Bus Accidents

December 13, 2013

New Late Night Hours for MBTA Trains May Lead to Additional Passenger Safety Risks

Last week, many residents in the Boston area were excited to learn that the MBTA would be starting a yearlong trial of late night train service in the spring of 2014. The T’s current schedule has undergone scrutiny for many years, and many hope this will be the beginning of a permanent change. The move, which the Globe called “long over-due”, would benefit both those seeking to enjoy the city’s night life as well as workers with late night hours. However, extra hours mean that T passengers should take extra precautions to ensure their safety when traveling at night.

As always, you should remain aware of your surroundings and avoid isolated stops. Hold your belongings close to your body and don’t leave them unattended to avoid unnecessary security alerts. Train operators and the MBTA Transit Police are easily accessible via intercoms at the end of each train car. Avoid risks of physical injury by walking, not running, on the escalators, standing a safe distance from the yellow line, and not blocking closing train doors. When you take all necessary precautions to ensure your safety, the MBTA is responsible for the rest.
Continue reading

September 13, 2013

Massachusetts Parents Settle Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Fatal UConn Bus Accident for $5.5 Million

by Altman & Altman

The parents of David Plamondon have settled their wrongful death lawsuit with the University of Connecticut for $5.5 million. Linda and George Plamondon, who are from Westminster, Massachusetts, sued the school shortly after their 20-year-old son was struck by a campus shuttle bus while in a campus crosswalk in 2011. The driver of the bus, Lucasz Gilewski, also was a student. He who would go on to plead no contest to the criminal charge of negligent homicide and serve time in probation.

David sustained fatal injuries after he was run over by the bus’ tires. His parents contended that Gilewski, who police say was driving under the speed limit but wasn’t looking at the road when he hit David, was reckless and careless. The Plamondons are blaming the state for Gilewksi’s misconduct and they asked that UConn stop employing students as shuttle bus drivers. This hiring practice continues to this day. The Plamondons believe that David’s death could have been prevented.

Campus Negligence

June 17, 2013

AAA Says Hands-Free Calling & Texting Devices Don’t Prevent Boston Distracted Driving Accidents

by Altman & Altman

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, sending and reading text messages with a hands-free devices or talking on a cell phone without using your hands while driving are no less distracting than doing these activities manually. The AAA’s study comes as voice-activated technologies that let people talk, text, and Facebook while driving continue to grow in popularity. This is the most comprehensive study of its kind to date. In Massachusetts, please contact our Boston injury lawyers if you believe that your car crash injuries or a loved one’s death was caused by a negligent driver.

Per the study, which sought to gauge how mental or cognitive distraction affect driving, even these hands-free devices don’t take away the mental distraction that can arise from engaging in so many other activities while operating a motor vehicle. As the mind becomes more distracted, the brain’s reaction capabilities slow down, as does its ability to detect vital cues on the road, including pedestrians and stop signs.

These findings are important for hands-free device manufacturers and also makers to know so that they can make sure that consumers don’t end up thinking that these types of products make it safer to text and talk while driving. AAA CEO Robert Darbelnet even called the surge in hands-free technology a “public safety crisis” just waiting to happen.

April 30, 2013

Newton, Massachusetts Bus Accidents Sends 34 Kids With Minor Injuries to Hospitals

by Altman & Altman

According to State Police, at least 34 Massachusetts middle school kids who sustained minor injuries in a Newton bus accident were sent to local hospitals today. Neck pain, head pain, and back pain, were among the complaints raised by some of the children, while others suffered bumps and bruises.

The bus collision was a three-vehicle accident that occurred early in the morning. Even though the incident is still under investigation, police say it appears that the bus rear-ended another auto that was stopped at a traffic light, propelling that motor vehicle into another stopped vehicle.

Rear-End Crashes A rear-end accident can result in injuries for everyone involved. Often, it is those in the car that is rear ended who will experience the brunt of impact and potentially suffer from soft tissue injuries, whiplash, disc damage, carpal tunnel injuries, knee injuries, ankle injuries, traumatic brain injury, head injury, and burns. That said, those in the vehicle that that did the rear-ending are not immune from getting hurt-especially if the auto was moving at a fast speed and was forced to abruptly stop by slamming into the car in front of it.

March 28, 2013

More Adult Motorists than Teens May Be Texting While Driving, Finds New Survey

by Altman & Altman

According to a survey conducted by AT & T, 49% of the adult motorists that participated said the have texted while driving. Compare that to 43% of teen drivers that were asked in another survey in 2012. 98% of all respondents said they know that distracted driving is unsafe.

Multitasking is never beneficial while behind the steering wheel of the car. At Altman & Altman, our Boston personal injury lawyers represent clients who suffered serious injuries because of a distracted driving. Texting, talking on the cell phone, reading, surfing the Internet, and sending emails while driving can lead to catastrophic Massachusetts car crashes.

Per the At & T report, which is part of its “It Can Wait” campaign to get drivers to stop texting while behind the wheel, the number of motorists that text appears to be going up instead of down. Out of every 10 respondents, six of them said they didn’t text while driving three years ago. Meantime, 40% of those that do text while driving admit that this is an actual habit rather than a rare occurrence.

February 16, 2013

First Boston Bus Accident Lawsuit Filed in Soldier Field Road Overpass Crash

by Altman & Altman

A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of 16-year-old Matthew Cruz. The teenager is still in the hospital after he sustained critical injuries when the bus he was a passenger in crashed into a low overpass on Soldier Field Road.

35 people were injured. The vehicle had been transporting students back from a field trip to Harvard University in Cambridge.

Cruz is represented by the Philadelphia law firm Anapol Schwartz. According to Cruz’s attorneys, the teenager sustained serious injuries to his neck and head, still cannot move his legs of his own accord, and remains intubated. He is not expected to be able to participate in normal activities in the near future. Cruz has already undergone over a dozen hours of surgery to treat his fractures and vertebrae and his condition has reportedly put him at risk of other dangerous health issues.

February 5, 2013

Boston, Massachusetts Bus Crash that Injured 35 Occurred at Bridge Overpass on Soldiers Field Road that Lacked Necessary Warnings

by Altman & Altman

Three days after a terrible Boston bus crash on Soldiers Field left 35 people with injuries, police have not yet announced whether or not citations or criminal charges will be filed. The Calvary Coach had been transporting high school students and their chaperones from the Destined for a Dream Foundation back home after a tour of Harvard University.

The Massachusetts traffic crash occurred when the bus drove into the Western Avenue Bridge. According to the Boston Globe, there used to be huge rubber signs on that roadway warning that low bridges were coming but that they have since faded. The Western Avenue Bridge, which should have gotten one of the warning signs, reportedly never did.

The height limit on Soldiers Field Road is 10 feet. Commercial vehicles, including buses, are not supposed to drive there. There are also questions as to whether or not Samuel Jackson, the 66-year-old bus driver, was distracted from looking at a GPS device.

December 31, 2012

New Year’s Eve is the Deadliest Time of Year for Boston Pedestrian Accidents

by Altman & Altman

According to the journal Injury Prevention, New Year’s Eve is when people are most at risk for becoming involved in a fatal pedestrian accident. One reason for this is that while inebriated individuals might choose to walk rather than drive, drinking too much alcohol still impairs one’s physical abilities, judgments, and reflexes regardless, making one more prone to involvement in a traffic crash. One option for avoiding such risks might be to take a cab. Another alternative is staying over at wherever you plan to celebrate.

That said, there are Boston pedestrian accidents that occur on New Year’s Eve because a motorist was distracted, multitasking, texting while driving, talking on a cell phone, or drunk. Please contact Altman & Altman, LLP to request your free case evaluation if you were involved in a Massachusetts traffic accident that you believe was caused by another party.

No one wants to start or end the year involved in any type of collision, but it can happen. Because the state follows modified comparative negligence system, an injured party can recover Boston injury compensation compensation as long as his/her fault in causing the incident was 50% or less.

December 17, 2012

A Decrease in Massachusetts Highway Deaths Doesn’t Mean Boston Car Drivers Get to Be Less Vigilant

by Altman & Altman

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of US highway deaths in 2011 went down to their lowest level since 1949 at 32,367 fatalities-a 1.9% drop from last year. The 2011 decline is a continuing trend over the last six years, which has lead to a 26% drop in traffic deaths since 2005.

In this state last year, Massachusetts traffic fatalities went down from 347 deaths in 2010 to 337. Nationwide, other significant 2011 statistics included:

• A 4.6% drop in the number of light truck and passenger car occupant deaths.

April 9, 2012

MBTA Bus Collides with Bicyclist in Salem, MA

by Altman & Altman

A bicyclist was seriously injured and transported to MGH after he collided with an MBTA bus around 7:20am at the intersection of Federal and Washington Streets in Salem (near Salem District Court). According to reports, the bicyclist was a 47-year-old male from Salem, and he apparently collided with the right front side of a Route 455 bus. It is unclear exactly how the accident occurred, but the Salem News reports that the cyclists was not wearing a helmet and was wearing headphones. It is currently under investigation by the Salem police.

Collisions with cars are perhaps the most dangerous-and deadly-form of bicycle accidents. Sharing the road with drivers requires incredible diligence on behalf of both drivers and cyclists. Although Boston has increased the number of bike lanes within the city itself, as several communities in the Greater Boston area have done as well, bicyclists still frequently share the streets with drivers.

Note that Massachusetts law only requires individuals age 16 and under to wear helmets, although bicyclists of all ages are advised to wear helmets.