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A vehicle crash occurred just shortly after 2:00 AM on Wednesday, July 15th which resulted in the injury of three men who were riding motorcycles at the time of the accident. The three men were hit by an additional motor vehicle. The driver of that vehicle that struck the three motorcyclists was said to have been traveling the wrong way down interstate I-495. The driver, 69 year old Hilda L. Szala of Riverside, Rhode Island, was allegedly traveling south on the northbound lane of the highway near an overpass in Norton. Preliminary reports provided by the state police indicate that Szala was driving under the influence of alcohol when the accident took place.

State police has additionally indicated that they had previously received well over 40 calls from other motorists complaining of a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction down the highway prior to the accident involving the three motorcyclists.

The accident resulted in serious injuries to all three motorcyclists that were hit by Hilda Szala’s 2003 Toyota. One of the victims, a 38 year old man from Brockton, Massachusetts, was thrown from his 2006 Suzuki motorcycle and has sustained life-threatening injuries. State Trooper Matthew Guarino, who is investigating the incident, said in a statement that the 38 year old victim was transported to Rhode Island Hospital, but an immediate update on his condition has not yet been released. Another victim of the accident, a 36 year old man also from Brockton, Massachusetts, was riding a 1999 Suzuki motorcycle at the time of the accident and was similarly thrown from his vehicle upon impact. The severity of his injuries had not been detailed at the time of the initial report. The third victim of the accident, a 28 year old man from Pawtucket, Rhode Island, sustained non-life threatening injuries as he too was thrown from his vehicle following the accident. No additional information on where the other victims were treated or the nature of their injuries has been provided at this time. The driver of the Toyota, Hilda Szala, did not suffer any injuries. Continue reading

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A popular bar near Boston’s TD Garden was allowed to reopen following an inspection by city officials last week.

The Greatest Bar, located on Friend Street, was investigated by Boston police officers and the chief of the Problem Properties Task Force on Thursday night during a raid of its premises for a series of reported violations.

According to WCVB, the owners of The Greatest Bar were issued 16 violations stemming from 30 different incidents reported between 2013 and 2015. The incidents ranged from everything from assaults and fights and patrons being injured, to patrons being overserved, WCVB reports. The owners were ordered to meet with city officials by Friday morning or risk having the bar shut down permanently.

In a statement made to the media, Greatest Bar co-owner Julie Fairweather said, “We are pleased to have been able to work with city officials today to address their concerns,” co-owner Julie Fairweather said in a statement. “We will be ready to work with the city again tomorrow – and moving forward from this point on – to continue making progress in addressing any concerns that they might have.”

“In August of last year, we started reaching out to the property owner, and have had no response since then,” Smith said. “There have been a number of police violations and police presence (has) showed up here. So it boiled up to the point where we felt that we needed to make some sort of action to go into the establishment and say, ‘This is not OK,'” Jerome Smith, chair of the Problem Property Task Force said. Smith went on record to say that The Great Bar is “the worst offender among Boston’s problem businesses.”

According to WCVB, the commissioner of inspectional services, William Christopher, authorities found some violations on Thursday, including problems with egress. The bar has reportedly had problems with overcrowding in the past, but when the task force arrived, there was no issue.

“We take this very seriously. That this is not just a list of places that we think are in trouble,” Christopher said in a statement to WCVB. “These are places where we are going to be very proactive about. We’re going to go out and visit them. We’re going to make sure they adhere to the rules and regulations and offer a safe establishment for people to enjoy.”

Continue reading

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The record-setting snowfall that plagued New England this winter generated a number of issues for local residents—causing delays in daily commutes and forcing children to stay home for an escalating number of snow days whether you had someone to watch them or not—and now the incessant snow of this winter is also going to cost you with your insurance company.

Insurance premiums are said to be making a huge leap of about 9 percent, which translates to an increase of about $100 on average for Massachusetts residents with premium insurance. The average is already about $1,150.

According to reports, The Massachusetts Division of Insurance has recently approved a general 8.9 percent increase for the state’s largest insurance company, Mapfre USA Corp. The increase will be effective starting on August 1st of this year. Mapfre USA Corp. insures over 214,000 homeowners in Massachusetts and previously only increased their premiums by 2.3 percent last year. Continue reading

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Falls to a lower level are the number one cause of construction-site fatalities. With proper safety training, site maintenance and the right equipment, these accidents are largely preventable. In order to educate construction workers and employers about these dangers and reduce annual construction-site injuries and fatalities, OSHA has enacted a national fall prevention campaign.

OSHA’s campaign serves to educate and raise awareness about falls from high places, such as roofs, ladders, and scaffolds. Of 828 total construction-related fatalities in 2013, 291 were due to falls.  OSHA has partnered with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Occupational Research Agenda to educate as many construction workers and employers as possible. By following three simple steps, construction-site falls can be easily prevented. Continue reading

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In October of 2014, three Massachusetts roofers were hospitalized following a scaffolding accident that took place at their worksite. The accident in question was easily preventable, considering the fact that these three men were standing atop a plank of spruce that was very clearly marked as being unsafe for scaffolding use. The plank broke, causing the three roofers to fall over two stories to the ground. Their collective and individual injuries were extensive, of which included injuries to the eye, spine, face, chest, rib fractures, broken bones, broken ribs, and a punctured lung. The company that employed these men had been in violation of various safety codes in the past—a lesson they apparently did not learn from. Continue reading

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A severe allergy to antibiotics or painkillers such as Ibuprofen could result in a life-threatening condition known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS). The first sign of the syndrome is typically a rash that can quickly turn into blisters, open sores, and peeling skin. The loss of skin can lead to serious infection, and the syndrome can also affect internal organs, causing potentially fatal complications. Individuals who develop SJS often continue taking the medication that caused it because of inadequate warning labels on over-the-counter and prescription medications. This has resulted in numerous claims of negligence, and “failure to warn” lawsuits across the country.

Although SJS can be caused by most medications, the main culprits are:

Ibuprofen, including Advil, Motrin, and children’s versions of both medicines

Continue reading

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Recently, car dashboard displays seem to be following the same technological trajectory as current smart phones. These new displays, a hot commodity for big name automakers, can perform all of the basic functions you love most about your cellphone. The interactive displays are being manufactured now to allow people to find listings for nearby restaurants, check their Twitter mentions, and upload a photo of a place in order to find directions to that specific destination. Text messages can be read aloud to the driver, and the driver is also able to place and take phone calls via the voice command option popular with all models of these displays. And while the voice command option allows for drivers to remain focused on the road instead of being focused on their phone, certain lawmakers don’t believe that these interactive dashboard displays are any safer than using your phone while driving would be. Continue reading

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According to a new report conducted by the Environmental Working Group Action Fund (EWG) that was released this Wednesday, certain crayons and children’s crime-scene kits contain trace amounts of asbestos. The asbestos fibers were said to be found on four types of crayons and two children’s crime-scene fingerprinting kits. The brands that contained these fibers were Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crayons, Disney’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jumbo Crayons and Saban’s Power Rangers Super Megaforce Jumbo Crayons and ones by a manufacturer known as Amscan. The crime-scene kits in question were EduScience’s Deluxe Forensics Lab Kit and Inside Intelligence’s Secret Spy Kit. The crayon products were purchased at a Party City store and a Dollar Tree store in the San Francisco area, while the crime-scene kits were purchased online via Amazon.com and Toys”R”Us.com. The primary concern seems to be with the finger-printing products, as they contain a higher concentration level of asbestos fibers. Continue reading

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This past Tuesday a Framingham man was walking along the Massachusetts Turnpike near the 117 mile marker in Natick when he was struck by a tractor trailer and killed during the early morning hours. The victim has been identified as Ramuel Raagos, aged 40 years old. Raagos was said to be walking on the westbound side of the turnpike near the service plaza prior to the accident. According to the state troopers from the Weston State Police Barracks, it was not clear at the time why Ramuel Raagos was walking alongside the interstate. The state police have said that they did not immediately find an abandoned vehicle along the route Raagos had been heading down and are unsure of why he was walking on such a dangerous road for pedestrians. Continue reading

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In the days leading up to the July 4th weekend, we posted a blog with safety tips that should be followed while out celebrating this joyous occasion. In the article we cautioned about the potential for serious injuries while shooting off fireworks under your own accord. In the days following these July 4th celebrations, multiple stories are emerging of people of various ages suffering major injuries as a result of lighting off their own fireworks. Accidents can happen anywhere and at any time—they can happen to people in your neighborhood, people in your home state, and they can also happen to big-time NFL players as well. Continue reading

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