A Pepperell couple is suing the town of Pepperell for personal injuries they sustained in a Massachusetts motorcycle collision in 2005. Edward and Jennifer DiNitto are suing the town for $500,000 to cover medical bills and lost wages. They filed the personal injury lawsuit in Lowell Superior Court.
On July 28, 2005, the couple was riding their Harley-Davidson motorcycle on Hollis Street when they crashed into the side of a pickup truck at the intersection of Brookline and Hollis Streets. In their lawsuit, the couple contends that the town was negligent for its failure to properly maintain the intersection and the public land abutting it. Their complaint accuses the town of failing to cut down trees and overhanging vegetation, which obstructed drivers’ view of the road. The couple also claims the town was negligent in its placement of a stop sign.
Edward sustained lacerations, broken bones, and internal injuries in the crash. Jennifer sustained a broken left leg, a fractured pelvis, and shattered her left ankle.
The attorney for the town of Pepperell is trying to get the motorcycle accident lawsuit dismissed. He says that claims involving road maintenance should have been filed no more than 30 days after the crash.
NHTSA Motorcycle Accident Facts
• In 2007, 103,000 people in the US were injured in motorcycle accidents.
• 5,154 motorcyclists in the US died that year.
• 59 of those deaths occurred in Massachusetts • 25% of US motorcycle crashes involved a motorcycle striking a fixed object.
• 2,332 deadly two-vehicle crashes involved a motorcycle and another vehicle.
• 18% of motorcycle crashes involved passenger cars.
• Large trucks were involved in 3% of motorcycle accidents.
• Light trucks were involved in 13% of motorcycle collisions.
Couple sues for ’05 motorcycle crash, TradingMarkets.com, November 12, 2008
Motorcycle Traffic Safety Fact Sheet, NHTSA
Related Web Resources
Motorcycle Crashes, Insurance Information Institute
2007 Traffic Safety Fact Sheets, NHTSA