Everett, MA Car Accident Lawyer
Although car accidents are relatively common, they should not be underestimated or brushed off. People are badly hurt in accidents frequently, and the drivers who cause accidents should be held responsible.
Potential injuries in car accident cases might range from mild to moderate to severe. Many injured drivers have a combination of injuries that leave them in much pain and debt. Your attorney can assist you in filing an insurance claim and a lawsuit to get compensation. In some cases, plaintiffs would rather reach private settlement agreements than go through a trial. We must have evidence to support your claims for damages. Photos, videos, witnesses, and details about your injuries might help us prove the defendant’s liability. Finding evidence can be tricky, and you should talk to a lawyer before getting started.
If you are injured because another driver caused a crash, call our car accident lawyers at (617) 925-6407 and arrange a free review of your claims with our team at the Law Office of John J. Sheehan.
Possible Injuries and Damages in Everett, MA Car Accidents
When people talk about car accidents, perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is concern for the driver’s physical safety. It is very common for drivers to be badly hurt in car accidents. Many drivers unfortunately do not survive the crash. Those who do might have broken bones, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, lacerations, and long-term lingering pain.
Surviving a bad accident might be emotionally devastating, even for those who suffered only minor injuries. The experience tends to be traumatic and frightening. While some are lucky enough to mentally process and move on from the crash, others are not. You might be left with deep emotional or psychological injuries. Depression, anxiety, fear, PTSD, and other emotional or psychological conditions are not unusual.
Our car accident lawyers will help you assess damages for all your physical and emotional injuries. Your damages might include monetary costs of medical treatment and property damage (i.e., your damaged car). You should also discuss your loss of income if you could not go back to work after the accident.
Although your emotional damages are not always tied to money, they can still be monetarily compensated. Pain and suffering tend to naturally flow from severe injuries. We can also explain other forms of anguish or distress, such as humiliation, fear, and an overall loss of enjoyment of your life.
How to Get Compensation for Your Car Accident Injuries in Everett, MA
Not only can an attorney help you sue for damages, but they can also assist you in exploring other potential legal options. A lawsuit can help you recover the full extent of your damages, but it might also be time-consuming and difficult. If you would rather explore other legal avenues, talk to your attorney.
Insurance
After a crash, many drivers file insurance claims. In Massachusetts, drivers must carry personal injury protection (PIP) policies that cover them without the need to prove fault. As such, you can file a claim with your own insurance provider. PIP policies cover up to $8,000 in economic costs and 75% of lost income.
Unfortunately, many drivers have damages that exceed PIP limits or are not covered. For example, you might have significant medical bills not sufficiently covered by insurance and deep emotional distress that cannot be claimed through insurance. In such a case, your lawyer can help you sue for damages.
Lawsuit and Trial
Filing a lawsuit is already complicated, but Massachusetts makes things just a bit more complex when it comes to car accidents. To file a lawsuit after a car crash, you must meet the injury threshold under Mass. Gen. Laws Ch.231 § 6D.
Under this rule, only people with certain types of injuries or injuries that cost a certain amount of money to treat can file lawsuits to recover damages after an auto accident. You may sue if the cost of medical care for your injuries amounts to more than $2,000. Alternatively, you can sue if the injuries cause death, involves losing a body part, leaves you seriously disfigured, cost you your vision or hearing, or involves broken bones.
Settlement
While trials can greatly help get you all the compensation you deserve and hold the defendant accountable, not all plaintiffs want to go through a full trial. Trials can be time-consuming, exhausting, and frustrating. Instead, many plaintiffs would rather settle out of court.
A settlement occurs outside the courts and is a private agreement. However, there are still legal ramifications. If you decide to settle, you will likely waive your right to sue for the car accident. This means you cannot change your mind after the settlement takes effect. Additionally, you might settle for somewhat less than what your total damages are worth.
Your attorney can help you negotiate your settlement to get as much compensation as possible. The stronger your case is, the more likely we can persuade the defendant to settle for the full value of your damages, or at least close to it.
How to Support Your Claims in a Car Accident Lawsuit in Everett, MA
To support your claims for damages, we need as much evidence as we can find. Evidence might be anything as long it is related to the accident and somehow tends to show who is liable. In many car accidents, people take pictures of their vehicles and the overall accident scene to show to insurance companies. If you decide to sue, these pictures can also be used as evidence in court.
We should also look for potential witnesses. You might have noticed people nearby when your accident occurred. Perhaps they came to help or looked on while law enforcement and paramedics came to help. We can work to locate witnesses so they can testify about what they saw.
Remember, evidence might be almost anything and is often unique to each case. Talk to your attorney about what you need to prove your claims.
Speak to Our Everett, MA Car Accident Attorneys About Your Case
If you were the victim of another driver’s negligence, call our car accident attorneys at (617) 925-6407 and make an appointment for a free evaluation of your claims with us at the Law Office of John J. Sheehan.
