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Earlier this month, Marion police responded to an emergency call about a car engulfed in flame near the Kittansett Golf Club. A 75-year-old man was trapped inside the vehicle and had died by the time emergency crews were able to remove him from the car. The body was taken by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the exact cause of death.

According to the results of a preliminary investigation, the man was driving south of Point Road when he hit a fire hydrant, rocks, and trees. The car accident victim was semiretired and had been working part-time as a business professor at UMASS Dartmouth. The roof of his home had been destroyed by a chimney fire earlier this year.

It is not known if either of the fires were accidental or intentional, but here in Massachusetts, the penalty for attempting to burn a building or structure is ten years in prison. The fine for burning personal property over $25 or a vehicle is three years or $500. Authorities are still investigating the fatal car crash.

Source: Marion man dies in fiery crash, WickedLocal.com, December 23, 2010 Continue reading

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A Yarmouth Port man died on Sunday after he reportedly walked in front of a bus at Walt Disney World’s Port Orleans resort. Witnesses say the 69-year-old Massachusetts man stepped into the path of a Disney bus traveling through the parking lot of the resort. A report states that the front of the bus hit the accident victim and knocked him to the ground. He later died at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

The bus accident occurred around 5:50pm, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The bus was driven by a 57-year-old woman who says she’s not sure how many passengers were in the bus at the time of the accident. No passenger injuries were reported. The man was not in a crosswalk, and the highway patrol says the bus had the right-of-way, so it’s unlikely that any charges will be filed in connection with the fatal pedestrian accident. The incident remains under investigation.

Earlier this year, a Disney bus struck and killed a boy who was riding his bike through Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort campground. The highway patrol said the accident may have been caused by the lack of air in the bike tires.

Source: Massachusetts man dies after walking in front of Disney bus at Port Orleans resort, South Florida Sun Sentinel, December 27, 2010 Continue reading

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The Commonwealth deregulated the car insurance industry two years ago, and since then, five insurers have added an optional pet injury insurance option for pet-lovers who want to cover their animals. Like traditional car insurance policies which cover the medical costs of those injured in motor vehicle accidents, these pet policies cover $500-$1,000 for veterinary bills with no deductible.

Customers of the Quincy-based Arbella Mutual Insurance can pay $20 annually for the “Pet Lover’s Endorsement,” which covers up to $500 to treat injuries sustained by a dog or cat in a car crash. If Fluffy or Fido died as a result of an accident, burial or disposal costs might also be covered. So far, hundreds of policy-holders have added pet coverage.

In Boston, the Angell Animal Medical Center treats an average of two or three animals injured in accidents per month. According to a spokesman for MSPCA-Angell, typical injuries include whiplash, fractured bones, and injuries from the impact of airbags or windshields.

NOTE: Mentioning the names of insurance companies and policies should not construed as an endorsement. We encourage you to comparison shop on your own before signing up for an insurance policy.

Source: Auto insurers take on pets, Boston Herald, December 19, 2010 Continue reading

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A man was struck by a van on Main Street in Fitchburg on Friday. John Wirta, a 58-year-old, is in critical condition at UMass Memorial Medical Center after being hit by a 2004 Ford Econoline. The van was driven by Shannon Mannix, a 36-year-old from North Brookfield. The accident happened around 3:20 p.m., according to Telegram.com.

Source: Telegram.com, Man struck by van still in critical condition

Though very sad, it is not surprising that this man is now in critical condition. This is because pedestrian accidents frequently lead to fatalities and catastrophic injuries. We have seen many accidents involving pedestrians in recent weeks. Some have involved possible distracted driving. Others have involved failure to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. Still others have involved criminal behavior. Some of the things that all of these victims and/or their families may have in common, however, are expensive medical bills, lost wages, inability to go back to work, and pain and suffering.

Our lawyers will work around the clock to help you get compensation for these things. We have been handling pedestrian accidents throughout Massachusetts for many years, and we use that experience to maximize our clients’ recovery. While we are aggressive advocates for our clients, we are also compassionate listeners. We’ve seen the pain that our clients go through after suffering an injury or losing a loved one, and that is why we make sure that they can always reach us.
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A Massachusetts highway accident on December 8 claimed the life of a 61-year-old Dracut man. State police are still investigating the cause of this fatal accident, but a preliminary investigation shows that a 2006 Mercedes Benz driven by the man was headed south on I-93 when it swerved into the breakdown lane and crashed into a disabled tractor trailer. According to police, the tractor trailer was parked away from the roadway and had its hazard lights flashing.

The driver of the Mercedes was pronounced dead at the scene of the traffic accident, which occurred around 10:43pm. It was unclear if anyone in the tractor trailer was injured.

The details of the fatal collision are still being investigated by Massachusetts State Police with assistance from the State Police Crime Scene Services Section and State Police Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section.

Source: State Police still investigating fatal Medford crash, Medford Transcript, December 16, 2010 Continue reading

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Earlier this week, the family of a Massachusetts man who died in a minivan accident spoke out against Ford Motor Co., saying the company didn’t publicize a vehicle recall widely enough. One week after Sean Bowman died, his family received a safety recall notice from Ford announcing that it was recalling over a half million older-model Windstars. The recall covered vans sold in 21 states where road salt can lead to rusted axles. Corroded metal could result in cracks and broken axles.

The Whitman man died after his vehicle’s rear axle cracked in half and the vehicle hit a building. According to Ford, there were seven accidents with three minor injuries as of September. The fatal accident occurred in October, and the auto company has declined to comment on this particular case.

However, Ford has recalled an additional 37,000 vans as of December 6. Cases like this require an experienced

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Matthew M. Cox, a 33-year-old from Westwood, was killed in an SUV rollover on Route 128 Wednesday. The rollover occurred around 4 p.m. when his Ford Explorer, which was travelling in the left lane, veered to the right and hit a guardrail. Cox was ejected from the SUV and declared dead at Needham’s Beth Israel Deaconess-Glover Hospital. He hadn’t been wearing a seatbelt, according to police.

Boston Globe, One killed in rollover on Route 128 in Needham

This is one of many rollovers that have happened in recent weeks. Notably, Ford Explorers have been the subject of design-defect controversy in the past, given the frequency of Explorer rollovers, but NHTSA reported that Explorers are no more likely than other SUVs to roll over.

When a rollover happens after hitting a guardrail, as here, it is called a “tripped rollover.” Of all rollovers, 95% are tripped rollovers.

This story raises the issue of driver/occupant ejection. When persons are ejected from vehicles in accidents, they are three times more likely to die than persons who are not ejected. They are also far more likely to suffer catastrophic injuries like traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. Here, Cox was not wearing a seatbelt. Sometimes, though, even those who wear seatbelts are ejected from their cars and trucks because of seatbelt defects. Defective door latches can also cause occupant ejection.
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Early Saturday morning, a 16-year-old passenger died after his twin brother reportedly drove a 1999 Saturn into a utility pole. The pole snapped in half, trapping both boys inside the vehicle. A Brockton resident described hearing a loud noise when the Saturn hit the utility pole. She rushed outside to find a mangled car covered in shattered glass. The driver’s hand was caught between the door frame and the body of the car, and she talked to the car accident victims as they waited for emergency responders to arrive.

Firefighters spent half an hour cutting through the wreck before they were able to free the brothers from the vehicle. The injured driver was transported to Brockton Hospital and later transferred to Boston. He has been charged with several motor vehicle offenses, including using a motor vehicle without authorization, driving under the influence of alcohol, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and speeding. However, Brockton police captain said there could be additional charges filed following the investigation.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 16 and 20. Each year, thousands of teen drivers die of injuries sustained on the road, and male teen drivers are more than one and a half times more likely to be involved in a fatal auto accident.

Source: Brockton woman recounts efforts to help victims in fatal crash, EnterpriseNews.com, December 15, 2010 Continue reading

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Julio Vaquerano, a 36-year-old from Revere, was killed in a Chelsea hit-and-run Tuesday night. A car hit Vaquerano around 10 p.m. near the intersection of Blossom and Maple streets and fled the scene. Vaquerano died of his injuries at Massachusetts General Hospital. Chelsea and state police are investigating and asking for informational tips.

Source: Boston.com, Man killed by hit-and-run driver in Chelsea

This is a tragic, and unfortunately, largely characteristic pedestrian accident. The vast majority of pedestrian accidents happen in urban areas, like Chelsea, between 6 p.m. and midnight. Fatalities are such a strong possibility in pedestrian accidents because pedestrians don’t have anything protecting their bodies from injury. When a pedestrian is struck by a car and killed, the driver may be liable. Here, in addition to the criminal charges that this driver will ultimately face when caught, he could find himself involved in a wrongful death action.

At Altman & Altman, our Massachusetts wrongful death lawyers have what it takes to handle these complex cases. We understand that if you have lost a family member, no amount of money will ever bring him/her back or ease your emotional pain. We also know that medical treatments, the process of laying your loved one to rest, and losing his/her earnings can put a huge financial burden on you, and damages may help with that.
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Following a Woburn car accident that injured a motorist and a state trooper, Massachusetts State Police have charged the 21-year-old motorist with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to slow down for workers or equipment in the road, failure to obey signs and signals, and failure to wear a seatbelt.

The driver allegedly drove his sedan into a road construction set-up on Monday evening on Route 93 outside of Woburn, hitting a state trooper on paid detail in a marked cruiser. Authorities say the driver disregarded warning signs and hit the rear of the cruiser, followed by the right guardrail.

Emergency medical crews took the trooper by ambulance to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was treated for injuries and released overnight. The driver was treated for minor injuries at Lahey Clinic in Burlington.

Here in Massachusetts, drivers cited for Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle are subject to a $250 fine. The fine for failure to wear a seatbelt is $25 for drivers or any person over the age of sixteen, plus an additional $25 fine for each passenger between the ages of twelve and sixteen who fails to wear a seatbelt.

Source: Tewksbury man charged in Woburn crash, WickedLocal.com, December 14, 2010 Continue reading

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