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Hanson Man Killed In Lakeville Motorcycle Accident

November 4, 2016 | Tapalian Law

According to a story reported by Wicked Local, a motorcyclist was killed, and three other people were transported to Rhode Island Hospital after a crash in Lakeville. The crash, which is still under investigation, involved two motorcycles and a 2007 Toyota Highlander SUV. The state police are reconstructing the Lakeville motorcycle accident in an attempt to determine what caused the tragic traffic accident.

The motorcycle accident occurred on Route 18 near Tamarack Park around 10 a.m. on October 21. The man who died was driving one of the motorcycles. His passenger and the other motorcyclist were transported to the hospital along with the driver of the SUV.

Motorcycling In Rhode Island and Massachusetts

Rhode Island Clamps Down on Wrong-Way Car Accidents

November 1, 2016 | Tapalian Law

Rhode Island Clamps Down on Wrong-Way Car Accidents

Five people were killed last week, including four college students, in a wrong way crash in Massachusetts. Although wrong-way car accidents only amount to 3% of car accidents, they are 12-27 percent more fatal than other types of vehicle accidents. Most of these crashes occur between 12-3am on weekends and often involve alcohol or confusion by the driver.

Rhode Island taking action

Things NOT To Do After A Rhode Island Car Accident

October 28, 2016 | Tapalian Law

You read a lot about what you should do after a car accident. While this is very good information to have, you also should know what

NOT

to do after a car accident.

Protecting Yourself After A Car Accident

5 Killed in Massachusetts Car Accident

October 25, 2016 | Tapalian Law

5 killed in Massachusetts Car Accident

Five people were killed early this morning in a head-on collision. The car accident occurred on Interstate 495 in Middleboro, Mass. A wrong way driver is the cause of this deadly accident. Massachusetts State Police said the driver was heading south in the northbound lane just after midnight. The driver crashed into another vehicle carrying four people. All five people in both cars died.

Massachusetts State Police Alerted

Be Careful What You Post On Social Media – How Social Sharing Impacts Your Rhode Island Accident Claim

October 21, 2016 | Tapalian Law

Thanks to sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, people can share the details of their lives with friends and family every second of the day. People post everything from what they are eating for breakfast and where they are eating dinner to how irritated they are standing in line at the grocery store and how long they have sat in the doctor’s office waiting to see the doctor.

Therefore, it’s common to tell others about a car accident you were in or other accident that caused you to be injured. Social media makes it easy and convenient to update all of your friends and family with one post. Posting on social media is much easier than making numerous telephone calls or sending a text to each person. However, sharing information on social media can damage your accident claim, especially if you have a public profile. Don’t be fooled; social media posts can damage your personal injury claim even if your profiles are private.

Nothing you post on the internet is completely private, regardless of your security settings. The attorney for the other party will be monitoring your activity online. He may also request a subpoena from the court to compel you to turn over the information from your social media accounts.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Severely Injures Boy

October 12, 2016 | Tapalian Law

CNET reported on the story of a six-year-old boy who was recently injured by a Samsung Galaxy Note 7. The Samsung device exploded while the boy was watching videos. He suffered burns and he is now afraid of all phones, according to family members. The boy’s grandmother said that the device simply burst into flames. The Note 7’s battery exploded and set off smoke alarms in the home. The family called 911 and the boy was taken to a medical center where he was treated.

Other dangerous situations involving the Samsung Galaxy 7 Note have been reported throughout the United States. Samsung responded by taking the device off store shelves and issuing a recall. Airlines have ordered anyone who is flying with one of the devices to shut off the phone during the flight. The device was even linked to a house fire in South Carolina.

Lack of Quality Control

Johns Hopkins Study Suggests Medical Malpractice More Common Than You Might Think

October 5, 2016 | Tapalian Law

Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to a study by Johns Hopkins. This information should cause concern for anyone who may need medical care in the future. The startling study sheds light on the mistakes made by healthcare professionals that result in the wrongful deaths of many patients each year.

What Did The Research Show?

Researchers analyzed data for medical death rates over an eight-year period. After reviewing the data, patient safety experts concluded that over 250,000 deaths each year are the result of medical errors. The study, published in The BMJ, revealed that medical errors surpass respiratory disease as the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Massachusetts Nursing Home Abuse and Substance Abuse

September 30, 2016 | Tapalian Law

When you hear about nursing home abuse, you may think about an elderly patient being physically abused or neglected. While physical abuse and neglect are common in nursing homes, they are not the only forms of abuse. Nursing home abuse includes many forms of physical, emotional, and financial abuse. Furthermore, some nursing home patients are not elderly. A story reported by The Boston Globe earlier this month is an example of how nursing home abuse can take many forms.

Substance Abuse in Massachusetts Nursing Homes

A 43-year old man entered Braemoor Health Center last summer to learn how to walk again following the amputation of his lower leg due to massive infections. He was a recovering heroin addict. He died just three days after he was released from the nursing home from an opioid overdose. According to his family, during the seven months he was in the nursing home, he received increasing doses of opioid medications without receiving substance abuse counseling.

Multi-car Traffic Accident Injures Three in Norton, Mass

September 23, 2016 | Tapalian Law

On September 8, The Sun Chronicle reported three people were injured in a four-car accident on Route 123 (East Main Street) in Norton. All four vehicles involved in the traffic accident were traveling westbound on East Main Street at the time of the traffic accident. One driver was transported to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence and two other drivers were transported to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro. All three drivers had non-life-threatening injuries. The fourth driver in the traffic accident was not injured.

According to the police, the driver of a Cadillac SUV collided with the vehicle in front of him causing a chain reaction traffic accident. The driver of the Cadillac SUV has been charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle and marked lanes violation. The driver of another vehicle involved in the traffic accident was charged with operating a motor vehicle with a suspended driver’s license. Law enforcement officers continue to investigate the traffic accident.

Determining Fault In A Multi-Vehicle Traffic Accident

Injured or Assaulted by an Uber Driver?

September 21, 2016 | Tapalian Law

A former driver for Uber and Lyft was charged with assault on several female passengers while on the job in California, according to Escondido police. Investigators say there are more victims. A college student reported she was assaulted last week after requesting an Uber car near San Diego. The woman told police the driver picked her up on a college campus and proceeded to turn off the Uber app. She texted her friends to tell them she was uncomfortable and he drove her to another location. There he attacked her in his vehicle. Later that day the driver, Jeremy Vague, was arrested by police at his home. During the investigation, detectives discovered other victims of the same driver.

Safety Tips

Both Uber and Lyft have safety guidelines in place for drivers and passengers, such as Uber’s background check service Checkr. But past behavior may not always accurately predict future behavior. So if a driver has no past criminal history and passes the background check, perhaps has never even been in a car accident- that does not mean passengers are completely safe. It is a good idea to follow safety precautions before hiring a rideshare service.