Middlesex County Legal Blog

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.

Distracted driving is a risk for people of all ages

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP posted in blog on Wednesday, June 7, 2017.

No matter how old or young you are, distracting driving can put you at risk of an accident. There are many kinds of distracted driving. Some distractions are visual, which take your eyes off the road. Others are audio distractions, like a child crying in the car or a loud bang outside the vehicle. Physical distractions are also possible. For example, if you have a sunburn that itches or if you are struck by something in the vehicle.

With any kind of distraction, the few seconds you look away from the wheel can quickly become dangerous. Even if you look away for only a few seconds, you could travel hundreds of feet without looking where you're going. That is enough time for the driver in front of you to cut you off, for a child to run in front of your vehicle or for you to go off the road.

3 tips for avoiding teenage car crashes

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP posted in Auto Accidents on Tuesday, March 7, 2017.

There is nothing more exciting than your first trip inside your vehicle on your own. You took the time to learn to drive, and the freedom that grants you is amazing. Unfortunately, there are still many things that go wrong on the roads. Other drivers may behave negligently, or someone could drive drunk and hit you. There are a few things you can do to help yourself avoid getting into an accident.

Did your car accident cause a traumatic brain injury?

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP posted in Injuries on Thursday, December 8, 2016.

Your life was going along swimmingly. You had a decent job, a wife, three kids and a dog. You worked hard, but also played hard, too - a softball league in the summer, bowling in the winter, but still enough energy to coach the kids' soccer team. You were a man with a plan and a way to achieve it.

But then you got into that horrible car accident that left you with a traumatic brain injury, and suddenly, your world exploded. You're left with picking up the pieces and trying to fit them back together, and it's not easy.

Is Voice-to-Text Really Safer?

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP posted in Auto Accidents on Friday, September 23, 2016.

Car manufacturers and tech companies are struggling to stay ahead of the distracted driving curve. As they try to minimize distractions offered by technical advances in both cabin electronics and smart phones, one has to stop and wonder if all of these safety enhancements are actually helping.

Or not.

It has long been agreed that texting while driving is the most devastating distraction that exists. This action requires drivers to forfeit manual, cognitive and visual attention from the task at hand. One major improvement is voice-to-text. But is it actually safer?

Three steps to take immediately following a car accident

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP posted in Auto Accidents on Wednesday, June 15, 2016.

Getting into an accident is a chaotic event. Frustrations may run high, but having a few basic ideas of how to handle the situation can help you get information you may need later.

So what should you do after a car crash?

Does OSHA Allow A Certain Level Of Toxic Exposure?

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP posted in Injuries on Friday, February 12, 2016.

Accidents at the workplace can range from a simple muscle pull to the development of a complex, life altering disease. Even a seemingly minor injury can lead to life-long complications and a dramatic impact on your entire family.

Typically, work injuries can fall into one of three categories: a single accident, such as falling down the stairs; repetitive stress, such as carpal tunnel syndrome; or toxic exposure. Toxic exposure can run the gamut from breathing in asbestos fibers to handling a strong chemical during cleaning. Often, chemical exposure is readily apparent through skin irritation, watering eyes or coughing. Other times, however, toxic exposure is silent.

Could the property manager have prevented your attack?

On behalf of Birenbaum & Goldberg, LLP posted in Injuries on Wednesday, November 11, 2015.

Even if you've never heard the phrase premises liability, you certainly understand the negative feelings that accompany visiting a dangerous neighborhood or unsafe building. In fact, some people will naturally avoid run-down shopping malls or poorly lit parking garages out of an innate sense of self-preservation. Unfortunately, these dangerous premises are not always avoidable.

In the worst-case scenario, you might be injured in an accident, mugged or sexually assaulted in one of these frightening areas. Many victims are content to allow the criminal justice system to punish the person responsible, but did you know that a property owner or manager could potentially be held responsible for monetary compensation?