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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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It’s every new parent’s worst nightmare: their newborn baby is injured while in the hospital’s care.

On Tuesday morning, a veteran nurse at Uniontown Hospital in Pennsylvania accidentally dropped a 1-day-old baby while feeding and burping him in the hospital’s nursery. Though the baby suffered from a minimally displaced skull fracture, he is expected to make a full recovery, according to a hospital spokesperson. The hospital is investigating what may have caused the nurse to drop the young boy, but preliminarily suspect that the nurse had become drowsy and fallen asleep, before dropping him.

A hospital spokesperson told to Associated Press that it was unclear to him what shift the nurse was working or how many hours she had been on duty when she dropped the baby. But if it turns out fatigue played a role, the hospital could make changes to prevent similar situations, he said. Continue reading

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As of Wednesday, New Hampshire law makers have placed a new law in effect that prohibits drivers from using any hand-held devices. This new “hands-free” regulation has been created in hopes of reducing distraction related crashes. Reportedly there have been 116 fatal crashes over the past four years that can be directly attributed to people driving while distracted.

Have you ever noticed how long it takes you to send a text? Or how frequently your eyes are taken off the road while you change the song on your iPod? New Hampshire law enforcement officials have provided alarming statistics to highlight just how dangerous distracted driving can be. Dialing a phone number while driving increases your risk of getting into an accident by 3 times.  If you are texting while you are driving, you are 23 times more likely to crash your vehicle. Even if you are simply reading a text, you are still taking your eyes off the road for a period of 5 seconds or longer. This may seem like an insignificant amount of time on the grand scheme of things, but in terms of safe driving, 5 seconds could be the difference between life and death. Continue reading

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