Newton, nicknamed the Garden City, is a suburban city located just seven miles west of downtown Boston. It has a population of 85,146 as of 2010, making it the eleventh most populous city in Massachusetts, and covers 18.0 square miles of land. Newton was settled in 1630 by Puritans as “the newe town.” The name was changed to Cambridge, and eventually became Newton in 1766. Today, Newton is made up of thirteen small unofficial villages, including Auburndale, Chestnut Hill, Oak Hill, and Waban. In 2010, Newton was ranked second among cities with a population of over 75,000 for highest annual household income. It is one of only seven communities in the country to boast a median household income of $100,000 or more, and approximately 23% of households earn over $200,000 per year. Newton has been distinguished as the safest city in the United States in 1999, 2004, and 2005 based on crime statistics compiled by the FBI. Lastly, in the trivia category, a machine to produce a unique type of chewy cookie was patented in the Boston area in 1891, and the resulting snack was named the Fig Newton, after the local town.
For almost thirty years, the lawyers at Bellotti Law Group, P.C. PC have helped those in Newton and the surrounding communities who have been injured due to the negligent or reckless actions of others. The most common lawsuits in Massachusetts are personal injury, wrongful death, workers’ compensation, defective product liability, medical malpractice, car accidents, bike accidents, and pedestrian accidents. In our practice, we have dealt with all of these types of claims and many others. Our knowledge and experience allows us to achieve a large number of settlements in favor of our clients, all while avoiding time consuming litigation and trial. When necessary, we have experienced litigators who will skillfully present your case in court and work their hardest to achieve a favorable ruling.
Bike-riding is a very common mode of transportation throughout Boston and its neighboring suburbs. Unfortunately, when bikes and automobiles are forced to share the road, accidents are bound to occur. Across the United States, 618 bicyclists were killed and roughly 52,000 were injured in 2010. The most common type of collision between a bicycle and a car occurs when a biker or a driver fails to break at a stop sign. Not surprisingly, the majority of fatalities tend to take place in urban areas. In the Boston area, Massachusetts Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue saw the largest number of bike accidents. In 2010, there were 314 fatalities in Massachusetts relating to accidents on streets and highways. Six of these people were killed while riding a bicycle. According to the United States Department of Transportation, in 2010, 0.92 bike riders were killed per one million members of the population in Massachusetts. This number ranks Massachusetts as the tenth lowest in the country. Florida had the highest rate of 4.40 bikers killed per one million people, and the national average was 2.00.
If you have been injured or a loved one was killed in a bike accident, contact one of our Boston personal injury attorneys. The injured party may be entitled to compensation for damages including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and lost earning capacity. The consultation is free, so call us today at 617-225-2100 to speak to a lawyer in one of our Boston, Cambridge, or Quincy offices.