Car Accidents

March 19, 2014

Cell Phone Use Under Reported in Car Accidents, Causing Drivers to Underestimate Safety Threat

Making the road safer for drivers and pedestrians alike remains a primary concern for lawmakers and first responders in the United States, but unlike seat belts, child car seats, and drunk driving, the mission to curb distracted driving due to cell phone use is difficult to enforce. The Washington Post reports that 28% of accidents are caused at least in part by talking or texting on a cell phone. However, according to a new infographic published by the National Safety Council, the actual data is more than likely much higher than the official report. The National Safety Council argues that cell phone use in fatal accidents is grossly under reported.

Officially, there were 350 fatal car accidents involving cell phone use in 2011. While 350 incidents may appear rather insignificant relative to a country of 317 million people, the National Safety Council believes that the absence of data regarding cell phone use poses a threat to public safety. When data is skewed or under reported, it causes the risk to appear less substantial than it may actually be, minimizing the impact on the decisions of the driver.
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January 31, 2014

Massachusetts Car Crash Involving Mattress Leaves Woman Dead

by Altman & Altman

State police are looking for a dump truck driver accused of dropping and leaving a mattress on Route 128 yesterday. The incident resulted in a Massachusetts rear-end crash that resulted in one fatality. The victim, Framingham resident Frida Litvak, was taken to Lahey Clinic were she was declared dead.

The traffic crash, which occurred close to the Burlingame Mall, occurred at about 3p EST when Litvak, in a Toyota Corolla, stepped on the breaks abruptly to avoid striking the mattress. The 56-year-old woman’s car then rear-ended by a Toyota Tundra pickup moving at a high speed. In the Boston Globe, her sister Galina is quoted as saying that if Litvak hadn’t stepped on the brakes even more people could have been involved.

Also injured in the traffic crash was Charlton resident Andrew Lawendowski, with minor injuries.

January 23, 2014

Dialysis Patient Dies in Boston Rollover Accident Involving Ambulance

by Altman & Altman

Karen Scott, 58, was killed in a Boston car accident on Tuesday when the ambulance she was being transported in was hit by a car. The ambulance proceeded to roll over before righting itself on a guardrail. Scott, a dialysis patient, leaves behind a husband and two children.

According to police, a Mercedes-Benz that ran a stop sign hit the ambulance’s rear quarter panel. Police say that the stretcher Scott was on appeared to have gotten loose during the Massachusetts traffic crash. The driver of the car, 61-year-old Framingham resident Lisa Zemack, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. She has been charged with failure to grant right-of-way and failure to stop. Police are still investigation what happened. Also injured in the Boston rollover accident was a paramedic that was riding with Scott.

Boston Car Accidents

November 18, 2013

Number of Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities Went Up in 2012

by Altman & Altman

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 374 Massachusetts motor vehicle crash deaths in 2012-alcohol was a factor in 126 of them. These figures are a slight increase 2011 when there were 349 Massachusetts traffic fatalities.

At Altman & Altman, LLP our Boston injury lawyers handle claims and lawsuits by the victims (or families) of those injured or killed in a Massachusetts traffic crashes. We handle cases involving motorcycle accidents, truck collision, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, and other type of motor vehicle collisions.

When a Massachusetts motor vehicle crash happens-there can be long-term ramifications for the victim and their loved ones. A person who is lucky enough to survive an accident may be left with serious injuries that can render him/her unable to hold a job or lead a normal life. Medical bills can mount and the emotional toll may be high not just for the victim but his/her loved ones and friends. Some injuries are so serious that 24-hour professional care may be required for life.

Many Massachusetts traffic accidents could/should have been prevented if only the party had not been negligent. Our Boston personal injury attorneys have gone after negligent drivers, automakers, municipalities that failed to properly maintain a roadway, and others on behalf of our clients and their families.

The Rise in Massachusetts Traffic Deaths Mirrors National Statistics
NHTSA provided not just state statistics but also national ones. 33,561 people died in US traffic incidents in 2012, which is up from the 32,479 deaths from the year before. This is the first time in six years that the number of US traffic fatalities have gone up instead of down.

Also, there were 2,362,000 traffic crash injuries, which is an increase from the 2.2 million victims that were injured in 2012. The number of alcohol-impaired driving deaths also went up by 4.6% from 2011. Fortunately, the number of deadly crashes involving young drivers continued to drop.

NHTSA Data Confirms Traffic Fatalities Increased In 2012, NHTSA, November 14, 2013

2012 Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview, NHTSA, November 2013 (PDF)

More Blog Posts:
Massachusetts Wrongful Death Settled Reached in 2008 Foxboro Car Crash After Gillette Stadium Concert, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, November 5, 2013
Halloween is The “Deadliest” Night of the Year for Child Pedestrian Accidents, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, October 31, 2013
Haverhill Death Highlights Importance of Pedestrian Safety, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, November 20, 2013 Continue reading

November 5, 2013

Massachusetts Wrongful Death Settled Reached in 2008 Foxboro Car Crash After Gillette Stadium Concert

by Altman & Altman

The family of Debra Davis has reached a Foxboro, MA wrongful death settlement with Kraft Group over the tragic traffic crash that happened after a concert at Gillette Stadium in 2008. The terms of the deal are confidential.

Davis, a 20-year-old Milton woman, and her friend Alexa Latteo, a 19-year-old Mansfield resident, were killed when the vehicle that Latteo was driving on July 26, 2008 crashed into a tree after the New England Country Music Festival. Both women died in the Foxboro car crash. A third woman riding in the rear seat survived with serious injuries.

Davis’s parents claimed that the stadium’s security was so lax that underage drinkers were able to consume alcohol in the parking lot even though they didn’t have tickets to attend the event. (A policy had been specifically implemented at the stadium in 2007 to deter such behavior.)

October 31, 2013

Halloween is The “Deadliest” Night of the Year for Child Pedestrian Accidents

by Altman & Altman

Ghouls and goblins are not the scariest part of Halloween. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of children killed in pedestrian accidents between the hours of 4p and 10p doubles on this particular night. One reason for this is that with trick or treat, there are more kids out on the sidewalks and crossing streets.

Dark-colored costumes can make it hard to see pedestrians at night, especially if the individual are “kid-size.” Young children, excited by the occasion and buzzing on sugar from all the candy, may be more prone to run across the middle of the road and not pay attention to whether there is approaching traffic.

That said, drivers need to be aware that this type of bustling excitement happens on Halloween and they must exercise the necessary precautions to avoid becoming involved in a Boston pedestrian accident, including:

October 11, 2013

Holyoke, Massachusetts Family Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Fraternity

by Altman & Altman

The family of Nicholas Grass has reached a wrongful death settlement with the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity over the tragic traffic accident that claimed the life of s Yale University student in 2003. Grass, 19, was one of nine people riding in an SUV after an event hosted by the fraternity when the driver of the sport utility vehicle, also a fraternity member and a Yale student, purportedly fell asleep at the wheel, causing the car to crash into a large truck that had been involved in an earlier collision.

It is believed that the driver, Sean Fenton, was sleep deprived from “hell week,” an annual event that involves the alleged hazing of fraternity pledges. However, lawyers for Delta Kappa Epsilon have argued that the fraternity shouldn’t be held liable because it could not have predicted the “unfortunate events” leading to the deadly collision.

Fenton, 20, also was killed in the truck crash, along with two others. Five other Yale students sustained injuries in the motor vehicle collision.

July 3, 2013

New England Woman Awarded $43.1 Million Settlement in Products Liability Case against Car Seat Manufacturer

by Altman & Altman

A Vermont woman, who was paralyzed during a car accident six years ago, was awarded $43.1 million by a jury last week in a case against car seat manufacturer, Johnson Controls, Inc.

Dzemilia Heco, 51, was left quadriplegic when the 2000 Dodge Neon she was driving was rear-ended in August, 2007. The driver’s seat, which was manufactured by Johnson Controls, Inc., collapsed, causing Heco to suffer from severe spinal-cord injuries.

Heco’s lawyer, Bob Langdon explained that because of the extent of Heco’s injuries, she will require around-the-clock care for the rest of her life. The jury award included over $600,000 for past medical bills, $26.2 million for anticipated future medical bills and health care expenses, $355,000 for past lost income, $1.2 million for future lost income, and $14.3 million for pain and suffering.

More than 2 million people are injured and over 30,000 people are killed in automobile accidents each year in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Most people do not consider the dangers of driving in automobiles yet defective auto components and parts can play a significant role into the seriousness of injuries during an accident. Because car accidents are so common, car manufacturers have an ethical and legal responsibility to make sure that the cars they manufacture are safe to drive and able to protect drivers and passengers during an accident. When auto manufacturers fail to produce products that meet reasonable safety standards, they may be subject to liability.

Common examples of defective automobile parts may include: seat belt failure, seat back failure, door latch defects, brake defects, occupant ejections, defective airbags and airbag failure, unintended acceleration, SUV rollovers, steering defects, defective tires and tire blow outs, exploding gas tanks, and crushed roofs. One of the largest and widely publicized defective automobile cases involved Toyota Motor Company, when people began reporting their cars accelerating out of control. Though Toyota quickly shifted the blame away from its manufacturing practices, ultimately the company paid out millions of dollars in damages to individuals and their families who had been injured or killed as a result of Toyota’s mistake.
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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.

May 30, 2013

Woman Injured After Hit-and-Run Accident in Worcester, MA

by Altman & Altman

A Worcester woman was seriously injured after a hit-and-run crash early this morning.

The victim, 24, was struck around midnight while crossing the street at the intersection of Chandler and Wellington Streets. Police found the young woman lying in the middle of the road with severe hip and facial wounds.

Witnesses who saw the accident reported a small, dark-colored SUV flee the scene toward Main Street. According to police, it appeared that the woman was struck and rolled on top of the car and then fell back onto the ground. The victim was transported to a local hospital where she is currently listed in stable condition. Police are still investigating the accident.

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According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 4,280 pedestrians were killed as a result of motor-vehicle crashes and 70,000 were injured in pedestrian accidents in 2010. The number of pedestrian fatalities in 2010 accounted for 13% of all motor-vehicle accident fatalities and the number of injuries accounted for 3% of the total amount of individuals injured in a traffic accidents.

Most hit-and-run accidents occur in metropolitan areas where there is a high volume of car and pedestrian traffic. In fact, in 2010, the NHTSA reported that 73% of all pedestrian accidents occurred in urban settings, and typically at non-intersections (79%). Weather conditions, as reported by the NHTSA do not seem to have an impact on the amount of pedestrian fatalities however the majority of these types of accidents usually take place during nighttime hours. About 1 in 5 pedestrians killed in 2010, were the victim of a hit-and-run motor-vehicle accident, the NHTSA reported.

Pedestrian accidents occur for a variety of reasons, and may be attributed to not only the actions of a motor-vehicle operator, but the actions of a pedestrian as well. Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding and reckless driving, and distracted driving by motor-vehicle operators are the most common factors that cause pedestrian accidents. About 20% of drivers involved in pedestrian accidents fled the scene according to the NHTSA. In some cases, pedestrians’ actions caused accidents. Actions such as alcohol consumption (leading to impaired judgment) was the most prominent factor, as well as failing to follow road signals, such as crosswalk signals, and improperly crossing intersections.
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