Boston Motorcycle Injury Lawyer Blog

Another weekend, another motorcycle accident.

This time  a 37-year-old motorcyclist from Gardner, whose name was not released, was seriously injured in a crash on Route 56 on Saturday, July 24th.

According to police and news reports, the biker lost control of the motorcycle and struck a guardrail on Route 56 North.  The male motorcyclist fell off the bike which continued to slide along the guardrail on the right side of the road. Emergency crews found the motorcycle about 200 yards from crash site.

Officers performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the victim at the scene of the accident. He was transported to St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester for treatment of serious injuries to his upper body and the side of his head, but there is no information on his condition at the hospital.

The injured man was found without a helmet on his head, but two helmets were on the ground when police arrived at the scene. News reports said that the victim was accompanied by another man on a separate motorcycle.

The accident is still under investigation.

News Sources: Telegram.

A 63-year-old man was badly hurt in a single-motorcycle accident in Meredith, New Hampshire, yesterday afternoon.

According to news reports, the accident occurred on Neck Road near Eaton Avenue, when the biker lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into a utility pole, a stone wall and two trees. He sustained several injuries, though no details were immediately available.

Neither speed nor alcohol appeared to be factors in the crash, police said.

Monday July, 5th was a tragic day for one Massachusetts biker travelling on his motorcycle on Waverley Street in Framingham, Mass. For some reason, still investigated by the police, the biker lost control of his motorcycle and lost his life in a single-motorcycle crash that morning.

He died almost immediately and was declared dead about 2 hours after the 7:30 am accident. Police have identified him as the town resident Roman Shtekelberg. He was 35 years old.

Witnesses to the crash said it did not appear that he was speeding. Local police together with the Massachusetts State Police Accident Reconstruction Team are still investigating the cause of the motorcycle accident. No other details were immediately available to the public.

We are saddened by this tragic accident and offer our sincerest condolences Roman Shtekelberg’s family and friends.

A hit-and-run accident occurred in Worcester, Mass. over the Fourth of July weekend that ended fatally Edmund Lindberg, a 28-year-old corrections officer. He was off-duty and traveling on his motorcycle when he got struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Blackstone River Road and Whipple Street in Worcester.

The car-motorcycle collision was so serious, Lindberg died shortly from injuries sustained in the crash.

The driver fled the scene, and later turned himself in. News stories covering the event noted that the motorist, Joseph Ferrantino reportedly called the police to tell them he thought he was in a crash that day. Police then arrested and charged him with a motor vehicle homicide after questioning.

We send our sincerest condolences for Edmund Lindberg’s death to his family and friends. Our hearts go out to all those who knew and loved him.

This tragic death adds further sorrow to the list of fatal motorcycle-car crashes this summer, and we sincerely hope drivers will take a clue from all these accidents and strive for safer driving, staying more alert on the roads, and keeping in mind that motorcyclists are out there, too, especially in summertime.

A motorcycle and car collision that occurred in Mendon, Massachusetts on Sunday left the motorcyclist seriously injured and suffering from massive trauma.

The motorcyclist, Mark Karli, 61, of Franklin, sustained head injuries and a broken pelvis in the crash. He is now recovering at UMass Medical Center in Worcester, where his condition is listed as ‘fair.’

The accident occurred at the intersection of Hartford Avenue and Cemetery Street in Mendon (please see on the map below). Milford Daily News reported that Karli’s motorcycle, a 1996 Kawasaki, was travellling east on Hartford Ave when a 2008 Toyota Scion, driven by Nicole Kovalsky, 25, attempted to make a left turn on Cemetery Street. The Toyota crossed into the path of Karli, who crashed into the passenger side of the car, police said.

Karli was the one seriously injured in the crash. He was first treated by Mendon firefighters and paramedics at the scene, and was then airlifted to UMass Medical Center for further treatment.

The Toyota driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to Milford Regional Medical Center.

While police are still investigating the cause of the crash, Karli is recovering from his injuries. We sincerely wish him to get better soon.

In motorcycle-car collisions, it is almost always the motorcyclist who suffers the most. In addition, head injuries are some of the most common injuries motorcyclists sustain in collisions.  This is a sober reminder to other drivers on the road to stay alert this summer and look out for motorcycles. After all, while drivers can count on their vehicles to absorb the brunt of the impact in a crash, motorcyclists are the ones exposed. With this in mind, drivers should exercise extra caution around bikers, who in turn should do anything to get noticed on the road.

Yes, this is a truth that cannot be denied. Proper motorcycle safety equipment saves lives, the most important of which is wearing a helmet.

A motorcycle accident that happened on May 16th in Milford, MA, could have easily had a fatal outcome if not for the wisdom of one luckly motorcycle rider. The 55-year-old George Claborn of Amherst hit the road that Saturday properly attired and protected, and even though he had a serious motorcycle crash, he survived. 

Yes, he was injured, as it is almost invitable in any type of motorcycle accident, but he survived.

The crash occurred between his motorcycle, Kawasaki Ninja, and a Jeep Cherokee, trapping Claborn under the Jeep. He suffered broken bones and other injures, but after treatment at the UMass Medical Center in Worcester, his condition is improving.

His wife attributes his survival to wearing a proper safety equipment, and we agree. Besides installing loud pipes on motorcycles to boost the noise level so motorists can hear them, in the event of collision, our safest bet is to protect our heads with proper helmets. As we age our brain shrinks, but our skull size remains the same, and consequently the brain has more wiggle room inside the skull.

When a crash occurs, one the of the main concerns is a closed head injury – meaning, the skull is not broken, but the victim still sufferes a head injury due to violent acceleration of the head which causes the brain to move around inside the skull. When the head suffers impact from the front, the brain moves forward, squeezing the tissue near the spot of the impact, and at the same time stretches the tissue on the opposite side of the head. Then the brain rebounds in the opposite direction, doing the same thing – squeezing tissue on one side and stretching the tisue on the opposite end. Depending on the impact, blood vessels that link the brain to the inside of the skull can stretch and break, causing bleeding, which is extremely dangerous.

Unfortunately, the closed head injury is the most common type of motorcycle head injury. So, wearing a helmet is crucial to protecting the brain, and preventing serious head trauma, as well as damages to the brain. Some helmets, like the ones with face shield and chinbar, also protect the face from external injury.

Claborn had his on when the crash occurred, so, even under a Jeep, his head didn’t suffer a serious trauma. Claborn was also wearing boots and a full leather gear, which also played a significant part in his protection.

We are happy for him, and hope that his example will serve as a great lesson for those who forget or refuse to wear proper safety equipment.

Motorcyclists are vulnerable on the road and must do everything to protect themselves. Who do you think is more likely to get injured in a car/motorcycle collision? Just think, in this crash the Jeep Cherokee driver didn’t get injured, so if Claborn forgot to put his helmet on that day, chances are he would have been a fatality.

ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET!!! It helped save George’s life.

We hope George Claborn will have a speedy recovery and we wish him all the best!!!

We have all committed acts of distracted driving at one time or another. We have all talked on the phone, sent text messages, eaten food, entertained the kids, or even applied make-up while driving. Even though they may be common, these actions are stupid, dangerous, and potentially criminal.

Distracted driving also risks lives. As bikers, we tend to think about the impact of distracted motorists more than car drivers because we realize that even minor motorcycle accidents could have life changing implications.

This certainly was true for the Zaffke family. In May 2009, Lora Hunt killed motorcycle enthusiast Anita Zaffke in Lake Zurich, IL; who was driving while painting her fingernails. Zaffke was stopped at a red light and Hunt rear-ended her motorcycle at about 50 MPH.

By all accounts Zaffke was a pillar of her community, an excellent mother, and a safety-conscious biker. In May of 2006, Zaffke embarked on a motorcycle road trip she called her ‘epic journey’. Her 2 week, 5000 mile trip took her from the Chicago area to Vancouver, British Columbia and back. During this trip, she wrote in her journal, took photographs, and camped as a means to gain perspective on her life.

To honor his mother and to shed light on this problem, Zaffke’s son Greg created the Black Nail Brigade. This motorcycle safety organization is working hard to make sure that people in the greater Illinois area and across the United States are aware of the circumstances surrounding his mother’s death and the scourge of distracted drivers.

The case against Lora Hunt also brings to light some interesting legal considerations. There are arguments suggesting that while distracted driving is a terrible practice, it is not necessarily criminal. This argument will be center stage at Hunt’s trial for the death of Anita Zaffke scheduled for May 3, 2010; almost a year from the date of Zaffke’s death.

On Saturday, May 1 2010, the Black Nail Brigade is sponsoring an Epic Ride to commemorate Anita Zaffke’s life and to replicate her ride from 2006. If you cannot attend but would like to contribute to this cause, their website provides opportunities to donate or purchase apparel.

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident due to the negligence of another driver, contact motorcycle enthusiast and Andover personal injury lawyer, Tom Kiley.

Daytona Bike Week 2010 will be from February 26 – March 7 and like past years, this will be one of the biggest biker events in the world. Every year, the event gets larger with more bikers, spectators, and vendors. Bike Week is one of the biker events that never disappoints.

With all of the people, events, bikers, parties, and traffic, Bike Week also has lots of dangers. Every year, there are crashes, injuries, fatalities, and theft. It would be a shame to ruin your experience at Bike Week by being careless.

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you plan to attend Bike Week this year:

• Ride with people you know: The temptation will be there to ride with other people who have cool bikes and want to increase the size of their pack. Don’t do it. Biking with strangers whose riding habits you don’t know if a sure fire way to get hurt.
• Secure your motorcycle: Bikers from all over will be at Bike Week and so will motorcycle thieves. Make sure to lock your bike and secure it as best you can. If you don’t, your bike could fall into the hands of a thief.
• Stay sober: Drinks will be flowing during Bike Week but make sure not to ride if you had too many. There will be too many bikes, cars, and pedestrians around to even attempt to ride in the wrong state of mind.
• Obey all traffic laws: Excessive speeding, racing, noise, and parking violations hurt all bikers and give us all a bad name. Make sure to respect local law enforcement and the residence of Daytona Beach because traffic/safety laws will be aggressively enforced. Remember, not everyone on Daytona Beach is a motorcycle enthusiast.
• Pay attention: There will be lots of sights to see but keep your focus on the road as you ride. With all the traffic, a brief distraction can cause a major accident.

Daytona Bike Week is a great event and I suggest every biker attend at least once. While there, make sure to have both fun and safety in mind.

There are a few things I know for certain. Among those things include the fact that I love motorcycles and that my friends  love me.

My friends know that I am an avid biker and that one of my favorite things to do is get out on my motorcycle and hit the open road. It doesn’t matter if I’m riding solo or with a group of bikers, riding a motorcycle is great fun for me.

However, my friends who know I love motorcycles and even strangers who I casually talk to usually do the same thing — tell me about the worst motorcycle accident they have ever heard of. They just seem to love telling me about some friend of a friend who died on a bike or received some gruesome injury.

What are they trying to do? Scare me?

I tell them I appreciate their concern but these stories can erode the one thing bikers need, and that is confidence. If a biker goes out and does not have confidence in his or her ability to handle their bike, ride defensively, and avoid bad situations, then they have no business being on a bike.

Being aware of motorcycle dangers and motorcycle safety (including gear, riding techniques, etc.) is a must for any biker, but if the fear consumes you, riding stops being fun and definitely stops being safe.

Next time you find yourself in this conversation, tell your friends the same thing.

Most bikers will tell you that if you ride a motorcycle long enough you will get into a motorcycle accident. Generally, this statement is true and bikers need to respect it.

A good friend of mine who is a 20 year motorcycle rider got rear ended at a traffic light by a careless driver who was probably sending a text message while driving. This type of motorcycle accident is becoming all too familiar. As more drivers distract themselves with text messages and mobile social networks, bikers are at higher risk for serious injuries.

Luckily my friend was able to avoid injury and here are some ways you can do the same.

• Loud Pipes: Loud pipes save lives by actually helping motorists recognize your presence. Having louder pipes than the normal stock versions will help your noise signature resonate a greater distance.

• More Light: Make sure your bike has adequately lighting in the rear. Upgrading to LED lights is a great way to minimize light size while adding extra illumination for your bike and running lights.

• No Headphones or Ear Plugs: It’s nearly impossible to hear horns or screeching tires if you are listening to an iPod or if you are wearing ear plugs. Sometimes, you may hear an accident about to happen before you see it. Do not obstruct any of your senses.

• Side View Mirrors: Often, motorcycle side mirrors are selected for their look and not their function. Side view mirrors are important in avoiding rear collisions because good mirrors will help you quickly and clearly see vehicles behind you. Stylish side mirrors are not much help at all.

• Act Quickly: Being prepared is sometimes the best way to avoid accidents. My friend was able to avoid injury by hearing screeching tires, dumping the bike, and moving out of the way before the vehicle struck him. His bike was destroyed but he walked away without a scratch. Whether you jump off, pull off, or do some other maneuver, acting fast can save your life.

• Think About Motorcycle Accidents:  I don’t encourage bikers to obsess about accidents but I think it is very important to think about various emergency scenarios and have a plan if it happens. Having a half second faster reaction time could be the different between walking away and never walking again.

No biker can avoid distracted drivers forever. Have a plan for the worst case scenarios when riding your bike. That way, you will be able to do all you can to save your bike and your health.