Middlesex County Legal Blog

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.

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?