August 26, 2022

Camp Lejeune Justice Act Allows Veterans to Sue for Toxic Water Injuries

It was a decision decades in the making: Veterans exposed to toxins on the Camp Lejeune military base years ago can now sue the federal government for their water contamination injuries. On August 10, President Joe Biden signed the PACT Act aimed at helping military members exposed to toxic substances during their service. Included in the legislation was the long-awaited Camp Lejeune Justice Act, designed to provide judicial relief to those harmed by tainted groundwater on the base — some 40 years after it was discovered.

Contaminated Water Injuries: What Happened at Camp Lejeune?

Established in 1942, Camp Lejeune serves as a U.S. Marine Corps Base in North Carolina. Military activities started polluting the drinking water in the early 1950s and continued into the 1980s when the contamination was discovered. By the time the poisoned wells were closed in 1985, as many as a million people on the base may have been exposed to the toxic water supply.

August 19, 2022

Infant Swings and Rockers Recalled After Baby’s Death

by Altman & Altman

Reports of two children becoming dangerously entangled in restraint straps prompted a massive recall of 4moms infant swings and rockers. The company recalled over 2 million products after one baby died of asphyxiation and another suffered bruising to his neck before being rescued. Both entanglement incidents occurred when babies crawled under the seats of unoccupied MamaRoo infant swings.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), families with infants who can crawl should immediately stop using the recalled baby swings and rockers and place them somewhere that crawling infants cannot access. Consumers can contact 4moms to receive a free fastener to prevent the straps from extending under the swing when not in use.

RockaRoo and MamaRoo Recall Details

August 15, 2022

Miter Saws Recalled Due to Injury Hazard

by Altman & Altman

On August 4, 2022, DeWALT Industrial Tool Company recalled nearly 1.4 million miter saws after receiving nine reports of laceration injuries. The rear safety guard on the power saw can break or come off, exposing the user and bystanders to potential injury from projectiles. In addition, without the protection of the safety guard, the user could suffer serious wounds by coming into direct contact with the spinning saw blade. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the miter saws were sold by numerous retailers, including Lowe’s, The Home Depot, Amazon, and hardware stores nationwide.

Miter Saw Recall Details

Including the nine reports of laceration injuries, DeWALT received a total of 571 reports of the rear safety guard assembly or components breaking or detaching. Below are the details of the DeWALT miter saw recall as listed on the CPSC website:

August 10, 2022

Where Do Most Boston Bicycle Accidents Occur?

by Altman & Altman

Which U.S. state ranks as the best for cyclists? According to the League of American Bicyclists, that honor goes to Massachusetts. In 2022, the Commonwealth topped the list of Bicycle Friendly States, scoring “A” grades for “infrastructure and funding,” “education and encouragement,” and “policies and programs.” One area where Massachusetts didn’t excel: “Traffic laws and practices,” a category in which the state received a disappointing “D” grad

So while Massachusetts is generally considered a good place for cyclists, work remains to be done in terms of safety. In the past five years, the state averaged around seven fatal bicyclist accidents and over 900 non-fatal injury crashes per year (MassDOT crash portal data).

Where Do Most Boston Bicycle Accidents Occur?

July 26, 2022

Why are pedestrian accidents and fatalities on the rise in Massachusetts?

by Altman & Altman

American roads have become increasingly dangerous for walkers. According to Governors Highway Safety Association estimates, drivers killed nearly 7,500 pedestrians in 2021 — the highest number in 40 years. And in Massachusetts, MassDOT crash portal data indicate that pedestrian deaths rose 40% between 2020 and 2021, rebounding even higher than pre-pandemic normals.

Pedestrian Fatalities in Massachusetts

While pedestrian accidents can happen anywhere at any time, a WalkBoston report identified several key factors regarding Massachusetts pedestrian deaths in 2021.

July 18, 2022

Post Pandemic, Truck Accidents and Fatalities on the Rise in Massachusetts

by Altman & Altman

As traffic volume in the U.S. (and Massachusetts) rebounded after the pandemic of 2020, so did traffic fatalities. Deaths involving large trucks were no exception. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), estimated fatalities in accidents involving at least one large truck jumped 13% between 2020 and 2021. This means that last year alone, over 5,600 people died in truck crashes in the United States.

Noting that this number represents an “unfathomable” 52% increase in truck accident fatalities since 2010, the Truck Safety Coalition issued a statement saying “What more is needed to take safety seriously? We need to do everything possible to reverse this terrifying trend because lives hang in the balance.”

Large Truck Crash Fatality Statistics 2021

May 25, 2022

Does Shower to Shower Talcum Powder Potentially Cause Ovarian Cancer?

by Altman & Altman

After more than 50 years of questions about the safety of talcum powders such as Johnson & Johnson’s Shower to Shower, some manufacturers have started removing talc from their products. But that offers little comfort to the many women who say Shower to Shower and other talcum powders caused their ovarian cancer.

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), studies from as early as the 1960s suggested a possible link between ovarian cancer and talc products applied to the genital region. Thousands of talcum powder cancer lawsuits in recent decades have accused Johnson & Johnson (and other manufacturers) of failing to warn consumers of the health risks.

Can Shower to Shower Cause Ovarian Cancer?

May 4, 2022

Injured at the Mall: Who’s Responsible?

by Altman & Altman

Injured at the Mall: Who’s Responsible?

Accidents happen everywhere and shopping malls are no exception. Customers slip and fall in icy parking lots. Shoppers are pushed by rowdy Black Friday crowds. Escalators malfunction, causing catastrophic injuries and sometimes even death.

But if you are seriously hurt while at a mall, who is liable? In theory, the answer is simple: anyone who is negligent. In reality, many factors come into play. Where exactly did the accident happen? Could it have been prevented? Was it the fault of the mall owner or a tenant? If you have more questions than answers, a personal injury attorney can help you navigate the situation.

April 20, 2022

Bike Share / Bluebikes / Have increased cycling accidents across MA – When do you need a lawyer?

by Altman & Altman

After a long, cold winter, spring invites Massachusetts cyclists outside again. Unfortunately, as the warm weather increases, so do bike-related accidents. The number of incidents involving bicycles in Boston tends to jump up in May and remain high into the fall.

In addition to increasing in summer, bicycle ridership appears to be increasing year to year. According to the City of Boston, participation in the Bluebikes bike share program rose 17% from 2019 to 2021. September 2021 was the busiest month ever, with nearly 435,000 bike trips that month alone.

With more cyclists on the road, it seems more bike accidents are inevitable. And the dangers multiply in cities: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that nearly 80% of bicyclist deaths occur in urban areas.

March 29, 2022

What is the Boppy Pillow Lounger Recall

by Altman & Altman

Around 3,500 babies die in the U.S. each year in sleep-related incidents. An overwhelming 72% of these sudden infant deaths have been linked to soft bedding. Safe sleeping guidelines are clear: babies should sleep on a flat surface such as a crib without pillows, blankets, or other soft bedding. However, an entire class of commercial infant products known as inclined sleepers violates these rules.

Inclined sleepers–including Boppy pillow loungers–are not flat, have soft padding, and come with a very real risk of suffocation. In fact, they are so dangerous that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) passed a new regulation effectively banning these products in 2022. But the decision comes too late for the families of the over 100 babies who died while using inclined loungers.

What is the Boppy Pillow Lounger Recall?