Middlesex County Legal Blog

How to climb a ladder with safety in mind

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP on Wednesday, November 20, 2019.

Even if using a ladder is second nature, one mix-up or false step can cause an accident that results in serious injury. This is why it's so important to fully understand the steps you can follow to maintain your safety at all times.

For example, if you work as a painter or construction worker, there won't be many days that pass when you don't use a ladder in some way, shape or form. These five tips will help you maintain a high level of safety:

Don't use a ladder if you're exhausted: It's the end of the day, your legs feel like concrete and you're having a hard enough time walking. Even if you need to use a ladder, it's best to reconsider until you have the energy to do so.
Keep an eye on the sky: You never want to find yourself on a ladder in inclement weather, such as when the wind picks up or the snow begins to fall.
Keep three points of contact: Two feet and one hand or one foot and two hands. This helps you maintain your stability as you're climbing, regardless of the height.
Don't skip rungs: You're in a hurry so you decide to take bigger steps, thus skipping rungs on your way to the top of the ladder. This increases the likelihood of losing track of where you are, which could lead to an accident. Take it one step at a time, even if you're in a hurry.
Don't carry a heavy load: There are better ways to transport items to height, such as a pulley system. Carrying a heavy load while climbing a ladder increases the risk of being pulled off the side.

A minor brain injury can cause major complications

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP on Wednesday, August 21, 2019.

Car accidents, impact sports and even daily activities can all lead to brain injuries that victims may not realize they have. Often, victims may not remember feeling a blow to the head, and may only suspect they suffered an injury once they begin feeling the symptoms.

It does not take a hard blow to the head to cause a mild brain injury, although each person responds differently to head trauma. These injuries are especially common in car accidents, where a victim may be so disoriented during the experience and immediately after it that they do not recall hitting their head and may assume they survived without suffering any harm.

5 tips to help you stay safe cycling in traffic

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP on Friday, May 24, 2019.

Cycling along the busy streets of Malden can be a scary thought, especially if you are just getting back in the saddle after a long winter. It is perfectly normal to have a bit of fear when it comes to riding your bike in close proximity to fast moving cars and trucks.

One of the best things you can do to stay safe this cycling season is to brush up on the rules for sharing the road with city traffic. Follow these cycling safety tips to reduce your risk of a bike accident the next time you go for a ride.

How do job duties impact workers’ joints?

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP on Monday, February 25, 2019.

Cumulative trauma injuries can negatively impact workers who are trying to do their best. Often, these hardworking people will try to continue doing their job duties despite the discomfort they are feeling. These injuries usually start off as minor irritations that will progressively get worse over time.

Employees will sometimes try to ignore the symptoms that point to a cumulative trauma injury. At first, they may take over-the-counter medications and other methods to try to relieve the pain. While this might work at first, the pain and other symptoms will get worse as the damage to the impacted areas becomes greater.

All of these things can result in a car-truck accident

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP on Tuesday, November 27, 2018.

As the operator of a motor vehicle, you know there will be times when you have to share the road with large commercial trucks. As nerve-wracking as it may be, there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe.

To start, it's critical to understand the most common causes of car-truck accidents. With this knowledge, you'll have a better idea of what to look for when you're behind the wheel.

Inadequate training: Trucking companies should provide training on defensive driving, safety and technique. Neglecting to do so means that a trucker may not be ready for the road.
Unrealistic schedules: Trucking companies want drivers to reach their destination as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, an unrealistic schedule can force a trucker to speed and/or drive too many consecutive hours.
Drowsy driving: There are federal laws in place mandating that truckers take breaks after so much time on the road. However, this doesn't mean that truckers obey the law at all times.
Distracted driving: Truckers can fall prey to distractions, just like anyone else. From texting to eating, any distraction greatly increases the risk of an accident.
Reckless driving: There are many examples of this behavior, such as excessive speeding, illegal passing and failure to use turn signals.
Driving under the influence: Drugs, prescription medication and alcohol all impair a person's ability to make sound decisions on the road.

Distracted driving takes many forms

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP on Tuesday, August 28, 2018.

Most Malden residents realize that texting while driving is very dangerous, and thus, avoid this action behind the wheel. However, texting is just the tip of the iceberg of distractions that can divert a driver's attention from the task at hand.

Many -- if not most -- drivers have eaten a snack or meal while tooling down the highway. Plenty of motorists start off their workdays with a drive-thru run at McDonald's or their fast food franchise of choice.

Can I include a hospital in a medical malpractice claim?

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP on Tuesday, June 5, 2018.

If you seek medical care at a hospital only to emerge with further unnecessary injuries, it is likely that you should pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit. However, depending on the specifics of your injury experience, a number of liable parties may be on the hook in your claim, including the hospital where your injury occurred.

While hospital are not always liable in medical malpractice claims, they may reasonably hold some responsibility for your injuries in a number of ways. Be sure to carefully examine the specifics of your injury to determine a strong strategy you can use to seek full compensation and protect your rights.

Workers' comp claim denied? You can appeal it

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP posted in blog on Friday, March 2, 2018.

You don't normally think of your office job in Malden as particularly dangerous, but even in a seemingly safe setting, you can suffer a work-related injury. For instance, you could develop a repetitive motion injury like carpal tunnel syndrome from hours of typing or some other motion that you do continuously with your hands. When you get hurt at work, you might be able to qualify for workers' compensation benefits. But, what if the insurer or your employer denies your claim?

Workers' compensation insurance providers deny claims for various reasons. In some cases, it could be as simple as a clerical error and in others it could be because your employer insists that your injuries are not work-related. No matter the reason, it is important to understand why insurers deny workers' compensation claims and what you should do to appeal the denial.

Top 6 things not to do behind the wheel

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP posted in blog on Monday, December 4, 2017.

Driving gets boring. You've been doing it for decades. You drive the same route almost every day.

You stop thinking of your car as a complex machine traveling at dangerous speeds on unpredictable roads. You start thinking of it as a boring place that you're trapped for 60 minutes per day as you commute to and from work.

Motorcycle safety for the new rider

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP posted in blog on Thursday, August 31, 2017.

Buying a motorcycle may have been a dream of yours since you were a kid. The promise of open roads, sunny days, and the wind in your face is what most people see when they look at a bike. Low maintenance costs and even lower gasoline expenses make this mode of transportation appealing as well. Now that you have finally purchased your first motorcycle, it is important to take your safety seriously.

Riding a bike is dangerous. It might be one of the most dangerous things you ever do during your lifetime. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) estimates that motorcycle riders are 30 times more at risk to be involved in a fatal accident than people that operate cars and trucks. In order to stay safe on the road, follow the safety tips for new riders described below.