Worcester Personal Injury Blog

Parents can help reduce their child’s high risk for dog bites

On behalf of The Law Offices of Joseph J. Cariglia, P.C. on Monday, April 22, 2019.

Children have a higher risk than adults have of being bitten by a dog. When children are bitten, the bites are also usually more severe than what an adult typically experiences. Dog bite injuries can cause your child pain, nerve damage, broken bones, infections and scarring, and injuries can be especially traumatic if your child is bitten on the face.

Because dog bites can be so dangerous for children, you may consider the steps you can take to protect your child when he or she is around dogs. Teaching your child safe behaviors to use when interacting with dogs may be one way you can help reduce your child’s risk for dog bites.

What victims can do to protect against a distracted driver

On behalf of The Law Offices of Joseph J. Cariglia, P.C. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, April 11, 2019.

Distracted driving is dangerous and can result in serious injuries and harm for victims. Victims of distracted driving-related accidents should be familiar with how they can protect themselves when they have suffered harm because of a distracted driver.

Distracted driving includes a variety of behaviors drivers should not engage in while they are behind the wheel. It includes activities that are not necessary to the driver's operation of the vehicle and that can be expected to reasonably impair the driver. Distracted driving behaviors fall into three categories including cognitive distraction, visual distraction and manual distraction. Texting while driving includes all three types of distracted driving at once which is why it is considered particularly dangerous. Distracted driving laws are in place to attempt to prevent distracted driving.

Are Massachusetts’ lower speed limits a good thing?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Joseph J. Cariglia, P.C. on Tuesday, April 9, 2019.

Almost all states allow speed limits of 70 miles per hour, and a few even get to 80 or 85. Here in the Bay State, the fastest highways only get up to 65. This might be annoying on your drive home—but it could also save your life.

A new report shows that higher speed limits lead to more driving deaths. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that despite increases in car safety, driving too fast still causes hundreds of fatalities every year.

The serious nature of soft tissue injuries after a car accident

On behalf of The Law Offices of Joseph J. Cariglia, P.C. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, March 28, 2019.

Car accident victims can, unfortunately, suffer a variety of injuries that worsen over time and the extent of which may not be immediately known following the car accident. In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, it is important for injured victims to be familiar with the symptoms and serious nature of injuries such as brain injuries or soft tissue injuries, which may be debilitating to victims and worsen over time.

Soft tissue injuries are serious and occur when the car accident victim is thrown violently back and forth during a car accident. Soft tissue injuries can grow more serious over time and result in serious damages to victims including medical bills, lost earnings during their time away from work and emotional damages as well. A personal injury claim for damages can help injured victims recover compensation for their physical, financial and emotional harm suffered in a car accident.

Help for victims of a failed diagnosis and other medical errors

On behalf of The Law Offices of Joseph J. Cariglia, P.C. posted in Medical Malpractice on Friday, March 15, 2019.

A failure to diagnose can result in serious consequences for victims and their families. It is important for victims of medical malpractice and their families to be familiar with the legal resources available to help them when they have been harmed by an erroneous or delayed diagnosis.

Whenever a medical care provider is assessing the symptoms of the patient to determine a diagnosis, it is important that appropriate tests are ordered, that test results are properly interpreted and that the patient's medical history and requested and carefully reviewed. If the victim is improperly diagnosed, or the diagnosis is delayed because of the negligence of the medical care provider, it can result in the victim not receiving the appropriate medical care or treatment; receiving medical care or treatment they do not need; or not receiving medical care and treatment in a timely manner.

Deadly pile-up is reason to revisit winter driving tips

On behalf of The Law Offices of Joseph J. Cariglia, P.C. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, February 28, 2019.

Worcester viewers of WFXT recently saw a news report on the deadly Wisconsin pile-up that involved 131 vehicles. While newscasters were quick to point out that the chain-reaction crashes were caused by extreme winter weather, a state trooper made it clear that though the snowstorm was an important factor in the series of motor vehicle crashes, the real culprit was that drivers could not “stop fast enough because they're following too close or going too fast for the conditions,” he said.

“And then they start just piling into one another. It's almost like they're just driving into a wall of cars, just like they're driving through whiteout conditions."

What happens when you slip and fall on an icy sidewalk?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Joseph J. Cariglia, P.C. on Wednesday, February 20, 2019.

Whether there is a lot of snow on the ground or just a little, one thing you can be certain of during winter is that another snowstorm is on the way. When the snow comes, that means treacherous walking conditions for pedestrians throughout Massachusetts.

If you slip, and suffer an injury, you may want to consider legal action.

Many deadly underride collisions could be preventable

On behalf of The Law Offices of Joseph J. Cariglia, P.C. on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.

When large commercial vehicles collide with smaller passenger vehicles, the people in the smaller vehicles usually pay the price. Large commercial trucks can completely demolish smaller vehicles, resulting in catastrophic or fatal injuries to the passengers inside.

The sad truth about these kinds of crashes is that, in many cases, they could have been prevented. Collisions often result from inattentiveness on the part of one or more drivers involved. Fatigue, distraction and impairment can also contribute. Issues with the safety equipment on a commercial truck can also impact how severe a crash ends up being.

Do you know the most dangerous time of day on the road?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Joseph J. Cariglia, P.C. on Tuesday, January 8, 2019.

Driving at any time of day is a somewhat dangerous activity. After all, you're traveling at high speeds in a box made of metal, glass and synthetic materials. Although the vast majority of people arrived safely at their destination when they drive, the potential for a collision is always there.

There are certain risk factors that increase the likelihood of a crash. These include sharing the road with drunk drivers, bad weather conditions and exhaustion. You can make decisions that reduce your risk by avoiding distraction and impairment when you drive. You can also choose not to drive when you feel tired already.

Do you know the top causes of motor vehicle accidents?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Joseph J. Cariglia, P.C. on Friday, December 28, 2018.

Understanding the top causes of motor vehicle accidents can go a long way in keeping you safe. Not only will you know what to look for when driving, but you can also adjust your driving style with safety in mind.

Here are 7 common causes of motor vehicle accidents:

Distracted driving: This includes anything that distracts you, thus taking your attention away from the road and the vehicles in close proximity to yours. From texting to eating to conversing with passengers, there are many distractions to avoid.
Speeding: It's easy to drive faster than the speed limit, but doing so greatly increases the risk of causing an accident and/or losing control of your vehicle.
Driving under the influence: From drugs to alcohol, driving under the influence is a serious problem in the United States. Doing so impairs your ability to control your vehicle and make sound decisions.
Reckless driving: This takes on many forms, including but not limited to excessive speeding, illegal lane changes and road rage.
Ignoring weather conditions: When weather conditions change without much notice, which is often the case in Massachusetts, drivers should adjust their approach to the road. For example, driving in the snow requires a different approach than driving on dry pavement.
Running a red light or stop sign: Intersection accidents are all too common, and are often the result of a driver neglecting to stop at a red light or stop sign. As a driver, pay close attention to the activity at an intersection as you approach it.
Driving at night: It's difficult enough to drive safely during daylight hours. When you add in a lack of visibility, it's an even bigger challenge to avoid trouble. In addition to using your headlights, slow down when driving at night. This gives you more time to react in the event of an emergency, such as someone pulling out in front of you.