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Whether you are a new driver who just got their license or have been behind the wheel for years, driving safely is imperative every time you operate your car.
Unfortunately, no matter how safe of a driver you may be, there are other drivers who may be negligent and not uphold the duty of care they owe to those they share the roads with. As a result of this negligence, you may find yourself in a damaging car accident and serious injuries.
Hiring a Boston car accident lawyer might be the last thing on your mind if you were seriously injured in a car accident.
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.
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.
At Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers, we are dedicated to helping our clients after they have been the victims of car accidents in Boston Massachusetts.
We believe that no one should ever have to pay for the injuries and losses caused by another negligent party. That is why we will build a strong car accident claim as you pursue justice for your car accident case.
Get in touch with our award-winning team of Boston car accident attorneys at (617) 391-9001 to schedule a free consultation, or fill out our contact form.
After a car accident, you may be left reeling as you take in the reality of what has occurred due to the negligence of another party. Not only are you dealing with the inconvenience of car repairs or replacement, 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. However, that is not always the case when it comes to filing a Boston car accident claim.
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 car accident lawyer to even the playing field. When you choose Sweeney Merrigan, you’ll have over 100 years of combined legal experience in dealing with these insurance claims in Boston.
Our car accident lawyers will help you in the following ways throughout each step of your Boston car accident case:
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 Personal Injury Lawyers is standing by to take your call. We will review the details of your case and help you decipher what your legal options are as we advocate for your rights and interests throughout the entirety of the personal injury claims process.
Any type of auto accident can have serious consequences, from a minor rear-end collision to a serious rollover crash. 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 and can help you pursue the justice you are owed.
We have helped clients win millions in deserved compensation who have been injured in the following types of car accidents in Boston, Massachusetts:
Regardless of how you were hurt, our team is here to help. We’ve devoted our careers to helping injured clients across Boston. Our team of legal professionals will launch a full investigation into the details of your unique case to better understand what type of car accident you were involved in and what the best approach to take is as we help you pursue the fair compensation and justice you deserve.
Unfortunately, there are many drivers who do not follow the rules and laws of the road and drive recklessly. When a driver does not uphold their duty to operate their motor vehicle in a reasonably safe manner, they are putting themselves and those sharing the roads with them at risk of being injured in a crash. While all car accident cases are different, one important step is to identify what caused the accident that left you with injuries.
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. Additionally, you should never count on the other driver to admit fault. However, when you work with one of our legal professionals at Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers, we will ensure we collect all key evidence that will help us decipher who may be at fault and what caused your car accident to occur.
While auto accidents can unfold anywhere in the city of Boston, certain stretches of roads and intersections are simply more dangerous than others. This can be due to a number of factors like higher rates of traffic or less police presence, making drivers more likely to speed or drive recklessly. Regardless of why an area may be more dangerous than another, it is crucial you have a general understanding of where these places are in the city of Boston so you may try to avoid them if possible.
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. If you were injured in a car accident while driving in any of the above areas, or any other roadway in Boston, you have the legal right to pursue fair compensation by filing a personal injury claim. When you file a personal injury claim, you may be eligible to recover compensation for the injuries and losses you may have suffered due to the negligence of the at-fault party.
As the largest city in the Commonwealth, it’s no surprise that Boston and its suburbs are where many collisions take place. Unfortunately, despite what one may hope, accidents in Boston occur much more frequently than you may expect. 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 3,758 total vehicle accidents in the city of Boston in 2022. Of those crashes, 30 involved serious injuries, 527 involved minor injuries, and 24 were fatal.
In 2023, there were 4,498 total accidents in Boston. Of these accidents, 68 involved serious injuries, 729 involved minor injuries, and 16 were fatal. While we understand that accidents can happen anywhere due to a multitude of reasons, it is imperative you understand your rights as they relate to your ability to seek justice by filing a car accident claim with the help of one of our trusted Boston lawyers. Our legal team has the experience and skills to help car accident victims build a strong claim that will help them get back to their everyday life quicker and with the fair compensation they are owed.
After a car accident, many victims may question whether or not they need to seek medical attention. Even if you do not immediately feel symptoms of an injury or do not feel hurt at all, it is crucial that you seek a professional opinion from a healthcare worker. This is because many times, victims of car accidents may experience shock after the crash, preventing them from fully registering the injuries they may have suffered. Aside from being important to your overall health, it is also crucial you seek medical care as a way to support your car accident claim and support the fact that the negligence of the at-fault driver is directly at fault for the injuries you have suffered.
Correctly identifying and documenting your car accident injuries is extremely important if you plan to seek financial compensation from the other party or parties involved. To accomplish this, you will need to develop an understanding of the most common injuries incurred during car accidents. These injuries may include any of the following:
To accomplish this, you’ll need to develop an understanding of the most common injuries incurred during car accidents.
When your vehicle is stopped suddenly at any speed, you can experience whiplash, a condition caused by the sudden whip-like motion of your torso during the sudden change in velocity.
Typical symptoms of whiplash after a car accident include:
Due to its nature, whiplash typically affects the neck, shoulders, and upper spine the most, but it can also have adverse effects on the lower back, especially when left untreated.
According to a 2023 study by Science Direct, the number of crash-related whiplash injuries in the United States likely exceeds 1.2 million counts per year. Around 300,000 Americans who have suffered whiplash become disabled in some way due to pain and lack of proper treatment.
If you have experienced symptoms concurrent with those of whiplash, it is crucial you seek medical care and contact one of our personal injury lawyers to begin the process of filing your claim.
Brain injuries are perhaps the most common injury that results from car and truck accidents.
They can also be difficult to spot, particularly since victims may experience delayed symptoms.
However, some brain injuries—like penetrating head wounds and skull fractures—can be spotted right away by medical professionals, even if the victim doesn’t feel pain due to the shock of the accident.
This type of injury can have varied symptoms that reveal themselves at different times.
Some of the most common include the following:
Car accidents are frequently responsible for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and are caused by a traumatic physical event that causes a blow to the head, leading to a disruption of normal brain function. Auto accidents are a leading cause of TBI cases in the U.S. If you have suffered any form of brain injury due to a car accident caused by a negligent party, you have the right to file a claim and pursue the compensation you are owed for your losses.
Internal injuries to the soft tissues, such as tendons, muscles, and ligaments, can be difficult to spot immediately following a car accident. This is especially true if you sustained more serious injuries that had to be tended to right away. These types of injuries are likely to come back to haunt you in the days and weeks after an accident, with joint pain, muscle soreness, and decreased mobility.
Leaving soft tissue injuries untreated is a common mistake, especially since most victims don’t see them as particularly serious. However, damage to your soft tissue can worsen without treatments such as physical therapy, causing you to slowly lose your range of motion in the affected areas and, in some cases, render you completely immobile. While this type of injury may not initially seem serious, it can cause extensive damage, and it is imperative to have it treated properly by a healthcare professional.
In car accidents, external injuries like skin injuries are extremely common as victims are sometimes thrown from the vehicle or experience burns. Skin-related injuries such as burns are more likely to affect a motorcyclist in a crash than a person driving a vehicle. However, there’s still a significant chance of sustaining burns through exposure to hot surfaces, steam, or fluids during a collision.
Broken bones are also an extremely common outcome of car accidents, particularly if they are more serious. Generally, skin injuries and broken bones are more medically obvious to professionals following an accident than other injuries, making it easier to immediately include these in an accident report to be used in a lawsuit.
As with all personal injury accidents, each case is different and there are various different injuries one may suffer due to the negligence of the party that caused your car accident. For this reason, it is crucial that car accident victims seek medical care as soon as possible following a car crash. Some of the other common types of injuries victims have suffered following a Boston car accident are as follows:
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. It is our goal to help you pursue justice by applying our years of experience to your case and representing your rights through the dedicated legal counsel you deserve.
After a Boston car accident, one of the most important initial steps victims should take is to determine who is responsible, or liable, for the damages victims have suffered as a result of the crash. Massachusetts is a no-fault insurance state. That means you will typically begin by filing a claim with your own insurance company. However, you are entitled to take legal actions against the at-fault driver for compensation if either of the following is true for your case:
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 will put in the work needed to identify every responsible party. That greatly increases the odds of recovering the maximum recoverable compensation for your injuries. To begin the process of filing your claim, contact one of our Boston car accident lawyers as soon as possible.
Massachusetts follows a no-fault car insurance system. Because of this, your own insurance policy covers medical expenses and other losses following a car accident, regardless of who may be responsible for the collision. Pursuing compensatory damages is complicated and must meet a certain threshold to be eligible for an award.
Your no-fault coverage, or Personal Injury Protection benefits, apply to the following:
It’s essential to consider that your PIP coverage only covers up to $8,000 of losses sustained from a car accident. This includes medical bills, 75% of income from your inability to work, lost income, or other services like live-in assistance. PIP coverage does not cover losses incurred due to pain and suffering or other emotional damages.
To better understand your legal options when it comes to no-fault car insurance and what your rights are to coverage, contact Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers. Our skilled legal team will review your case and help you feel confident in the knowledge of your rights and the compensation you can recover after a car accident in Boston, Massachusetts.
When filing your car accident claim in Boston, Massachusetts, one important factor is the car insurance coverage you have on your policy. There are requirements for the minimum amount of car insurance coverage all drivers in Massachusetts must carry. In severe car accidents in Massachusetts, PIP coverage may not adequately cover medical bills and other losses sustained in your accident.
The following are the minimum values assigned to PIP coverage:
If you were significantly injured in a Massachusetts car accident and your injuries are over $8,000, you may benefit from pursuing compensation in a personal injury claim for harm caused by negligence. At Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers, we fight for the maximum compensation you deserve for present and future medical expenses so you may obtain a full recovery. You should not be held financially responsible for the negligent actions of someone else who caused your accident.
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 car accident attorney in Boston, MA, 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.
Whenever an individual is injured in a car accident and files a personal injury claim, there are several important steps their lawyer must take to ensure the strength and validity of their case. One of the most important steps in any personal injury claim, especially those involving car accidents, is to prove the liability of the at fault party.
To prove liability in a car accident claim, one of our trusted lawyers will need to collect evidence of the four factors of negligence. The four factors of negligence in a car accident claim are as follows:
To ensure you are able to prove the presence of the four factors of negligence in your car accident case, contact one of our Boston lawyers today.
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 a trusted Boston auto accident lawyer who can help prove the fault of the other party while building a strong claim.
At Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers, we believe that victims of car accidents should never have to pay out of their own pockets for injuries and losses caused by the negligence of another party. 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 of economic damages 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 Personal Injury Lawyers, 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 one of our experienced Boston car accident attorneys with 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, 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.
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:
You do not have to go through the Boston car accident claims process alone. It is imperative you have the help of a trusted legal professional who has experience navigating the complex Massachusetts personal injury system. Our personal injury law firm is proud to provide clients with trusted legal counsel through our team of skilled car accident lawyers. Regardless of the specific details of your car accident case, we can help you pursue the justice and fair compensation you deserve.
Handling a car accident claim can be challenging. Insurance companies will take any opportunity to deny or undervalue a claim to make a profit. Your claim will likely become more solid and valuable with every detail and proof you compile to support it.
As the injured party, you must collect evidence that proves your side of the story, your accident-related injuries, and any wages or income you lost from having to miss work. Evidence can take many different forms. Some forms of evidence our team of car accident lawyers will collect when building your personal injury claim are as follows:
Immediately after a car accident, you should start documenting injuries and damages by taking photos and videos if you can. If you cannot record evidence right away, you can have someone go back to the crash site to do it for you.
Capture images of the entire accident scene as well as close-up photos of your physical injuries and any property damage. You might also be able to ask nearby businesses if they caught the accident on their surveillance cameras. This evidence can reveal where the other driver struck you, the seriousness of your injuries, and many other details about the nature of the accident.
Before you leave the scene, obtain the contact information of eyewitnesses. It is simpler to establish who was at fault for the car accident when witnesses can provide first-hand accounts of what occurred at the collision scene. For instance, they could have seen what caused the accident or witnessed the at-fault driver acting recklessly.
Later on, eyewitnesses may be called on to testify and make an official statement on what they say. Personal injury claims frequently devolve into the parties telling their version of events, often putting themselves in a favorable light. When other people who were not involved in the accident share what they witnessed, it can corroborate your side of the story.
Your medical records and invoices will be valuable evidence for establishing the severity of your injuries and the cost of your medical expenses. As soon as you have seen a doctor, start saving copies of documentation of your injuries and associated costs, such as those for surgeries, medical procedures, and prescription medication.
The insurance provider will likely request copies of all pertinent medical records to verify your injuries. A medical authorization form from the insurance provider should not be signed, though, as the provider might use it to access older information and justify rejecting your claim.
A police report can include crucial information regarding the collision, including if one of the drivers broke the law and the insurance information for the other. A collision in Massachusetts that results in injuries, fatalities, or property damage must be reported to the police.
A police officer will frequently record all information about the accident after arriving at the site of an automobile accident, such as the following:
You may access the official accident report online after paying a fee. When you’re filing a claim, the insurance provider will most likely ask for the police report as evidence to verify your claim.
This documentation will be required by an insurance provider that your losses occurred as you claim. In a trial, a police officer’s testimony typically carries more weight than your word or a witness statement alone.
Our Boston car accident legal team will investigate your case and get your detailed account of what happened so we can better understand what led to the crash and what legal options you may have to pursue the justice you are owed for the losses you have incurred.
The burden of proof falls on you if you are a car accident victim seeking compensation. You are responsible for providing sufficient proof that another person was at fault for your collision and injuries. The plaintiff, who is the one seeking damages, is always responsible for bearing this burden. Collecting valuable evidence is necessary to satisfy this burden of proof.
Sweeney Merrigan’s car accident lawyers work hard to protect the interests of our clients in car accident claims, whether facing a defendant or an insurance company. Our hard work has given us a reputation as a firm with competent and reliable attorneys. For instance, Attorney Kyle Camilleri, a trial attorney who devotes 100% of his practice to litigation, represents clients in various personal injury claims, including car accidents. Legal professionals like him may prove to be a valuable asset to your case.
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:
To learn more about how a car accident may affect your insurance, contact one of our lawyers today. Our legal team can review your case and help you understand more about your rights and what may happen in relation to your insurance depending on the specific factors surrounding the car accident that left you injured.
It is upsetting to learn that even when you are not at fault for a car accident, your auto insurance rate may still increase when you file a claim. However, 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 the following:
To avoid having a car accident negatively impact your auto insurance, our car accident lawyers in Boston may be able to help. Contact our car accident law firm today to learn more.
When it comes to car accident cases, most victims have never been in a position where they have had to take any kind of legal action. As a result, the personal injury claims process can be very intimidating and stressful to car accident victims looking to seek justice.
While you may be feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of filing your car accident claim, our team of boston lawyers can help you understand every aspect of your case and what you can expect as you pursue the compensation you are owed.
Car accidents are a serious problem that can result in significant injuries and even death. Unfortunately, these types of personal injury accidents are often out of our control. However, by following some simple guidelines, you can reduce the risk of accidents and keep yourself and others safe on the road.
By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the risk of car accidents and keep yourself and others safe on the road. However, if you or a loved one have been harmed in a Boston car accident, you have the right to get justice by filing a personal injury claim. To get help with your claim, contact the Boston car accident lawyers at Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers today.
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 of Boston car accident lawyers is led by our experienced co-managing partners, J. Tucker Merrigan and Peter M. Merrigan.
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:
Our other co-managing partner, Peter M. Merrigan, has been recognized for his work helping the communities of Boston through the following outlets:
If you or a loved one were hurt in a crash, reach out to a car accident attorney at Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.
We have the experience you need to get the full and fair compensation your family deserves. You can call a car accident lawyer in Boston at (617) 391-9001 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.
*Disclaimer – we do not endorse these companies or profit from having them listed on our website. These were some of the highest rated auto repair shops on Yelp.
Attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP have been recognized and honored by several of the top legal associations, including SuperLawyers, National Trial Lawyers Association, and Best Lawyers.
Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP is a highly successful personal injury law firm serving Massachusetts since 2011.
There are no fees or costs unless we win your case!
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