Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog
Late summer in Massachusetts brought a cluster of developments that matter to anyone who handles or follows personal injury cases. A catastrophic assisted-living fire moved quickly into civil litigation. Automated traffic enforcement in bus lanes and around school buses took concrete steps toward real-world deployment. The Commonwealth’s minimum auto insurance limits increased, which is already affecting claim valuations. Agencies ran an end-of-summer impaired driving crackdown. A Massachusetts food manufacturer initiated an allergen-label recall that reached local grocery shelves. The Superior Court also refreshed model jury instructions on personal injury damages and wrongful death. This roundup explains what changed, why it matters, and how to adjust your approach in ongoing and upcoming cases.
Assisted-living fire in Fall River, and the surge of civil filings
The July 2025 fire at the Gabriel House assisted-living residence in Fall River resulted in multiple fatalities and dozens of injuries. In early and mid-August, survivors and families began filing lawsuits in Bristol Superior Court. The complaints focus on alleged failures in life-safety systems and emergency planning, along with claims about training, supervision, and oversight. Several filings also name third-party vendors that serviced alarms and suppression equipment, suggesting that the litigation will involve a web of contractual relationships and maintenance records.
