Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog
According to a news release from the Massachusetts State Police (MSP), a veteran trooper was recently injured when his shotgun accidentally discharged. An MSP spokesperson said the trooper, who was assigned to the South Boston Barracks, was transferring a department issued shotgun from his old patrol cruiser to his newly issued cruiser.
The trooper sergeant took the tactical 12ga shotgun out of the locking mount in his old vehicle, and it somehow discharged, striking him in the leg. He was alone at the time of the accident. The accident occurred at the Massachusetts State Police Emergency Vehicle Operations Center. This is essentially the main repair depot and storage facility for patrol cars.
After hearing the shot and realizing a trooper was injured, medical personnel were called to the scene. While the injury was not considered life threatening, due to the remoteness of the vehicle center in Ayer, on the grounds of the now-closed army base, paramedics called a medevac helicopter to the scene to transport him to UMass medical center in Worcester. MSP has not released the name of the trooper, but they have said other troopers and investigators were being called to the scene to determine exactly what happened.
First, our Boston personal injury attorneys would like to take this opportunity to express our regards to the injured trooper. We greatly appreciate the job law enforcement officers do every day to keep the residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts safe. We know this is a difficult time and wish the trooper a complete and speedy recovery.
We would also like to take this opportunity to urge caution at all times when handling or being around firearms. While some accidents are unpreventable, many firearms accidents could have been avoided with proper care and attention to detail. We have seen all too often how some people do not adhere to proper warnings and act in ways that can cause foreseeable injury to foreseeable persons and property. This is not only dangerous, but is an example of negligence in the context of a civil personal injury lawsuit in Massachusetts.
If someone acts in an irresponsible manner with a firearm, and this results in the injury or death of another person who was not at fault in the accident, this would be grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the victim was killed in the accident, which is often the case when dealing a deadly weapon, the proper claim might be wrongful death under a theory of negligence.
In this example, we are not talking about intentionally shooting another person, but acting with a disregard for the safety of others. This could include cleaning a firearm in a negligent manner, shooting a weapon into the air or in close proximity to someone’s home, or any number of other things.
If, on the other hand, someone intentionally fired a weapon at another person not in self-defense, this would of course be a crime, but it could also the basis for filing a civil action based upon an intentional tort like assault and battery.
If you are injured in an accident in Boston, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
UPDATE–Trooper Suffers Non Life-Threatening Injuries in Accidental Discharge, September 15, 2015, MSPNews.org
More Blog Entries:
Wilkins v. City of Haverhill – Massachusetts Supreme Court Weighs Slip-and-Fall Claim, May 23, 2014, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog