CONTRACTORS’ INSURERS SETTLE INJURY CLAIM FOR POLICE OFFICER STRUCK BY EXCAVATOR FOR $305,000
As usual, the insurers for the contractors and their attorneys tried to put all the blame on Officer Shea, for getting to close to the excavator. Our response was that the risk that someone is within the “swing radius” of the excavator is the exact reason why the operator needs to make sure that no one is in the area before swinging the excavator around. We did all the work necessary to take the case to trial. Once we had demonstrated that we were fully prepared to try the case if we did not get a decent settlement offer, the contractors’ insurers agreed to go to mediation. The mediation was conducted over ZOOM, and we were able to settle the case for $305,000.
$7.5 Million Liquor Liability Settlement for Injured Motorcycle Passenger
Shortly after midnight, on the main street of a local town in metro-Boston, the 20-year-old boyfriend operates his motorcycle in a 30-mph zone. He approaches a curve in the road which he was very familiar with. The boyfriend brakes hard. The motorcycle skids, the boyfriend loses control and jumps off the motorcycle. The female passenger […]
PERSONAL UMBRELLA POLICIES MAY NOW COVER INJURIES CAUSED BY NEGLIGENT MOTORISTS
A few years ago, I wrote about Arthur Vee’s case. Arthur was riding his motorcycle when he was cut off by a motorist who was turning left into a gas station. Arthur suffered horrific, permanent injuries to his leg. The defendant operator had $250,000 of coverage on his auto policy; however, I discovered after filing […]
MASSACHUSETTS POLICE OFFICER COLLECTS $200,000 AFTER INJURING KNEE RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC INCIDENT
Domestic violence is a significant problem in this country As we have written before, the law in Massachusetts is clear: the lawful orders of a Massachusetts police officer must be followed especially when making an arrest. As per Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 268 Section 32B, it is a crime to resist arrest. As Massachusetts police […]
INJURED MASSACHUSETTS POLICE OFFICER WINS ARBITRATION FOR AGGRAVATION OF PREEXISTING CONDITION
Preexisting conditions do not prevent you from recovering compensation for injuries caused by someone else’s negligence. The law in in Massachusetts is clear, you are entitled to full compensation for any aggravation of a preexisting condition, which means compensation for however the condition is made worse. This is just as true for Massachusetts Police Officers […]
MASSACHUSETTS FUNERAL HOME FAILS TO CLEAR ICE, INSURER PAYS $350,000 FOR OFF-DUTY KNEE INJURY AFTER 93A CLAIM
I secured an expert report from Mr. Sampson’s own surgeon, which confirmed the injuries, subsequent treatment, and permanent impairment were all caused by this incident.
Ballin Law Firm Wins $368,000 Verdict for Injured Massachusetts Police Officer for Fall on Icy Right-of-Way
All business and property owners owe a basic duty to use reasonable care to combat the danger of slip and fall injuries on ice that everyone in Massachusetts faces each winter. Massachusetts is not alone in dealing with these dangers. Nationally is has been reported there were 20,000 injuries to workers in 2017 from ice, […]
$145,000 FOR MASSACHUSETTS POLICE OFFICER INJURED DURING DOMESTIC CALL
The law in Massachusetts is clear: The lawful orders of a Massachusetts police officer must be followed especially when making an arrest. As per Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 268 Section 32B it is a crime to resist arrest. As Massachusetts police officers know too well, though, there are frequent confrontations with those who refuse to […]
$128,519 ARBITRATION AWARD FOLLOWING $2,321 OFFER FROM DEFENDANT’S INSURER
It was a weekday, spring morning that started off like so many others. As he has done countless times over the years Mr. Jones wakes up, gets ready for work, says goodbye to his family and starts his drive to the office 30 minutes away. He drives a truck he borrowed from his boss because […]
$100,000 ARBITRATION AWARD AFTER REJECTING $3,000 FINAL OFFER FROM CLIENT’S INSURER FOR WRIST INJURY
There was never any question who was at fault for the motor vehicle accident – Jane Dose crossed over double yellow lines and crashed into the front driver’s side of a vehicle in which my client, Karla Platte, was a front seat passenger. Rather, there were disagreements as to the dollar value of Mrs. Platte’s […]
NO FREE BITES – DOG BITE LAW 101
There’s an old saying that there are no bad dogs, only bad dog owners. Massachusetts law recognizes the truth of the saying and holds dog owners responsible for injuries or property damage caused by dogs. The following are some of the basic principles of the law relating to dogs. There is no such thing as […]
$100,000 FOR MASSACHUSETTS POLICE OFFICER INJURED IN CAR ACCIDENT BY HIT AND RUN DRIVER WHILE ON A DETAIL
What happens when a car hits a Massachusetts Police Officer on duty and drives away before anyone catches its license plate? The officer’s salary and medical bills will be covered under Chapter 41, but who pays for all the overtime and detail shifts that officer misses while out injured and the massive disruption to the […]
$250,000 FOR OFFICER INJURED ON ROAD DETAIL WHO LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON FROM A PRIOR INJURY
Officer Palmer had the minimum allowable limits on his auto insurance the first time he was injured-on-duty. Thankfully, he changed this before he was injured a second time… CRITICAL CHANGES TO MASSACHUSETTS AUTO INSURANCE POLICY It was a fall Sunday morning and Ms. Jones got a later start than she wanted on her drive to […]
MASSACHUSETTS POLICE OFFICER INJURED AT DOMESTIC RECEIVES $880,000 FOR INJURED LEG
Domestics are among the most pervasive and the most volatile situations our officers must routinely walk into. In fact, the National Institute of Justice statistically confirmed they are the most lethal of all calls. We routinely represent Massachusetts Police officers injured at domestics in a variety of contexts, and this is one example. HOW BALLIN […]
$900,000 FOR OFFICER HIT BY HOME HEALTH AID DRIVING TO PATIENT’S HOME
The home health aide industry usually avoids liability by not paying employees until they arrive at the patient’s home. Not this time The morning started out great for young Officer Williams. He was working as a special police officer on his first road detail. He’d spent the summer interning for a local department prior to […]