Melrose, MA Car Accident Lawyer
In the aftermath of auto accidents in Melrose, our lawyers can help victims prepare, bring, and win compensation claims against negligent drivers.
Multi-car accidents or other complicated crashes can be difficult for victims to navigate. When liability is unclear, our lawyers can interview witnesses, review the police report, and enlist accident reconstruction experts to help. As we prepare your case, we will also assess its value. To do this, we will carefully note all of your losses from the collision, whether tangible or intangible. It is best to start preparing your case right away so that you can avoid missing the filing deadline for car accident lawsuits in Melrose.
Call our Melrose, MA car accident lawyers at (617) 925-6407 to have the Law Office of John J. Sheehan review your case for free.
Determining Liability for Complex Car Accidents in Melrose, MA
Accidents are rarely cut and dry, often requiring our lawyers to carefully and quickly investigate the incident to determine liability. That is to say, you should not be discouraged if, after an accident, you are not sure who is to blame.
Examples of Complicated Crashes
When accidents involve multiple cars, victims might not know who initiated the accident. Multi-vehicle collisions are often complicated, largely because of the massive amounts of information police officers and other emergency response personnel must gather and process. In these types of accidents, multiple drivers could have acted negligently, meaning liability could be shared between several parties.
Other times, accidents are complicated because of road or weather conditions. For example, suppose it was raining when a negligent driver hydroplaned and hit your car. Upon initial observation, it might seem that the weather was the only contributing cause of the accident. However, if the driver was also speeding, that could have caused them to hydroplane. This is just one example of why investigating accidents further is always important.
How We Deal with Complicated Crashes
Whether an accident appears complex or simple at first, victims should call the police. Law enforcement will make a police report, which we can help you obtain afterward. When reviewing the police report, we will check it for accuracy and any new information that could help us when preparing your case.
Especially if liability is unclear, our car accident lawyers can work to identify eyewitnesses and subsequently interview them. Eyewitness testimony can clarify certain matters, such as whether the other driver was speeding or otherwise acting negligently during the accident. Negligent drivers might not be fully honest with police officers, and so certain things might not be included in the report. This is why contacting eyewitnesses or others who can corroborate your claim or help us iron out certain facts is important.
Another way to approach determining liability for a complicated crash is by getting an accident reconstruction expert to contribute their expertise to your case. This person can review any accessible evidence from the crash, like photos of property damage and debris, to figure out who initiated the accident in Melrose.
Assessing Your Losses from a Melrose, MA Car Accident
Because of negligent drivers in Melrose, victims might incur tangible and intangible losses. Assessing those damages and organizing proof of them is part of preparing your case for success.
Tangible Losses
Tangible losses are the financial damages from an accident or anything that has cost you money. For example, if your car was damaged, that would be a tangible loss. Tangible losses include all other economic damages from an accident, like a victim’s medical costs and lost wages.
You can provide concrete proof of your financial damages by intentionally recording all losses. For example, keep all bills from the hospital. If you have to make home modifications to accommodate your injuries after the accident, note the cost of those changes as well. Our lawyers will tally up all of your financial losses from the collision to date and consider your future losses.
Intangible Losses
Intangible losses are felt just as deeply as tangible losses, but proving them is often harder. Under Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 231, § 6D, motor vehicle accident victims can only recover intangible damages if their injuries are serious enough or their medical damages exceed $2,000. Once you meet these standards, you can bring a claim for pain and suffering due to a car crash.
Some victims give statements in court to explain their emotional and mental struggles from an accident. Others choose to keep journals or confide in mental health professionals. Regardless, our lawyers can explain how you can best track your intangible damages and if non-economic damages will be available in your claim in Melrose.
Figuring Out the Filing Deadline for Your Melrose, MA Car Accident Case
The statute of limitations is how long victims have to file lawsuits against negligent parties after motor vehicle accidents in Melrose.
Our lawyers will need to know exactly when the accident occurred to determine the final day you can file your lawsuit. You have three years from that date to sue under Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260, § 2A. Depending on how much time has passed since the accident, you might need to act faster in order to file a lawsuit before the deadline.
While victims often want fast access to compensation, that does not automatically come from filing right away. It is important to wait long enough to file so that you have enough evidence to support your case, but not too long that the court questions your reason for delaying it. Our attorneys can help you strike this balance by starting to build your case right away so that you can file a strong lawsuit well before the deadline to sue in Melrose.
Call Our Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyers in Melrose, MA
For a free case analysis, call the car accident lawyers of the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407.
