Boston Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

There have been a number of residential fires in Greater Boston this year that were reportedly caused by negligence. Boston Fire Department spokesperson Steve MacDonald advised, "Don't leave candles unattended, and portable heaters are not intended to be permanent sources of heat in a room. If you smoke, make sure you extinguish it properly. And if you're cooking, don't leave pots unattended. It's all common-sense things." When common-sense precaution isn't exercised, however, damages and personal injury may be incurred.

In the winter months heat is a hot commodity. One of the most cost-effective and popular ways to heat up a small space in your home or office is with a portable heater. Space heaters should not be used to exclusively or continuously warm a room. Running portable heaters for extended periods of time increases the potential for an electrical fire, by coming into contact with flammable objects, like bedding, curtains, and clothing, resulting in a premises liability case.

As the Boston Globe reported in the article, Number of house fires on rise in Jan, electrical fires are often fatal. Massachusetts Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan added that fires are often caused by "space heaters and not taking the proper precautions. The majority of our residents don't believe they will be a victim of fire.''

Continue reading "Rise in Boston Fires Due to Negligence" »

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was granted regulatory power over tobacco companies in 2009. The FDA, sometimes considered incredible, has made tobacco companies and manufactures accountable by law for their products, with the intention of protecting the public and to prevent personal injury cases.

If, for example, a tobacco company wants to change its product, it must disclose intended changes to the FDA.

It's possible that the tobacco industry will be made to reveal all the ingredients in brand-manufactured cigarettes.

Previously, tobacco companies were sued when their negligence for public health was publicized. Often times cases were kept quiet. Now, like other public and private institutions, tobacco companies will have to maintain transparency.

Continue reading "Tobacco Companies' Intentions Made Public" »

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is launching a website called "FDA Basics for Industry" this year.

The purpose of the website is to make food and drug regulation, as well as information about medical devices and defective product recalls more transparent and accessible.

The FDA has "pledged to reform the agency's policies, which they say have hurt its credibility with the public."

Continue reading "Reputation Management: FDA Launches Website" »

The Massachusetts Move Over law that was enacted in March 2009 has been abided by most drivers on the Massachusetts Turnpike and other roads on which emergency responders and maintenance crews are stationed; however, drunk drivers sometimes fail to move into the adjacent, unoccupied lane as is required by the law, because they're driving impaired.

Since 2009 there have been several accidents involving state troopers caused by alleged drunk drivers who did not "move over." The latest occurred January 2, 2011 on the Massachusetts Turnpike when a Washington state man, who has been charged with driving with an open container and failing to "take care in stopping", rear-ended state Trooper Steven Larocco's cruiser. LaRocco was in the cruiser at the time when it was hit; the impact caused the cruiser to hit a third car that was partially pulled over on the side of the road as he was checking on it. The passengers in the third vehicle involved in the car accident, as well as Trooper LaRocco were injured. The Washington state man was not.

The full article is featured in the Boston Globe: Trooper, 3 others injured in crash

Follow-up post, Like Moths to a Flame: Drunk Drivers Drawn to Bright Lights, featured in our Boston Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog.

Continue reading "Drunk Drivers Fail to Abide Move Over Law: State Trooper One of Many Injured " »