Posts Tagged ‘“Boston bicycle accident lawyer”’
Attorney David White to Speak at Boston Cycling and Health Expo about Insurance for Cyclists
Attorney David W. White of Breakstone, White & Gluck will speak this weekend about how cyclists can purchase accident coverage to protect themselves from injuries and lost wages. White will speak at the Boston Cycling and Health Expo at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Westin Boston Waterfront. His talk is free and open to the public.
Cyclists often ride around with small amounts of coverage because they are unaware of how easy and relatively affordable it is to purchase extra coverage through their Massachusetts auto insurance policies. Drivers in Massachusetts are required to carry auto insurance, but they often carry very little and in some cases, none at all. If a cyclist is hit by a driver with inadequate insurance, he or she may be left without the compensation that is needed to fully recover and pay for medical expenses, bills, and the physical injuries.
White will talk about two ways cyclists can protect themselves by:
- Purchasing adequate amounts of Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist coverage
- Purchasing adequate Medical Payments coverage
Want to learn more before the event? Read our article, What Every Massachusetts Bicyclist Needs to Know About Car Insurance.
White will review the key parts of a Massachusetts auto insurance policy and explain the different options for cyclists to obtain compensation for injuries, including their own health insurance and no fault benefits. He will also discuss medical liens that health insurance companies may place on a personal injury case.
Cyclists who do not own cars may still be able to benefit from coverage if they live in a household with a car.
About Attorney David W. White
White is a Boston personal injury lawyer who has specialized in bicycle accident cases for over 25 years. He is a past president of the Massachusetts Bar Association. He is a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs and other events.
About the Boston Cycling and Health Expo and MassBike Bike Night
The Boston Cycling and Health Expo begins Friday and will host vendors from throughout New England who offer cycling, sports equipment and services aimed at healthy living. It starts at 2 p.m. Friday at the Westin Boston Waterfront at 425 Summer Street. It is also open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Two notable events: MassBike will host its Bike Night and Fashion Show on Friday, starting at 6:30 p.m. Then on Saturday, the expo will start with a group bike ride around the City of Boston.
Breakstone, White & Gluck Booth
Breakstone, White & Gluck will have a booth and we invite you to stop by. Our lawyers and staff will be demonstrating how to use the firm’s new Boston cycling app. The smart phone app provides users with safety tips from our lawyers, an easy way to store your health insurance information and tools to gather information at the scene if you are in an accident. We will also be sharing pictures from our work donating youth bike helmets to Boston Bikes, Cycle Kids, Bikes Not Bombs and other organizations this spring. Learn more.
Helmets Protect Bicyclists of All Ages
Bay State Bike Week is a good time to remember safety for Massachusetts bicyclists, motorists and all who travel the roads.
Motorists can commit to being vigilant in looking out for bicyclists this summer and slowing down. Bicyclists can ask whether they have taken all possible safety precautions.
These safety precautions must include bicycle helmets. Bicycle helmets are 85- to 88-percent effective in mitigating head and brain injuries in bike crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Nearly 70 percent of all fatal bike crashes involve head injuries, according to NHTSA figures. But only about 20 to 25 percent of all bicyclists wear helmets.
Individual states govern whether bicyclists must wear helmets. California was the first state to pass a bicycle helmet law in 1986. Twenty five years later, 21 other states have adopted laws aimed at cyclists under age 16. Fourteen states have no helmet laws, though the NHTSA recommends states adopt legislation.
Massachusetts requires helmets be worn by those 16 and younger while operating a bicycle or traveling on one as a passenger. Helmets must be approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Adults in Massachusetts and other states should not wait for the law to require them to wear helmets. In 2006, 773 bicyclists were killed and another 44,000 were injured in traffic crashes across the country. Children 14 and younger accounted for 98 of those fatalities, making this one of the most frequent causes of injury related death for young children. But the other 675 bicyclists were older and many of them could have also benefited from the protection of a bicycle helmet.
Click here for more information about bicycle helmet laws from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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