Woman Seriously Injured In Freak Accident After Being Hit By Falling Light Pole In Boston’s Seaport District on the Evelyn Moakley Bridge
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS (September 30, 2022) – A woman was seriously injured after she was hit by a falling light pole while walking through Boston’s Seaport District on the Evelyn Moakley Bridge.
Suffolk County officials are saying that the accident took place on Tuesday. A woman was walking on the Evelyn Moakley Bridge when she was hit by a falling light pole.
Paramedics were called to the scene of the accident in order to help the victim. She sustained injuries to her leg and head before being taken to the hospital.
Photos of light poles in the area showed them with rusted out bases. In fact, WCVB revealed that the city of Boston received a warning about the poor conditions of the light poles on the Evelyn Moakley Bridge nearly two months before this accident.
The inspection city officials received detailed that the light poles were corroding at their bases. A full investigation into the accident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Boston Light Pole Accidents
Accidents involving falling light poles may seem like freak occurrences. But these events are actually quite common. In fact, in June of 2022 an adult and child were injured by a falling light post in Portland, Oregon. The adult and child were in a hammock attached to a light pole and tree when the light pole suddenly gave way. Both victims were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. There are a number of factors that could cause a light pole to fall over.
- Extreme weather may cause a pole to fall over.
- Corrosion at the base of a light pole could cause it to become unstable.
- Physical damage to a light pole could cause it to lose structural integrity.
Depending on the facts of any case, a municipal entity like Boston could be liable for an accident involving a falling light pole. Cities have a legal responsibility to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. Pursuant to the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act, “Public employers shall be liable for injury or loss of property or personal injury or death caused by the negligent or wrongful act or omission of any public employee while acting within the scope of his office or employment.” When a city is aware of a dangerous condition on public property, they must take measures to correct the dangerous condition.
If a city or other municipal entity fails to correct a dangerous condition on public property, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. Light poles require maintenance and periodic inspections like everything else. These poles are susceptible to the effects of weather, salt, sunlight and other factors that could cause them to deteriorate over time. There are a number of steps that should be taken after accident involving a light pole.
- Photos of the accident site should be taken.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Maintenance records should be examined.
- A full independent investigation should be conducted.
Any person that is injured in an accident involving a falling light pole may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Unfortunately, though, cities will fight hard to deny liability for their actions if a light pole falls over and injures someone. A personal injury attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating A Boston Light Pole Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our best wishes to the woman injured in this accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. This was a preventable tragedy that should have never taken place. It is our sincere hope that city officials will inspect all of the light poles on the Evelyn Moakley Bridge and prevent other accidents like this.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed in a Boston accident on the Evelyn Moakley Bridge? Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into an accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
