Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
Massachusetts State Police confirmed four separate accidents involving a total of 19 cars on I-93 Monday morning. The accidents all took place in the left lane on the northbound side of the highway, right inside the Tip O’Neill tunnel. Traffic became a nightmare as “several miles of backups” were observed even after the crash site was cleared up. According to CBS Boston, the first accident was a chain-reaction involving nine cars. A few minutes later, four motor vehicles were involved in another, separate crash, followed closely by four more cars involved in yet another accident. The chaotic scene was capped off by a minor fender bender involving two vehicles.
State Trooper Todd Nolan said “one person was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with possible injuries.” CBS Boston reports that the injured person was involved in the initial nine-car crash. There were no injuries in the last three accidents. Luckily, at this time it appears there were no life-threatening injuries, but 19 vehicles are now damaged, some perhaps totaled.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known and is under investigation, according to authorities. Boston has been hit hard with heavy rain all weekend, flooding some roadways and forcing the closure of several tunnels and ramps, including the Prudential ramp off the Pike on Sunday. WCVB Meteorologist Danielle Vollmar explained that, “between 2 and 5 inches of rain have fallen in just a few hours.” The rainfall, combined with temperatures hovering slightly above freezing provided treacherous conditions for especially distracted drivers rushing in on their morning commute. Several factors could have led to the string of left-lane accidents in the same spot including speed, an unsafe stretch of road, or weather. State Police also reported several crashes along the Mass. Pike as well as in Palmer, Shrewsbury, and Chicopee due to ice.
The massive string of accidents happened around 8:00am Monday morning, a time when drivers are focused on getting to work on time, but also when they are likely to be a bit distracted at the wheel. Drivers may be applying makeup, eating, or even texting in a time crunch. The United States Government website for distracted driving states that, “421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver [in 2012].” Add extremely slick road conditions and the danger for injuries escalates significantly.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that, “the cost of medical care and productivity losses associated with motor vehicle crash injuries was over $99 billion, or nearly $500, for each licensed driver in the United States. (Based on 2010 data)” To put that into perspective, in the United States, a person is treated in an emergency room for car-accident related injuries every ten seconds.
Victims of personal injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident have to grapple with the crushing financial burden on top of any physical or emotional injuries sustained in the accident. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, Altman & Altman would like to help. Even if there is a criminal case against the person that you believe caused your Massachusetts personal injury accident or a loved one’s wrongful death, you may also be able to pursue a civil case to sue for damages. You should contact a Boston injury lawyer right away to find out whether to proceed with this route.
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