What to Do If You Hit a Utility Pole Any car accident can be dangerous–even life threatening. But the risks increase when you introduce electricity into the mix. Simple mistakes after colliding with a utility pole can turn a relatively minor accident into a fatal one. Obviously, if you’ve already been in a crash and …
7 Massachusetts Traffic Laws You May Not Know About Though not every driver follows the rules, everyone knows you’re meant to stop at a red light, signal before changing lanes and observe the speed limit. But Massachusetts–like most states–has some traffic laws you may not be aware of. Some are obscure, some outdated, and some …
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Dirt Bike Dangers Persist in Lowell and Throughout the State In June, the Lowell Police Department (LPD) led a multi-agency effort to get dangerous motorbikers off of local streets. In one day, 24 traffic citations were issued, five people were arrested, nine criminal summonses were issued and 20 vehicles were towed. But the Lowell area …
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Mandatory Minimum Auto Insurance Increases July 1 Like nearly all states, Massachusetts requires a minimum level of automobile insurance. In Massachusetts, just four types of insurance are mandated: bodily injury to others, personal injury protection, liability for damage to someone else’s property, and uninsured motorist coverage for bodily injury. Any additional coverage, such as comprehensive …
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What if the Driver Who Hit Me Was Charged With a Crime? Most motor vehicle accidents involve negligence. When a driver is negligent and that negligence causes or significantly contributes to a collision, that driver is typically legally responsible for damages. Often, though, there’s another legal case moving forward alongside the injured party’s car accident …
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Scaled Back Autonomous Vehicle Regulations Increase Dangers Over the winter, we reported on the proposed changes to federal regulations regarding reporting of autonomous vehicle crashes. The administration says the reason it’s collecting less data about self-driving car crashes is that we are in an ” innovation race” with China and the stakes have never been …
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Did Covid Make Us Worse Drivers? Most Americans think so, according to a report from Pew Research Center. Road fatalities have declined since the peak of the pandemic. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says quarterly road fatalities have been steadily declining since the spring of 2022. If the NHTSA’s preliminary estimates …
Massachusetts Traffic Deaths Increased in 2024 Traffic deaths Nationwide are falling. between 2022 and 2024, the rate of traffic fatalities in the United States dropped by 7.9%. That continued a downward trend that started in 2023 after a peak number of traffic fatalities – 42,721– in 2022. Unfortunately, the news isn’t as good for Massachusetts …
‘Tis the Season for Motorcycle Crashes It’s springtime in Massachusetts. That means warmer temperatures, longer days, and the departure (mostly) of snow and ice. Unfortunately, it also means an increase in motorcycle crashes. Some recent examples of serious Massachusetts motorcycle accidents include: On April 14, a collision between a car and a motorcycle in Andover …
Staffing Issues Put Nursing Home Residents at Risk Staffing is an important factor in how well and safely a nursing home or other residential facility runs. That’s why there are legal requirements about the number and type of staff members required. Unfortunately, not every facility complies with those requirements. Sometimes that’s because the nursing home …
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Truck Crashes Into Boston Building, Injuring 6 On April 1, a box truck crashed into a building in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood. According to the Associated Press, the truck also hit several pedestrians. Four people were reportedly transported to the hospital, with two listed in critical condition. The Penske truck had apparently been rented to a …
What Injury Victims Can Learn from the Christmas Tree Throwing Case It’s not often that U.S. news and social media is littered with information about a personal injury case from another country. But, the dismissal of an Irish woman’s case briefly caught widespread attention, in part because of the reason her case was dismissed. She …
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What is Recreational Use Immunity? Both Massachusetts and New Hampshire offer residents and visitors a wide range of outdoor activities and beautiful scenery. You can go from a morning wilderness hike to an afternoon at the beach. But, what happens if you’re injured on a nature trail or sandy shore? The answer may surprise you. …
When is Your Landlord Liable for Injuries? You may know that landlords are sometimes legally responsible for injuries that happen on their property. But, your landlord isn’t necessarily liable just because they control the property where you got hurt. If you’ve been hurt on rental property, the best way to find out whether you may …
Why are Traffic Fatalities So High? Preliminary data suggests that traffic deaths in the United States dropped slightly in 2022 versus 2021. But, both numbers and rates remain high compared with prior years. That’s bad news, but standing alone it’s not especially useful. Solving the problem on a larger scale and individual steps to protect …
Who is Responsible for Building Collapse Injuries and Deaths? Most of us make certain unconscious assumptions about the safety of the world around us, such as “This building I’m working or sleeping in probably won’t collapse around me. But, recent news events have shaken that assumption a bit. For example: During the first week of …
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Massachusetts Pedestrian Fatalities Surged in 2022 Aside from a blip during the first year of the pandemic, Massachusetts pedestrian fatalities have been relatively stable since 2015–until recently. According to a recent report from WalkBoston, pedestrian deaths took a significant leap in 2022. Specifically, pedestrian deaths in the state increased by more than 30% year over …
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Is the Truck Driver Shortage Making the Roads More Dangerous? If you watch the news or read it online, you probably know that the U.S. trucking industry is short-handed. The problem isn’t new, and the shortage actually shrunk a little bit in 2022. But, we seem to be nowhere near a solution. According to the …
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How Common are Massachusetts Work Injuries and Deaths? People in most professions don’t often think about being seriously injured or killed on the job. Fortunately, both the number and rate of fatal accidents or exposures on the job are low in Massachusetts: in 2021, 97 people in the Commonwealth died due to accidents or other …
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How Dangerous are Wave Pools? Wave pools are an increasingly popular way to cool off and enjoy some summer recreation. But, like any water attraction, they can also be dangerous. Here’s what you need to know about how to stay safe while enjoying a wave pool and what to do if you’re injured. What is …
Snow and Ice Pose More Risks Than Just Slipping and Falling Every year, we talk about the danger of slipping and falling on ice and snow that has not been cleared, or that has been improperly cleared. It’s an important topic – – about one million people across the United States are injured in falls …
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Who is Responsible When an Injury Aggravates a Pre-Existing Condition? You probably know that someone who negligently injures you is generally responsible for damages. For example, if you are crossing the street in a crosswalk and are hit by a car because the driver was texting instead of paying attention to the road, that driver …
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Elevators or Escalators: What’s More Dangerous? You’ve probably seen some scary stories online about people who have gotten their scarves caught in escalators or otherwise suffered serious injuries on the moving stairways. For example, you may recall news footage of the 2021 incident at the MBTA Back Bay station, where dozens of riders were injured …
Traffic May Be the Scariest Thing About Halloween Halloween is meant to be scary– haunted houses, ghosts and goblins, creepy decorations, ghost stories and more give the night an eerie feel. But, most of us realize that the traditional “dangers” of Halloween aren’t real. What you may not know is that drivers and pedestrians – …
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How to Find the Best Pedestrian Accident Attorney for You Any type of sudden injury is jarring and can throw your life off track. That’s especially true for a pedestrian who has been hit by a car or a truck. Dealing with the trauma and managing your recovery may feel like a full-time job. The …
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What is Highway Hypnosis? You may not have heard of highway hypnosis, but odds are you have experienced it. Perhaps you were driving home from work one day and suddenly realized that you were turning onto your own street without remembering a significant stretch of the trip. Or perhaps you were traveling along the interstate …
Who is at Greatest Risk for a Motorcycle Fatality? You may know that motorcyclists are generally at greater risk in traffic than drivers and occupants of other types of vehicles. In fact, motorcycles make up just 3% of the registered vehicles in the United States. Yet, according to the National Safety Council (NSC), motorcyclists and …
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9 Reasons You Need a Truck Accident Attorney If you’ve been injured in a collision with a commercial truck, you may be wondering whether you need to hire a truck accident lawyer. There’s no law that says you have to be represented by an attorney: you can file a claim directly with the trucking company’s …
Can You Sue for a Slip and Fall Injury at a Resort? The short answer is yes. Business owners in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire are expected to keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition for their guests and others who are legally on the property. The exact terms of the obligation differ slightly …
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4th of July Fire Highlights Dangers of Fireworks The sparkler-ignited fire that did significant damage to a Dracut home late on the night of July 4/early on the morning of July 5 came as a shock to many. Though we all know that fireworks can be dangerous and occasionally start fires, few expect to be …
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Airbag Injuries: Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risks? Airbags have contributed to vehicle safety, and are generally credited with a role in the downward trend in traffic fatality rates. In the early 1970s, there were more than 50,000 traffic deaths annually, despite the US population being considerably smaller than it is today. The rate of …
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Faulty Car Repair Accident Lawsuits Most car accident cases involve the injured person making a claim against the driver who caused the collision. But, occasionally, a car accident is caused–at least in part–by something other than driver negligence. Some common examples include faulty road design or maintenance and defective automobile parts. Another is negligent …
Can You Sue a School for a Playground Injury? When you send your child to school, you expect teachers, administrators and staff to keep your child safe. And, they have a responsibility to do so. But, that doesn’t mean that no accident or injury will ever happen. Whether you can successfully sue a school for …
How Road Maintenance Affects Motorcyclists Motorcyclists are at greater risk than occupants of passenger vehicles for many reasons. The most significant and obvious is that motorcycle riders aren’t protected by a metal cage as those riding in cars, trucks, vans and SUVs are. So, a motorcyclist who is involved in a traffic crash may be …
Who is Liable for an Unsafe Sidewalk? If you’ve been injured on an unsafe sidewalk, you may be unsure who is liable for your medical expenses and other damages. The answer depends in part on where the sidewalk is located and in part on how it is unsafe. Here are some key questions that will …
The Problem with Ranitidine You’ve probably seen news about large-scale litigation relating to Zantac, a brand-name ranitidine product. But, at the same time, you may have noticed that Zantac 360 is still on the shelves at your local pharmacy. If you or a loved one has taken ranitidine, here’s what you need to know. What …
How to Find the Best Massachusetts Motorcycle Accident Attorney How to Find the Best Massachusetts Motorcycle Accident Attorney If you’ve been seriously injured in a Massachusetts motorcycle accident, the right attorney can make all the difference. You’ll want to work with an attorney who: Has specific experience with motorcycle accident cases Has trial experience and …
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How Unhealthy Truck Drivers Can Cause Accidents Attendees and participants in the Squantum Independence Day Parade in Quincy got some unexpected excitement this year. When a float carrying children appeared to drift, adults nearby noticed that the cab of the flatbed truck appeared to be empty. The driver, it turned out, had suffered a heart …
Can You Sue a Haunted House for an Injury? Halloween season is upon us and that means haunted houses, corn mazes, and other spooky fun. But what happens if you get injured? Can you sue a haunted house or other scary entertainment venue for your injuries? The answer is a clear “it depends.” In …
What is Lane Splitting? Lane splitting is a common practice among motorcyclists that involves sharing a lane with another vehicle or riding between lanes of traffic. Lane splitting is illegal in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and in most other states. Why is Lane Splitting Against the Law? The main reason offered for laws prohibiting …
Pedestrian Freeway Deaths are More Common Than You’d Think Early in April, a Boston man was killed in a hit-and-run accident on I-93. Early reports indicated that police didn’t know why the victim was walking on the interstate. But, he wasn’t the first person to be struck by a car and killed on I-93 this …
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Who is to Blame for Apartment Building Injuries? Earlier this year, a young University professor was tragically killed when a package she was attempting to move accidentally hit an elevator button, causing the elevator to move. The victim was pinned between the elevator and the shaft. She died of asphyxiation. Initially, an elevator malfunction was …
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The statute of limitations for personal injury claim differs from state to state. In most states, the injured person has two, three, or four years to file most injury-related lawsuits. In both Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the general statute of limitations for personal injury cases is three years. However, different injury cases are treated differently. For …
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E-scooters can offer significant benefits to communities and the planet. For example, they can reduce traffic congestion, reduce the greenhouse gasses released by traditional motor vehicles, and provide access to transportation for people who are not near public transportation stops. Scooter sharing programs such as Byrd and Lime make it possible to take advantage of …
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How Common is Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect? WalletHub’s 2025 report on elder abuse by state has Massachusetts ranked second for the strength of its efforts to prevent elder abuse. On a per-elderly-resident basis, the state spends more on elder abuse prevention than any other state. Those efforts seem to be paying off: Massachusetts has …
The 2019 Dangerous by Design report from Smart Growth America (SGA) reveals a disturbing increase in pedestrian fatalities. More than 49,000 pedestrians were killed throughout the U.S. between 2008 and 2017. Across that 10-year period, the annual number of fatalities climbed from 4,414 to 5,977—an increase of more than 35%. By 2017, pedestrian deaths made …
Work injuries–even serious ones–are more common than most people realize. In Massachusetts, the most recent data shows that more than 80,000 people suffered “recordable injuries” on the job in a single year. More than 43,000 of those injuries were serious enough to require time away from work, and 62 were fatal. In most situations, an …
As the weather turns warmer and the days grow longer, many people spend more time outside. While there are many benefits to getting out and getting more active, summer activities also introduce new risks. One of those is an increased risk of certain types of slip, trip, and fall injuries. It’s natural to think of …
When you hear “traumatic brain injury,” chances are that you think of a catastrophic accident. It’s true that many traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are caused by events such as a car accident, motorcycle accident, or fall from an upper level (such as construction site injuries). However, traumatic brain injuries may occur in much more routine …
Workers’ compensation statutes protect injured workers in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. They provide what should be a simpler, more amicable way for people hurt on the job to get medical care and replacement income while they’re unable to work due to their injuries. For the process to work as intended, everyone has to do …
In this Article: Introduction Common Causes of Back and Spinal Cord Injury Recognizing and Treating Massachusetts Back Injuries Working with an Experienced Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer Back injuries are surprisingly common in the U.S., including Massachusetts. About 80% of Americans will sustain a back injury at some point. Of course, these injuries vary significantly in …
In this Article Introduction Slip and Fall/Trip and Fall Lawsuits What if the Injury Victim is Partly at Fault? Damages in New Hampshire Slip and Fall Cases Talk to a New Hampshire Slip and Fall Lawyer as Soon as Possible Introduction Slip and fall or trip and fall accidents are so commonplace that they may …
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, fall, or other incident, it can be hard to figure out what to do next. You may be unable to work, facing large medical bills, taking medications that impact your ability to think clearly or engage in certain activities. You’re probably getting calls from the responsible party’s …
Helping Victims of Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Crashes In this article: Preface What Damages Can I Recover After a Car Accident? Broderick Law Firm, LLC’s Recent Car Accident Claim Settlement Results Should I Hire a Massachusetts Car Accident Attorney? How Do I Connect with an Experienced Massachusetts Car Accident Lawyer Today? About 4,000 people are injured in …
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After a serious car accident or other injury, there’s a lot at stake. Fair compensation for your injuries can take the pressure off by ensuring that your medical bills are paid, replacing lost income, covering new expenses you face due to the accident and more. With so much at stake, you’ll want to do your …
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At the Lowell, Massachusetts Personal Injury Law Firm, Broderick Law Firm LLC, yes, our consultations are really free. About Your Free Personal Injury Consultation When you’ve been seriously injured, an experienced personal injury attorney can be an excellent source of information. For example: Your options following a car accident or other type of injury Any …
