What Is a Personal Injury Case?
A personal injury case is a type of legal action you can take if you have been hurt due to someone else’s wrongdoing. Most personal injury cases are based on the legal concept of negligence. In layperson’s terms, when someone has an obligation to prevent you from being injured and fails to take reasonable steps in that direction, you can hold them financially responsible for the consequences. That someone could be a single person, an organization or business, or even a governmental body.
By filing an insurance claim or lawsuit against the negligent party, you can compel them to compensate you for the physical and emotional injuries and other losses they caused you to suffer. For example, suppose you slip on a puddle of spilled liquid while shopping at a grocery store and break your leg. The store could owe you money for the medical care you need, any income you lost while unable to work, and the pain and suffering you experienced because of your injury.
Damages You Could Recover in a Massachusetts Personal Injury Claim
If you’ve been injured and someone else is to blame, they could owe you compensation for your:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost future earnings and other financial benefits
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
Evidence Used to Prove Fault in a Massachusetts Personal Injury Case
You and your personal injury attorney will need strong evidence to maximize your compensation after an accident. Examples of potential evidence include:
- Eyewitness testimony
- Photos from the accident scene
- Physical evidence from the accident scene
- Expert witness testimony
- Accident reports
- Medical records
- Surveillance, dashcam, and traffic camera videos of the accident
Statute of Limitations on Personal Injury Claims in Massachusetts
In most cases, you have three years from the date of an accident in Massachusetts to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you will likely lose your chance to pursue compensation for your losses.
Steps to Take to Protect Your Rights After an Accident
Here are the key steps to take after an accident to protect your right to compensation:
- Seek medical treatment right away, even if you don’t think you’re severely injured at first.
- Record what happened in as much detail as you can as soon after the accident as possible.
- Take pictures of your injuries and the area where the accident occurred.
- Save all your medical records and receipts.
- Do not give any statements to insurance companies, including your own insurer, without talking to a lawyer first.
- Call our Massachusetts personal injury lawyers to discuss your case.
Talk to Our Massachusetts Personal Injury Attorneys Now
Contact our office now for a free consultation about your legal rights and options for pursuing maximum recovery. We make it easy to connect in whatever method is most convenient to you, including virtual, at our office, or we can come to you anywhere to discuss your case and answer your questions.