injuries

Popular Pokémon Go Game Causing Real Life Injuries

Published on: August 5, 2016 | by Bellotti Law Group

Since its release on July 6^th, Pokémon Go has been a party to many injuries, several car accidents and even muggings. So far, injuries sustained have not been fatal. Many players have reported via social media injuries ranging from severe sunburns to twisted ankles from tripping or falling into ditches.Pokémon Go is a new app inspired by a video game originally released in 1995 which was played on Gameboys. Soon after its creation, the Pokémon franchise expanded to the creation of a cartoon, along with playing cards and toys. The object of Pokémon Go is literally to “catch ‘em all!” Players walk around using the app, which in turn uses the camera app. As you walk around, the app tells you where you might find Pokémon, which are then viewable through the app. You then “throw” a pokéball at them to capture them.

Aside from injuries, there have also been muggings associated with the game. In Missouri, a group of teenagers were arrested for robbing several Pokémon Go players by using the app against them to lure them to areas where they could easily be overtaken and robbed. The teenagers were able to lure players by setting up pokéstops to “attract Pokémon” and in so doing were able to attract unsuspecting Pokémon Go players.

The US isn’t the only country with mounting concerns regarding injuries and crimes caused by players distractedly tripping and running into things. Police in the UK have been warning players to watch their surroundings, as having their faces buried in their phones make them easy targets for criminals, as well as prone to accidents such as walking into oncoming traffic.

Hit-and-Run Driver Faces Criminal Charges after Hitting 9 Bicyclists

Published on: June 21, 2016 | by Bellotti Law Group

Earlier this month, fifty-year-old Charles Pickett of Battle Creek, Michigan crashed his car into nine bicyclists and then fled the scene. He is now facing five counts of second-degree murder and four counts of reckless driving causing serious bodily harm.

Just minutes prior to the collision, police in the area had received several concerned calls prompting them to search for an erratically driving truck. According to one eyewitness, he had just narrowly missed being hit by the truck as he was leaving a local park. He further stated that he didn’t have time to warn the bicyclists before the truck collided into the group – ranging in age from 40 to 74.

The bicyclists were part of a group who referred to themselves as the “Chain Gang” and regularly took long rides together. They were just 5-miles into their typical 30 mile ride when Pickett struck the bike-enthusiasts. According to the Kalamazoo Sheriff’s Department, after the truck made impact, Pickett bailed from his truck and fled the scene on foot. Police were able to swiftly find and arrest him.

Massachusetts Pedestrian Accident on Rte. 128 Kills Billerica Man

Published on: December 2, 2011 | by Bellotti Law Group

Earlier this week, an 18-year-old Billerica, Massachusetts man died after being struck by a vehicle on Route 128 South in Lynnfield, near the Route 1 tunnel, north of Boston. A 17-year-old Massachusetts woman, also from Billerica, sustained severe personal injuries following the pedestrian accident. Massachusetts State Police and Lynnfield Police and Fire responded to the scene. The teens were rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital following the accident.

According to the state police, the young man died at the scene and the young woman was left suffering from life-threatening personal injuries. Traffic was halted on Rte. 128 South and nearby on-ramps were closed as a result of the motor vehicle accident. The Massachusetts State Police report noted that the two teens were occupants of a car that had stopped in the median of Rte. 128 South, when they “exited the vehicle and were standing in the travel lane when they were both struck by a second vehicle.” The pedestrian accident remains under investigation. Troopers with the State Police Detective Unit and the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, plus the Crime Services Section, are among those investigating.

Pedestrian accidents are a growing concern in Massachusetts. According to the Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Security, nearly 1/4 of all motor-vehicle related fatalities in Massachusetts involve pedestrians. Non-fatal pedestrian injuries are even more common. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration notes that a pedestrian injury occurs once every 8 minutes.