Summer is in full swing, with lakes and oceans are abuzz with vacationers frolicking on watercraft ranging from motor boats and jet skis to yachts. Unfortunately, the same dangers faced by motor vehicle operators driving to water recreation activities—intoxication, speeding, inexperienced drivers and defective vehicles—as well as hazards unique to water-borne transportation, can cause serious […]
Distracted Driver Awareness Month ended last month, but the problem remains. Driver error causes 90 percent of motor vehicle accidents (“mva”)—with 26 percent of crashes blamed on cell phone use, according to National Safety Council statistics. Massachusetts law bans texting while driving, one of 41 states, along with the District of Columbia, to do so. […]
A canine companion may be man’s best friend, but last year, one-third of homeowner’s insurance liability claim dollars– more than $489 million—was paid to settle dog bite claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute, the nation’s largest writer of homeowners insurance policies. Massachusetts has a victim-friendly, strict liability dog-bite statute. Under the law, an […]
If you seek to recover for a personal injury, expect an insurer, be it a PIP (Personal Injury Protection) carrier for a motor vehicle-related injury, or a liability insurance carrier for an injury caused by a slip and fall or medical negligence, to ask you to undergo an Independent Medical Examination (IME). Plaintiffs’ attorneys derisively […]
Discussing Personal Injury Protection (“PIP”) benefits concerning Massachusetts’ compulsory No-Fault automobile insurance is a surefire way to induce glassy-eyed stares from most Bay Staters. From time to time, our blog will tackle PIP-related issues to highlight key court decisions and clarify confusing legalese. Often, clients and readers unfortunate enough to suffer injuries in a motor […]
Summer is a carefree time to take in a ballgame, relax at the beach, or party with friends. But what happens if a guest at your bbq over-indulges? What if your teen-ager hosts a keg party while you and your spouse enjoy a Maine getaway weekend in blissful ignorance? Social host liability arises when a homeowner […]