Boston Injury Lawyer Blog

Nearly two years after a Quincy fire at a basement apartment claimed the lives of Oudah Moshah Frawi, 9, and his sons Ali Oudah Frawi, 1, and Hassan Frawi, 2 months, landlords Jason Huang and Andy Huang have been convicted of manslaughter over their deaths. The Norfolk Superior Court jury also convicted the brothers of wanton or reckless violation of state building codes. The Huangs are facing up to 20 years in prison.

The blaze started in the basement apartment where the family’s sofa caught fire. Also injured in the fire was Terri Knight, who was Frawi’s wife and the mother of the two boys. She sustained severe burn injuries to her hand. It wasn’t until three weeks after she was admitted to a hospital, when she woke up from a coma, that she found out her family had perished.

Authorities say that the apartment had been illegally built and lacked a proper escape route and smoke detectors. The building also had four utility meters, even though there were apartment units, and was illegally wired.

Knight later filed a $10M Quincy wrongful death lawsuit against Andy Huang and his wife accusing them of negligent maintenance and other careless acts that are grounds for a Massachusetts premises liability case.

Landlords that fail to make a building safe for tenants can be held liable for Boston premises liability in the event of a fire. Failure to install smoke detectors or fire alarms, establish proper exits, properly maintain electrical wiring, and abide by local, state, and federal safety codes are just some of the reasons why a tenant or his/her family might file a Massachusetts personal injury or wrongful death complaint.

Landlords convicted in blaze, Boston Herald, January 28, 2012

Quincy grocer sues lamp manufacturer in fire that killed man, 2 young sons, Patriot Ledger, July 3, 2010

More Blog Posts:
Quincy Wrongful Death Lawsuit Seeks $10 Million Over Deadly Blaze Inside Illegal Apartment, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, April 14, 2009

Seven Boston University Students Injured in Allston Apartment Fire, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 22, 2012

Worcester Building that Collapsed During Fire, Killing One Firefighter and Injuring Another, May Have Been Poorly Maintained, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, December 10, 2012

Continue reading "Landlords Found Guilty in Quincy Fire that Killed a Father and Two Sons" »

A raging Massachusetts fire at a three-story Allston house early this morning has sent seven Boston University students to the hospital. A few people had to jump out off a top floor window to escape to safety. At least one person is in critical condition.

The Boston Fire Department says the fire is under investigation to determine its cause. The building is listed as a single-family home with the Assessing Department. However, fire officials said that the structure had been turned into apartments with students residing on different floors, including the attic and the basement.

It is not known at this time whether the building had working fire detectors. The damage to the building from the Boston fire was so severe that it will likely be torn down.

Unfortunately, fire accidents do happen and thousands of people are injured and killed as a result. According to the US Fire Administration, 16,705 people were injured and 3,320 others killed in 2008 in the US alone. 84% of civilian fire fatalities took place in residences. There were over 1,400,000 reported fires that year. 36% of them were structure fires.

If you or someone you love suffered burn injuries or other injuries fire that you believe was caused by another party’s negligence or could/should have been prevented, you should talk to a Boston injury lawyer immediately. Common causes of building and residential fires:

• Faulty wiring
• A fire left on accidentally and/or without supervision
• A candle knocked over
• A defective electrical product that malfunctioned
• Lighting equipment or electrical system malfunction

It is the responsibility of property owners to make sure that their premises do not have any foreseeable fire hazards and that there are proper fire prevention and safety measures in place. This could include working fire alarms, fire extinguishers, and (when buildings are involved) fire escapes and/or fire exits. That said, property owners are not the only one that may be held liable in the event of Massachusetts burn injuries or deaths resulting from a fire. For example, the manufacturer of a defective electrical product could be held liable, as the operator of the business where a fire broke out.

Students leap from upper floor of Allston building to escape fire; one critically injured, Boston.com, January 22, 2012

Seven BU students hurt in raging fire, Boston Herald, January 22, 2012

More Blog Posts:
Electrical Issue May Have Cause Fatal Westfield, Massachusetts Fire that Killed Elderly Couple, Boston Injury Lawyer, February 18, 2011

Quincy Apartment Where Fire Killed Father and Two Children Was in Illegal Basement and Didn’t Have Sprinklers or Working Smoke Alarm, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, September 3, 2009

58 Fire Fatalities in Massachusetts in 2007, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 4, 2008

Continue reading "Seven Boston University Students Injured in Allston Apartment Fire" »

A 21-year-old man sustained third- and second- degree burns in a Springfield, MA injury accident involving a leaf blower and a lit cigarette. Javier Rivera was reportedly using the machine when gas spilled onto his arm while it was being refueled.

At the time, Rivera and another man were using the leaf blower. Rivera’s arm ignited when one of them lit a cigarette.

Depending on the specifics of what happened, Rivera may have grounds for filing a Massachusetts personal injury lawsuit. For instance, if the gas spilled out of the leaf blower because of a product defect, then he may be able to pursue a Massachusetts products liability case against the manufacturer. Another possible reason for a defective product lawsuit would be a failure to warn of dangers involved with using the leaf blower and not providing instructions for proper and safe use. Also, if it was Rivera’s companion that lit the cigarette then this could be grounds for a Springfield personal injury case against him.

Massachusetts Personal Injury
To prove negligence in a Springfield injury case, the plaintiff must show that another party was negligent. Because Massachusetts is a comparative negligence state, if a victim contributed to his/her own injuries, then the amount he/she can receive is lowered by the percentage of responsible attributed to the claimant—unless that percentage of negligence is 51% of greater, in which case a plaintiff cannot receive any compensation.

There may be more than one party who should be held liable. If so, each party would be held responsible for part of the damages that would be proportionate to the percentage of fault allotted. Massachusetts' joint and several liability rules, however, lets a plaintiff sue one person for all damages. If the plaintiff wins the case then that party can sue the others that are at fault for repayment.

Javier Rivera of Springfield suffers 2nd, 3rd degree burns in leaf-blower accident, MassLive, November 21, 2011

Springfield man burned in leaf blower accident, Boston Herald, November 22, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Burns, Medline Plus

Products Liability, Nolo

More Blog Posts:
$7.7M Boston Personal Injury Verdict Awarded to Boiler Repairman Burned by Defective Water Heater, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, October 6, 2011

Massachusetts Products Liability: CPSC Recalls More Pourable Gel Fuels Following Burn Injuries and Two Deaths, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, September 9, 2011

Salem Premises Liability: 93-Year-Od-Woman Seeks Damages for Burn Injuries from Scalding Bathwater, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, May 25, 2011

Continue reading "Springfield Man Sustains Massachusetts Burn Injuries in Leaf Blower Accident" »

In Middlesex County Superior Court, a jury awarded a boiler repairman $7.7 million for his Boston burn injuries that he sustained while on the job. The defendant in the case was the Falmouth condominium complex where the victim had been doing work on an industrial water heater.

The worker sustained burns to 50% of his body in November 2008 when the heater, which was supposed to be depressurized and empty, emanated steam and very hot water. The repairman was treated at a burn unit for a few weeks and he had to undergo four skin graft procedures. He also developed PTSD because of the work accident and was not able to go back to work.

According to the Boston personal injury complaint, the boiler had been inadequately maintained. The heater tank’s gauges indicated to him, as had the condo manager, that was empty, the pressure had been released, and it was ready to be repaired.

The condo complex had tried to settle the Falmouth personal injury lawsuit for $200,000.

Work Injuries
You may not be able to pursue damages from your employer for injuries sustained on the job, but third parties that played a role in causing your work accident can be held responsible for your Boston personal injury. In addition to receiving Boston workers’ compensation benefits from your employer, you may also be entitled to civil damages. There is no reason why you shouldn’t receive both.

It is important that you file your Massachusetts workers’ compensation claim right away so that you can start receiving benefits as soon as possible. You can also start working with a lawyer right away to start exploring other legal options.

The outcome of this Massachusetts injury case is an example of why you shouldn’t settle right away because you may be entitled to receive so much more for the harm that you suffered.

Workers' Compensation, Massachusetts

The International Society for Burn Injuries

More Blog Posts:
Family that Obtained Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Over 2005 Plum Island Construction Accident Wants Newburyport Wrongful Death and Injury Recovery, Boston Injury Lawyer, April 11, 2011

Salem Construction Accident at Massachusetts Courthouse Last Summer Caused by Wrong Screw, Boston Injury Lawyer, January 19, 2011

Repairman Loses Consciousness 14 Feet Underground in Septic Pump Chamber, Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lawyer, October 5, 2011

Continue reading "$7.7M Boston Personal Injury Verdict Awarded to Boiler Repairman Burned by Defective Water Heater" »

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and nine companies are recalling another 2 million units of pourable fuel gel. This latest recall comes after numerous reports of burn injuries and two deaths related to the use of these products. If you or someone you love has sustained Massachusetts burn injuries from a pourable fuel gel or because of any other product, you may have reason for filing a Boston products liability lawsuit.

The fuel gel can burst into flames if poured into a still burning fire pot. The CPSC says some 65 incidents have been reported, including 34 victims that sustained third and second degree burns to the hands, face, arms, chest, and legs. Some have compared the fuel gel to napalm that would explode into flames and refuse to stop burning even after the victim was covered in a blanket or rolled on the ground. Manufacturers and distributors involved in this latest recall are Bond Manufacturing, Fuel Barons Inc., Luminosities Inc., Real Flame, Bird Brain Inc., Sunjel Company, Lamplight Farms Inc., Pacific Décor Ltd., and Smart Solar Inc.

It was just in June that the CPS and Napa Home & Garden recalled about 460,000 pourable fuel gel bottles—many of the injuries and the two deaths involved this brand. Not long after, Napa Home & Garden filed for bankruptcy.

Among those recently injured by pourable fuel gel:
• A 14-year-old boy whose injuries were so severe that he went into a coma.
• A 24-year-old man who is facing even more medical procedures, after already undergoing half a dozen surgeries, for burns he sustained when the fuel gel exploded on him. One of his friends was also hurt during the burn accident.

The families of two victims, and 8-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girls, have filed their respective products liability lawsuits against one of the manufacturers. Other victims have also failed their personal injury complaints.

Manufacturer Recalls Pourable Fuel Gel After Injuries in Firepot Accidents, The New York Times, June 22, 2011

Napa Home & Garden Recalls NAPAfire and FIREGEL Pourable Gel Fuel Due to Fire and Burn Hazards, CPSC, June 22, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Products Liability, Cornell University Law School

Burns, Medline

More Blog Posts:
Avoid Massachusetts Fireworks Accidents this 4th of July, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, June 29, 2011

Prevent Thanksgiving Turkey Fryer Injuries, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, November 24, 2010

Mother Considers Suing Massachusetts Water Park for Children’s Chemical Burn Injuries, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 10, 2008

Continue reading "Massachusetts Products Liability: CPSC Recalls More Pourable Gel Fuels Following Burn Injuries and Two Deaths" »

With Independence Day just a few days away, our Boston injury lawyers would like to remind you to be careful if you happen to find yourself around or near fireworks. These manufactured explosives can be very dangerous and may cause serious injuries.

The US Consumer Products Safety Commission reports that thousands of people are injured in fireworks accidents each year. That said, it is illegal for anyone but licensed professionals to use fireworks in Massachusetts. If you are at someone’s home or at a private exhibit and you are injured in a Massachusetts fireworks accident, do not hesitate to contact our Boston personal injury law firm immediately.

Contrary to popular belief, even smaller fireworks, such as sparklers can cause injuries. Serious fireworks-related injuries may include:

• Eye burns
• Burn injuries to the skin
• Blindness
• Amputations
• Hand loss
• Death

Even if you are at a professional fireworks display, accidents can happen. If the owner of the property where the display is talking place or the party in charge of the exhibit failed to remove any hazards and follow the proper procedures to ensure that participants and observers do not get hurt or die, victims of this type of Boston fireworks accident may have grounds for a civil lawsuit. If a firework proved defective or dangerous, a victim may have grounds for a Boston products liability case against the manufacturer. If any one acted in a manner that caused you to get hurt by a firework, you may have grounds for a Massachusetts injury case against him/her.

If you happen to find yourself in a situation where you are around fireworks, here are a few safety tips offered by the CPSC:

• Don’t let kids play with or ignite them.
• Make sure someone is supervising the activities.
• Keep a safe distance from the fireworks.
• Don’t point or throw the fireworks at anyone
• Make sure that there is water that is easily accessible in the event of a fire.

Fireworks Safety, CPSC

Model Fireworks Law (PDF)

Fireworks, National Fire Protection Association

More Blog Posts:
Lynn, Massachusetts Personal Injury Lawsuit Filed in Case of Teenager Hurt When Homemade Bomb Explodes, Boston Injury Lawyer, April 30, 2011

Dangerous Beverage?: Massachusetts Pulls Four Loko From Store Shelves, Boston Injury Lawyer, December 30, 2010

Salem Premises Liability: 93-Year-Od-Woman Seeks Damages for Burn Injuries from Scalding Bathwater, Boston Injury Lawyer, May 25, 2011

A well-known artist, poet, and children’s book author is suing the management company of her condo complex for Salem personal injury. Frances Wosmek, 93, sustained “horrific burns” when she took a bath in scalding water. Her first-, second-, and third-degree burns were so severe that she has had to have surgery to remove some of the burned tissue.

The Massachusetts burn accident took place on the evening of March 28. It wasn’t until the following morning that an aide found the elderly woman with her back and legs covered with burns. She spent more than two weeks at Massachusetts General Hospital and another several weeks at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.

The defendants of Wosmek’s Salem premises liability complaint are EP Management Corp. of Beverly, owner Ronda Ziner, and property manager Toni Curcuru. Wosmek contends that the management company should have corrected the fluctuating water temperatures in the unit, which she owns. According to her Marblehead injury attorney, prior to the accident other residents had complained about the water temperature, which at times was hotter than the 130-degree maximum that the state allows.

Scald Burn Injuries
Scald burns from hot tap water cause more deaths and injuries than burns sustained from other hot liquids. Some 35 deaths and 6,000 injuries occur from hot water accidents in the home each year. Often, the injuries, when sustained in the bath or from the shower, are not just severe, but also the burns can end up on large parts of the body. They can be very painful and may cause scarring or disfigurement.

Wosmek has already racked up about $200,000 medical expenses—a figure that is expected to rise.

Scalding in tub of 93-year-old leads to lawsuit, The Salem News, May 12, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Burns, MedLine Plus

Burn Treatments, Burn Injury Recovery

More Blog Posts:
Quincy Apartment Where Fire Killed Father and Two Children Was in Illegal Basement and Didn’t Have Sprinklers or Working Smoke Alarm, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 26, 2009

Nantucket Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Incident Sends 11 Apartment Residents to the Hospital, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, April 16, 2011

Mother Considers Suing Massachusetts Water Park for Children’s Chemical Burn Injuries, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 10, 2008

Two-and-a-half years after suffering severe electrical burns during a construction accident, Dallas Wiens has received a complete face transplant. Over 30 doctors, anesthesiologists, and nurses at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital in Boston conducted the procedure to give the 25-year-old construction worker a new face.

After the boom lift he was working struck a power line, Wiens fell into a coma for nearly three months Doctors thought he would never talk or walk again and that he would be paralyzed from the neck down. They also didn’t think he would be able to eat regular food. Wiens, who underwent 22 surgeries, lost all of his facial features, except for a lipless mouth. He is now blind.

Wiens’s transplant included the donor’s entire face and is the most complete facial transplant conducted in this country to date. He also can now smell, feel, and breathe on his own.

His injuries are a clear example of how seriously someone can get hurt during an electrical accident. If you were injured in a Massachusetts construction accident and you suffered severe electrical burns you should speak with a Boston injury lawyer right away.

About 1000 people die every year from electrical burns. Serious injuries can include muscle spasm, cardiac arrest, oral burns, suffocation, organ damage, skin burns, permanent bran damage, and death.

Even if you are injured on the job and you are entitled to Massachusetts workers’ compensation, you still may be able to receive Boston injury compensation from liable third parties.

Fort Worth man gets a new face... and a new beginning, WFAA, May 10, 2011

Dallas Wiens Reunites With Daughter After Full Face Transplant, ABC News, May 9, 2011

Transplant recipient 'amazed' at his new face, Boston, May 9, 2011

Dallas Wiens, horribly scarred by electric burn accident, pushes for rare full face transplant, NY Daily News, January 25, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Burns and Other Injuries, Occupational Safety Health Administration

Construction Accidents, Justia

Brigham and Woman’s Hospital

More Blog Posts:
Salem Construction Accident at Massachusetts Courthouse Last Summer Caused by Wrong Screw, Boston Injury Lawyers, January 19, 2011

Propane Tank Involved in Deadly Norfolk Construction Blast May Have been Lacking Chemical Odorant, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, December 31, 2010

Boston Crane Collapse Kills One Massachusetts Construction Worker and Injures Another, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 8, 2009

The Boston Herald is reporting that according to fire safety officials, an electrical problem appears to have caused the fire that claimed the lives of 82-year-old Douglas Anderson and his 84-year-old Gladys. The two were found inside their burning home in Westfield, Massachusetts yesterday afternoon.

Police say that smoke inhalation appears to have been the cause of death. There were no working smoke alarms in the house’s first or second floors. The fire appears to have started in a bedroom on the first floor where the damage seems to have been contained. However, the house’s interior sustained heavy smoke damage. Depending on what the electrical issue was, the Andersons’ adult children may have grounds for filing a Massachusetts wrongful death claim.

Common causes of house fires:
• Cooking accidents
• Smoking accidents
• Heating accidents
• Electrical accidents
• Faulty electrical wiring
• Machinery or appliance defects

Fires can lead to burn injuries, disfigurement, smoke inhalation, scarring, and death.

Smoke Inhalation
According to emedicinehealth.com, smoke inhalation is the number one cause of death. 50-80% of fire fatalities are caused by smoke inhalation. Signs of smoke inhalation may include coughing, shortness of breath, breathing issues, irritated eyes, change in skin color, soot in the throat or nose, headaches, confusion, seizures, fainting, or coma.

If you believe that a fire that resulted in injury or death was caused by another party’s negligence, you may have grounds for a Massachusetts personal injury case.

Westfield residents Gladys and Douglas Anderson killed in fire at their Overlook Drive home, MassLive, February 17, 2011

Elderly couple die in Westfield fire, Boston Herald, February 18, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Home Fire Safety Tips

Smoke Inhalation, emedicinehealth

More Boston Injury Lawyer Blog Posts:
Quincy Apartment Where Fire Killed Father and Two Children Was in Illegal Basement and Didn’t Have Sprinklers or Working Smoke Alarm, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, September 3, 2009

58 Fire Fatalities in Massachusetts in 2007, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 4, 2008

Continue reading "Electrical Issue May Have Cause Fatal Westfield, Massachusetts Fire that Killed Elderly Couple " »

Thanksgiving right around the corner, and many of us are looking forward to eating delicious turkey--whether it be cooked traditionally in the oven or deep-fried. Although deep-fried turkeys are a tasty and fun alternative, turkey frying can be extremely dangerous. Turkey-frying accidents can cause serious burns from hot oil heated at more than 350 degrees. Turkey fryers are fired by propane tanks that can cause devastating fires. Temperature controls can sometimes malfunction because of a defect in the appliance. Even worse, the appliance might not even have temperature controls. Given these possibilities, it is important to observe safety measures to prevent personal injury from ruining your holidays.

Tips to Keep You and Yours Safe if You’re Frying Your Thanksgiving Turkey:

1. Do not fry the turkey indoors. Make sure that the fryer is a safe distance from your home.
2. Keep children and pets away from the cooking area.
3. Get a big pot and a smaller-sized turkey.
4. Make sure that the base of the fryer is secure.
5. Always keep the turkey fryer in view.
6. Check the temperature of the oil often.
7. Cover skin to avoid burns.

Continue reading "Prevent Thanksgiving Turkey Fryer Injuries" »