As reported by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (Trial Court Announces Layoffs and Court Closings) last week, the Massachusetts Trial Court announced that it will cut between 250 and 300 court jobs and closed almost 14 courthouses.
These cuts are in addition to several hundred court employees who agreed to take early retirement. In addition to the layoffs, early retirement and court closings, court personnel and judges will have to take a five day unpaid furlough.
The budget cuts, undoubtedly, will impact litigants waiting for their day in court. Trials will be delayed.
Many more litigants may opt for private Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) such as arbitration or mediation as a way to obtain an expedited resolution of their legal dispute.
Source: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly
Copyright © 2010 John J. Sheehan
The Boston Globe reports (Duck Boat, Seven Other Vehicles in Boston Crash) that a Duck Boat crashed with seven other cars last Friday (July 16, 2010) afternoon. The accident happened near Hatch Shell on Storrow Drive in Boston, MA. Several injured people were taken to nearby hospitals.
This was the second car crash in one week involving a Duck Boat. The Boston Globe reported (Woman Heading to Wedding Is Passenger in Crash Involving Duck Boat) only days before (July 13, 2010), a car collided with a Duck Boat on Court Street in downtown Boston as the car changed lanes attempting to pass the Duck Boat on the congested, narrow Court Street.
If you or a loved on has been injured in a car accident in Massachusetts, call Attorney John Sheehan at 866-979-4113 for a free, no obligation consultation.
Source: Boston Globe
Copyright © 2010 John J. Sheehan
Tort Lawyers Fight for Justice
Last week, John Stossel ran an Op Ed in the Boston Herald (and other newspapers throughout the country) titled, But It’s Injustice For Almost All. The Op Ed was nothing more than a baseless attack on trial lawyers and personal injury lawyers.
Stossel begins his Op Ed by charging that tort lawyers lie. He then goes on to rant and rave against the evils of tort lawyers and personal injury lawyers without, of course, any facts to back up his baseless, slash and burn diatribe.
When it comes to personal injury lawsuits, it appears that Stossel’s message is more, “Do as I say not as I do.”
As reported by the Huffington Post (John StosselIs A Pathological Liar - 5/30/2006), Stossel “sued a wrestler $200,000 for slapping him during an interview.” What a hypocrite!
As a proud tort lawyer, I work hard to fight for justice for ordinary working people who are hurt at work or seriously injured due to another person’s negligence.
Tort lawyers’ work on behalf of consumers has secured, among other things: seatbelts, safe and reliable airbags, safe and reliable infant car seats, safe and reliable anti-lock car brakes and automobile stability control systems. Their work helped ban toxic lead paint cancer causing asbestos.
The shrill ranting of the John Stossels of the world remind me of the now infamous Texas Congressman who, when questioning the head of BP during a recent Congressional hearing, actually apologized for the government’s efforts to hold BP accountable to compensate Gulf residents and businesses for losses caused by BP’s recklessness.
I’ll let John Stossel and his crowd stand shoulder to shoulder with BP and big moneyed special interests.
As a proud tort lawyer and personal injury lawyer, I’m on the side of the little guy and gal who, without tort lawyers, would be shut out and have no chance for justice.
Source: Boston Herald and Huffington Post.
Copyright © 2010 John J. Sheehan
Falling Concrete Injures Worker
As reported by The Salem News recently, a worker at a courthouse construction site in Salem, Massachusetts was very seriously injured when he was struck by a concrete block that fell several stories above. OSHA is investigating the accident.
In a construction accident like this, oftentimes a third-party, such as the General Contractor or a Sub-Contractor, may be legally responsible for the workers’ injury.
Under federal regulations enforced by OSHA, the General Contractor has a non-delegable duty for the safety of all workers on its jobsite.
A worker injured on a construction site accident has a right to receive workers compensation benefits which, generally, pays a percentage of his lost wages and medical costs. In addition, a worker injured in a construction site accident may have a legal right to compensation from a third-party such as the General Contractor or a Sub-Contractor.
If you have been injured in a construction site accident or any type of work accident in Massachusetts, contact Attorney John J. Sheehan for a free, no obligation consultation. Call 866-979-4113.
Source: The Salem News
Copyright © 2010 John J. Sheehan
As reported by the Boston Herald on 7/9/2010 (Judge Orders Accused In Hit-And-Run Off The Road), a Lawrence, Massachusetts nursing home worker was reaching for her cell while driving when she ran over a toddler playing in a driveway. Luckily, the child was not killed but suffered multiple, severe injuries including a shattered jaw.
The driver, who fled the scene, was later arrested. A Lawrence District Court Judge ordered not to drive while criminal charges are pending.
This tragic accident is an example of the potential deadly dangers caused by distracted driving.
A week earlier, Governor Patrick signed a law banning texting while driving.
Even though the driver in the Lawrence case was not texting while driving, it’s an example of the danger of distracted driving.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are three common types of distractions:
- Visual - taking your eyes off the road
- Manual - taking your hands off the wheel
- Cognitive - taking your mind off what you’re doing.
According to U.S. Government statistics, approximately 20% of all car crashes in 2008 were caused by some type of distracted driving (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - NHTSA). Almost 6,000 people died nationwide from distracted driving, and almost 500,000 people were injured by distracted driving in 2008 according to the NHTSA.
If you have been injured in a car accident in Massachusetts, contact Attorney John J. Sheehan for a free, no obligation consultation. Call 866-979-4113.
Source: Boston Herald, USDOT and NHTSA.
Copyright © 2010 John J. Sheehan
