June 22, 2018

Protecting Yourself: Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Coverage

In Massachusetts, drivers frequently choose to take irresponsible risk by not purchasing automobile insurance or simply purchasing coverage that has only minimal coverage in case of an accident. By law, all drivers are required to have insurance. However, car insurance can be expensive and many feel as though they can save money by purchasing only minimum coverage or buying no coverage at all. However, if you are in a wreck you quickly become aware of how important it is to have good insurance coverage. For that reason, it is crucial to protect yourself by making sure you have sufficient automobile insurance coverage.

Drivers can protect themselves from uninsured or underinsured drivers by purchasing uninsured motorist (UM) or underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage as part of their own insurance policies. In Massachusetts, UM coverage is required while UIM coverage is optional. In many situations, these two coverages are purchased together by drivers as an addendum to their regular policy.

UM coverage is especially helpful in situations of hit-and-run accidents. Many times, in a hit-and-run, the responsible driver is never located and the injured victim must turn to their own policy for recovery. In these cases, UM coverage is invaluable. UM coverage pays damages for bodily injury to people injured or killed in certain accidents caused by uninsured or hit-and-run drivers. Massachusetts law requires you to carry UM coverage of at least $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident. However, in most cases you will want to elect a much higher coverage limit as medical bills alone can easily exceed these totals in a serious car crash. It is not unusual to find UM policies with $150,000 to $200,000 of coverage.

June 22, 2018

Accident on Plantation Street in Worcester

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Worcester Police responded to a report of an accident with personal injuries on Plantation Street late Thursday evening. The call to police was received around 10:00 pm and concerned a multiple vehicle accident with injuries in the 200 block of Plantation. Officers with the Worcester Police Department along with medical personnel reported to the accident scene. The scene was quickly secured by officers as they attempted to survey the damage caused by the accident.

At least one person was hurt in this crash and required the attention of medical technicians. We have no word on their condition at this time. Everyone involved in this accident stayed on scene to cooperate with investigating officers. Worcester Police are still investigating the crash at this time. There is no information on those involved or the cause of the wreck.

Boston Personal Injury Attorney

June 22, 2018

One Seriously Injured in Saugus Wreck

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A serious wreck in Saugus, Massachusetts on Thursday sent one person to the hospital. The crash happened on Essex Street when a Toyota Camry crossed over the center line of a two lane road. As the Camry drifted back into its lane, it sideswiped a Ford pickup truck at 226 Essex Street. The pickup truck was also pulling a trailer at the time of the crash.

Police and fire personnel rushed to the scene. The Camry was heavily damaged and its airbags deployed in the crash. The driver of the Camry had to be cut of their vehicle using hydraulic rescue equipment. The driver was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries. The truck driver was able to walk away unharmed. The Saugus Police Department is still investigating this crash and has not released the names of those involved or any reason for why the Camry may have crossed the dividing line.

Boston Injury Accident Attorney

June 22, 2018

Three Injured in Mashpee Crash

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A crash in Mashpee on Friday resulted in three people being sent to the hospital with injuries. Multiple cars were involved in the accident which took place on Highway 151, the Nathan Ellis Highway, just outside of Dino’s Sports Bar. One of the vehicles involved in this crash caught fire shortly after the accident. Fire personnel on scene were quickly able to extinguish the fire. One of the injured victims had to be pulled from their car by rescue workers.

All of the injured were taken to nearby Falmouth Hospital to receive further medical treatment. Although this accident certainly appears to be serious based on early reports, we do not know the extent of any injuries at this time. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Mashpee Police Department. The names of any drivers or passengers involved in the crash have not been released.

Boston Injury Lawyer

June 22, 2018

Crash in Mansfield Leads to Injuries

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A crash this morning in Mansfield, Massachusetts resulted in injuries to at least one driver. The crash involved multiple vehicles and happened around 9:00 am on I-495 near Exit 13 at I-95. Police say that the crash caused injuries requiring medical treatment. Mansfield officers and EMT personnel arrived on scene to treat the injured victims. We do not know the severity or extent of the injuries at this time.

The crash caused heavy delays in the northbound lanes of I-495 at the tail end of the rush hour. Traffic was backed up for a considerable distance leading up to the accident. Eventually police were able to clear up the accident scene and traffic flow was restored to the area before 10:00 am. The drivers involved in this crash were not identified.

Boston Car Accident Attorney

June 22, 2018

Legal Rights of OUI Accident Victims

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

OUI has become a serious problem in recent years across our state. A 2012 study conducted by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System revealed that there 1,370 people killed in Massachusetts OUI crashes in a 9 year period from 2003 through 2012. Of course, during that time the number of non-fatal OUI crashes experienced in the state would have been much greater.

OUI crashes tend to involve more serious and catastrophic injuries than other types of crashes. One reason for this is that these accidents usually happen due to a complete loss of vehicle control by the impaired driver. Whether because of drugs or alcohol, impairment means that the driver’s mental and physical capability are slowed considerably which also reduces critical factors such as reaction time, ability to perceive objects in the roadway and the ability to make judgments on matters such as depth perception and proper distance between vehicles. When a driver loses control of these faculties, they lose control of a 2,000 pound piece of metal that can quickly become a deadly weapon.

In Massachusetts, it is illegal drive with a blood alcohol concentration of more than .08%. It is also illegal to drive with any amount of a controlled substance such as a prescription medication or an illegal drug that impairs the ability to drive. In drug and controlled substances cases, the opinion of the officer as to a driver’s impairment is critical.

June 22, 2018

Liability in Single Vehicle Accidents

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A single-vehicle accident can be every bit as serious as a crash involving multiple cars. Some people think that single vehicle accidents mean that the driver is always at fault and that there is nothing they can to recover for their injuries, including pain and suffering, medical bills and missed time from work. That is simply not true.

Many factors beyond the control of the driver can lead to single vehicle collisions,including poor weather conditions, road conditions, and defects in your vehicle either from the manufacturer or from a negligent repair by a mechanic. Any of these problems may have caused your accident and injuries. At Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers, our Boston accident attorneys have helped many clients recover for their injuries sustained in single-vehicle accidents and can help you as well.

Single vehicle accidents are more common than you may think. Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reveal that approximately 55 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths in 2016 occurred in single-vehicle crashes. In many states, that number climbs to over 60 perecent. Some common examples of such accidents include but are not limited to: running off the road, debris in the roadway, a dangerous object left in the road, poor road repairs and evasive maneuvers to avoid crashes with another driver.

June 22, 2018

Hit and Run Under Investigation in Worcester

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Reports of a hit and run were received by the Worcester Police Department on Thursday evening. The first call came in to the department around 6:00 pm. The caller advised police of a hit and run accident involving injury that occurred in the 1 block of Chandler Street. Chandler Street is located on the west side of the city, just west of downtown.

Worcester police investigated the accident and confirmed that the driver responsible for the crash left the scene. Police did take a report in this matter and are still investigating how the crash occurred and are trying to find the responsible suspect. An immediate search of the area yielded no results. The search for the suspect remains active at this time. No word on the condition of injuries sustained in the crash.

Boston Injury Lawyer

June 22, 2018

Accident on Eastern Avenue in Worcester

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Worcester Police officers were dispatched to the scene of an injury accident on Thursday evening. The accident occurred in the 100 block of Eastern Avenue. At least two vehicles were traveling on Eastern when they collided with one another, resulting in damage to the vehicles as well as injuries. The injuries required the assistance of medical personnel who arrived on scene shortly after the accident to provide first aid and medical treatment to victims.

Worcester Police have opened an accident file under report number 2018000067486 while this crash investigation remains active. To date, there is no indication that police will charge either of the parties involved for their role in the accident. There is no indication on the extent of injuries or whether the injuries are considered serious or life-threatening. At this time, we do not believe that is the case but will update this story if other information comes to light.

Boston Car Accident Attorneys

June 22, 2018

Injury Crash on Route 3 in Hanover

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Although it is not the type of “activity” that anyone wants to see, Thursday evening was a busy time for car accidents across our state. There were a handful of injury collisions reported late in the evening on streets and highways in several different areas. One such collision occurred on Route 3 in Hanover, Massachusetts. This accident took place in the northbound lanes of the roadway just before Route 53.

The crash took up a lane of the roadway with blocked vehicles and caused traffic to pile up heading into the accident scene. Police in Hanover responded to the scene where they found at least one person to be injured fro the crash. The person did require medical care, which was given on scene. Police have not provided additional details on the extent of the injuries or the cause of this crash. More information will be given if it becomes available.

Those traveling to and from work on in and around the Boston area are no doubt familiar with collisions that occur in cities and towns across our state. For those not involved, they are frustrating because they often cause long travel delays which results in inconvenience to all motorists. For those that are involved, the experience is obviously much worse, especially if injuries occur from the collision. Some injuries are more debilitating than others. Certain injuries may last only a short period of time and will respond well to medical treatment while others will linger for months and even years after the accident and may require a variety of treatment methods, including therapy all the way up to surgical intervention. In these types of cases, you do not want to settle too soon because your medical costs for the future will not be covered if you take a quick settlement offered by the insurance company and sign away your rights to receive future payments.