“Tell Them You Mean Business”

Are motorcycle accident victims in Massachusetts treated fairly?

Even during tough economic times, some people continue to take pleasure in life’s adventures. For many folks in Massachusetts, this means taking to the open road on a motorcycle.

A new study by the consumer research firm Scarborough, which examines the spending habits of the baby boomer generation, finds that 7 percent of boomers live in a household with a motorcycle.

With many baby boomers now reaching retirement age and having more leisure time on their hands, drivers may notice older motorcycle riders on the roads in the Bay State. Unfortunately, this also means there will be more accidents involving motorcycles. The motorcycle accident attorneys in Springfield at the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone have seen first-hand how a serious injury can lead to significant financial losses.

Our Springfield motorcycle accident lawyers also have seen how an injury victim can be treated unfairly. Some people who have never been on a motorcycle might assume that all riders are careless and reckless. They might assume the average motorcycle rider is a young daredevil who commonly speeds down a highway.

The Scarborough study suggests otherwise. Researchers define baby boomers as people who are between 45 and 64 years old. With 7 percent of them living in a household with a motorcycle, clearly many riders are not young speed demons.

Insurance companies, however, are aware of these misconceptions and will try to use them against a rider who was involved in a motorcycle accident in Springfield, or elsewhere in Massachusetts. If you are in a motorcycle wreck through no fault of your own, the insurance company may unfairly deny or limit your injury claim.

Our personal injury lawyers in Springfield won’t let the insurance companies take advantage of our clients. We put experience and resources to work for clients who were injured in motorcycle wrecks in Massachusetts. Contrary to what the insurance companies want you to believe, the cause of a motorcycle accident in Springfield often is due to the carelessness of a driver in a passenger vehicle. The driver may be distracted or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

An experienced accident attorney can help determine liability. At the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone, we can conduct a thorough investigation to build a strong case and get you all the money you need to pay for your medical bills and other expenses related to the accident.

The impact of a Springfield motorcycle accident can be devastating to you and your family. An experienced attorney who understands the nature and long-term consequences of your injury can help you achieve the results you need.

For a free consultation, contact a Springfield motorcycle accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone. Call 1-800-WIN-WIN-1 or visit www.marksalomone.com to learn more.

The Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
175 State Street, Suite 200
Springfield, MA 01103

Teen Hosts Not Liable in Massachusetts Driving Under the Influence Car Accidents

We all know that teen driver car accidents are far more common than collisions caused by older drivers. Add alcohol to the equation and that worry increases exponentially, especially for parents. Underage drinking parties are all-too common these days, however, and the issue of culpability has become a complex point of contention in numerous teen drinking and driving lawsuits around the country.

Massachusetts has addressed at least part of the underage drinking and driving equation, with a new social host liability law. In early 2012, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that if teens host underage drinking parties but do not provide the alcohol consumed at the party, that they cannot be held responsible by a civil court if an inebriated guest is injured.

The case that instigated the ruling involved a 16-year old girl who was seriously injured in a driving under the influence car accident in 2007, and Boston, Springfield, Worcester-area personal injury attorney Mark E. Salomone has followed it closely. The girl's boyfriend, who was the driver of the car in which she was a passenger, had consumed alcohol at a party that had been hosted by a 19-year old girl. The host, whose father was not home during the gathering, did not provide any of the alcohol that the driver had consumed; he had brought his own 30-pack of beer and a bottle of rum to the event.

The injured girl's parents sued the 19-year old host but the subsequent ruling states that teenagers who host underage drinking parties but do not supply alcohol cannot be held civilly liable if one of their guests gets hurt. The court said a social host is only liable only when he or she provides alcohol or controls the supply of alcohol. It also denied a request to broaden the law by extending a “duty of care” to underage party hosts who don't supply alcohol but provide a location in which teens are allowed to drink.

No doubt, more legal rulings will be coming down the legislative pipeline as underage drinking parties become the grounds for more teenage car accident lawsuits. Teen social host liability, teen car accident injuries and teen drinking car crash fatalities are all in the news more and more these days, so it is up to every parent to educate their kids about the numerous dangers of underage drinking.

If your child was injured in a teen DUI car accident  or has been accused of liability as a teen social host of an underage drinking party car crash, you need the aggressive advocacy of Massachusetts personal injury attorney, Mark E. Salomone. For a free and confidential consultation, call 1-800-WIN-WIN-1 or contact us online today. We are ready to listen to you and discuss your legal options.

The Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
60 State Street
Boston, MA 02109