Hiring a car accident lawyer might be the last thing on your mind if you were seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident here in Boston, Massachusetts. However, your lawyer can make a world of difference in recovering the fair compensation you need to move on with your life.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident in Boston, MA, You may be entitled to recover damages for your medical bills, lost wages, suffering, and more. Get in touch with an experienced Boston car accident lawyer at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP at (617) 391-9001 to schedule a free consultation, or fill out our contact form.
Our experienced car accident attorneys will fight to get the full amount you deserve. We’ll listen to your story and explain your options for moving forward with your case.
After a car accident, not only are you dealing with inconvenience from your car being damaged or totaled, pain from injuries, and lost wages from missing work, but you may also have bills adding up from all of these difficulties you’ve faced. Insurance companies are supposed to provide compensation to help with situations like these when you need it most.
Unfortunately, that money has to come out of their profits—and car insurance companies are very much motivated by profit. That means the auto insurance adjuster will often go to great lengths to deny, delay, or minimize the value of your payout. Often, they have the resources to succeed.
You need a Boston car accident lawyer to even the playing field. When you choose Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, you’ll have over 100 years of combined legal experience in your corner. That means a lawyer who will:
If you’re hurt and wondering where to turn for help in maximizing your settlement offer, look no further. Our legal team at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP is standing by to take your call.
There are more than 36,000 miles of road crisscrossing the state of Massachusetts. Roughly 5 million vehicles travel these roads every single day. Not everyone makes it to their destination safely.
Traffic accidents are incredibly common in the Commonwealth—and have been for years.
In just a few short years, the number of accidents in Massachusetts has increased significantly. Between 2019 and 2020, the state saw crashes rise by almost 15%. On a given day in 2019, there were roughly 385 car accidents in the state every single day.
As the largest city in the Commonwealth, it’s no surprise that Boston and its suburbs are where many of these collisions take place. In the years spanning 2012-2019, there were a total of 34,956 collisions reported in the city of Boston alone.That’s about 4,370 collisions a year, or 12 a day, inside city limits.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, there were 2,870 vehicle accidents in the city of Boston as of early October 2021. Of those, 708 crashes have caused injuries. There have been 19 fatal accidents so far in 2021—already matching the number of fatalities in all of 2020.
While auto accidents can unfold anywhere in the city of Boston, certain stretches of road and intersections are simply more dangerous than others.
Crash data from the Massachusetts DOT shows that these are where car accidents tend to happen in Boston:
An investigation by NBC10 in Boston also found that Columbia Road at the Southeast Expressway and North Washington Street at Central Artery are also among the most dangerous crossroads in the city, simply due to the fact that a lot of accidents happen there.
Personal injury victims in Boston are entitled to full compensation for past and future losses related to the injury. In the state of Massachusetts, these damages fall into one of two categories. They are economic or non-economic.
Economic damages are those awarded to make up for the financial costs, expenses, and losses you experience because of your accident. Examples include:
These are verifiable and quantifiable costs—often using invoices, bills, and/or receipts. Economic awards can compensate for both your present costs and whatever future expenses you’ll likely have.
Some consequences of a car wreck don’t have direct or specific costs. Some consequences are so intimate and personal that the true cost really varies from one victim to the next. Non-economic damages are awarded to account for these subjective injuries. Examples include:
Don’t let the insurance company decide how much you deserve. At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, we have the resources to hire respected experts who can make sure your injury claim is fairly valued. Remember, it’s the insurance adjuster’s job to get you to settle for less. Call our firm today to speak with a Boston car accident lawyer who has the skills to protect your best interests at the negotiating table.
Massachusetts follows a modified comparative negligence law. That means accident victims can only recover compensation if they were less than 51% to blame for the crash. If you were 51% or more “at fault” for causing the accident, you’re prohibited from recovering any compensation from the other at-fault parties. If you do share some, but not most, of the blame, your damages will be reduced accordingly. For instance, imagine that your damages from a crash in Boston total $100,000. You’re also allocated 30% of the blame for the accident. Under the state’s contributory fault rules, you’ll be able to recover a maximum of $70,000. Why? Your total compensation ($100,000) is reduced in direct proportion to your share of the blame (30%).
There are very few exceptions to the rule. Because of the shared fault rules in Massachusetts, it’s particularly important to speak with an attorney right away. You can expect the insurance company to do everything possible to shift the blame to you. At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, our personal injury attorneys know how to fight back. We’ll conduct a detailed investigation to find the proof you need to move forward with your injury claim. If you’re interested in learning more, call our law offices for a free case review as soon as you can.
No matter how safe of a driver you may be, a car accident can happen to anyone when they least expect it. Being involved in a car accident can leave victims feeling lost as they assess the damages they have suffered due to another person acting carelessly. After the accident, you may be concerned about how this incident could affect your car insurance. Depending on the type of accident you were involved in and how much liability you hold for the crash, you may see different impacts on your auto insurance.
If you were involved in a chargeable accident, you will generally see an increase in your auto insurance rate. Chargeable accidents usually mean that you were found to be more than fifty percent liable for the crash which resulted in:
Chargeable accidents can also be defined based on the dollar amount in damages. For example, if the other party suffered more than $500 in bodily harm, this may be considered a chargeable accident.
Not all accidents will cause an increase in your insurance rate. An example of car accidents that are not considered to be chargeable are:
You can prevent any impact on your auto insurance by providing proof that you were not at fault for the accident. This proof may include:
To avoid having a car accident negatively impact your auto insurance, our Boston car accident lawyers may be able to help.
After being involved in a car accident with another driver, one of the first steps you take is to get the insurance information from the other driver involved. However, you may be left wondering what your next steps should be if you have been involved in a crash with a driver who does not have any car insurance or is underinsured. In some cases, the other driver may even drive off before you get the chance to take down their insurance information.
Because of possible scenarios like these, it is extremely important that you know what uninsured and underinsured coverage is. If you are in a situation with an irresponsible driver, carrying this type of coverage can financially protect you and help you cover the costs of the losses you may have suffered as a result.
After you have been injured in an accident caused by a negligent driver, you will generally speak with a car accident lawyer who can help you file a car accident claim with the other driver’s insurance. Through this claim, you can pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering.
If the driver only carries minimum liability insurance they may not have enough coverage to pay as much as you are owed in compensation. Additionally, if they are uninsured, you may be thinking that you will receive no compensation at all. However, when you carry uninsured and underinsured motor coverage, you will have your own coverage to help you pay off the cost of any losses not covered by the at-fault party.
If you are considering getting underinsured insurance, uninsured insurance, or both, it is crucial that you understand what each covers and how that coverage could be beneficial to you.
Being involved in an accident is already traumatic. However, when you are in an accident with a negligent party who is unable to pay you the compensation you are owed, you may be feeling helpless and unsure if you will get the justice you deserve.
If you are unsure of what your next steps should be after being involved in a car accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver in Boston, it is important that you contact a trusted car accident lawyer as soon as possible. At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, we are passionate about helping you fight for fair compensation as you recover from the physical and emotional injuries you have sustained as a result of another person’s carelessness.
Any number of factors can come together to cause a car accident. In fact, multiple factors might lead to the same car accident. Some of the most common causes of car accidents in Boston include:
You might not know what caused your car wreck. In fact, this is fairly common. After all, an accident can happen in the blink of an eye—and don’t count on the other driver to admit fault. With over 100 years of combined experience, our car accident attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP can help you get to the bottom of what happened. Get in touch with our law firm by calling or filling out our contact form today. Your first consultation is always completely free of charge.
Anytime that you get behind the wheel of your car, you run the risk of being involved in an accident. Whether you were involved in a T-bone accident, rear-end collision, or a side swipe accident, you may have suffered extensive injuries and losses as a result. Regardless of whether your accident was minor or more severe, someone will always be held liable for the accident occurring in the first place. In some cases, it can be clear who is at-fault for an accident. However, that is not always the case. Sometimes, liability is muddled and requires the help of a Boston car accident lawyer to help you determine if you hold some or any of the liability for the accident.
Even if you walk away from an accident with injuries, it is not as easy as you may think to prove that the other driver should be held liable for the accident. Massachusetts is a no-fault state. This means that when filing your claim, you will be receiving certain benefits and compensation from your own insurance provider. While you will not initially pursue damages from the other party’s insurance provider, that does not mean that it is not possible if they are found to be at fault for the accident. If fault is found to be with the other driver, you can file a claim through your insurance provider, but you must provide proof. The proof you may provide could include:
State law allows anyone to pursue non-monetary damages like pain and suffering by filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party if the losses they have suffered exceed $2,000. During the investigation, if it is discovered that either party was acting negligently, thus causing the accident, it may be determined that one of the drivers hold more than fifty percent liability for the accident.
When determining who is liable for a car accident in Massachusetts, the at-fault driver must meet the following requirements:
Depending on the type of insurance coverage you have and your driving record, if you are at-fault for a car accident you may receive negative points and an increase to your insurance rate as a result. That is why it is crucial that you work with our trusted Boston car accident lawyers who can help prove the fault of the other party while building a strong claim.
At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, our lawyers have experience representing car accident victims who have suffered:
If you or a loved one were injured in a car crash in Boston or nearby areas in Suffolk County, call our car accident attorneys today. We can arrange a virtual consultation or travel to you to talk about your options for recovering fair compensation to help get your life back on track.
Any type of auto accident can have serious consequences. The type of accident in which you’re involved can ultimately impact your pursuit of compensation. It’s important to work with a car accident attorney who has a lot of experience representing clients who have been injured in different types of wrecks. At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, we help clients who have been injured in:
Regardless of how you were hurt, our team is here to help. We’ve devoted our careers to helping injured clients across Boston. All you have to do is call to find out what we can do for you.
Massachusetts is a no-fault insurance state. That means you’ll typically begin by filing a claim with your own insurance company. However, you’re entitled to sue the at-fault driver for compensation if you either:
If you satisfy either of these requirements, you can pursue a lawsuit against anyone who played a role in your car crash. That might include:
Our team at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, will put in the work needed to identify every responsible party. That greatly increases the odds of recovering the maximum available compensation for your injuries.
Massachusetts personal injury law gives accident victims three years to file a lawsuit for damages. This time limit is called the statute of limitations.There isn’t much flexibility in this rule—once three years have passed, you’ll lose your right to recover compensation, even if you were seriously hurt.
In fact, you might even have less time to sue for damages. For example, if your claim involves the city of Boston itself, you’re required to provide notice of your intent to pursue damages within 30 days of the accident.It’s never too early to get started with your claim. In fact, our investigation is often much more successful if we get started right away. If you have questions about the deadline for filing a lawsuit, don’t hesitate to call our attorneys for answers.
It’s understandable that you might be a bit shaken up after you’re involved in a motor vehicle accident while driving in or around Boston. However, it’s essential that you keep in mind that the things you do and the decisions you make in these moments are important. They could have a sizable impact on your health, as well as the strength and value of any injury claims you decide to pursue. Following, a traffic accident in Boston:
At Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, we know that accidents are anything but convenient. That’s why our team is always standing by to take your call—24/7/365. If you’ve been hurt in a car accident in Boston, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and contact us immediately. The sooner you call and get us in your corner, the sooner we can get to work on fighting for the money you deserve.
Money is no guarantee that you’ll fully recover from your physical injuries. However, it can give you the financial security needed to get the best possible treatment and move on with your life.
Our trusted legal team is led by our experienced co-managing partners, J. Tucker Merrigan and Peter M. Merrigan. J. Tucker Merrigan has been a co-managing partner of the firm for over a decade. He has been recognized for his work in the Massachusetts legal system with awards that include: Under 40, National Trial Lawyers; 2020-2021 Lawyer.com Top Attorney Award. Our other co-managing partner, Peter M. Merrigan, has been recognized for his work helping the communities of Boston: 2018 Top 40 Under 40, National Trial Lawyers; and 2021 Massachusetts “Super Lawyer.”
If you or a loved one were hurt in a crash, reach out to a car accident attorney at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP for a free consultation. We have the experience you need to get the full and fair compensation your family deserves. You can call us at (617) 391-9001 or fill out our contact form.
Can I Make a Claim if the At-Fault Driver Left the Scene?
If the at-fault driver left the scene and you are unable to identify the driver, you can make a claim with your own automobile insurance for uninsured motorist benefits. These benefits provide compensation in situations where you are unable to identify the at-fault party, or where the at-fault party does not have automobile insurance. You will, however, need to provide evidence to show that another vehicle was at fault for the crash.
What Should I Do if a Defective Part in My Car Caused My Accident?
When dealing with any defective product in a legal case, the most important first step is preserving the product so that it can be inspected. Too often we come across cases we believe would be strong cases to pursue, but the product is nowhere to be found; it was thrown out in the mechanic’s garage, lost when someone needs medical care, or trashed because that’s our first response when things go wrong. The problem is, without this product, the manufacturers can make all sorts of defenses blaming everything but the widget that serves as a backbone to their business’ bottom line.
Can I Recover Compensation if I Was a Passenger in a Car Crash?
Yes. Passengers may still recover compensation through the at-fault driver’s automobile insurance.
Who Will Pay For My Medical Bills Following the Accident?
Massachusetts is a no-fault state, meaning that your own automobile insurance will pay up to the first $8,000 in medical bills regardless of fault. This coverage is called Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, and is part of every Massachusetts automobile policy for motor vehicles. Once your PIP coverage is exhausted, your medical bills will be resubmitted to your health insurance for payment. However, if you were injured while operating or riding a motorcycle, your automobile insurance will not have PIP coverage. Depending on your motorcycle insurance policy, you may have MedPay benefits. This is another form of no-fault coverage which will pay medical bills arising from your crash.
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