Fall River, MA Car Accident Lawyer
Unfortunately, car accidents are an all-too-common occurrence in Fall River. When another driver’s negligence injures a person, they are often left wondering how they will pay for their losses.
Fortunately, you can recover compensation from a negligent driver that carelessly caused your injuries. Negligent drivers cause car accidents in countless different ways. However, you can take several steps following a car accident to greatly improve your chances of recovering damages later. For many car accident victims, insurance will be the only path to compensation unless a victim suffered serious injuries in their accident.
If you were injured in a car accident, our Fall River car accident lawyers can help you recover the compensation you are entitled to. For a free case evaluation, contact the Law Office of John J. Sheehan today at (617) 925-6407.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Fall River, MA
Negligent drivers cause accidents in numerous ways. Sometimes a driver’s negligence only results in minor accidents and might be relatively simple to resolve. Other car accidents are catastrophic, and a victim can be seriously injured. The following are common causes of car accidents in Fall River:
- Distracted driving
- Texting while driving
- Speeding
- DUI
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Improper lane changes
- Tailgating
- Illegal left turns
- Reckless driving
You deserve compensation for your injuries regardless of how your accident occurred. Our Fall River car accident lawyers can help you hold the negligent driver that caused your accident accountable.
What to Do If You Have Been Involved in a Car Accident in Fall River, MA
Car accidents are highly stressful and difficult to manage because of the shock most people experience following an accident. However, there are certain measures you can take just following an accident that can greatly help your case later when attempting to recover compensation.
Call 911
The first thing to do just after a car accident is to call 911. If you or someone is injured at the scene, a 911 dispatcher will send an ambulance to provide emergency treatment. This provides needed medical attention and will begin documenting your injuries and statements regarding the accident.
Police officers should also arrive if the car accident involves an injury. Even if the accident were relatively slight, police officers would draft an accident report that will help investigate your claim later to determine fault.
Document the Accident
If you are safely able, documenting as much of the scene of the accident as possible can provide invaluable evidence for your car accident claim. This can include photos and video footage with your smartphone of physical evidence and current depictions of your injuries. Evidence of this kind can be exceptionally useful as it can show much of the physical damage from the scene and potentially who caused the accident. It can also save important details like weather and road conditions at the time of the accident.
Seek Medical Treatment
It is critical that you receive medical treatment if you have been injured in a car accident. Even if you believe that the accident was minor, it is still recommended that you seek medical attention afterward since you might have injuries that went unnoticed in the initial chaos. An emergency room doctor can also provide follow-up instructions for further treatment.
The medical records for emergency treatment and other doctors you might see during recovery will provide the bulk of the evidence that will be used to evaluate the amount of compensation you could recover. Without medical records, it is hard to make a case that your injuries were substantial.
Consult Our Fall River Car Accident Lawyers
Once you have received medical care and are ready to move forward with your car accident claim, you should contact our Fall River car accident lawyers. Whether you file an insurance claim or decide a lawsuit is necessary, our Fall River car accident lawyers can help you every step of the way.
Recovering Compensation for a Fall River, MA Car Accident
Recovering compensation from a negligent driver can be a complex process. While some people believe that they can generally sue after a car accident, Massachusetts’s no-fault laws will limit a victim’s right to file a lawsuit in many cases.
No-Fault Insurance Claims
All drivers are required to carry no-fault insurance in Massachusetts. No-fault insurance compensates a car accident victim from their own personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, regardless of who caused the accident. Thus, a person can receive compensation without proving fault in a no-fault system.
However, no-fault laws will also prevent most victims from filing a lawsuit. One of the intentions of no-fault insurance is to limit the number of lawsuits being filed in the state. A victim will only be able to file a lawsuit if they suffered a serious injury in their accident.
Personal Injury Lawsuits
In most cases, insurance will be the only route to recover compensation for injured victims. If their injuries were serious, however, Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 231, § 6D allows victims to file a lawsuit to recover damages. Several types of injuries are considered serious under Massachusetts’s law:
- $2,000 in medical expenses
- Death
- Broken bones
- Loss of a body part
- Permanent and substantial disfigurement
- Substantial loss of hearing or sight
These categories cover a broad range of injuries. Our Fall River car accident lawyers can help you if you sustain serious injuries in your accident.
Time Limit to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Fall River, MA
Every state has a time limit to file a car accident lawsuit, known as the statute of limitations. Under to Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260, § 2A, car accident victims typically have three years from the date of the accident to file their lawsuit in Fall River. There are very few exceptions to this rule. You will likely forfeit any legal right to pursue damages if you do not file your lawsuit within the three-year period. Our Fall River car accident lawyers can help you identify the deadline in your case so that your lawsuit is filed promptly.
Our Fall River, MA Car Accident Lawyers Can Help
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, our Fall River car accident lawyers can help you ensure the person that injured you faces the consequences of their actions. Call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407 for a free case review.
