Massachusetts motor vehicle accident on I-495 pins man’s legs

A recent Massachusetts motor vehicle accident resulted in horrifying injuries for at least one man. The crash occurred shortly after 6 a.m. on a Monday morning in the southbound lanes of Interstate 495. Police described the motor vehicle accident as an accordion collision, which is said to occur when one vehicle rear ends another and sends that vehicle into yet another vehicle.

Preliminary reports suggest that this crash was initiated by a tractor trailer truck. That vehicle inexplicably rear ended a van. In the course of doing so, a male occupant of the van was thrown from that vehicle. The tractor trailer ran over the man’s lower legs. Emergency personnel used inflatable airbags to lift the massive vehicle off the legs of the victim.

The injured man was said to be conscious during the entire ordeal. However, he was seriously injured and transported to a local hospital. In all, five people were sent to two nearby hospitals. While one victim was treated and released, there was no further word on the updated medical condition of the others, including the man whose legs had been pinned by the truck.

The southbound lanes of the Interstate were closed for almost an hour and a half to allow authorities to clean up the debris strewn about from the motor vehicle accident. Police are presumably continuing with their investigation. Those seriously injured in the crash retain the right to file personal injury lawsuits against the truck driver and any other party whose negligence is deemed to have caused or contributed to the injuries. Litigants will need to prove that another party’s negligence was the proximate cause of the crash. If they are successful in doing so, Massachusetts courts will consider damage claims in order to arrive at an appropriate award to reimburse victims for the injuries and suffering to which they were subjected.

Source: Eagle-Tribune, “Auto accident pins man’s legs under truck,” Bill Kirk, Oct. 23, 2012