Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog

January 20, 2023

What are the Uninsured\ Motorist Laws in Massachusetts?

After an accident, a Massachusetts driver can usually collect damages from the at-fault party’s insurance. However, there is a chance that the other driver does not carry insurance, which could make receiving compensation difficult, if not impossible. Approximately 6% of Massachusetts drivers do not have insurance, putting themselves and other motorists at risk of a frustrating financial struggle after a collision. Therefore, Massachusetts law requires drivers to carry uninsured motorist coverage.

Required Insurance Coverage in Massachusetts

This insurance covers bodily injury due to an accident and is known as uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI). Massachusetts drivers are required to carry $20,000 in UMBI coverage (up to $40,000 per accident). However, coverage for property damage is not required. This is known as uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) insurance and pays to repair or replace the driver’s vehicle. Drivers in Massachusetts can also carry collision insurance, which covers repairs after any accident.

January 20, 2023

Holiday Travel Safety Tips

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Millions of Americans will soon be boarding planes, trains, and automobiles to travel to see loved ones this holiday season. Our team at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers want to remind everyone traveling this holiday season to stay safe with these helpful travel tips:

Avoid peak travel times: When planning your travel time, avoid peak dates and times.
Know your airport: If you are traveling by plane, make sure to know your route.Checking alternate airports can help in the long run; the smaller the airport, the fewer flights and delays.

January 20, 2023

What Are Your Rights as a Passenger Injured in a Car Accident?

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Often, we focus on is the rights of the drivers in the wake of a car crash. But what if you are a passenger? Do you have rights?

The answer is yes. But it is not as simple as that. Massachusetts is a No-Fault State, which means that all drivers in Massachusetts must have Personal Injury Protection, which covers up to $2,000 dollars in medical expenses and up to $8,000 dollars in lost wages.

Therefore, every person injured in the accident must receive compensation for the accident under their own insurance policy, regardless of who is at fault. This is in place in part to deter drivers from taking each other to court.

November 15, 2020

Bollards Shield Pedestrians from Parking Lot Injuries

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

If you’ve been seriously injured in a parking lot accident, the at-fault driver might not be the only party responsible for the accident and your injuries.

Parking lot owners and operators are required to maintain their premises in a safe condition for both motorists and pedestrians. This includes keeping the premises well-lit and well maintained as well as installing bollards when appropriate.

Bollards are the short posts that you see in the space between parking lots, storefronts and bordering other areas where groups of pedestrians are likely to pass. These safety devices are about two to three feet in height and usually painted yellow or some other bright color. Most are made of metal or concrete and spaced out to create what’s known as a “bollard barricade.”

August 4, 2020

SUVs More Deadly to Pedestrians Than Cars, Study Says

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Motor vehicle crashes involving pedestrians rank among the worst types of crashes. They often result in serious injury or death. An unprotected pedestrian walking across the street or on the side of a road is simply no match for a speeding vehicle made of steel and weighs more than a ton.

However, a new study released in May 2020 says not all vehicles are alike when it comes to pedestrian accidents.

Despite recent design changes, sport utility vehicles, also known as SUVs, are more likely to kill pedestrians than cars, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

IIHS notes that the number of individuals killed in motor vehicle accidents in the United States has dropped from more than 50,000 in 1980 to approximately 36,600 in 2018 thanks in part to safety advancements. In contrast, the number of pedestrians killed in motor vehicle collisions has been on the rise over the past ten years. Continue reading

July 24, 2019

Joint and Several Liability in Massachusetts Crashes

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

In the Boston suburb of Brockton, a civil lawsuit over a school bus-teen car accident injury liability and damages is underway, with potentially millions of dollars on the line.

Four high school students piled into a car on their way to school. It was the morning of the junior prom. Nearly a mile from the school, the teen driver allegedly crossed the yellow line and slammed into a school bus. Her three passengers all suffered brain injuries. One was on life support for months, and has been rendered completely unable to care for herself.

The question is not only the amount of damages each teen and their parents suffered, but how much fault each defendant bears. Among the named defendants:

June 19, 2019

Identifying Fault and Liability after Massachusetts Traffic Accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A series of fatal car accidents in Boston illustrate the many common issues victims face in seeking compensation for damages.

CBS Boston reported a police officer suffered serious injury in a 3-car crash in Worcester. In a separate incident, one man was killed in a 3-car crash in Auburn that occurred during a police pursuit.

Several fatal crashes have involved young drivers, including the death of a 16-year-old driver in a crash on Interstate 93 in Andover.

Our Boston car accident lawyers know each of these collisions involved unique circumstances but are illustrative of the road risks we all face as we head into the height of the summer travel season in New England.

May 21, 2019

Hit-and-run Injury Claims in Massachusetts

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Hit-and-run collisions are back in the news after Boston police found a women dead in the street late Thursday afternoon.

The 57-year old victim was located on Fottler and Hiawatha roads. She was pronounced deceased at the scene after “suffering from head trauma,” according to the Boston Police Department. The Associated Press reported police were searching for a dark-colored sedan with tinted windows and released blurry photos of the suspected hit-and-run driver taken from nearby security cameras. Family members of the victim made a plea for the driver, described as a long-haired, heavy set black woman, to come forward and turn herself in to police.

Experienced Boston car accident lawyers know hit-and-run injury claims can be among the most difficult claims in which to recover damages. However, a personal injury or wrongful death claim may still be warranted against one or more parties. Seeking experienced legal help in the immediate aftermath of a collision is the best thing you can do to protect the financial welfare of you and your family. Continue reading

April 23, 2019

May Brings Motorcycle Safety Awareness to New England

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Most motorists think that means it’s time for motorcycle riders to brush up on their safety skills as the snow melts and motorcycles return to the roads. But in reality, it’s the motorists who need the safety reminder.

Nationwide, about 1 in 5 fatal traffic collisions involves a motorcycle rider, despite there being far fewer motorcycles than passenger vehicles on the road. When calculated based on miles traveled, motorcycle riders are 28 times more likely than vehicle occupants to be fatally injured in a collision, according to data collected by the Governor’s Highway Safety Association.

There is no such thing as a minor accident when a motorcycle is involved. These collisions often result in very serious or fatal injuries. Even when fault is indisputable (and riders are far too often wrongly blamed), an experienced motorcycle accident attorney must identify all available insurance coverage and present an aggressive and comprehensive claim for damages.

March 22, 2019

Technology, Transportation, & Risks of Dangerous Defects

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in March that 10 automakers are now producing more than half their new vehicles with automatic emergency braking (AEB) technology.

It’s the latest sign that tomorrow’s vehicles will be increasingly reliant upon technology. We need look no further than the current controversy over the grounding of Boeing’s new 737 MAX jet after two fatal plane crashes to see the risks of technology and transportation. Safety officials around the world are zeroing in on the MAX’s computerized safety system after a second fatal airliner crash involving the Seattle company’s new passenger jet. The Seattle Timesis reporting an analysis of the safety system relied upon by Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration was likely fatally flawed amid concern that the pilots received inadequate training on the new jets before they were put into service.

The systems pushes the nose down to prevent a stall, creating a deadly fight between the pilots and technology. Our defective product lawyers in Massachusetts know such defectives are often responsible for creating risks or exacerbating injuries on the nation’s roadways.