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Investigators looking into the deadly accident involving a Boston Fire Department ladder truck driving through an intersection and ramming into a high-rise apartment building are examining the vehicle’s brakes. The focus on catastrophic brake failure as a possible cause for the fatal crash comes after reports from survivors that the fire truck’s driver frantically pumped on the brakes in an effort to stop Ladder 26 from flying down Parker Hill Avenue and crashing into the building that housed a computer learning center.

Four children that were working in the center at the time of the Boston truck accident suffered minor injuries and were taken to local hospitals. Fire Lieutenant Kevin M Kelley, who was riding in the fire truck’s front passenger seat, died immediately on impact. Two other firefighters in the backseat of the truck sustained minor injuries. Fire truck driver Robert Bernard O’Neill was released from Brigham & Women’s Hospital on Saturday.

Boston Fire Commissioner Roderick Fraser has ordered an outside inspection of the brake systems on 44 Boston fire trucks, which were made by the same manufacturer. While officials are careful to caution that nothing has been found yet to indicate that brake failure was the cause of the crash, the fire truck’s maintenance records indicate that the vehicle has had brake problems in the past.

In 2006, the truck crashed into another building. Fortunately, no one was injured. Also, following a routine inspection in October, a faulty brake hose was replaced.

Video footage from security cameras at different apartment buildings on Parker Hill Avenue showed that the truck driver could have slowed the truck down by purposely driving into other motor vehicles that were parked on the street. However, this could have caused injuries to others.

Fire union officials have complained in the past about poor fire equipment maintenance, including inadequate truck maintenance. The Fire Department board of inquiry is also expected to conduct its own probe into the fire truck accident.
Crash survivors fault the brakes, Boston.com, January 11, 2009
Boston fire truck smashes into building; 1 dead, Associated Post, January 10, 2009

Related Web Resources:

Fire Department – City of Boston

Labor and Workforce Development, Massachusetts.gov Continue reading

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An Associated Press review of the new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ranking system found that Massachusetts nursing homes located in the state’s more affluent areas tended to receive higher ratings for quality than their counterparts in poorer counties.The ranking system rates some 16,000 nursing homes in the United States for quality of care, staffing levels, and health inspection results.

A number of factors were examined when arriving at each home’s rating, including how many patients acquired bedsores during their first three months at a nursing home, the number of injuries sustained in fall accidents, and the number of hours of care each patient received on a daily basis. Nursing homes that provided the best level of care and services received a five star rating, while homes considered to provide well below average care received one star.

17% of the 433 Massachusetts nursing homes that were assessed received 5 stars, while 14% of the state’s nursing homes received 1 star. A closer examination of the data reveals that nursing homes located in poorer parts of the state tended to receive less stars:

• Almost 60% of Massachusetts nursing homes in Middlesex County, considered one of the state’s most affluent areas, received 5 star ratings.

• In Massachusetts’s poorest area, Hampden County, almost 6 out of every 10 US nursing homes received 1 or 2 stars.

• Plymouth County, also a wealthy Massachusetts area, was number 3 among counties with the highest number of 4 or 5 star nursing homes.

• Among the exceptions was Suffolk County, which includes the city of Boston. Massachusetts’s third poorest county had the highest percentage of 5 star nursing homes and the lowest percentage of 1 star ones.

The Medicare and Medicaid ranking system is designed to give prospective residents and their families another way of assessing the quality of care provided at each home. While researching and visiting a nursing home are great ways to make sure that you are choosing to admit your loved one into a long-term care facility where they will receive the best care possible, nursing home abuse and neglect incidents do occur.

Nursing home quality varies by region in Mass., MSNBC.com, January 1, 2009
Nursing Home Compare, Medicare.gov
Related Web Resources:
Nursing Homes, Mass.gov
Nursing Homes in Massachusetts
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In Massachusetts, the mother of 16-year-old Anthony McGrath is suing the town of Plymouth, former police chief Robert Pomeroy, and officers Edwin Almeida and Richard Tavares for his wrongful death. McGrath was shot by Almeida and Tavares following a high-speed motor vehicle pursuit on January 10, 2006. The officers were following McGrath because he was a suspect in a liquor store break-in. They fired 11 shots, and the teenager was struck by two of them.

Now, Denise McGrath is seeking unspecified monetary damages for police brutality. Her complaint cites unreasonable and deadly force without legal cause and contends that the two cops were not in any danger when they started shooting at McGrath.

Although Almeida and Tavares were responding to a possible break-in, one did not actually take place. McGrath, however, did not stop his vehicle when he saw that police were pursuing him, even after he drove into a wall.

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Dennis and Kimberly Quaid have reached a $750,000 medical malpractice settlement agreement with the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for the medication error that nearly killed their twin infants last year.

Zoe Grace and Thomas Boone Quaid were accidentally administered 1,000 times the recommended dose of heparin, a blood thinner. The medication mistake caused the newborn babies to bleed uncontrollably and placed their health in critical condition. Hospital officials have acknowledged that lapses in safety contributed to the twins’ heparin overdose.

Dennis and Kimberly have a drug litigation lawsuit pending against Baxter Healthcare Corp. The Quaids contend that the design and labeling of the drug caused the medication mistake. They are accusing Baxter Healthcare Corp. of products liability.

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Police in the Boston area say at least 11 motor vehicle crashes occurred over the weekend. According to the National Weather Service, some 8.8 inches of snow fell from the sky on Friday, with another 3.7 inches of snow falling on Saturday and 3.8 inches on Saturday. This made for poor driving conditions. Some 50 plows tried to clear the streets over the weekend. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries.

One auto accident left a Jeep with significant damage after its driver hit an NStar utility pole. The 37-year-old Dedham motorist was eventually cited for leaving the scene of property damage. In another Boston motor vehicle crash, an auto struck another motor vehicle as it was backing out of a driveway. Another accident occured when a plow driver backed his vehicle into a Bridge Street building.

Driving in Snowy Weather
Snow and ice on the road can make for hazardous driving conditions that can lead to serious Massachusetts injury accidents. Just because poor weather conditions may have been a major factor in causing a traffic collision, however, does not mean that there aren’t steps that you can take to drive safely and prevent auto accidents from happening. As the driver of a car, truck, or bus, you are supposed to exercise even greater care to avoid auto crashes from happening, including:

• Drive at a slower speed • Give yourself more time than usual to arrive at your destination.
• Make sure that there is even more space between you and the vehicle in front/behind you.
• Make sure your lights are on so that other drivers can see you.
• Brake gently so that your vehicle doesn’t skid.
• Don’t drive using your cruise control when the roads are icy.
• Drive defensively.

You may be entitled to Massachusetts personal injury compensation if you were injured in a Boston car accident.

Storm card : 3 days, 15 inches and 11 accident, The Daily News Transcript, December 22, 2008
Driving Safety Tips, National Weather Channel

Related Web Resource:
Winter Driving Safety Tips, Mass.gov Continue reading

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Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the Continental Airlines jet crash that occurred last Saturday as it took off from Denver International Airport. The plane accident took place a little after 6pm as the Boeing 737 was speeding down an airport runway.

Investigators say that an unusual ratting sound can be heard on the cockpit’s data recorder. They also confirm that the plane’s pilots tried to abort the takeoff to prevent it from veering off the runway.

The plane ended up skidding off the runway, shearing off its tires as it slammed into the ravine. As the jet’s fuel tanks began leaking, a fire started.

All passengers and crew members aboard the jet survived the aviation accident. Over three dozen people, however, were injured, as they scrambled out of exit doors to escape. 2 people reportedly sustained critical injuries. Fortunately, no one suffered burn injuries.

The plane’s copilot says the jet began veering away from the center of the runway as it was reaching a speed of 103mph. The plane’s captain, who sustained serious back injuries and fractures, has yet to be interviewed about what happened.

According to The Flight Safety Foundation, over 1/3rd of all plane accidents involve planes taking off from a runway. Plane accidents can often result in catastrophic injuries and serious emotional trauma for those who survive.

Investigators: Pilots Aborted Takeoff, Wall Street Journal, December 23, 2008
At Least 38 Injured In Denver Plane Crash, CBS News, December 20, 2008
Related Web Resources:

Plane Accidents, Justia
National Transportation Safety Board
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In Massachusetts, three children and three adults were taken to Boston-area hospitals for evaluation after a heating malfunction at their Dorchester apartment building released carbon monoxide into their rooms. The sound of carbon monoxide detectors going off prompted a fast evacuation of the premise.

The CO levels at the building was close to 10 times greater than what is considered safe. Clifford Long, who owns the property, says that a chimney that was partially blocked caused CO that was in the heating system’s exhaust to enter into the building.

The six patients displayed elevated carbon monoxide levels. Their symptoms included weakness, dizziness, and nausea.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
CO poisoning is the number one cause of poisoning death. Just a few minutes exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide can result in deaths. Because carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas, it can be hard to know when a person has been exposed to it.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are frequently mistaken for food poisoning or the flu, and CO can exacerbate the condition of someone who already has heart problems or respiratory illnesses. The elderly, infants, and fetuses are especially sensitive to the effects of carbon monoxide.

Premise owners and property managers are supposed to make sure that all devices on a premise that could emit CO are properly maintained and taken care of so that people do not becoming the victim of carbon monoxide poisoning. Failure to exercise this duty of care can be grounds for a Massachusetts premises liability lawsuit.

Fireplaces, water heaters, wooden stoves, gas stoves, furnaces, kerosene heaters, and blocked chimneys are just some of the devices that can end up leaking CO by accident, and the manufacturers of these products must make sure that there are no defects that can lead to CO poisoning. Injuries or death could lead to a products liability or wrongful death claim.

Carbon monoxide sends six to hospitals, Boston.com, December 17, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Carbon Monoxide Safety, Mass.gov
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, CDC Continue reading

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According to the Boston Herald, T substance abuse test results in the last three years show that 77 MBTA trolley operators, bus drivers, and train operators had tested positive for alcohol or drug use. Despite these results, only 21 of these MBTA workers were fired, while 2 other employees resigned.

Substance abuse by MBTA workers became an issue of scrutiny last month after trolley operators involved in two separate Green Line trolley crashes were fired after they took drug tests after the accidents and failed them. The MBTA has a two-strike policy for workers caught using substances.

The T randomly tests all workers employed in positions considered “safety sensitive.” Anyone who fails testing is suspended for 40 days without pay. However, unless a vehicle crash or train collision is a factor, the worker usually gets a second chance.

Out of the 77 workers that did not pass T’s random drug testing, 54 of them received the 40-day suspension penalty but kept their jobs. About 8,700 MBTA workers have undergone random testing since 2006. Of the 21 employees that were fired, three of them were street car operators, 12 of them were bus drivers, and two of them were train operators.

Critics of this two-strike policy say that the MBTA should have a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol or drug use. Some 1.3 million rides occur on MBTA buses, trains, and trollies each week. A drugged out bus driver or a drunken trolley operator can cause serious injuries to train passengers, motorists, and pedestrians if their impairment prevents them from operating their vehicle properly and safely.

MBTA passengers injured in bus collisions, train accidents, or trolley crashes may have grounds to file an MBTA injury claim if their accident occurred because the T operator acted negligently or carelessly. The MBTA is required to hire qualified workers who will do their jobs in a manner that protects passenger safety. Failure to fulfill this duty can be grounds for a Massachusetts personal injury case.

T Workers Who Failed Drug Tests Still On Job, WCVB, December 17, 2008
Review: 54 MBTA workers failed drug tests but still on job, Boston Herald, December 17, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

T suspends, will fire two after Green Line crashes, Boston Herald, November 22, 2008 Continue reading

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Two Massachusetts teenagers died in Middleborough on Thursday after the 18-year-old driver lost control of his car and struck a tree. Driver Joseph W. DeYoung and his 17-year-old passenger, Brian McMahon, died from their injuries. DeYoung had just earned his driver’s license on December 2.

Middleborough police says wet roads, driver inexperience, and speeding contributed to the fatal Massachusetts car crash, which occurred early in the morning on Purchase Street as the teens were headed to school. An initial investigation into the crash indicates that DeYoung lost control of the car. The two Middleborough high school teens were pronounced dead at the accident site.

NHTSA Young Driver Facts
– In 2006, there were 13 million young, licensed drivers, 15 – 20 years-of age, in the United States.
– In 2007, 6,982 young drivers were involved in deadly motor vehicle crashes.
– Motor vehicle accidents is the number one killer of people, ages 15 – 20.
– 3,174 drivers, ages 15-20, died in auto crashes last year.
– 252,000 were injured.
– 1,631,000 young drivers were involved in the 10,524,000 auto crash incidents that were reported to police.
31% of young drivers that died in traffic accidents last year had consumed alcohol.
–

In Massachusetts:
– 83 people died in Massachusetts motor vehicle crashes involving young drivers last year.
– 36 of the victims were young drivers operating one of the vehicles.
– 28 of the fatalities were occupants of vehicles driven by young drivers.
– 16 of the people that died were riding in other vehicles.
– 3 of the victims who died were not riding in any vehicles.

On their way to school, two teens die in crash, Boston.com, December 12, 2008
Young Drivers, 2007 Traffic Safety Facts, NHTSA

Related Web Resources:

A Comprehensive Approach to Teen Driver Safety

Statistics About Teen Drivers, Mass.gov Continue reading

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Unicef and the World Health Organization say that 830,000 children are killed around the world in accidents. Their report, the World Report on Child Injury Prevention, is the first report to gather all known information on child injuries and deaths around the globe.

The report’s estimates are acknowledged to be broad because so many poor countries are unable to collect many health statistics. The findings also take into account that there are many children who are injured or killed without receiving medical care.

According to the report, the most common causes of fatal child injuries around the world include:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Burn injuries • Drowning accidents • Fall Accidents
• Poison
Other common causes of death include murder, serious illnesses, diseases, childbirth, and abortion.

The United Nations is encouraging governments to require safety measures, such as pool fences and bicycle helmets, that could save thousands of kids’ lives each year. The UN Children’s Fund and WHO report says use of lifejackets, childproof medicines, window guards, and smoke alarms, could also save many lives.

In the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12,175 children are killed in accidents each year:

• US motor vehicle collisions continue to be the leading cause of death for kids 1 year of age or older.
• Suffocation is the number one cause of death among kids younger than 1.
• Drowning accidents is a leading cause of death for kids ages 1 to 4.

CDC injury prevention chief Ileana Arias says making kids younger than 8 ride in booster sides, passing graduated driver’s license laws in more US states, and barring teens from driving with other teens or at night could save lives.

In Massachusetts and other US states, these lists of common injuries and deaths can be grounds for personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits if another party was negligent in causing the motor vehicle crash, burn accident, dog attack, fall accident, suffocation accident, or another injury accident to occur.

Report Sounds Alarm on Child Accidents, NY Times, December 9, 2008
Preventable injuries kill 2000 children every day, WHO, December 10, 2008
Car Crashes, Falls Top List of Accidental Injuries for Kids, US News and World Report, December 10, 2008
Related Web Resources:

Read the World Report on Child Injury Prevention (PDF)

UNICEF
Continue reading

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