Methuen, MA Car Accident Lawyer

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After suffering a car crash in Massachusetts, you may have to seek compensation for your injuries by filing claim with your own insurance company. However, if you the injuries you sustained were severe, then you may be able to sue the other driver for monetary damages.

When filing a car accident lawsuit, you must be able to prove that your accident was caused by the defendant’s negligence. Furthermore, you have to establish that your injuries were caused by the accident at issue. Accordingly, there is wide range of evidence that may be required to support your car accident claim.

If you need help building your car accident case in Methuen, MA, seek guidance from our experienced car accident attorneys at the Law Office of John J. Sheehan today by dialing (617) 925-6407.

Who Can File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Methuen, MA

Massachusetts is a no-fault car insurance state. This means that after many accidents, injured motorists will have to seek financial compensation from their own insurance companies. Only those who suffered serious injuries will be permitted to file lawsuits against other drivers.

In order to file a car accident lawsuit, you must have incurred at least $2,000 in medical bills because of the injuries your crash caused. Alternatively, you may also file a car accident lawsuit if your injuries resulted in serious and permanent disfigurement, broken or fractured bones, or a significant loss of your sight or hearing. If you suffered serious injuries because of your car accident, you may consult with our car accident attorneys to determine if you have a strong case.

Common Injuries Caused by Car Crashes in Methuen, MA

Car accidents can lead to a wide range of serious injuries. For instance, many victims suffer painful and debilitating back injuries. These injuries can come in several forms. For instance, some motorists who are struck by other drivers will experience painful soft tissue injuries like sprains, strains, and tears to muscles in their necks and backs. These injuries often force victims to spend a significant amount of time away from work while they recover. In especially severe cases, car accident victims can even sustain damage to their spinal cord. These injuries can result in partial or complete paralysis. Accordingly, plaintiffs with spinal cord injuries may be entitled to a wide array of economic and non-economic damages.

Head injuries are another particularly serious type of car accident injury that can happen. Some victims sustain painful facial injuries that result in significant disfigurement. To repair these injuries, expensive cosmetic surgery or dental work may be required. Furthermore, some car accidents cause people to sustain traumatic brain injuries like concussions, skull fractures, and intracranial hematomas. Like spinal cord injuries, these injuries can produce many detrimental symptoms that inhibit peoples’ abilities to work and enjoy their lives.

Additionally, a high number of car accident victims sustain shoulder and wrist injuries. These types of injuries frequently happen when victims extend their arms out to brace for collisions. In such cases, the impact from their crashes can cause individuals to endure serious damages to muscles, tendons, and ligaments in their shoulders and wrists.

Finally, internal injuries are also a common type of harm caused by car accidents. These injuries usually occur in the form of organ damage or internal bleeding. Internal injuries can produce very harmful symptoms. However, they may not become painful until days after a car crash. Therefore, if you suspect you may have sustained an internal injury because of your car accident, you should visit a doctor as soon as you can.

Evaluating Settlement Offers in Car Accident Lawsuits in Methuen, MA

During many car accident cases, plaintiffs will be presented with settlement offers from defendants who are seeking to resolve their issues before trial. If you accept a settlement offer, then the defendant will pay you the agreed-upon sum of damages and your claim will be voluntarily dismissed. There are multiple advantages to settling early. For example, you may save on some of the costs that accompany the decision to go to trial such as witness fees, travel expenses, and administrative costs. Additionally, by entering into a settlement agreement, you may obtain compensation sooner.

Regrettably, many defendants try to settle their car accident lawsuits cheaply and quickly. The at-fault driver in your case will likely attempt to entice an agreement for less than your case is truly worth. In that case, you would need to go to trial to obtain the full extent of monetary damages you are owed. However, at trial, you risk receiving nothing if your argument is not successful.

What Happens if You Share Fault for Your Car Crash in Methuen, MA?

If you share fault for your car crash in Methuen, you may still be able to obtain financial compensation for your injuries. However, the amount of payment you are awarded can be limited.

Massachusetts courts abide by the rules of modified comparative fault when awarding damages to plaintiffs in car accident cases. This means that damages are assigned based on each party’s degree of responsibility. As an example, if you are 15% at fault for your collision while the other driver is 85% to blame, then they will have to compensate you for 85% of the damages you suffered while you must account for the leftover 15%.

However, if you are more than 50% at fault for your car accident in Massachusetts, then you will be unable to sue the other driver. Accordingly, defendants and their insurance companies often attempt to shift blame onto plaintiffs in order to avoid paying the damages they owe. It is crucial to have experienced legal representation on your side when seeking to prove that another driver is to blame for your crash.