Pedestrian Accidents

November 19, 2011

Massachusetts Woman and Two Others Injured in Pedestrian-Truck Accident at Harvard-Yale Football Game

A 30-year-old Massachusetts woman was killed on Saturday during a tailgating incident at the Harvard-Yale football game. The truck accident happened as the driver of a U-Haul truck sped up through the area where people were hanging out, striking the victim and two other women a couple of hours before the game started.

More than 55,000 fans turned out to watch “The Game.” At halftime, a moment of silence was observed in honor of the tailgating accident victims. Harvard defeated Yale 45-7 in today’s game.

The two women that survived the pedestrian accident were treated at a hospital. While one of them sustained minor injuries, the other was reportedly in critical but stable condition.

According to police, the box truck that hit the three men was transporting several kegs. The truck driver had sped up as he turned into a parking lot close to the Yale Bowl and that was when the traffic accident happened. The vehicle then kept going until it struck another U-Haul.

Some fans complained that traffic enforcement at the game was not very good this year. Following the incident, Yale issued a statement saying that its regulations and policies about tailgating will have to be reevaluated. At last year’s game between Harvard and Yale, which took place in Massachusetts, Harvard had banned kegs, U-haul vehicles, and hard alcohol.

Massachusetts Personal Injury
If you or someone you love was injured in an accident on another party’s premise, you could have grounds for a Massachusetts injury lawsuit. Property owners are supposed to make sure that their premise has no safety hazards that could cause/allow serious injuries or deaths to occur. This includes making sure that parking lots are safe for pedestrians and revelers hanging out there during events so that Boston pedestrian accidents and motor vehicle crashes don’t happen.

Mass. woman dies at Harvard-Yale game, Boston Globe, November 19, 2011
Deadly tailgating accident mars Harvard’s 45-7 win over Yale, Los Angeles Times/AP, November 19, 2011

More Blog Posts:
Injured last Month in New Bedford Oil Truck Accident, 84-Year-Old Wheelchair-Bound Man Dies from His Injuries, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 25, 2011
Boston Personal Injury Lawsuit Accuses Police Motorcyclist of Assault and Battery in ’07 Marathon Pedestrian Accident, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 15, 2011
Blaze in Saugus Caused by Crashed Gas Tanker, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, July 29, 2011 Continue reading

February 25, 2011

Injured last Month in New Bedford Oil Truck Accident, 84-Year-Old Wheelchair-Bound Man Dies from His Injuries

by Altman & Altman

Last month, we reported on our Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog that 84-year-old Joao Amaral, who is wheelchair-bound, was injured when he was involved in a New Bedford truck accident. Amaral was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital in serious condition. Now, the news media are reporting that the elderly pedestrian has died from his injuries.

Amaral was on the crosswalk near the curb on Purchase Street when an oil truck owned by Star Oil Co. hit him. The driver of the truck, 74-year-old John Duarte, has been charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian. It is not known at this time whether more charges will be field against the trucker now that Amaral has died.

Elderly seniors are at higher risk of becoming involved in a Boston pedestrian accident than their younger pedestrian counterparts. Old age, injuries, and disabilities may make them slower to cross the street. Prescription meds can also dull their reaction time, while their reflexes may have slowed with age. Also, as the Federal Highway Administration reports, pedestrians in the 65 and over age group are two to eight times at greater risk of dying than younger pedestrians. One reason for this is because older people can have a harder time recovering from serious injuries.

While there are steps that pedestrians can definitely take to avoid becoming involved in a Massachusetts traffic crash, motorists must exercise the proper care and attention when driving so that they don’t accidentally strike anyone. Usually, it will be the pedestrian who suffers the more serious injuries.

Wheelchair-bound man, struck by oil truck, dies, South Coast Today, February 24, 2011
Wheelchair-bound Man Struck by Oil Truck in New Bedford, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, January 13, 2011

Related Web Resource:
FMCSA

More Blog Posts:
Massachusetts Woman Dies in Tractor-Trailer Accident, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, April 14, 2010
Medford Car Crash Kills Dracut Man, Police Investigating Accident, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, December 20, 2010 Continue reading

February 15, 2011

Boston Personal Injury Lawsuit Accuses Police Motorcyclist of Assault and Battery in ’07 Marathon Pedestrian Accident

by Altman & Altman

A Framingham woman claims Massachusetts police Sgt. Dennis Bertulli was negligent when he struck her with his motorcycle and drove off during the 2007 Boston Marathon. Norma Shulman, an avid marathon watcher, is now suing state police over the alleged assault and battery and the violation of her civil rights. Her Boston personal injury trial is currently underway in Middlesex Superior Court.

Shulman, now 65, claims that on April 16, 2007, she was standing behind the white line on Rte. 135-the same spot where she has watched the Boston Marathon for 26 years-when she was struck by Bertulli’s motorcycle. The impact of the Boston motorcycle accident knocked her backward and she sustained a bruise to her chest. Shulman says because she didn’t want to make a scene, she didn’t’ seek emergency medical help and instead drove herself to the ER several hours later. She says that not only did she experience physical pain for 6-7 weeks, but also that she continues to suffer from sleep problems while feeling powerless.

Shulman’s Boston lawyer claims that not only did Bertulli strike Shulman and then drive off, but also, another officer Lt. William Cederquist coerced a key witness to change his account of what happened. The incident was captured on video by WBZ-TV and posted on YouTube.

February 12, 2011

Is the State Doing Enough to Prevent Massachusetts Car Crashes and Discourage Drunk Driving?

by Altman & Altman

The National Transportation Safety Board says that Massachusetts ranks among the worst states when it comes to adopting federal drunk driving recommendations because it has only put into effect just 4 of the agency’s 11 recommendations for keeping repeat drunk drivers off the streets. This news raises the question, is the state doing enough to get drunk drivers off the road so that the number of Massachusetts car accidents that happen each year goes down?

Our Boston injury lawyers talk to families on a regular basis that have suffered inconsolable losses because a drunk driver got in a car and fatally struck a loved one. Adopting tougher measures to prevent drunk driving can only save lives.

Among the NTSB’s recommendations:

January 20, 2011

Framingham Car Accident Leaves Pedestrian in Critical Condition

by Altman & Altman

25-year-old Dorzell Porter sustained serious injuries on Sunday when he was involved in a Framingham pedestrian accident. He was walking on Rte. 9 when he was struck by a Honda Civic. The driver of the vehicle is a Milford woman. Massachusetts State Police and Framingham Police are investigating the cause of the Middlesex County, MA injury accident.

Police are also investigating another Massachusetts pedestrian accident that occurred on Sunday. Killed in this traffic crash was Wareham teenager Kourtney Viera. A minivan fatally struck the 18-year-old while she was in the right travel lane of Interstate 195 East near Marion.

Viera had gotten out of her car after it ran out of gas. It appears that she may have slipped and fallen on the icy road prior to getting hit by the vehicle.

December 14, 2010

Alleged Drunk Driver Involved in Fatal Andover Car Crash Does Not Remember Striking Haverhill Pedestrian, Say Police

by Altman & Altman

Police have identified the woman who was fatally struck in an Andover pedestrian accident on Sunday as Cynthia Anne Ray. The 30-year-old woman was walking to the state police barracks on Route 125 when the catastrophic incident happened.

At the time of the Andover, Massachusetts car accident, Ray was going to pick up an accident report because her husband had involved in a separate collision earlier that day. The driver of the Chevy pickup that struck Ray, 50-year-old Robert V. Bryant, is accused of leaving the crash site. Troopers apprehended him some 150 yards away from the scene. Bryant reportedly failed three sobriety tests, stumbled as he was getting out of the car, and refused to take a chemical breath test. He allegedly has admitted to drinking a few beers.

At his arraignment in Lawrence District Court today, Bryant pleaded not guilty to a number of criminal charges, including motor vehicle homicide, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operating under the influence of liquor, and leaving the scene of a crash that caused personal injury. He allegedly told police that he does not remember striking Ray.

October 31, 2010

Trick or Treat: Prevent Boston Injury Accidents by Exercising Extra Caution When on the Road this Halloween

by Altman & Altman

Happy Halloween! With more children than normal likely to be wandering through the residential streets of Boston after dark tonight, there are steps that motorists can take to avoid striking a young ghoul or witch walking on the road, including:

• Don’t pass stopped vehicles. There may be a young trick or treater getting out of the car or crossing the street.
• Don’t talk on the cell phone or text while driving.
• Drive slowly.
• Look out for kids that might suddenly run into the middle of the road in an attempt to cross it.
• Remember that not all young children know the rules of the road. Yield the right of way to young kids.
• Don’t drive drunk.
• Obey traffic laws.

If your child was injured in a Boston pedestrian accident while trick or treating, you may have grounds for a Boston injury case.

Steps that parents can take to help their kids avoid becoming involved in a Boston traffic crash:

• Teach them how to safely cross the street.
• Supervise them while they trick or treat.
• Choose costumes that are bright enough for motorists to see at night. You can also give your kids a flashlight or place reflective tape on their costumes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kids have a four times greater chance of getting struck by a car on Halloween than during the rest of the year. Meantime, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that Halloween is one of the three days of the year when pedestrian injuries and deaths are at highest risk of occurring.

There may be more than one party who should be held liable for your child’s Boston injuries to a minor case. It is important that you start exploring your legal options as soon as possible.

Recovering from a Boston pedestrian injury can be tough-especially for young kids. In addition to the actual injury and the resulting physical pain, there also may be emotional trauma sustained as a result of getting hit by a motor vehicle. Medical and recovery expenses can take their toll on the family.

Halloween Driving Safety Tips, Progressive.com
Keeping Kids Safe on Halloween, Minnesota Safety Council (PDF)

Keep Your Pirate, Ghoul, or Ghost Safe on Halloween, Kingstowne.Patch.com

Related Web Resources:
Pedestrian Safety, SafeKids
Educating Child Pedestrians, WalkingInfo Continue reading

October 27, 2010

Brockton Wrongful Death Trial Over Fatal Massachusetts Bus Accident Involving Disabled Pedestrian to Be Held In Boston

by Altman & Altman

In Boston, jury selection is scheduled to begin today in the Massachusetts wrongful death lawsuit over a catastrophic 2007 Brockton bus crash that claimed the life of a disabled pedestrian. The defendants are bus driver Tracy A. Lopes and bus company First Student Inc. Lopes, a Raynham resident, had been charged with motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation after the deadly collision, but the charge was dropped in 2008.

The pedestrian that died was Lisa Herlihy, a 46-year-old Brockton resident who had been suffering from osteoporosis and Parkinson’s disease. She was using her walker to cross the street when she was struck by the bus that Lopes was driving.

Last year, Kim Berggren, a Randolph resident and Herlihy’s sister, filed her Brockton wrongful death lawsuit against Lopes and the bus company that had employed her at the time of the deadly Massachusetts pedestrian accident. Berggren is seeking “unspecified damages” and accusing both defendants of gross negligence.

October 18, 2010

Peabody Car Crash Injures Three in Massachusetts

by Altman & Altman

A serious single-car crash in Peabody late Friday caused injury to three people. All three Massachusetts car crash victims were rushed to a Boston hospital.

The Peabody car accident happened when the vehicle crashed into a pole. The driver, who is a Nahant resident, and two of his passengers had to be extricated from the badly wrecked vehicle. He has been summoned to court to face charges that include operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, and operating a motor vehicle recklessly to endanger.

Our Boston accident lawyers want to remind anyone that has been involved in a recent Massachusetts car crash that they should begin exploring their legal options as soon as possible. In the event that you decide to pursue a Boston injury claim, it will be easier to gather evidence and speak to witnesses soon after the collision rather than later.

In other Massachusetts traffic crash news, an East Boston man has pleaded not guilty to fatal hit-and run in the fatal Revere pedestrian accident death of Cynthia Osborne. The Salem woman was walking along Route 1A close to the Wonderland MBTA stop last Monday when 52-year-old Gerald Alviti allegedly struck her with his vehicle. Osborne was later pronounced dead at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Osborne and Alviti were both reportedly headed to a substance abuse clinic in Lynn. Witnesses say that Alviti fled the Revere car crash scene. The 2005 Chevy Malibu he was driving was later sighted by a US postal service cop who had witnessed the collision.

Trio injured in Peabody crash, ItemLive, October 18, 2010
Man, Woman In Fatal Crash Went To Same Drug Clinic, WCVB, October 12, 2010
East Boston man pleads not guilty in crash that killed Salem woman, Boston.com, October 12, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Welcome to MassDOT

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Continue reading

August 13, 2010

Man hit by MBTA Operated Commuter Rail Train in Worcester

by Altman & Altman

Our Boston attorneys have recently seen that a 55-year-old resident of Millbury was hit by a MBTA commuter rail train yesterday afternoon. The accident occurred on the tracks near 61 Frank Street in Worcester.

The commuter rail train left Boston at 2:40 p.m. and was traveling at approximately 40 mph when it struck the pedestrian.

Luckily, one of the passengers on the train was a registered nurse. The nurse provided first aid to the pedestrian until Worcester EMS arrived. The injured man was immediately taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center – University Campus for treatment.
Continue reading