Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog

April 27, 2010

Boston college hockey champs involved in car accident with MBTA trolley

Members of Boston College’s national championship hockey team are among seven teenagers charged after an accident with an MBTA trolley early Sunday morning, the Boston Globe reported.

The Boston car accident occurred when a Jeep carrying seven teenagers tried to make a U-turn across the tracks on Commonwealth Avenue near Greycliffe Road. The Jeep struck an outbound train heading for Boston College shortly after midnight, according to a MBTA spokesperson.

The driver and three passengers were transported to city hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, according to a college spokesperson. The MBTA reported that the other three passengers took themselves to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center with minor injuries after fleeing the scene.

Three of the teens are members of the National Championship hockey team at Boston College.

Police reported finding Vodka in the Jeep and all seven teens face charges of underage alcohol possession. The Jeep was heavily damaged and a bar connecting two of the trolley cars was also damaged. The investigation is ongoing.

The Boston Herald reported that the trolley driver had no time to stop and said several of the teens tossed alcohol from the car as they fled the scene.

The driver of the vehicle said she had not been drinking and a spokesperson for the college told the Herald that police reported alcohol was not a factor in the crash.
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April 25, 2010

Big Dig safety review highlights road defects as potential cause of Massachusetts car accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Safety concerns remain in Big Dig tunnels, nearly five years after a high-profile incident in which a 28-year-old motorist was killed in a 2006 Boston car accident caused by collapsing ceiling panels, the Boston Herald reported.

The chronic problems plaguing the Big Dig are a glaring example of road defects causing or contributing to Massachusetts traffic accidents. But a variety of safety hazards frequently contribute to serious traffic accidents, including inoperable traffic control devices, missing signs, poorly maintained roads and overgrown vegetation, which can obstruct the view of oncoming traffic or signs and traffic control devices.

While the report found that Massachusetts has done a good job of implementing safety improvements following the accident, the Highway Administration needs to do a better job in three areas: Ensuring the safety of ceiling anchors in the Ted Williams Tunnel; improving fire preparedness, and assuring the accuracy of concrete viaduct calculations.

April 23, 2010

Bicyclists push for better safety, prevention of Boston bicycle accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

An Amherst bicycle accident injured a 22-year-old University of Massachusetts student, after he was struck by a car Saturday night on Main Street, the Patriot Ledger reported.

The driver of the car, believed to be a dark sedan, fled the scene.

The Massachusetts bicycle accident is the latest in a series of accidents this spring that have cycling advocates voicing frustration at the risks of navigating busy, narrow streets and the lack of better safety measures. A 22-year-old Mission Hill man was killed earlier this month in a Boston bicycle accident with an MBTA bus, the Boston Globe reported.

April 21, 2010

Framingham firefighters injured in Massachusetts work-injury accident

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

State inspectors continue to review an accident earlier this month in which four firefighters were injured when a Framingham fire truck rolled over while returning from a call, the MetroWest Daily News reported.

The truck was on Edgell Road about 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning when it rolled 360 degrees and took out a utility pole before landing on its wheels and coming to rest in the front yard of a home, according to the Boston Herald. The cause of the accident, which occurred on a straightaway in the road, is unknown, although neighbors said crashes frequently occur in the area.

Traffic accidents are a leading cause of Massachusetts work injuries and work accidents and worker’s compensation claims nationwide.

A total of 5,071 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of those, 2,053 were classified as transportation injuries, including traffic accidents, struck by moving equipment, and railway, waterway and aircraft accidents.

Forty-four firefighters were killed on the job, including 27 in transportation accidents.

In Massachusetts, 61 fatal work accidents were reported, including 18 transportation accidents, 8 assault fatalities, 8 equipment fatalities, 15 falls and 10 deaths resulting from harmful exposure or environmental incidents.
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April 19, 2010

Spring brings increased risk of Boston motorcycle accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Boston motorcycle accident on Sunday sent a 46-year-old man to the hospital with life-threatening head injuries, the MetroWest Daily News reported.

Sunday’s accident occurred shortly after 11:30 p.m. on Grove Street in Framingham. The victim was flown by rescue helicopter to Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. The investigation continues and details of the accident were not available.

Spring is a dangerous time for Massachusetts motorcycle accidents. As new riders take to the roads and veteran riders gear up for the spring and summer riding season, motorists need to remain vigilant for the presence of motorcycles on the road.

March 26, 2010

Mother Says Infant Died Due to Defective Baby Sling Product

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a joint statement with Health Canada this week warning about the use of certain baby slings. The CPSC says it has identified fourteen suffocation deaths that occurred while babies were in the sling-style carriers. The CPSC says most of the children were younger than four months.

Three of the deaths occurred while infants were in slings by the manufacturer, Infantino. The company issued a recall this week of their “SlingRider” and “Wendy Belissimo” products. They have not taken responsibility for any deaths, however, and insist their products go through rigorous testing internally, with governmental agencies, and by third-party testing organizations.

One of the mothers whose child died while in the SlingRider believes the company sold her a defective product. On May 7, 2009, she set out across a store parking lot with her 7-day old infant in the sling. By the time she reached her car, the child was nearly dead. Her fiance started CPR and paramedics were called to the scene, but he could not be saved. The coroner ruled the baby’s death due to compression asphyxia/suffocation. In January, the mother filed a lawsuit seeking millions of dollars in damages and accusing Infantino of negligence.

March 17, 2010

Two killed in pedestrian accidents on highways

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Two pedestrians were killed in separate accidents on highways in eastern Massachusetts in the past 24 hours, State Police said.

Bruce Flaherty, 46, of Salisbury was fatally injured when he was hit by a car after stepping into the right lane on Route 95 South in Newbury at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, State Police said in a statement.

In the second case, a male was killed when he was hit by a commercial vehicle at Interstate 93 southbound at Woburn Street in Wilmington at about 3:36 a.m. today. State Police said the victim might have jumped from an overpass before being hit. The victim’s name was not released.

February 25, 2010

Two dead, dozens injured in charter bus crash

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

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By CHRTOPHER TUFFLEY

SEBRING –Two fatalities have been confirmed by the Florida Highway Patrol in the charter bus crash that occurred at 2:15 p.m. Monday afternoon on U. S. 27 at the intersection with Lake Francis Road.

The bus, chartered by South Florida Community College for its Exploritas program, was traveling north, returning from a tour of the Lake Placid murals at the time of the crash.

January 28, 2010

Injuries to Pedestrians Often Preventable

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The city of Boston is known for its aggressive drivers. There are a lot of people in a small area, with many of them in a hurry to get where they’re going. One of the unfortunate consequences of aggressive driving is motor vehicle collisions with pedestrians.

A recent look at Boston-area newspapers shows a spate of these accidents:

Danvers police cited a young driver for a pedestrian accident that sent a 64-year-old man to a Boston hospital with serious injuries. The driver, a high school student, was ticketed for failure to yield to a pedestrian.
In Revere, a man trying to cross a highway died after he was struck by a car. No identification was found on the body of the man, who appeared to be in his 30s.
In Belmont, a minivan struck a woman walking across the street in the late afternoon. A driver who witnessed the event said he was driving behind the van and honked his horn to warn the van’s driver of the pedestrian. Another witness said the pedestrian walked across the street without looking for traffic. The driver was cited for speeding and failing to yield to a pedestrian.
A 45-year-old man was in critical condition at Boston Medical Center after being struck by a car in Dorchester. Passersby told police the man had been asking for spare change prior to the accident. A police spokesperson said he walked out between two cars into the street.
In late August, a 15-year-old girl was hit and killed as she tried to cross a street in Marblehead. The cause of the accident was being investigated as the town mourned its loss.