Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog

April 26, 2014

Spring Safety: Snow Blowers to Mowers

Now that the snow is finally melting from the patio, it is time to think about gearing up for spring and summer. For families throughout Massachusetts, this means mowing the lawn and starting up the grill. As you pack away your snow blower for the spring and summer seasons, you should also be wary of the potential risks of storing and reigniting this equipment. Our personal injury attorneys in Boston are committed to preventing accidents and raising safety awareness. Here are some spring safety tips when trading out your winter for summer equipment.

Stabilize your snow blower. Before you store your snow blower, you should add gas stabilizer and let it run to ensure that it circulates through the carburetor. This will prevent “gumming up” of the gas. Close the valve to prevent a major fuel leak. You should also change the oil in the snow blower while your snow blower is still warm. Always remember to remove the spark plug wire when performing maintenance.
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April 21, 2014

Boston Marathon Injuries Advance Prosthetics Technology

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The one-year anniversary of the tragic Boston Marathon has inspired many victims and their loved ones to reflect on a year of recovery. In addition to the support that victims may have felt from their closest family and friends, their communities and the nation, victims of the Boston Marathon also gained encouragement from medical engineers working hard to improve prosthetics for those who lost limbs.

The Boston Marathon tragedy raised awareness for all victims of amputation and puts the focus on recovery.

According to a Discovery article on prosthetic advancements since the Boston Marathon, while many research labs may not have worked directly with survivors, everyone in the industry has felt the impact and desire to improve the lives of amputees and their loved ones. Our Boston personal injury attorneys are experienced in representing victims who have suffered from catastrophic accidents and injuries, including amputation. We are dedicated to raising awareness and to exploring every opportunity to improve life quality and recovery for victims.
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April 19, 2014

Brain Injury Impacts Emotional Response: Uncontrollable Laughter to Tears

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The consequences of a brain injury vary among patients and may not be fully detected for weeks or months after impact. Researchers have found that victims of traumatic brain injury may suffer from personality disorders, irritability mood swings, depression and other cognitive defects. Now medical research is paying greater attention to the emotional impact of brain injury on veterans. According to a survey of more than 700 veterans with traumatic brain injury, 60 percent struggle with a neurological condition that caused them to lapse into uncontrollable laughter or tears.

According to an NBC report, the research was published by the U.S. Department of Veterans affairs and sheds light on the very complicated nature of brain injuries.

Our brain injury attorneys in Massachusetts know the complexity of injuries and the range of issues that complicate the lives of victims. For traumatic brain injury suffers, personality disorders and emotional issues can make it difficult or impossible to return to work or manage day to day tasks. Our priority is to help these victims recover just compensation so that they can focus on healing and moving forward after injury. In addition to advocating for our clients, we remain abreast of medical advancements and research that is relevant to brain injury survivors.
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April 15, 2014

4,000 Annual ER Visits from Bike-Related Kidney & Genital Injuries

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Bike riding can be dangerous when drivers cause collisions or when bikers are otherwise involved in accidents. While most people are concerned about head injuries after a bicycle accident, a new report indicates that there is also another major risk of bicycle riding: the risk of genital and kidney injuries.

When a bike injury occurs because of a negligent driver or because of a badly designed bicycle, a Boston personal injury lawyer can help the affected victim to pursue legal action. In the case of a kidney or genital injury, the costs of medical treatment, missed work and pain and suffering may be significant.
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April 14, 2014

Boston Engineer: Loud Bike Horn Could Prevent Accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

As more commuters and enthusiasts trade in their vehicle for two-wheels, the divide between cyclists and drivers continues to grow. Though motorists may become irritated by bikers weaving in and out of traffic or violating laws, cyclists will always be at a greater risk when involved in a collision. Negligent drivers, blind spots, inadequate bike lanes and other infrastructural issues can create hazards regardless of how safe cyclists are when sharing the road. Something as rudimentary as a loud bicycle horn may allow riders to give drivers the warning they may need to prevent an accident.

For drivers, loud horns have been able to prevent millions of accidents. Cyclists are not given the same advantage when trying to warn other motorists on the road. According to an interview on WBUR radio, with the “loud bike horn” inventor, the horn is one solution in reducing the number of bicycle collisions involving automobiles. Our bike accident attorneys in Massachusetts are dedicated to protecting the rights of victims. In addition to client advocacy, we are committed to raising awareness to help prevent future accidents and keep cyclists safe.
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April 13, 2014

New Guidelines for Identifying Causes of Newborn Brain Injury

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Newborn brain injuries typically occur because the infant experiences trauma to the brain during birth or because the infant’s brain is deprived of oxygen and cell death occurs. While birth defects or injury in the womb can be a cause of newborn brain injuries, many problems occur during overly prolonged labors or when doctors make medical errors and cause a child to suffer harm.

Now, there are new guidelines designed to help doctors identify causes of newborn brain injury so that they can develop appropriate preventative strategies to protect children from risk. Physicians need to review the guidelines released by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Physicians. If a medical care provider falls short of taking reasonable steps to prevent newborn brain injury, that physician can be held legally liable for medical malpractice with the help of a Boston birth injury lawyer.
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April 9, 2014

Leading Causes of Preventable Child Death by Age

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Whether you are a new parent, you have teenagers, or you are a grandparent, it is important to understand the risks to children at every age. The rate of injury and fatality from infants through age 17 varies. Understanding the risks can help you to be prepared and to prevent accident and injury. Parents as well as caretakers should be aware of the potential household hazards and other lurking dangers that could cause an injury, or even a fatal accident.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, accidents are the leading cause of death for all children aged 1-14. Our Boston personal injury attorneys are dedicated to raising awareness to increase child safety and to prevent accidents that result in serious injury or fatality. In addition to working to prevent injuries, we are also committed to taking legal action on behalf of families who have lost a child in a preventable accident.

The following is a list of common injuries and risks by age group:
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April 7, 2014

Head Injuries Can Double the Risk of Death Within 15 Years

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Head injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have lingering effects long after an initial impact. According to a new UK study, individuals who have been hospitalized for a mild head injury have nearly double the risk of dying within the next 15 years. This indicates that an injury can have an even more serious and deadly impact that first believed. The research, as published in The Guardian, indicates that individuals who suffered even a mild head injury were at a significantly higher risk of death than those with no history of head injury.

There may be a number of contributing factors to the results and researchers are not clear about exactly what links head injury to the increased risk of death. It is possible that the lingering impact of a head injury creates additional risk, rather than simply lifestyle before or after an injury. Our Boston personal injury attorneys are dedicated to helping clients protect their rights and recover maximum compensation after an injury. With significant experience handling complex brain injury cases, we understand the importance of a thorough review and medico-legal analysis in every case. We also are committed to staying abreast of research and trends in this complex and evolving medical field.
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April 3, 2014

GM Misled Families on Fatal Ignition Defect

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In May 2009, engineers at GM learned that black box evidence obtained from Chevrolet Cobalts confirmed that hundreds of thousands of cars had fatal defects. The evidence showed that if the vehicle was bumped or weighed down, the engine’s power could shut down and deactivate airbags. Despite this knowledge, along with additional documents and studies that confirmed the report, GM told families of accident victims that it did not have enough evidence to confirm the defect. After years of denial, GM finally recalled 1.6 million Cobalts and other vehicles that could also be affected by the defect.

When a defective or dangerous product causes harm to a consumer, the company must be held liable. While many corporations may fight allegations on other grounds, this is a case of egregious deceit in an attempt to deny victims their rightful recovery. Failure to admit the fatal defects has also put hundreds of thousands of additional motorists and their passengers in danger. Our Boston personal injury attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of accident victims.
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April 1, 2014

Most Nursing Home Injuries Are Preventable

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Nursing home patients that require a number of treatments and care are at risk of serious injury or fatality when not properly attended. In any nursing home, patient care is critical to the health and well-being of patients. Medication errors, improper nutrition, dehydration, infection, or other harm related to treatment can be devastating. According to a February 2014 government report, 59% of injuries that occurred in nursing homes were preventable. This leaves patients vulnerable to errors and injuries that could ultimately be catastrophic or fatal.

The United States has a widespread problem involving the potential for patient injury. For-profit nursing homes nationwide are known to cut costs and corners that can cause serious accidents, injuries, and wrongful death. Our Boston nursing home injury attorneys are dedicated to protecting the rights of victims and their families. We are also committed to raising awareness to prevent future patient injuries and to improve nursing home care. Nursing home care injuries may involve medication errors, infection, failed treatments, or other issues involving neglect.
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