Personal Injury

April 30, 2018

Exceptions to Dog Bite Liability

Pets can improve our physical health. Physicians have documented measurable improvements to the cardiovascular system, immune system, and emotional moods of pet owners.

In the state of Massachusetts, companion animals can even be included in restraining orders pertaining to domestic violence cases. This demonstrates the connection we have with our pets – sometimes we’re willing to stay with them even if it means keeping ourselves in an undesirable or unsafe situation.

Most pets are peaceful. At times, however, some have been known to cause serious injury. In almost all cases, the owner will be held liable for injuries their pet inflicts upon another. Exceptions to this rule exist when the victim of a bite was the actor of another crime.

April 19, 2018

Are there “Leash Laws” in Massachusetts?

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Annually, canines bite or fight with nearly 5 million individuals in this country. These attacks usually occur because the domesticated dog was not on a leash or otherwise restrained in public venues.

Massachusetts general laws, chapter 140, section 173, would be the states “leash law” that requires an animal in public on a leash at all times. You should also check the laws in your local city and town for added restrictions.

If an owner of a dog does not follow the laws and regulations of Massachusetts and the town, and another person is injured by the dog, the owner will likely be facing a personal injury lawsuit known as a “dog bite claim.”

April 17, 2018

Types of Evidence You Need in Trucking Accident

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Massachusetts trucking accident will lead to debilitating injuries and enormous medical expenses. Having the best evidence possible will make it more likely that you get the settlement offer you deserve. You need evidence which shows clearly that the truck driver or company acted negligently. A knowledgeable Massachusetts personal injury lawyer can help you though this process.

You absolutely need a lawyer to walk you through a trucking accident personal injury case. The issues in these types of lawsuits can be complex. Generally there are three major pieces of evidence that your lawyer will want you obtain for your in your lawsuit.

If possible, getting hold of the truck driver’s logbook. This tells you exactly what they were doing and when.

April 13, 2018

Pit Bull Shot by Police During Attack on Boston Woman

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Wednesday afternoon, April 11, 2018, around 4:00 pm, police shot and killed a pit bull that was attacking a Roxbury woman on Eustis Street. Police were in the Boston neighborhood on Eustis Street investigating the shooting of two people that occurred days earlier, not related to this incident.

Roxbury Pitbull attack

While police were asking questions about the previous shooting, they observed a woman walking a pit bull down the street. They then saw the dog over power the woman, break-free, and run away from his owner. Once free, the dog attacked another woman in the area.

Police tried to get to the dog to stop the attack, but the dog then threatened the officers, at which point the dog was shot. It was the only way to stop the attack. The dog was not killed, only injured.

The victim of the dog attack sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local area hospital for evaluation and treatment of her injuries.

Animal control has taken the dog in to custody and says he will survive the shot. The investigation in to the attack is ongoing.

April 13, 2018

Sexagenarian Injured by Turkey Crashing through her Windshield

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

“Turkey town” sees another car accident caused by a turkey flying through a windshield. On Friday the 13th of April, a 60-year old woman was driving on Route 25 in Wareham in the early hours of the morning when a turkey smashed through her windshield completely destroying it; her Volvo XC90 was towed from the scene. She was treated by Wareham EMS and the State Police were called.

This is the third such incident in as many weeks in this town. Wareham is known as “turkey town” because of the neighboring turkey farms.

August 6, 2016

Bowers v. P. Wile’s Inc.: Premises Liability Issues

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In Bowers v. P. Wile’s Inc., a case from the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) of Massachusetts, one afternoon in 2011, plaintiff went to a garden store owned by defendant in Cape Code. While she was at the garden center, she was walking on a walkway in the parking lot that was about six feet in width. While the walkway was paved, the area next to the walkway had gravel stones commonly known as rivers stones in the masonry and rock industry.

While this was in the parking lot, it was also an area in which the stores display merchandise. Anyone who has gone to a garden center, or even a big box store, is likely aware that stores like these tend to display plants and trees in front of the store in what is essentially part of the store’s parking lot for customers to look at. Continue reading

July 21, 2016

Report: Plymouth Man Dies in Drowning Accident

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

According to a recent news feature from Boston.com, a man at Plymouth Beach died in a drowning accident while he was swimming at the beach. Authorities said he was swimming very early in the morning, as they received the initial 911 call just after 2 a.m.

After receiving the 911 call, first responders arrived on the scene and met the caller, who said they were not been able to locate their friend who went into the water. At this point, they began searching for the man and by 20 minutes after 3 a.m., first responders had located the drowning victim. When they finally found the man, he was lying prone in about eight feet of water. Continue reading

June 12, 2016

Food Poisoning in Boston Increases in Summertime

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

One of the most effective ways to prevent food poisoning is to make sure too keep all food properly refrigerated. When food is sitting out on the counter or on a hot picnic table, it is in what is known as the danger zone between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Basically, once food is out of the oven and not in the refrigerator, bacteria can be growing, and the longer it stays in that temperature, the more dangerous it will become.

As discussed in a recent article from WTOP Health News, one in six people in the United States will become sick from poisoning each year. This shows how high your risk is, and that risk only gets worse in the summer. The reason for this is because with the intense heat and people eating outdoors more often, bacteria will form a lot more quickly than it will indoors or at other times in the year. Continue reading

May 9, 2016

Liability Issues Involving Deadly Carnival Accident

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

According to a recent news article from KIVA, a 16-year-old victim was killed at a local fair when she was thrown from a carnival ride. Authorities have said the victim was at a Church Carnival with two of her friends riding a ride know as the “Sizzler,” which is ride that spins the occupants around at relatively high speeds.

While they were on the ride, there was a malfunction of some kind, and the victim and one of the girls she was with were thrown from the ride. When she was ejected from the ride, she slammed her head into a metal support beam and died as a result of her injury. Continue reading

March 15, 2016

Lawsuit against Night Club Settles – Massachusetts Man Gets $500,000

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A recent news article from the Union Leader discusses a report that a man recently settled a lawsuit with a night club in the amount of $500,000. The lawsuit was filed after plaintiff was injured in a confrontation with night club security personnel outside the Gloucester area establishment.

The 23-year-old plaintiff was severely injured as a result of the altercation with nightclub bouncers and had to have multiple surgical operations to treat his injuries. In his complaint, he was demanding $1 million in damages. As part of the pretrial process, the case went before a mediator with Massachusetts Dispute Resolution Services, and this ultimately led to the settlement that both parties were willing to accept. Continue reading