Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog

July 24, 2019

Joint and Several Liability in Massachusetts Crashes

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.

February 20, 2019

Uninsured Motorist (UM)/Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage Vital In Massachusetts

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A recent rash of hit-and-run and wrong-way collisions highlights the importance of reviewing your automotive insurance policy to make sure you have adequate uninsured motorist (UM)/underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage.

The Insurance Journal reports 1 in every 8 drivers is driving without insurance. While Massachusetts is among the states with the lowest percentage of drivers on the road without insurance (6.2 percent, according to the Insurance Research Council), a significant number of drivers remain on the road with mandatory minimum insurance limits that are inadequate to cover losses in the event of a serious or fatal traffic collision.

A disproportionate number of these collisions involve vulnerable road users, including bicyclists and pedestrians, who typically suffer very serious or fatal injuries in a collision. Our Boston car accident lawyers urge you to review your policy carefully.

January 23, 2019

Uber, Lyft, Taxi Accident Claims in Massachusetts

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

More than 20 million visitors come to Boston each year, where they join thousands of local residents in using taxi cabs and an increasing number of ride-sharing services to get around the city. Such rides are not without risk, and resulting collisions increasingly require significant knowledge and experience in determining liability for serious and fatal injuries.

There are more than 5,000 taxi cabs in the City of Boston, and new ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber have exponentially increased options for traveling throughout New England, whether you are visiting or are a life-long resident just trying to reach your destination as safely and conveniently as possible.

Western Mass News reports a Boston man is headed to prison after a St. Patrick’s Day crash that claimed the life of a 39-year-old woman who was riding home from the airport in a taxi cab. The 43-year-old driver will serve up to 8 years in prison after rear-ending the taxi at more than 120 miles an hour. A little more than a year ago, a Boston taxi accident made the The New York Times after a taxi jumped the curb at Boston Logan International Airport, sending 10 people to the hospital.

Like truck drivers and other types of commercial drivers, taxi cab drivers are paid fares based on mileage, which often incentivizes speeding and other dangerous or negligent driving behaviors. Motor vehicle collisions involving taxi cabs in Massachusetts should always be reviewed by an experienced Boston car accident attorney. While additional insurance may be available compared to a collision involving a private automobile, these types of claims are often complicated by a number of factors, including a driver’s status as an independent operator.’

December 25, 2018

Winter-Weather Car Accident Liability in Massachusetts

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Winter weather may be an Act of God, but the resulting traffic collisions are usually the result of human error.

Worcester is the snowiest city in the Commonwealth, averaging more than 64 inches of annual snowfall, with average January temperatures below freezing (16-31 degrees Fahrenheit). But many other areas of New England see more dangerous winter weather than most areas of the country. We all know how quickly Massachusetts weather can turn dangerous and motorists must do their part to reduce liability and avoid unnecessary accident risks.

Recently our Boston injury lawyers wrote about snow-removal liability for businesses and property owners in Massachusetts. But once out on the roads, winter-weather risks are even more severe. Continue reading

November 22, 2018

Boston Parking Lots Dangers Spike with Holiday Shopping Season

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A tragedy has put parking lot safety in focus as we enter the holiday shopping season after a toddler was run over in a parking lot accident.

Boston News 7 reported a 2-year-old walked away from her mom in a YMCA parking lot. The little girl sat down in a parking space, where she was run over by a motorist who didn’t see her. She was rushed to the hospital, but died from her injuries. Posters on Facebook suggested the parking lot was not big enough to accommodate traffic, which they contended was partly to blame for the tragedy.

We recently wrote about the risk of storefront collisions in Boston. Parking lot accidents are another significant risk. Auto insurers report claims spike on Black Friday at the start of the holiday shopping season.

December is the busiest shopping month of the year and nowhere are shoppers more at risk than in parking lots. Parking lots are dangerous places and by some estimates are the scene of 1 in 5 traffic collisions. The National Safety Council reports more than 50,000 parking lot collisions occur annually, resulting in more than 5oo deaths and 60,000 injuries.

October 22, 2018

Fatal Storefront Collision Highlights Risks in Massachusetts

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A Newton man is standing trial for crashing into the front of a Newton restaurant in 2016, in an incident that killed two people and injured several others.

Such crashes are a hidden risk at strip malls, restaurants, bars, and other neighborhood shops throughout the Commonwealth. In fact, they are surprisingly common, and among the leading causes of death at business locations.

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Investigators say the driver was speeding when he plowed into the front of the Sweet Tomatoes restaurant in March 2016. The defendant’s attorney told jurors during opening statements that the driver suffered from multiple sclerosis and was having a medical emergency when he accidentally lost control of the vehicle, according to Boston 25News.

The driver has been charged with two counts of motor vehicle homicide. The first day of testimony in Middlesex Superior Court included a friend who testified the 57-year-old driver hurriedly ended a phone call with him in the moments before the crash.

“It was business as usual; the employees were going about their business, they were taking orders, they were serving their customers,” prosecutor Chris Tarrant told the jury, according to media reports. “They were waiting for food when, without warning, a silver SUV came crashing through the building that is Sweet Tomatoes at an extremely high rate of speed.”

Boston car accident lawyer know a premises liability claim may also be made in many such cases. Consulting a Massachusetts law firm experienced in handling collision claims involving businesses, property owners and other liable third parties will offer the best chance for obtaining a judgment for damages.