Blog Posts in July, 2016

Motorcyclist suffers leg injuries in Massachusetts car accident

Two 53-year-old men were recently involved in a Massachusetts auto collision that caused one of the men to be seriously injured and transported by air for medical treatment. The car accident involved a car smashing into a motorcycle and led to one of the men being accused of drunk driving. That driver, the operator of the car, reportedly smashed into the motorcycle when trying to turn left into ...

Taunton car accident ends in 1 death, serious injuries to another

A recent accident in Taunton is under investigation after one man died and another sustained serious injuries. According to authorities, two individuals occupied the minivan. The driver was identified as a 64-year-old man, and the passenger was identified as a 45-year-old man. The car accident occurred on Interstate 45 when, for unknown reasons, the minivan rolled over and landed off the roadway. ...

When construction accidents lead to tragedy

Few occupations are more dangerous than construction work, and those who make a living in this industry are every cognizant of the risks that are inherent in their chosen profession. That said, it still comes as a shock when a worker loses his or her life while on the job. One Massachusetts family is currently in the earliest stages of grief after losing their loved one in one of the year's most ...

Contractor receives several OSHA citations

A workplace injury can have devastating consequences, resulting in lost wages as well as substantial medical bills. Employers have a duty to provide a safe environment at all times. Unfortunately, sometimes employers fail in this duty, as a recent case illustrates. Contractor failed to provide safe work environment Advanced Safety & Health reported that a Massachusetts based contractor, Twin Pines ...

Domestic violence in any form can impact the terms of your divorce

Domestic violence in a marital relationship can take many forms, including emotional, physical or mental abuse. For many victims of domestic violence, divorce is the one way to stop the abuse for good. In the divorce process, there are special considerations that come into play when one of the parties has been a victim of domestic abuse. It is important to address these issues and retain a divorce ...

Equitable property distribution in a Massachusetts divorce case

Massachusetts divides marital property according to equitable distribution, which focuses on separating property in a fair manner. One of the most difficult topics to discuss in a divorce case is property division. Many people acquire a sizable amount of property and assets during a marriage, and it can be difficult to separate those items in a way that makes everyone happy. This is especially ...

How do I modify my divorce judgment in Massachusetts?

Over time, a family's circumstances may change. When transformations occur, it may be time to make adjustments. If this is you, you may be wondering, for example, how to alter your divorce decree once your situation has changed. The good news is that a there are options. The first and most important step is to retain a lawyer. An experienced family law attorney can help you proceed through legal ...

Is your spouse hiding marital property?

Hiding marital property is not uncommon during a divorce, and there are red flags that spouses should be on the lookout for. The breakup of a marriage is never easy and it can get even harder for people in Taunton when the time arrives to split up the money and assets. According to Massachusetts law, marital property is subject to an equitable process. This means a spouse could receive part, all ...

Joint custody: infants benefit from spending nights with the same parent

When parents in Eastern Massachusetts, Massachusetts, go through a divorce , finding appropriate child support and custody arrangements is crucial to the well-being of the children. Many parents, however, don't realize that child custody plans for babies may need to be tailored differently than plans for older children. A recent study suggests that too many overnight stays away from the primary ...

Marriage to Divorce: Financial Considerations for Your New Single Life

When a divorce is looming in your life, many things are probably running through your head. One of the most important things you may be considering is your ability to manage finances as a single person. If you are involved in a divorce , you'll undoubtedly undergo financial changes after the marriage ends. This increases the need for solid financial preparation. Yet, while making good financial ...

Massachusetts court allows both former spouses to teach children religion

A recent ruling of the Massachusetts Appeals Court amends a divorce judgment to allow the mother to provide religious education to the children of the marriage. The mother had appealed the divorce judgment, arguing that the paragraph prohibiting her from providing Christian education to the children violated her constitutional rights. After affirming that the objective of child custody ...

Massachusetts Workers' Compensation: When Can You Get Your Money?

The Massachusetts workers' compensation system provides workers with a valuable safety net. If you succumb to a work-related injury or illness, workers' comp benefits will cover your medical bills and provide you with partial wage replacement. But, if you've been injured on the job, you likely have many questions. When will your benefits begin? How much will you receive? What if your employer's ...

Mediation and Divorce

When two people in love think about marriage they probably imagine building a home together, spending white Christmases snuggled up next to a fire, raising a family, and vacations spent in the sun. When people set out to marry, they generally do not think about the worst: standing in a court room, waiting on the judge to decide who gets what. Such a contentious situation is the exact opposite of ...

New Government Report Details Most Prevalent Workplace Injuries

In late 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report compiling all the latest data on occupational injuries and illnesses. The report paints a picture of injury rates that have been relatively stable over the last few years, without any significant gains in workplace safety. Unsurprisingly, those working in certain occupations were far more likely to suffer from a workplace injury. ...

No Longer Satisfied With the Terms of Your Divorce? Explore Modification

A divorce becomes final either through a settlement agreement or a court decision. Yet, even the symbolic conclusiveness of a divorce decree does not mean your divorce terms can never be revisited. Under Massachusetts law, you may modify your divorce agreement to better reflect the changing circumstances of your life. Obtaining a divorce modification is not always easy, but with the help of the ...

Questions of paternity in Massachusetts

More and more, Americans are having children outside of marriage. In Massachusetts, if the mother is unmarried at the time of birth, the child will not have a legal father and no father's name will be listed on the birth certificate, unless and until paternity is established. A single mother has custody of the child automatically. What does it mean to have a legal father? Having a legal father is ...

Statistics show trend in domestic abuse against women in Massachusetts

There's no question that divorce is hard on anyone, even couples going through the most cooperative of splits. Unfortunately for many couples in Massachusetts, their marriages-and divorces-have been anything but cooperative. Sadly, a large number of people throughout the country are victims of domestic violence every day. This includes men, as well as women and children. Nobody should be treated ...

The dos and don'ts of hiring a Massachusetts divorce lawyer

The person who people hire to handle their divorce case will play a vital role in its outcome, so it is important that they choose the right lawyer. Unfortunately, not all marriages in Eastern Massachusetts, and throughout the state, are meant to stand the test of time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the divorce rate in Massachusetts as of 2011 was 2.7 for every 1,000 ...

Tips for telling kids about an approaching divorce

To break divorce news more gently, parents should assess each child’s needs, plan a cooperative announcement and provide real answers to common concerns. Divorce can introduce many concerns for parents in Boston, including devising a suitable parenting plan and ensuring that their children are provided for financially. However, one of the first hurdles that many parents face is telling their kids ...

What are the benefits and drawbacks of keeping the house?

The family home is likely to be the biggest asset most couples who are going through a divorce will have. Although any form of property division during a divorce has the potential to be contentious, disputes over which spouse gets the home tend to cause an especially high degree of animosity. People are attached to their homes, after all, not just for financial reasons, but for emotional ones as ...

Workers' Comp Insurers Unhappy With Cost of Prescription Painkillers

When an occupational injury puts you out of work, workers' compensation is a safety net that can help you through your time of need by providing wage replacement and medical expense payments. Most employers provide workers' compensation benefits through partnerships with workers' comp insurers. After a decade of incentivizing doctors to pursue drug-heavy treatments in lieu of alternatives like ...