensate for the deferred long-term investment.

MBTA riders are urged to be cautious when riding the T. Schedule in delays when planning your trip. Always have a backup plan when traveling. You never know what can happen.

Continue reading "MBTA Accidents in Boston and Elsewhere Likely with Shrinking Repair Funds" »

A recall of fresh cheese in the New York City metropolitan area stems from concerns that it may be tainted with Listeria.

Our Massachusetts food poisoning lawyers understand that the announcement came recently from New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel Aubertine, who said that while no illnesses have been reported, listeria is a dangerous organism. Failure to recognize and treat it can result in personal injury or even wrongful death.

It stems from a routine inspection from the Division of Milk Control and Dairy Services back in late June at the Woodhaven wholesaler, Mexicali Cheese Corp. on 87th Street. The manufacturer was notified that the test results preliminarily came back positive. The manufacturer in turn voluntarily recalled the cheese.

The cheese is packaged in a hard, plastic tub with the plant number 36-0128 and a code of 071512. All packages with these codes are affected, and they would have the following product names: Acatlan Queso Fresco, Fresh Cheese, Mexicali Queso Fresco Mexicano and Mexican Style Fresh Cheese.

While there haven't been any reports of illness, Listeria can be fatal. Formally, it's known as Listeria monocytogenes. It's a bacteria that occurs in contaminated food.

As with almost any food borne illness, those primarily affected are pregnant women, newborns, older adults and adults who have weakened immune systems.

For example, a newborn can become sickened with Listeria poisoning, known as listeriosis, if his or her mother consumed it while pregnant. If you're healthy, you may be able to eat a food contaminated with Listeria and never even know it or display any symptoms of illness.

It's these risk groups, however, who must be especially cautious.

If you're pregnant, you might experience some flu-like symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But these infections can lead to premature delivery, miscarriage, stillbirth or a life-threatening infection of your baby.

Those who aren't pregnant are generally going to experience fever and muscle aches. If it's serious, it will involve headaches, stiffness in your neck, confusion, dizziness and convulsions.

According to the CDC, certain foods are particularly prone to Listeria contamination - most of them raw. These include processed meat (think deli meat or hot dogs), soft cheeses and smoked seafood. Unpasteurized milk and cheese are among the most likely foods to contain the bacteria.

Listeria is usually killed in the cooking process, but if you should know that when you consume certain ready-to-eat foods, your chances of getting spike because contamination can happen between the food being cooked in the factor and being processed. Plus, unlike a lot of other bacteria, Listeria can thrive in your refrigerator.

Continue reading "Food poisoning in New England - NYC Listeria Outbreak Illustrates Dangers" »

"Even though fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts, unfortunately every Fourth of July we usually see at least a few fireworks-related injuries," said Dr. Paul Biddinger with the
Massachusetts General Hospital.

The bottom line is that fireworks are dangerous, even sparklers. Unfortunately, there are still thousands of people who are injured in firework-related accidents in Boston and elsewhere. In 2011, there were more than 9,000 people who were injured in these accidents. Another 4 people were killed by fireworks during the year. About 70 percent of these accidents occurred during the 30 days neighboring the Fourth of July. This year, residents are asked to be safe, be cautious and to leave the firework displays to the professionals.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that Massachusetts' state law forbids all private citizens from having or using fireworks. In the state it's also illegal to transport legally obtained fireworks, this means into or out of the state. Because of these laws, the rate of related injuries and hospital visits resulting from fireworks is nearly 5 times lowers than the country's average, according to the Boston Globe.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), most of the injuries from fireworks each year are caused by sparklers, accounting for nearly 20 percent, and firecrackers, accounting for another 15 percent. About 25 percent of all of these accidents and injuries occur to individuals who are under the age of 15. Regardless, people of all ages should be careful when they're around fireworks. Accidents happen when people aren't paying attention.

"Consumers need to heed our warning: fireworks related incidents, especially those involving illegal fireworks, can be fatal," said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum

If you're venturing out on a Fourth of July vacation and your plans include fireworks we're asking you to be safe, to be responsible and to use common sense. To help you, we're offering you some firework safety tips from the CPSC.

Firework Safety Tips:

-Young child should never be allowed to handle fireworks.

-Never purchase fireworks that come in a brown paper bag. This is a sign that they may have been made for professional firework displays and ultimately could be very dangerous for you.

-Never place any part of your body directly over a firework device when lighting it.

-If a firework doesn't light don't attempt to relight it.

-Never point or throw fireworks at anyone.

-Always keep water nearby, whether from a hose or in a bucket.

-Never shoot fireworks off from a metal or glass container.

-Never use fireworks in areas where they're illegal.

For a list of firework displays in and near the Boston area, you can visit the Boston Central website. Many towns celebrate on different dates and at different times, so it's easy to find a display to fit your schedule.

Continue reading "Happy Fourth of July from our Boston Personal Injury Attorneys" »

Recently, General Motors and some of its researchers looked into how non-driving activities influenced driver behavior. They looked into how self-steering vehicles affected us behind the wheel. One of the surprising findings is that drivers' awareness actually improved when the car took hold of driving, according to Motorway America. Researchers wanted to know just how these newer technologies affected drivers and how effective they were in reducing the risks of accidents in Boston and elsewhere.

"Drivers are already engaging in risky behavior, and are likely to continue doing so...so why not make it safer for them and the people around them," said Dr. Eddy Llaneras, principal investigator for the study.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that researchers are looking to make some kind of vehicle automation that's equipped with safeguards. They believe that this technology may be able to improve the dangerous behaviors that are already found all over roadways nationwide.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, about a third of all drivers say that they email or text message behind the wheel on a regular basis. This stands true despite common views on the behavior, saying that's they know it's dangerous. Distracted driving is all too common on our roadways and takes the lives of thousands of people each and every year. Researchers are working diligently to find a way to reduce the dangers that are associated with it.

In the General Motors' study, officials looked at a driver's attention to the road in both hands-on and automated steering circumstances. Both were recorded while the vehicle's cruise control was activated. When drivers were engaging in other activities, aside from driving, they split they vision between the road and whatever else they're doing. The study concluded that crash avoidance technologies actually help to keep a driver's attention and vision on the road. Their attention actually increased by more than 125 percent when the automated steering was activated.

With the new study, researchers and GM were looking for a way to better keep drivers engaged while the automation was activated.

When drivers were questioned about these kinds of cars and their technology, many drivers expressed interest, especially when taking them on long road trips or by helping to alleviate driving worker's stress.

The study was partially funded by the Federal Highway Administration although they do not necessarily endorse all its findings.

Automated vehicles have been moving quickly toward our roadways with each passing year. Researchers are getting closer and closer to creating a car that can steer itself. We already have in-car technologies that can help to warn drivers when there's danger approaching. While these technologies all look good on paper and have some benefits in helping to reduce the risks of accidents, there's still nothing more effective that safe and alert driving habits from everyone!

Continue reading "Car Accidents in Boston Reduced by Automation? " »

In a recent bicycle accident in Bridgewater, an 81-year-old cyclist was severely injured. According to recent reports, his condition has grown worse. It all happened as the elderly rider was riding in the breakdown lane on Pleasant Street when his bicycle was hit by a passing motorist that was heading in the same direction, according to the Taunton Daily Gazette.

Immediately following the accident, the rider was transported to the Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton and then later taken to Mass General via MedFlight. It was there where he was admitted to the surgical intensive care unit. Last reports indicate that his condition was deteriorating.

Our Bridgewater bicycle accident attorneys understand that there were more than 600 bicyclists killed in auto-related accidents in just 2010. According to the most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were another 52,000 bicyclists killed in these kinds of accidents. You may not think that there are a lot of bicyclists on roadways, but these traffic fatalities account for 2 percent of all of the fatalities during the year. Bicyclists are some of the most vulnerable travelers on the road.

Bicyclists are urged to be extra careful when traveling along our busy roads. When riding a bike you should always cross the street at an intersection with a crosswalk or with a traffic light. Nearly 70 percent of all fatal bicycling accidents in 2010 occurred at non-intersections.

Bicyclists are also warned when traveling during the evening hours. About 30 percent of these accidents occurred between 4:00 p.m. and 7:59 p.m. The second most dangerous time for these accidents was from 8:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.

If you happen to be 42-years-old you might want to be a little more careful when biking around the city, too. The average age of bicyclists who were killed in traffic accidents in 2010 was 42. During the last decade, there has been steady increase in this average.

Don't forget about the kids though. Our youngest riders may not be able to comprehend the dangers that come along with traffic. They may dart out into traffic. They may not stop for oncoming vehicles. And they may wind up in a potentially fatal accident. Be sure to keep an eye on the young riders in your family. If they're under the age of 10, don't let them ride without the supervision of an adult. In 2010, bicyclists under the age of 16 accounted for more than 10 percent of all of the bicyclists who were killed and another 21 percent of all those who were injured.

Continue reading "Bicycle Accident in Bridgewater Seriously Injures Elderly Rider" »

According to Massachusetts State Police (MSP), a 20-year-old motorcyclist was killed while crossing over the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge. Officers report that the biker collided with an SUV and then with a pickup. He was taken to the hospital right after the Boston accident, but was pronounced dead. According to 7News, it happened just before 3:00 p.m. on the Boston side of the bridge. Officers say that the man was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident but it wasn't enough to save his life. The bridge was closed until that evening so that officials could investigate.

"Guy hit the bike, guy went flying, I ran over him," said the pickup driver involved in the accident.

Our Boston motorcycle accident lawyers understand that there are a lot more motorcyclists on our roadways this time of year. For that reason, we're asking drivers to be careful of everyone, especially motorcyclists. These two-wheeled travelers are extremely vulnerable for serious injury or death in the event of an accident. Sometimes not even a helmet is enough to save them. All drivers need to be cautious of one another and keep an eye on our vehicle's surroundings to help to avoid a potentially fatal accident. One wrong move can wind up costing someone's life.

In 2009, there were nearly 5,000 riders who were killed in motorcycle accidents nationwide. In addition to these fatalities, there were 90,000 motorcyclists injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Many of these accidents, injuries and fatalities could have been prevented if drivers took the extra time and actually looked for these riders. Oftentimes, they're just overlooked on our roadways because drivers don't see them or don't give them the proper respect on the road. The truth of the matter is that these travelers have the same rights and follow the same laws as you and I. They should be treated that way, too.

Motorcycle Safety Tips from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT):

-Drive like drivers can't see you. Make your presence known.

-Consider adhering reflective materials to your helmet. Make sure that it's DOT-approved. That's your most valuable piece of protective gear.

-When riding at night, wear bright-colored clothing.

-Be on the lookout in poor weather, traffic and adverse road conditions. Be sure to keep all of your attention on your surroundings.

-Always use your headlights while riding on the highway. You should always use your high beams rather than low beams.

-Avoid hiding in a driver's blind spot, and always signal before making a move.

-Never weave between lanes.

-Never share a lane with a car.

Continue reading "Motorcycle Accident on Mass Ave. Kills One" »

If you're taking birth control pills you might want to listen up! A number of studies have concluded that there are complications that can stem from YAZ, Yasmin and Ocella birth control pills.

According to some researchers, these pills have progestin drospirenone in them, which has previously been linked to venous thromboembolic events. Some of these events have been ischemic stroke (CVA), myocardial infarction (MI), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE) and even heart attacks.

Both YAZ and Yasmin are products of Bayer AG. Ocella. Bayer AG. Ocella is the generic product of Yasmin and is distributed by Barr Laboratories. If you're taking any of these pills, you may be increasing your risk of injury by a dangerous pharmaceutical product.

Health complications from oral contraceptives can have some lasting effects and can even be deadly. Be cautious, be careful and look into your medications and contraceptives before taking them!

In addition to using these pills as contraceptives, many woman take them to treat osteoporosis, menopause and moderate acne. As of April of 2012, Bayer AG has already dished out more than $140 million to patients who claimed that YAZ or Yasmin has cause blood clots. Blood clots can cause some serious complications with your health and can even kill you.

Our Boston medical malpractice attorneys understand that some experts believe that Bayer has dished out even more for health complications resulting from its products. According to Richard Vosser, an analyst with JP Morgan Chase & Co., the company is believed to have already paid close to $3 billion to resolve various lawsuits against Yasmin and YAZ. There have already been about 500 lawsuits involving a number of injuries, most commonly blood clot injuries, which have been resolved. This doesn't even account for half of the lawsuits against the company as many are awaiting a resolve.

There have also been a number of cases in which patients have claimed that the contraceptives have caused them gall stones and/or gallbladder damage. The company says that these claims are untrue and are not linked with their product.

Back in April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered both Bayer and the makers of other contraceptives that had drospirenone in them to beef up their warnings. The FDA wanted the companies to better inform patients about these products and their risks for blood clots and other serious health problems. According to researchers, the drug drospirenone can increase a patient's risk for blood clots by nearly three times.

In the last couple of years, there have been more than 10,000 lawsuits against YAZ that have been filed in federal courts. Each of these lawsuits alleging product liability. Women over the age of 35-years-old who have a history of serious medical issues or smoke are among those who are most at risk of developing complications from taking YAZ and other oral contraceptives.

Continue reading "Oral Contraceptives & Risk of Dangerous Medical Products in Massachusetts" »

As our Boston Personal Injury Lawyers recently reported, ridership on the T has increased in recent months.

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) officials are crediting the new See Say smartphone app for the increase.

It's helping riders to navigate their trips a whole lot easier, allowing them to see exactly where their ride is and when it's supposed to arrive. It's also helping to give riders a piece of mind. The app also allows residents to report any kind of suspicious activity that they see on the MBTA to Transit Police. With just a click of a button, MBTA riders can upload accident reports and they can share both text and pictures. All of these features are helping riders to stay safe during transit and to help them to get to and from their destinations in a timely manner.

"Transit Police are always looking for new tools to empower riders," said Paul MacMillan, MBTA Transit Police Chief.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys understand that communication is an important part of traveling throughout the city. When riders are joining in, we have eyes and ears throughout the MBTA system. With participation from riders, we can help to hold the MBTA accountable for a comfortable and safe transit environment. It starts with you. With everyone involved we can have the safest transit system in the country.

In addition to the app is the "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign and it is using efforts from both local and state agencies to help to educate the riding public. The campaign is helping riders to keep an eye on their surroundings at all times when using public transportation. Riders are urged to report anything that they feel is suspicious. You can make these reports with the click of a button through the new app.

This campaign was first launched back in 2003 by the MBTA after it learned of a similar campaign from New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority. It's currently being funded through a grant from the Department of Homeland Security's Transit Security.

What's exciting is that Massachusetts and the MBTA are the first in the country to release a smartphone app as a part of the "If you see something, say something" campaign.

The See Say app:

-has been created for transit and other areas that don't have very good cell phone reception. With the app, reports will be sent as soon as the rider has a signal.

-is discrete. It allows riders to send out reports anonymously. The app shuts off a rider's camera flash on their phone when taking a picture of something suspicious.

-sends reports directly to the Transit Police dispatch center.

-lets riders know about delays and service issues through T-Alerts.

Officials with the MBTA say that it's important that we all look out for one another. Report all suspicious activity to help keep all of our fellow riders safe.

Continue reading "Reducing Risks of MBTA Accidents in Boston through New Smartphone App" »

Throughout the month of April, ridership totalled nearly 1.5 million per weekday. That's the third month in a row in which the ridership has been more than 1.3 million and the 15th month in a row in which we saw increased ridership, according to the Boston Globe.

As the number of riders continues to increase, so do the risks for MBTA accidents in Boston and the surrounding areas. Although many residents use the MBTA ride each and every day, sometimes riders can become complacent and forget to practice safe traveling habits.

From April of 2011 to April of 2012, we saw a near 5 percent increase in ridership across the entire Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) system. During this time, weekday bus ridership reached more than 400,000 as well. This is the first time we've ever see bus ridership go beyond 400,000 for two consecutive months.

Our MBTA accident lawyers understand that one of the main reasons for the increase in ridership may be because of the availability of real-time MBTA arrival information for MBTA buses. Through this technology, riders can access apps and websites regarding the T and where their rides are in the palm of their hand, through their smartphones. These new apps were built by independent developers and help to alert riders about the location of their bus or train and when exactly it will arrive. These apps help to alleviate a lot of the confusion and the rush throughout our MBTA system. Informed travelers are prepared travelers.

"With help from a lot of innovative developers, we continue to build on the previous achievements of our trail-blazing open data initiative," said MBTA General Manager Richard Davey.

With all these riders, it's no secret that the T is a popular way for both residents and visitors to get around town. Again, we're asking riders to be cautious when riding the MBTA's buses, trains and subways. While they're awfully convenient, they can be awfully dangerous, if you're not careful that is.

"More than a hundred thousand smart phone users have downloaded apps that provide arrival time information for more than 180 MBTA bus routes," said Jonathan Davis, MBTA General Manager.

Increase in Ridership:

-More than an 8 percent increase on the Green Line.

-Nearly 4 percent on the Blue, Orange and Red Lines.

-Ridership on commuter boats was up nearly 12 percent.

During the month of April, officials with the MBTA also voted 4-1 to raise most of our subway fares by about 30 cents. Bus fares were voted to be raised by 25 cents as well as a hike in commuter rails by about $1.25 starting in July. This is the first fare increase by the T in the last 5 years.

Continue reading "MBTA Accidents: Boston Seeing Increased Ridership? " »

You could call employees with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) lifesavers. Well, maybe more like bunny savers.

According to CBS Boston, workers stepped in just in time to save a little girl's best friend who had accidentally fallen onto the tracks. It all happened when Casey and Michelle Carey-Brown's 3-year-old said that her little bunny friend was nervous about their family trip on the T. The family and their bunny friend were heading from Stony Brook to Green Street on the Orange Line when the accident happened. As they exited the train, their furry friend fell out of the little girl's stroller and onto the tracks below. There it sat, in between the train and the loading platform, serving as a sitting duck for a potentially fatal bunny accident in Boston.

The little girl, without hesitation, screamed and reached out for her friend. Her parents scurried to find an MBTA employee for assistance in saving their furry family member. They located a T worker who was able to call ahead to the conductor of the train. The cars were stopped during the middle of rush hour so that the conductor could get out, grab the bunny and toss it back to the little girl, safe in her arms.

Our Boston personal injury lawyers understand that it can be difficult to travel with children. When riding the T, there are a lot of passengers to keep an eye on, fast-moving trains and dangerous tracks below. It's important to travel with a plan and to keep safety as a number one priority, especially for your children. To help you to better travel with your young ones, we're here to offer you some subway safety tips for children.

Subway Safety:

-Travel slowly. Most accidents in the subway result from slips, trips and falls on boarding docks and on stairs. Be sure that children never play on a boarding platform. It's a lot easier than you think to fall from the platform and onto the tracks.

-This is not a time to live life on the edge. When waiting for the subway to arrive, make sure that you and your family are waiting behind the warning strips and away from the edge.

-Be careful with strollers. These items should never be used on the stairs. Make sure that you fold them up and carry infants before walking up or down stairs. When you have a stroller on the boarding platform keep the stroller away from the edge and keep your hand on the brake.

Parents are asked to keep an eye on their young travelers. You know how busy our subway systems can get. Keep an eye on your little ones and make sure to keep your family together and safe. Responsible traveling habits help prevent potentially fatal accidents.

Continue reading "Stuffed Bunny Saved From Catastrophic MBTA Accident in Boston" »

Dangerous products find their way into the homes of many residents in the state of Massachusetts. Unfortunately, not many consumers are alerted to the dangers of these products and their recalls. Oftentimes, these recalls never even get to consumers until a fatal accident in Boston or elsewhere has already occurred, according to TIME.

Statistics show that about 90 percent of dangerous products stay in consumers' homes. After being recalled, there are very few products are ever returned by consumers to the manufacturer for a refund or for the necessary repairs.

Our Boston defective product attorneys understand that our day to day lives are busy. We've got a lot to do and a seemingly little amount of time to do it. Still, there's no excuse to bypass safety, there's no excuse not to be up to date with the latest recalls and there's no excuse to hang on to a dangerous product. Residents are encouraged to check out the recalls from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission frequently. If you notice that you have a product that's been thrown on the recall list, you're strongly urged to get rid of it, to return it for a refund or take it back to the manufacturer for a repair. Keeping these items in your household and around your children is a quick recipe for disaster.

"We know that the majority of products that are recalled remain in consumers' homes," said the executive director Kids in Danger, Nancy Cowles.

Remember the furnaces that the CPSC recalled? There were about 200,000 recalled be federal officials. Still, more than 90 percent of the accident reports that were submitted were submitted after the recall. Consumers still decided to hang on to these furnaces long after they were deemed unsafe.

But why do consumers hang on to dangerous products?

-Because they feel that they won't be affected by the risks or the dangers of the product. It's the "bad things happen to other people, not me" complex.

-Because recalls happen all too often and they've lost their sense of urgency and the importance that they once had.

-Because consumers never hear about the recalls in the first place. Safety officials believe that there needs to be a more efficient way to spread the word.

You've got to be an active and engaged consumer and you need to stay up to date with the latest safety recalls if you're going to help to protect your loved ones. It's important to know what dangers lie in products before going shopping and long after. Knowledge is your key in this battle and it can help to prevent serious injuries to both you and your family members.

Continue reading "Defective Products in Boston and Elsewhere Flying Under the Radar" »

Recent statistics from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) note that fatalities from auto accidents nationwide are declining. Well, all of them except motorcyclist fatalities.

According to statistics from the first 9 months of 2011, the number of motorcyclist fatalities has remained the same compared to the previous year, both sitting at nearly 5,000, according to webBikeWorld.

The U.S. is seeing some of its lowest fatality rates since 1949. But the number of fatal motorcycle accidents in Boston and elsewhere just don't seem to budge despite all of the nationwide efforts to raise awareness about these vulnerable drivers. There have been a multitude of campaigns and safety events dedicated to getting drivers to be more aware of our two-wheeled friends on the road but nothing seems to work.

This is worrying officials because while we may have just rounded out National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, we're heading into the summer travel season which allows for more bikers to hit our roadways. With more bikers on our roadways, we see higher risks for accidents and ultimately more fatal accidents than any other time of the year.

Our Boston motorcycle accident attorneys understand that we're seeing a lot more motorcyclists on our roadways. It's the summer, it's that time of year when the weather clears up, the sun shines through and our two-wheeled friends hit the road. It's also a time to raise awareness. For that reason, we're asking motorists to be on the lookout and to help reduce the risk of accidents.

Experts believe these accidents have remained steady because:

-The improving economy has allowed residents with more spending money to purchase motorcycles.

-The high gas prices has more residents riding motorcycles to save at the pump.

-Motorcycle helmet laws are lacking in many states. When motorcycle helmets are not mandatory, less motorcyclists wear them. The fewer helmets on our roadways the more fatal accidents we see.

Dr. James Hedlund of Highway Safety North has done much research into gas prices and the status of the economy with the number of motorcyclist fatalities and there seems to be a direct correlation between them. When the economy is doing well, the number of motorcycle registrations is typically up and so is the number of accidents. When gas prices are high, the number of motorcycle registrations typically rises as well as the fatality numbers. These patterns have been pretty steady since 1990, allowing experts to pretty much predict when we're going to see more fatal motorcycle accidents on our roadways.

"It is disappointing that we are not making progress in motorcycle safety, particularly as fatalities involving other motorists continue to decline," said GHSA Chairman,
Troy Costales.

Continue reading "Fatal Motorcycle Accidents in Boston and Elsewhere Up After Nationwide Auto Accident Decrease" »

A recent fall accident in Chelsea sent a 2-year-old out of a third-floor window and down about 50 feet to the ground below. According to the Boston Globe, the young girl is expected to make it. Officers believe that the girl was playing with some of her friends on a bed in the home that was located next to a window. They believe that the window was left open and the young girl fell out and into the alley below. Officials have not determined if the child was supervised or not at the time of the accident.

Just a week ago, a 2-year-old girl died after she fell from a third-floor window in Fall River.

Our Chelsea injury attorneys understand that there are nearly 2.5 million children under the age of 14-years-old who are treated in emergency rooms across the country because of fall-related accidents.

According to recent statistics, there fall-related accidents kill about 80 of these young ones every year. More than half of the injuries occur to children under the age of six. Window falls are some of the most serious of these kinds of accidents, especially for our young ones. Every year, nearly 20 kids under the age of 11 die from window falls. Another 4,700 kinds under the age of 14 require treatment each year because of these same accidents. Children don't understand the dangers that are associated with heights. They're also not able to calculate the dangers of playing near windows. Many don't understand that there are risks of a dangerous fall. For this reason, it's parents' responsibility to keep a close eye on their young ones near windows and to make sure that all windows are properly guarded.

Luckily, there are ways to help to keep our children safe near windows.

According to the Boston Public Health Commission, parents, guardians and property owners are urged to safeguard all windows to make sure that children don't have access to them and that they can't get out of them! That's why the state participates in the Kids Can't Fly campaign, to help to educate communities about window falls, prevention and the use of child safety window guards.

Tips to Protect Children from Windows:

-Be sure to install window guards on all windows that are above the first floor.

-If you have to open a window for ventilation, be sure that your child can't reach the open window.

-Make sure you have ground rules in your home and that children know not to play near windows.

-Move your furniture away from all of your windows.

-Never rely on window/insect screens to keep children from falling out of a window. They're not strong enough and will not keep your child in.

Continue reading "Chelsea Fall Accident Sends 2-Year-Old Down Three Stories" »

To help to stop teen car accidents in Quincy and elsewhere, AT&T recently launched its "It Can Wait" campaign.

The campaign started in the state of Massachusetts back in 2011 and since then organizations and law enforcement agencies across the country have joined in to help to raise awareness about the risks of distracted driving among teen drivers nationwide, according to The New York Times. This campaign usually takes place during the summer months because it's during this time that teen drivers face the most dangerous risks for car accidents.

"Memorial Day is the beginning of the 100 deadliest days of the year for teen drivers," said president of AT&T in the New England area, Patricia Jacobs.

Our Quincy car accident lawyers understand that teens know that texting while driving is dangerous. Studies prove it! Unfortunately, studies also show that these young drivers are still sending and receiving text messages behind the wheel. According to a recent AT&T study, more than 95 percent of teens know that it's dangerous to text and drive at the same time. The same study also revealed that nearly 45 percent of these young drivers are still texting behind the wheel and another 75 percent say that their friends are doing it on a regular basis.

The study revealed that teens feel peer pressure from their buddies to respond to these messages quickly and that's why they're not waiting. The study also illustrated that parents and other adults are setting a poor example behind the wheel, leading these young drivers to believe that it's okay to text and drive.

It's going to be tough to get these young drivers to put the phones away while they're on our roadways. Text messages rank as the number one mode of communication among this young age group. Recent studies conclude that teens text about five times more than most adults in a day. When this is going on behind the wheel, teens are nearly 25 times more likely to be in a near-accident or an actual accident on our roadways.

Highlights of the AT&T study:

-Nearly 90 percent of teens say that they expect to get a reply to a text message or an email within 5 minutes of sending the message.

-Three quarters of teens know that texting while driving is dangerous, yet nearly 45 percent still do it!

-About 70 percent of teens say that it's still dangerous to text while stopped at a stop light.

-About 60 percent of teen say that they will text at a red light and another 75 percent say that they'll at least peek at their phone at a red light.

-More than 60 percent of teens admit to glancing at their phone while driving. The same number of teens say that they'll read or send an email or text while driving.

-Nearly 80 percent of teens say that adults tell them not to text and drive but these same adults text while driving.

-More than 40 percent of teens say they see their own parents send or read texts and emails while driving.

Continue reading "Distraction-Related Car Accidents in Quincy and Elsewhere Targeted through "It Can Wait" Campaign" »