Belmont, MA Car Accident Lawyer

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When negligent drivers hurt victims in Belmont, those victims may be able to respond by filing lawsuits to recover compensatory damages.

Right after a crash in Belmont, note the accident’s location, as well as any nearby surveillance cameras or traffic signs. If you notice eyewitnesses, speak to them and ask for their contact information. Note any property damage to your vehicle or any immediate physical injuries to your person. After you have spoken to the police, you can go to the hospital to get your injuries diagnosed and treated. You should not delay medical care for any reason, as the severity of your injuries might determine whether or not you can sue for all damages due to a crash. Victims in Belmont have just three years to file car accident lawsuits, so starting to prepare your case right away is important.

Call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407 to schedule a free and confidential discussion about your case with our Belmont, MA car accident lawyers.

What to Note at the Scene of a Car Accident in Belmont, MA

While the aftermath of an auto accident can be chaotic and stressful, it is important for victims to focus on collecting certain information at the scene. This can help our lawyers when we ultimately go to investigate your accident and its cause.

For example, note the exact location of the incident. While this information will be included in the police report, we may only be able to access that report several business days after the accident at the earliest. If you already know the accident’s location, date, and other basic information, like the weather at the time of the crash, that can aid us when building the foundation of your claim.

Note any nearby traffic signs the negligent driver might have ignored, like stop signs or no-turn signs. Look around for any eyewitnesses to the crash and get their contact information. Again, police officers should speak to eyewitnesses as well, so if you cannot do so yourself, do not panic. We should be able to get eyewitnesses’ contact details from the police report.

If you were hurt in a single-car accident, note any road defects that could have caused the crash and photograph them. The same goes for any property damage to your vehicle or any physical injuries you sustained in the accident.

Look around for any traffic cameras or surveillance systems that might have captured the accident on video. Our attorneys can contact the owners of such camera systems to obtain possible footage that may support your recovery.

Where to Go After a Belmont, MA Car Accident

Motor vehicle accident victims should always go directly from the crash site to the nearest hospital. Delaying medical care when necessary could severely harm your chances of recovery in Belmont.

After you have spoken to the police, or before, if your injuries are especially serious, paramedics can take you to the hospital. Going to the emergency room instead of your general practitioner’s office is vital, as your primary doctor might not have the equipment or resources necessary to treat serious auto accident injuries.

Doctors can thoroughly and efficiently assess and diagnose your injuries in the emergency room. Depending on the case, you might have to get emergency surgery or undergo extensive testing to confirm or treat your injuries.

As you build medical evidence of your injuries, our car accident lawyers can organize those records and the medical bills you received during your treatment. Make sure you maintain all scheduled visits with doctors and specialists throughout your physical recovery. If you allow for any gaps in your medical treatment, you could appear uncommitted to your recovery, which might jeopardize your claim.

When to File Your Car Accident Lawsuit in Belmont, MA

There is a set window of time during which auto accident victims can sue negligent drivers in Belmont. If you miss the deadline that applies to your case, you might miss your opportunity for financial recovery.

According to Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260, § 2A, plaintiffs must file injury lawsuits within three years of a car accident in Belmont. We can see how much longer you might have to file your lawsuit based on the date your accident occurred and move forward from there.

Filing a lawsuit is complicated for several reasons, one of them being finding the right time to file. While you have to heed the statute of limitations, you should also be patient to some degree. For example, suppose you tried to bring your lawsuit within a week or so of the accident. Depending on your injuries and the available evidence, more time might be needed to determine the full value of your claim and all your damages. Victims who file too quickly also risk hurting their claims, so strategically approaching filing is crucial.

Victims Who Can Sue for Car Accidents in Belmont, MA

Massachusetts is a no-fault car accident state, meaning victims can only sue for pain and suffering if their medical damages are expensive enough or if their injuries are serious enough.

Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 231, § 6D dictates that only victims with medical damages over $2,000 or with certain serious injuries can pursue compensation for non-economic damages. Serious injuries that permit victims to sue for such losses in Belmont include those that result in death, whole or partial loss of a body member, hearing or sight loss, whole or partial permanent and serious disfigurement, or a fracture.

Medical damages that are considered when assessing a victim’s medical damages include surgical, X-ray, dental, ambulance, hospital, professional nursing, and funeral expenses, as well as the cost of prosthetic devices. Since medical treatment is fairly expensive, even for many injuries, many car accident victims meet the threshold to sue for non-financial damages after their first visit to the emergency room following a collision in Belmont.