Car Accidents

September 5, 2010

Appropriate insurance coverage for college students critical in even of a Massachusetts personal injury claim

Colleges and universities have a responsibility to keep campuses and dormitories safe for students, staff and visitors, but families also have a responsibility to protect their college-bound kids from personal liability as well.

With the Labor Day holiday over, students all over Massachusetts are packing up their cars and heading to school. According to a recent article in the Herald News, now is a good time for families to review their homeowner and auto insurance policies to make sure the kids, their stuff and their cars, are appropriately covered.

Our Boston personal injury attorneys realize that students and their families unknowingly can leave themselves at risk for personal injury liability. Unsafe dorm room conditions, a car accident, even engagement in “non-business pursuits” – like a pickup game of Frisbee-golf on the campus green space – all can leave families vulnerable to claims for property damage, even negligence, if insurance coverage doesn’t match an away-from-home student’s needs.

With that said, restrictions, standard limits and special requirements associated with individual homeowner insurance policies geared toward families with students away at school can fail to meet coverage needs. For students who have a higher-dollar property value associated with their dorm room or college apartment, investigating additional renter’s insurance can close their exposure gap.

Boston personal injury attorneys at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers, LLC, have more than 18 years experience handling personal injury and auto accident claims. Our team understands how difficult it can be to deal with the physical, emotional and financial devastation that often accompanies being injured in a Massachusetts car accident or injury incident caused by someone else’s negligence.
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September 2, 2010

Pet owners use caution to prevent Massachusetts car accidents caused by distracted driving

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Riding with a pet in the car is just another distraction that can lead to a serious or fatal Massachusetts car accident, according to a recent report in the Chicago Tribune.

Studies suggest it is an increasing danger as dog ownership — and particularly the popularity of small lap dogs — continues to increase. The Humane Society of the United States reports that dogs are now in about 40 percent of all U.S. homes.

While the government has waged all-out war on text messaging and cell phone use by drivers, the distraction of a dog in the vehicle can be just as dangerous. A recent AAA survey found that two-thirds of dog owners frequently pet their dogs while driving — some even feed or water their pooch while driving down the road.

“As about 40 percent of Americans own dogs, we see this as an increasingly big problem,” said Beth Mosher, spokeswoman for AAA.

An 80-pound dog exerts more than a ton of force (2,400 pounds) in the event of an accident. And an unrestrained dog is frequently killed in a traffic collision. Just this week, the Taunton Daily Gazette reported on the case of a woman who was critically injured in a car accident. Her Pomeranian named Molly did not survive.

Another significant issue is the fact that dogs can become extremely territorial inside a wrecked vehicle, making it difficult or impossible for emergency crews to render aide. Officers on the scene have had to kill dogs so that rescue workers could tend to injured passengers inside a vehicle.

The recent survey conducted by AAA and Kurgo, a pet-restraint systems manufacturer, found that 55 percent of all pet owners ride with their pets in the vehicle. Twenty-one percent admit to riding with their pets in their lap. Seven percent acknowledge providing their dog with food or water while driving and 5 percent let a dog sit in their lap while behind the wheel.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that it takes only two seconds of distraction to cause a serious or fatal car accident.
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August 23, 2010

Speeding blamed for fatal Massachusetts car accident in Agawam

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

At least four people were injured in an Agawam, Massachusetts car accident on Sunday — authorities say speed was a factor in the crash, according to Massachusetts Live.

Massachusetts State Police report that the two-car accident happened on Suffield Street shortly before 4 p.m. on Sunday.

An 86-year-old Agawam man was seriously injured and taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. The 20-year-old driver of the second car and two passengers were also transported to the hospital with injuries.

The preliminary investigation shows the 20-year-old driver may have been speeding north on Suffield Street when he collided with the other vehicle, according to Agawan police.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that speeding is one of the leading causes of traffic accidents. Nationwide, about one-third of all traffic fatalities involve a speeding vehicle. In 2008, speed-related crashes claimed 11,674 lives.

The cost of speed-related crashes is astronomical. In 2000, the cost was estimated at more than $76,000 a day, or about $1,300 a second.

Like many poor driving habits, young drivers are especially susceptible. The government reports that more than one-third of male drivers ages 15 to 24 were speeding at the time of their involvement in a fatal accident.

In 2008, speed-related car accidents in Massachusetts were responsible for 97 of the state’s 363 traffic fatalities.
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August 7, 2010

Behavior on and off the street can impact insurance premiums and risk of Massachusetts car accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The factors that could contribute to your being involved in a Boston car accident may also result in an increase in your insurance premiums, making safe driving habits a means of both improving safety and saving money.

And insurance companies are paying more and more attention, according to a report on Yahoo!

“If the driver does get into an accident as a result of his behavior, his next policy renewal would reflect it,” said Robert U’Ren, VP of Quality Planning Corp, a company that assist auto insurers with validating and underwriting policies.

Behaviors likely to cause an injury accident and an increase in insurance premiums include:

Texting while Driving: As our Boston accident attorneys continue to report, a full-court, nationwide press is now aimed at stopping drivers from text messaging while behind the wheel. Thirty states have now outlawed the practice and even Oprah Winfrey has weighed in with the “No Phone Zone” challenge.

Those violating the law could receive a ticket, and their car insurance premiums could increase as a result.

Not wearing a seat belt: Nationwide initiatives aimed at seat belt enforcement continue to have an impact. An increasing number of states are switching from secondary to primary enforcement, allowing law enforcement to ticket violators even if they have not been stopped for some other moving violation.

Adding a teen driver: The mere presence of a teen driver on your policy will increase your rates substantially. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers ages 15 to 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Several off-the-road behaviors can also frequently impact your insurance rates including:

Missing credit card payments: While consumer advocates continue to argue against the policy, insurers continue to use the credit ratings of drivers in setting insurance rates. Companies claim those with poor credit or financial problems are a greater risk on the road and are more apt to engage in insurance fraud.

Paying insurance in installments: While motorists often saved a few bucks by paying all at once, rather than in monthly installments, that savings has gotten to be substantial. Frequently, a motorist can save several hundred dollars a year by paying in just one or two installments rather than paying by the month.
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July 27, 2010

Study to determine ways to reduce risk of Massachusetts car accidents involving state troopers

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The Massachusetts State Police superintendent announced a safety study will help determine ways to reduce the risk of serious injury or death resulting in Massachusetts car accidents involving state troopers.

As our Boston injury lawyers have been reporting both here and on our sister site, Boston Car Accident Lawyers Blog, one trooper was killed and four others have been injured in the last month in car accidents that resulted from being struck while conducting car stops at the side of the road.

Patrol Col. Marian McGovern was joined by representative of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts.

Nationwide, car accidents are responsible for more than half of all work injuries involving law enforcement.

“When we sign up for this job, we know that we will be working on the shoulder of busy highways, with cars speeding by, inches away,” McGovern said. “We accept this because it is necessary for the protection of the public we serve and the very essence of our core mission.”

About half of the 87 police officers who have been killed in the line of duty so far this year have died in motor vehicle crashes. In fact, car accidents are a leading cause of all Massachusetts work accidents, not just accidents involving law enforcement officers.

So far this year, 10 cruisers have been hit by drunk drivers. Last year, 20 cruisers were struck by impaired motorists.

The patrol will also conduct a lighting study to see if improvements can be made to a trooper’s visibility while at the side of the road. A decade ago, Ohio troopers switched the color of their cruisers from “asphalt gray” to “bright white” in an effort to make themselves more visible.
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July 23, 2010

Massachusetts road defects can cause serious or fatal car accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The state has no plans to study a Watertown intersection, despite the concerns of neighbors who contend the intersection by the Charles River is poorly designed and increases the risk of car accidents.

Massachusetts Injury Lawyer Jeffrey S. Glassman and the staff at our law offices assist motorists in recovering damages as a result of serious or fatal traffic accidents throughout Massachusetts. Sometimes, a thorough investigation determines that authorities knew, or should have known, about a dangerous intersection or Massachusetts road defect and did nothing to prevent motorists from being seriously injured or killed. Poor design, missing or inoperable street lights or traffic control devices, overgrown vegetation, deteriorating roads, missing or poorly maintained guardrails and other dangers can increase the risk that a motorist will be involved in an accident.

In this case, the Boston Globe reports that neighbors are baffled about why nothing has ever been done to improve safety at the intersection of Grove Street and Greenough Boulevard.

One neighbor said numerous accidents occur at the intersection, which is equipped with one stop sign (often kicked sideways from being hit) and a concrete divider than has been reduced to ruble. An orange cone of no known significance sits atop the pile of ruble and has for some time.

One neighbor said the intersection is difficult to navigate, even for those familiar with it. She said some motorists go out of their way to avoid it altogether. She said many people would like to see a traffic light, or at least a blinking light and signs warning motorists of the upcoming intersection.

“Those of us who see these frequently-occurring accidents would like to know exactly why nothing has been done all these years,” said Gwen Romagnoli. “Certainly some traffic authorities somewhere, in some agency or other, are aware of the huge number of accidents that occur there.”

A Globe reporter found a “free-for-all” at the intersection, with cars “playing chicken” across three lanes of high-speed traffic. The intersection also includes a hairpin turn at the base of a hill and two median strips worn down to nubs.

A Watertown councilor said leaders have spent nearly a decade asking state officials to do something about the problem. More than 25 accidents have been reported there in the last several years.

The Department of Conservation and Recreation said there are currently no plans to improve the intersection. A spokeswoman said the agency is aware of the concerns but had no capital funding for repairs. There is also no plan to ask for funding for a study because the cost of the study would depend on the scope of the study, which has also not been determined.

This is a classic example of bureaucracy leading to the risk of a motorist being involved in a serious or fatal accident. Next thing you know, the state will be complaining about the high cost of personal injury lawsuits and will find a politician somewhere in the bowels of the statehouse willing to propose a new law that limits a motorist’s right to collect damages. Never mind that the fault lies with a government entity that is funded by taxpayers but fails to protect them from injury by providing the most basic of services.
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July 19, 2010

Boston car accident involving Duck Boat latest in a series of crashes involving the tourism industry

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Boston car accident injured five people and involved seven vehicles and a duck boat on Friday afternoon, the Boston Herald reported.

It was second duck boat accident in Boston last week. A boat and two cars were involved in an accident near Government Center on Tuesday when three women on their way to a wedding tried to drive around a duck boat.

Friday’s accident occurred shortly after noon on the ramp to Charles Street Circle from Embankment Road westbound, according to the Massachusetts State Police.

Police said seven vehicles were towed from the scene and the injured were transported to area hospitals. A manager of Boston Duck Tours said a piece of radio equipment on the boat dislodged and blocked the brake pedal.

The boat was taken to the Boston State Police barracks for inspection by the commercial vehicle enforcement team. Mechanical error and operator error will both be investigated as possible causes.

This incident is the latest in a recent string of mishaps involving the tourism industry. As we reported on our Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, a tour boat ran aground in Boston Harbor over the Fourth of July weekend, resulting in the evacuation of all 174 passengers and crew members on board.
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July 13, 2010

Backover car accidents in Massachusetts a danger to pedestrians, children

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Hanson, Massachusetts pedestrian accident sent a 55-year-old woman to the hospital over the weekend, the Patriot Ledger reported.

The woman was struck by a small SUV while walking across the entrance to a driveway shortly after 9 a.m. Saturday. She was flown by helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition.

The accident happened as the SUV was backing out of a driveway.

Our Boston injury lawyers have reported on the high number of serious and fatal pedestrian accidents that occur in the Boston area. Massachusetts pedestrian accidents account for one in seven traffic fatalities — 61 of 429 in a recent year. More than motorcycle and bicycle fatalities combined and second only to motor-vehicle fatalities.

Nationwide, 4,378 pedestrians were killed in accidents in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and another 69,000 were injured. Somewhere in the nation a pedestrian is killed in an accident every two hours and a pedestrian is injured every eight minutes.

Back-over injuries, such as the injuries sustained in this case, frequently involve young children. The Consumer Union has documented 436 backover accidents in the last decade, primarily involving children under the age of 4.

These accidents occurred outside a child’s home or in a residential driveway and involved 270 fatalities. More than 60 percent of backover accidents involve large vans or SUVs.

Tips for avoiding backover accidents in Massachusetts:

-Walk around a vehicle before moving it.

-Know where kids are and keep them in full view.

-Teach children about the dangers of parked vehicles; never permit them to play around a vehicle.

-Measure the size of the blindspot behind the vehicles you drive. A 5 foot 1 inch driver in a pickup truck can have a rear blind spot of 50 feet.

-Keep in mind that steep inclines and large SUVs, trucks or vans can increase the difficulty of seeing behind a vehicle.
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July 7, 2010

Massachusetts trooper injured after being struck by passing motorist

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Massachusetts state trooper suffered a leg injury after being hit by a passing car during a traffic stop, the Boston Globe reported.

As we reported last month on our Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, more than half of all law enforcement officers who are killed in the line of duty die as a result of a traffic accident. In fact, traffic accidents are a leading cause of Massachusetts work injuries. Employees, including law enforcement and construction workers, who are injured in a traffic accident while on the job should consult a Massachusetts workers’ compensation lawyer to help protect their rights.

The trooper was treated and released from North Shore Medical Center-Union Hospital in Lynn and is expected to be on injury leave for several days. Shortly after midnight July 4, the trooper had pulled over a driver who had swerved into the breakdown lane of southbound Route 128. A passing silver sedan sideswiped the trooper, who attempted to jump out of the way. The car struck the trooper’s leg and did not stop.

If caught, the driver could face a range of charges, including violation of Massachusetts Move Over Law, which requires motorists to move over and slow down when approaching stopped emergency vehicles or maintenance vehicles with activated flashing lights.

Police are asking anyone with information on the identity of the driver to contact the State Police barracks in Danvers at 978-538-6161.

Our Massachusetts injury lawyers reported last month that a 52-year-old trooper was killed on I-95 when he was struck by a passing vehicle during a car stop. Both drivers in that case have been charged with drunk driving.
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June 26, 2010

Woman involved in fatal Massachusetts car accident had history of traffic accidents and violations

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A driver involved in a fatal Massachusetts car accident last weekend has a long string of accident and had previously had her license suspended in 2008, the Taunton Gazette reported.

We reported the accident on our Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog. It happened on I-495 Friday night when the woman reportedly lost control. The Toyota Rav4 rolled over and ejected the driver and passenger from the vehicle. The 29-year-old passenger died as a result of his injuries. Authorities say the driver lost control near the weigh stations, where the road narrows from three lanes to two.

Sometimes accidents are unavoidable. And sometimes poor choices can lead to a serious or fatal accident. Unfortunately, drivers with a poor driving record also are frequently uninsured or underinsured — often because they cannot afford the high insurance premiums that come with a poor driving record. A Boston injury lawyer will review the driving record and available insurance of an at-fault driver and use that information when building a case to compensate victims for lost wages, medical expenses, and other costs associated with an accident. In cases where a Massachusetts accident is caused by an uninsured or underinsured motorist, an attorney may be able to help victims collect on the assets of an at-fault driver, or by filing a claim with their own insurance company.

There is no information about whether the driver was insured in this case.

The Gazette reports that Registry of Motor Vehicle records show the driver has been at-fault in five accidents between 2003 and 2008. She was also convicted of two moving violations in 2006 and 2007. Her license was suspended in May of 2008 after she failed to complete a mandatory driver retraining class following her fifth accident. She completed the class in January of 2009 and her license was reinstated. The state revoked her license after last week’s accident pending the resolution of the case, which is still under investigation.
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