Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog

May 19, 2010

Bike week begins with fatal Newton bicycle accident

Massachusetts’ Bike Week began with a fatal Boston bicycle accident that claimed the life of a 21-year-old man, the Boston Globe reported.

As we reported last week on our Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, authorities are pleading with motorists to use caution as the spring and summer bicycling season begins. More than 700 serious cycling accidents occurred in Boston in 2008. Nationwide, 716 people were killed and more than 52,000 injured in bicycle accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In this case, the rider was killed in an accident with an SUV at a Newton intersection. In Authorities believe the cyclist may have ran the red light while traveling eastbound on Commonwealth. He collided with a Honda SUV driven by a 48-year-old Newton woman, who was northbound on Homer Street.

May 14, 2010

Trio of Boston pedestrian accidents have authorities urging motorists to use caution

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Boston pedestrian accident fatally injured a man early Wednesday morning near the entrance to the Ted Williams Tunnel.

It is the third serious pedestrian accident to occur in the Boston area in as many days. As we reported on our Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, authorities responded to a pair of pedestrian accidents on Monday that killed a man and seriously injured a woman walking her dog.

In Wednesday’s accident, the vehicle was driven by a 42-year-old Orange resident, Mass Live reported. The accident remains under investigation and no citations have been issued.

Police were called to Albany and Herald streets shortly after midnight. The pedestrian was taken to New England Medical Center with serious injuries.

The Boston Globe reported the man, who was in his late 30s, died as a result of his injuries.

The Globe reported that the man may have been crossing against the light and that the car’s speed is not believed to be a factor in the crash.

Seventy-five people were killed and more than 350 were seriously injured in Massachusetts pedestrian accidents in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Statewide, pedestrian accidents account for about 1 of every 5 traffic fatalities.

The Boston Public Health Commission reports that nearly 2 million pedestrians are in Boston during the workday, despite a residential population of just 600,000.

Boston Pedestrian Facts
-Only about 12 percent of pedestrians obey “Walk” signals.

-One-third of pedestrians jaywalk or disregard crosswalks.

-While 95 percent of drivers yield to pedestrians who have the right-of-way, only about half yield to pedestrians crossing against a light and fewer still yield to jaywalkers.

Safety Tips for Pedestrians

-Use the crosswalk.

-Always check for traffic in all directions before entering the street.

-Wait for walk signals.

-Pedestrians have the right-of-way at crosswalks without a traffic signal. But make sure a driver sees you before proceeding.

-Wear bright colored clothing after dusk.

-Watch for cars in driveways and parking spaces.

Safety Tips for Drivers

-Pedestrians have the right-of-way in crosswalks without traffic signals. Failure to yield to a pedestrian is punishable by a $200 fine.

-Always yield to pedestrians when making a turn.

-Give elderly pedestrians and small children a break; allow for extra time to cross the street.

-Always watch for pedestrians when backing up, or exiting a driveway or parking space.

-Yield to school buses. Remain alert for young pedestrians in school zones or near parks.

-Take your time. Reckless driving and speeding account for nearly one-fourth of all Boston car accidents.
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May 13, 2010

Boston trucking accident seriously injures dump truck driver, snarls traffic on I-93

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A dump truck rollover on I-93 seriously injured the driver and caused headaches for motorists this morning, the Boston Globe reported.

Thankfully no motorists were involved in the Boston trucking accident. Large trucks, including semis and dump trucks, are heavily regulated precisely because of the dangers they pose to motorists on the road. A 4,000 pound passenger car doesn’t stand a chance in an accident with a dump truck weighing 20,000 pounds or more. The height of large trucks can also cause a passenger vehicle to become wedged beneath the truck, frequently resulting in serious or fatal injuries.

In this case, the driver was seriously injured. Massachusetts work injury claims frequently result from motor vehicle accidents while on the job. While many people do not associate a car accident or trucking accident with a work injury, the reality is that work-related traffic accidents are a leading cause of employee injuries in Massachusetts and across the country.

The dump truck was carrying a load of mulch, which spilled across the roadway, snarling traffic and causing long delays on a major artery into Boston. The accident happened near exit 6 in Braintree, closing at least three lanes. Massachusetts State Police worked to get traffic moving again by opening the breakdown lane.

The 9:30 a.m. accident briefly closed the entire roadway and caused long delays well into the day.

The driver was taken in serious condition to Boston Medical Center.
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May 10, 2010

Proposal aims to shield residents from Massachusetts nursing home neglect and abuse

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Boston resident is behind the proposed Act to Protect Nursing Home Residents, which aims to safeguard elderly residents from Massachusetts nursing home neglect and abuse.

Dr. Rachel Geller wrote the act three years ago after a bad experienced with her aunt, who suffered from Alzheimer’s and was shuttled between five nursing homes over a seven year period, according to the Newburyport News. Her aunt spent several weeks in a hospital’s locked psychiatric ward after being kicked out of a nursing home. At one point, the elderly woman was reportedly released with no place to go.

Geller has teamed with state Rep. Ruth Balser, D-Newton, in backing a law that will better inform patients and family members about nursing home regulations.

“The existing problem is there are already very good laws on the books, yet nursing homes routinely lie, break the laws, follow illegal procedures and omit information,” Geller said. “Because we as ‘consumers’ of nursing homes are unfamiliar with the nursing home regulations, we are automatically inclined to believe everything told to us by a nursing home.”

She said better informed families and patients will force homes to obey the law.

“Nursing homes follow standard operating procedures that violate the laws. How can it be that so many nursing homes have been allowed to develop procedures that violate the regulations which govern them?” Geller said. “I’m very pleased nursing homes will be required to give families a copy of the law in clear and understandable layperson’s terms to enable us to better advocate for our loved ones in nursing homes.”

While the bill still has a ways to go before becoming law, it was moved out of the Joint Committee on Health Care Finance last week, a critical step to making it to the floor for a vote.
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May 8, 2010

Massachusetts pedestrian accident injures Lord Jesus Christ

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Police have charged a Pittsfield woman with a Northampton pedestrian accident after she allegedly ran down a man named Lord Jesus Christ in a crosswalk, MSNBC reported.

Police checked the identification of the 50-year-old Belchertown man and determined his legal name, is indeed, Lord Jesus Christ. Police report he was in a marked crosswalk at the time of the accident. The 20-year-old driver was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

The Republican reported that Christ was taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital with minor injuries. The accident occurred as the driver was making a left turn from Strong Avenue onto Main Street.

May 6, 2010

Stoughton car accidents on Route 24 a mystery; poor road condition could be to blame

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Authorities are baffled by the high number of Stoughton car accidents on Route 24 — two dozen so far this year, according to the Stoughton Journal.

High numbers of Massachusetts car accidents in a particular area can sometimes point to a road defect, poorly designed intersection, missing or inoperable street lights, obtrusive vegetation or other design flaws. Motorists who believe such causes contributed to an accident, should consult a Boston injury lawyer for help in determining their legal rights.

In this case, the rough, rutted and patchy road may be partly to blame, the Avon fire chief said, though he was still at a loss to explain the high numbers of crashes on the straight stretch of road.

“It’s a straight road, and it’s never made any sense to us the number of rollovers we get up there,” Avon Fire Chief Robert Spurr told the Journal following a string of weekend crashes.

As we reported on our Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, a 23-year-old man was killed and five others seriously injured after a Sunday rollover crash on Route 24. Hours later, a 25-year-old man was killed in a rollover crash on Route 24 while exiting at Route 44. The victim in that accident was on his way to pick up his girlfriend, whom he’d ask to marry him earlier in the day.

Through May 3, Avon emergency responders were called to 25 crashes on Route 24 — 24 crashes occurred during the same period last year.

Road work began in March to patch the road from Brockton into Raynham. Crews have been working on the worst stretch of the road, between Avon and Stoughton, since last year. Trees are also being trimmed to improve visibility.
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May 4, 2010

Massachusetts pedestrian accident injures 4; police allege teen driver intentionally drove into a crowd

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Norwell teen is facing attempted murder charges after being accused of an intentional hit-and-run crash, Channel 7 News reported.

The Massachusetts pedestrian accident seriously injured three teenage girls and one boy. The Monday incident occurred in a Rockland condo parking lot in front of dozens of witnesses. The teenager reportedly drove his van directly into a group of teens after a dispute.

Police reported that the driver fled the scene and was located and arrested hours later. He is facing charges of attempted murder and leaving the scene of an accident. Authorities report he had five friends in the van with him at the time of the incident.

The three girls were reportedly dragged for some distance and two of them were in serious condition. The van allegedly drove up over a five-foot gravel embankment and left skid marks as it fled the scene.

The Boston Herald reported that one of the girls suffered life-threatening injuries. Police report the girls were dragged 30 to 40 feet and suffered serious head trauma as well as broken bones and leg, hip and abdominal injuries.
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May 1, 2010

Massachusetts nursing home neglect and abuse investigations fail to substantiate majority of complaints

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The Patriot Ledger published an outstanding report on Massachusetts nursing homes over the weekend, full of informative resources for anyone considering placing a loved one in a nursing home or assisted-living facility.

More than half of the nation’s nursing homes are operated by large chain corporations and two-thirds are for-profit companies. Placing a loved one in a caring home requires diligence and some homework. And ensuring the safety of our elderly residents requires everyone visiting a nursing home to remain aware of the potential for neglect or abuse.

Massachusetts nursing home neglect and abuse complaints were launched almost daily by state investigators last year — 339 investigations in all — yet less than one-third of the complaints were substantiated by investigators.

The Patriot Ledger reports an aide at the highly-rated Hancock Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center was charged with rape last week after a complaint by a 68-year-old resident. There were no red flags at the home, or concerning the employee, prior to the charges.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health determined evidence of abuse or neglect was present in findings against 41 nursing aides statewide during the past two years, while another 55 agreed to voluntary license suspensions. Another 11 aides received warning letters.

Tragically, nursing home neglect and abuse complaints sometimes go unsubstantiated because of a lack of evidence in cases involving only an allegation from a resident and a denial from an employee. The isolation faced by many nursing home residents often complicates an investigation. In other case, dementia, Alzheimer’s or other medical conditions can make a resident less able to defend themselves against neglect or abuse.

The following resources are among those available to families considering a Massachusetts nursing home:

-Inspection reports and other details available through the state’s Nursing Home Survey system.

-The federal government’s Medicare Guide to selecting a nursing home.

-Massachusetts Department of Public Health nursing home survey.

The Patriot Ledger’s report also offers a host of other resources, as well as tips for choosing a nursing home and signs of elder neglect or abuse.
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April 30, 2010

At least 20 injured in Boston subway after electrical fire reported

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

At least 20 people have been injured in a Boston subway after an electrical fire late Thursday, MSNBC reported.

An electrical fire forced the removal of passengers from trains and shut down several subway lines; at least 20 people suffered from smoke inhalation. The fire started after 10 p.m. Thursday just north of the Downtown Crossing Station in a Red Line tunnel. The congested area contains several crossing tracks at an underground intersection.

The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority reports that the fire was contained to that tunnel but that heavy, thick smoke spread into several nearby stations and onto platforms.

Power to the Orange and Green lines was shut off as a precaution and Silver Line buses were kept above ground near South Station. Witnesses reported the heavy smell of an electrical fire. Passengers reported smoke too thick to see through, trouble finding their way out of stations and severe hacking and coughing. One passenger said he was doubled over with severe pain upon exiting the station.

Delays continued Friday with the MBTA reporting that the fire had caused signal problems in the downtown area. Crews worked through the night to clear the tracks and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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April 29, 2010

Officials urge motorists to keep cycling safety in mind, reduce Boston cycling accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Jeffrey B. Mullan took to Boston streets during rush hour last week on his way to the inaugural Boston Bicycle Safety Summit.

There, Mayor Thomas M. Menino and others urged motorists and cyclists to adopt safe driving habits at the outset of the spring and summer riding season, the Boston Globe reported.

As we reported last week on our Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, spring is a particularly dangerous time for Massachusetts bicycle accidents; motorists are urged to use extra caution to help keep the roads safe for our cycling friends.

A total of 716 cyclists were killed in bicycle accidents nationwide in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Seeking to become a cycling haven, Boston has added 15 miles of bike trails, installed more than 500 bicycle racks and instituted a $100 fine for parking in bike lanes. This year’s budget includes $450,000 for 20 more miles of bike lanes.

The Mayor said he wants drivers to respect cyclists and police officers to enforce the law.

“Autos will not rule the road any longer,” he said. “It’s a health issue, it’s a convenient way of getting around the city. And we want to listen to the very active (cycling) community.”
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