In Medford, Massachusetts, a total of 162 people experienced premature deaths in 2009. The data on premature deaths comes from Mass.gov, which classifies premature mortality as a death that occurs before a person reaches the age of 75.
Premature deaths are frequently caused by injuries. When these injuries are the result of negligence or occur because of a breach of legal duty, family members of the deceased may pursue a wrongful death claim. When negligence or carelessness causes an injury but the victim survives, the person who has been hurt may also pursue a claim for compensation. A Medford personal injury lawyer can represent victims or surviving family members in making a damage claim.
Medford Residents Face Injury RisksFor Massachusetts residents 44 years old or younger, the leading cause of death is injury. As many as 72 percent of all injury-related fatalities happen because of unintentional injuries or injury caused by accident.
Falls in Massachusetts have increased 18 percent each year since 2004 and have become the second leading cause of death due to unintentional injury, according to Mass.gov. The elderly are particularly susceptible to falls and many such incidents occur due to nursing home abuse or neglect. According to Caring.com, reviews of 22 nursing homes in the Medford area resulted in an average rating of 3.5 stars. Unfortunately, some complain of long delays when staff was called for help, as well as nursing home staff members refusing to provide for residents’ basic needs.
Motor vehicle collision deaths have been declining thanks to improvements in vehicle safety technology, but still account for 13 percent of deaths due to accidental injury. While vehicle collisions were the third leading cause of injury deaths in Massachusetts in 2008, motor vehicle collision injuries dropped to the fourth leading cause of fatalities resulting from unintentional injuries by 2009. In 2009, three people were killed in Medford traffic collisions. In 2010, there was just one death in a motor vehicle accident in Medford, according to City Data.
Medford, which is located five miles northwest of Boston along the Mystic River, is also the home of Tufts University. When there are large college populations, there may be an added risk of motor vehicle accidents because young people tend to be inexperienced drivers and often make bad decisions like driving while impaired.
Collisions and falls are not the only causes of injury. Other risks for Medford residents include dangerous drugs or other defective products; dog bites; negligent security and poorly maintained properties where slip and falls or other accidents could occur.
Getting Help from a Medford Personal Injury LawyerA civil lawsuit can be filed to obtain compensation for an injury or fatality. Your attorney can help you to determine where to file your case and can help you to prepare evidence and present your claim. Your lawyer can also help to negotiate an out-of-court settlement to recover monetary damages without going to trial.
Schedule your free consultation with a Medford personal injury lawyer at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers. Call (617) 777-7777 or contact us online.