A THANKSGIVING MESSAGE FROM ATTORNEY STEVEN BALLIN
I have been very fortunate to have traveled abroad on a number of occasions. I always make a point to chat up the locals when I travel and learn more about their country and lives. For example, on the same days I saw beautiful vineyards or pristine beaches and blue water, I learned from locals […]
PLAYING WITH FIRE INSIDE MULTI-UNIT BUILDING COSTS FIREBUG $340,000 FOR FIREFIGHTER’S INJURED KNEE
It is a snowy, Sunday night and 17-year-old James Flare is home alone with nothing to do. So, he heads down to the basement with a handful of road flares. He sets his iPhone up and records himself so he can show his friends later. James lights one of the flares and aims it at […]
$1 MILLION FOR OFFICER’S FRIEND CUT OFF BY CAR
Mr. Driver travels down a road he knows very well on a clear, Fall day. He readies himself to turn left into a gas station. Sitting in the front passenger seat is his wife who sees a motorcyclist approaching from the opposite direction. She yells to watch out. Mr. Driver does not yield the right […]
$500,000 FOR INJURED EMPLOYEE FROM EMPLOYER WHO LET ITS WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE LAPSE
A 55 year old worker suffered second and third degree burns to his foot at work while cleaning heavy equipment with a high pressure steam power washer. His employer had no workers compensation insurance at the time; the policy having been cancelled for non-payment of premiums months before. The employee hired us after months of […]
$1.95 MILLION FOR OFFICER INJURED IN UNPLANNED WORK ZONE
A contractor is doing construction work in a right turn lane at a busy intersection. The contractor decides to close off the right turn lane using some cones. Debbie Driver approaches the intersection. She intends on using the right turn lane, as she does every day on her way home from work. There are no […]
$190,000 FOR LEG BROKEN ON ICY DRIVEWAY
Just because there were record snowfalls, property owners are not excused from their legal responsibility to visitors of their property.
$400,000 FOR OFFICER INJURED WORKING STADIUM EVENT
Officers frequently work extra hours during details at events in order to financially support themselves and their families. Events such as concerts, sporting events and fairs which bring in large crowds must be kept under control by local police, especially when alcohol is served at the event. Officers frequently work these details at venues such […]
DRUNK DRIVER COSTS BAR $475,000
Over the course of five hours, a bar serves one man ten to fifteen beers and three tequila shots before watching the man walk out to his car. Shortly after driving away from the bar around midnight, the man crosses over into oncoming traffic. A police officer sees headlights drift over the double yellow line […]
$123,000 FOR OFFICER INJURED IN FLEEING CAR PURSUIT
Prior to this officer’s injury on duty, he attended one of my twenty minute talks at a local meeting at his department, which proved extremely valuable. During this talk, I explained changes police officers need to make to their personal automobile insurance policies in the event of an injury on or off duty involving a motor […]
UNDERAGE DRINKING PARTY COSTS PARENTS $125,000
The police arrive at a suburban home in response to reports of a late night underage drinking party where they find a crowd of 75 youths in and outside the home. Fearful mostly of what their parents will do if they are caught, the underage drinkers (…you guessed it…) run in all directions. The police […]
$299,000 VERDICT FOR OFFICER INJURED IN FOOT PURSUIT
It is after midnight in a rural section of town. A concerned resident calls 911 to report a commotion and revving engines in a nearby storage yard. Officers are dispatched to investigate. Another 911 call comes in. The resident now reports hearing glass breaking. Officers arrive at the dark storage yard 100 yards off the […]
ATTORNEY STEVEN BALLIN SPEAKS AT FOXBORO POLICE MEETING
On July 8th, Attorney Steven Ballin spoke at a Foxboro Police Department meeting to a group of officers, advising them of steps to take now to protect themselves for the future in the event of an injury on duty. A few highlights from the short presentation included: laws which provide for additional compensation when injured […]
RECEIVING INJURY-ON-DUTY BENEFITS DOES NOT PROHIBIT POLICE OR FIREFIGHTERS FROM MAKING A CLAIM LIKE ANY OTHER CITIZEN
Like any other employee who is injured while at work, police and firefighters are authorized by the same laws, which provide for injury-on-duty wages, to bring claims for their injuries against the responsible third parties. Public safety officers are usually surprised to learn they can collect tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to compensate […]
$3 MILLION FOR OFFICER WHO SUFFERED A HEAD INJURY
At last, the news media is filled with stories about professional athletes and soldiers who suffer traumatic brain injuries, raising the public awareness and understanding about these invisible injuries. Missing from this discussion are the police officers who suffer traumatic head injuries in collisions, as well as in scuffles and falls. Vehicle crashes are a […]
We are a community. “Boston Strong” helps us all get through this.
I wanted to share an email I received from our legal assistant, Ronaele Salisbury, in response to our contributions following the Boston Marathon Terrorist attacks. It is overwhelming to know where to start to help all that were injured or lost a loved one. They will have medical bills, loss of income, medical supplies and […]