Nashua Personal Injury Law Blog

Construction accidents and other disasters need emergency plans

On behalf of Attorney Mark Rufo PC posted in construction accidents on Thursday, June 14, 2018.

In June of each year, the National Safety Council asks businesses nationwide, including in New Hampshire, to focus on their overall preparedness to deal with emergencies. This means that a construction company must look beyond construction accidents, and ensure the safety of employees in situations such as flooding, wildfires, mudslides, equipment malfunctions, chemical leaks, building fires and more. Every business must have an established evacuation plan, which must be practiced at least once every year.

Employees must know who can order an evacuation, and how they will be alerted. A chain of command must be established to ensure that designated staff members will be there to assist others. Everyone should know where and how to exit the building, and at which points to gather to check that everybody got out safely.

More vehicles, more hours behind the wheel, more auto accidents

On behalf of Attorney Mark Rufo PC posted in auto accidents on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.

The numbers of vehicles on the roads and the hours spent driving in New Hampshire and other states are steadily rising. For this reason, it is essential for drivers to follow the laws and practice safe driving. This could prevent auto accidents that often result in injuries or death. Sadly, many drivers disregard road safety, putting themselves and other road users at risk.

Common road safety issues include disobeying road signs, traffic lights and other traffic laws. Speeding is dangerous, and following too closely behind other vehicles can cause serious rear-end collisions. Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs -- or even prescription medication -- must be avoided. Falling asleep while driving is far too common for people who drive through the night, or at any time when they are drowsy, often resulting in fatal car accidents.

Victims of dog bite injuries can pursue financial relief

On behalf of Attorney Mark Rufo PC posted in general personal injury on Friday, May 18, 2018.

Dog bite laws differ from state to state, but those in New Hampshire are more favorable to victims than most other jurisdictions. However, the dog owner cannot be held liable if the person who suffered dog bite injuries was committing a civil wrong or trespassing at the time of the attack. Nevertheless, specific questions need answers before the filing of a civil lawsuit.

For a dog bite lawsuit to be viable, there must be serious injuries or other damage caused. When documenting damages, lost income and emotional trauma can be included along with medical expenses. To bring such a lawsuit, the owner of the dog will have to be identified. If that information is not available, such as in a case when the dog was a stray, there may be no one to sue.

Do victims of slip-and-fall accidents have grounds for a claim?

On behalf of Attorney Mark Rufo PC on Friday, May 4, 2018.

New Hampshire readers know slip-and-fall accidents can happen for a variety of reasons in a variety of places. Victims of these types of accidents are often unsure of their legal options because they often assume the accident was at least partially their fault or they do not think they have grounds for a claim.

If you are the victim of an accident that happened due to dangerous property conditions, you have options. You have the right to seek financial compensation through a civil claim, but you may find it helpful to have guidance for the entirety of the process. As a victim, you do not have to walk through the aftermath on your own.

Many workers' compensation claims filed despite OSH Act control

On behalf of Attorney Mark Rufo PC posted in workers' compensation on Tuesday, May 1, 2018.

In 1971, the Occupational Safety and Health Act became effective, and, although accurate injury or fatality records were not kept at that time, Congress set out to improve safety in workplaces nationwide. On Workers' Memorial Day every year on April 28, the passing of the OSH Act is celebrated, and the lives lost in Occupational accidents are commemorated in New Hampshire and other states. Unfortunately, despite all these efforts, countless numbers of workers' compensation claims are filed for workplace injuries every year.

The New Hampshire Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health spent a week recognizing both male and female workers for the contributions they made to the economy and society while rededicating the agency to promote healthy and safe workplaces. NHCOSH said 11 workers lost their lives while working last year, and the sad fact is that some of those deaths could have been prevented had the employers complied with safety regulations. The agency says several employers failed to provide adequate safety training and the necessary safety equipment.

Construction accidents involving forklifts are prevalent

On behalf of Attorney Mark Rufo PC posted in construction accidents on Thursday, April 19, 2018.

Construction workers in New Hampshire face numerous life-threatening hazards whenever they step onto their work sites. One of the dangers that cause significant numbers of construction accidents involves mechanical equipment such as forklifts. They are present on almost all construction sites, and the risks they pose are not always recognized.

Typical causes of forklift accidents include inadequate or no training, negligent operation, the lack of required maintenance and the use of improper attachments and tools. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration expects compliance with all safety regulations, but these rules are often disregarded. However, proper supervision could prevent injuries and deaths caused by forklifts.

There is no cure for a spinal cord injury, so protect yourself

On behalf of Attorney Mark Rufo PC posted in workers' compensation on Monday, April 9, 2018.

Any workplace in New Hampshire poses safety risks. However, those who work in construction, logging or commercial transport face occupational hazards that can cause catastrophic injuries that are life-changing. One example is a spinal cord injury, which will require an extended period in a hospital, followed by long-term rehabilitation.

Gaining knowledge about spinal cord injuries may motivate you to take particular precautions to prevent circumstances in which you might be a victim of such an injury. Keep in mind that there is no cure for spinal cord damage.

Analyzing over a century of fatal U.S. motor vehicle accidents

On behalf of Attorney Mark Rufo PC posted in auto accidents on Friday, April 6, 2018.

As time has gone on, motor vehicles have become far more advanced -- not just in their capabilities to maneuver out on the road, but in their ability to protect the people inside of them too. This has done wonders for the motor vehicle accident fatality rate, but that doesn't mean that everything is peachy in the world of road safety.

For most of the 1900s, the fatal accident rate was poor. In the early years, they almost never happened -- which is to be expected. The automobile industry wasn't fully formed yet. But by the 1960s and 1970s, people were dying in motor vehicle accidents at increasingly disturbing rates. For many years, there were upwards of 40,000, and even 50,000, people dying in automobile accidents.