Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog
A Westford family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against National Grid after an accident in August 2011 when a woman was crushed to death by a backhoe that fell off a trailer and landed on the family’s van on Interstate 495.
Sharon Wang, her two children, and her mother, Xiaoyun Jiang were all trapped inside the van. Wang, who was driving, was flown by helicopter to the hospital and the two children were taken by ambulance to the same hospital. Jiang, who was 70, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Wang has said, “I lost my mother on that day, and my children were trapped in the car with her as she passed away. I can hear my children screaming, ‘Help my Grandma!’ The horror of this will never leave us. I wish National Grid had never conducted this test drive
Wang’s husband said, “This was a completely preventable tragedy and National Grid’s reckless conduct put not only my family and the emergency personnel in danger, but also all of the other drivers on Route 495 that day.”
Bradley Henry, the family’s attorney, said that the National Grid driver was instructed by his superiors to conduct a test drive of the combination of a six-wheeled dump truck and flatbed truck with a backhoe on it.
Henry also said, “For a corporation as large as National Grid, with the resources of National Grid, to conduct a ‘test drive’ on a busy Friday afternoon on one of the most congested roadways in Massachusetts is the very definition of ‘gross negligence’”.
Pulgini & Norton, LLP attorneys have handled personal injury claims for over 25 years in and around Boston and its surrounding areas. If you or a family member has been injured due to someone else’s negligence and would like to seek legal assistance, please contact us at (781) 843-2200 or (888) 344-2046 or email us.
Cited Sources:
Family Of Woman Killed By Backhoe Sues National Grid: Westford Family Says Utility Knew Vehicle Was Dangerous, wcvb.com, April 18, 2012
Westford family files suit against National Grid after backhoe accident that killed grandmother, boston.com, April 19, 2012