Since car accidents can be traumatic events for victims, resulting in financial and emotional distress, suing for injury might be necessary so that victims can get the damages they require.
After an accident, limit your communication with the negligent driver. When victims apologize for a crash, negligent drivers might use that to undermine their claims. Before filing a lawsuit for a car accident in Natick, you must prepare your claim. We can help you do this by identifying the party ultimately responsible for your injuries. We can also interview eyewitnesses and obtain other evidence. You can aid in this effort by getting the necessary medical care for your accident injuries. Taking these steps immediately is important as victims only have three years to sue for injury in Massachusetts. When it comes to recovering compensation, both economic and non-economic damages are available to victims. Our lawyers can also help you recover compensation for future losses not yet incurred, like future medical costs.
You can call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan’s Natick, MA car accident lawyers at (617) 925-6407 for a free case assessment.
Dealing with Negligent Drivers After Car Accidents in Natick, MA
After an auto accident in Natick, all involved drivers are required to stop and exchange information. Beyond that basic interaction, you should not have much more communication with the driver responsible for causing your injuries.
According to Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 90, § 11, anyone involved in a car accident must give their insurance and information to other parties upon request. This should be the extent of your communication. Do not discuss the accident or apologize for the incident. Something as simple as saying you are sorry could be misconstrued as you admitting fault for the accident.
Depending on how soon law enforcement arrives after the crash, you might not have to speak to the negligent driver at all. Police officers might gather the necessary insurance and personal information from the at-fault driver so that you can focus on getting immediate medical care.
During future conversations with negligent drivers, victims should allow our car accident lawyers handle necessary discussions. We can help you navigate settlement negotiations so that you can avoid accepting an offer that is unfair. We can also ensure that you do not unintentionally misspeak during conversations with the negligent driver or an insurance company so that you are not wrongly assigned fault for your injuries in Natick.
How to Prepare Your Car Accident Recovery Claim in Natick, MA
When suing for a car accident in Natick, victims typically have the best chances of recovery when they prepare a strong case. Our lawyers can help you do this so that you can claim the damages you need.
Preparing your car accident lawsuit begins with identifying who is at fault for your injuries and gathering evidence of their negligence. Depending on the circumstances of the accident in question, fault might be more or less clear. By reviewing witness statements and other evidence, like video footage and physical evidence from the scene, our attorneys can pinpoint who is to blame for the accident, even if multiple drivers were involved in the crash.
Many car accident lawsuits hinge on whether or not victims can submit sufficient proof of their injuries. Because of this, it will be necessary for you to get immediate medical care following the accident, even if you do not think you are physically injured. The impact from car accidents can cause serious injuries, such as internal injuries, that may not appear until sometime after a crash.
Window to File Your Car Accident Injury Claim in Natick, MA
Most civil claims are held to a statute of limitations, meaning victims only have a certain amount of time during which they can file a lawsuit. The filing deadline imposed on your case will dictate your window of opportunity to sue.
According to Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260, § 2A, any injury claim brought for a car accident must be filed within three years of the incident date. This is so that defendants are not unfairly sued many years after an event. You have to bring your claim within this time period or risk losing your ability to file a lawsuit and recover damages in Natick.
Recovering Compensation for Future Losses Due to a Natick, MA Car Accident
Often, victims continue to incur damages past the conclusion of their car accident lawsuits. Our lawyers can build a case complete with compelling evidence like expert testimony to help you recover compensation for damages not yet incurred in Natick.
If your injuries are severe, you might require medical treatment for several years. In some instances, victims need care for the rest of their lives. Our lawyers can enlist help from medical experts who can testify to the extent of your injuries and their anticipated impact on your life moving forward. This can allow you to recover damages for future medical costs. If your injuries are permanent and will prevent you from working indefinitely, we can work to get future lost wages included in your recovery amounts. Economic damages are not limited in Massachusetts, meaning victims can recover compensation for all financial losses related to their injuries provided they can submit proof of damages.
When injuries are permanent and severe, victims might experience pain and suffering for a long time. To reinforce your claim for non-economic damages, we can present evidence, such as your medical records and your personal testimony, that highlights your mental and emotional difficulties due to an accident in Natick.
Call Our Natick, MA Lawyers to Discuss Your Car Accident Today
Call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407 to have a confidential and free discussion about your case with our car accident lawyers.Injury victims in Needham may be able to hold negligent parties accountable by filing personal injury lawsuits with help from our attorneys.
During accidents due to negligence, like car accidents or slip and falls, victims might sustain various injuries that warrant compensation. Common personal injuries include fractures, head injuries, neck injuries, and back injuries, among others. Immediately after you sustain an injury caused by negligence, our lawyers can begin tracking your damages. This will include your medical damages, lost wages, and non-economic damages. Once we have a clear understanding of the damages in your case, we can help you bring your claim within Massachusetts’s three-year statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits.
The Law Office of John J. Sheehan’s Needham, MA personal injury lawyers can analyze your case for free when you call us today at (617) 925-6407.
Common Personal Injuries Due to Negligence in Needham, MA
Reckless drivers, negligent property owners, and other careless parties might cause catastrophic accidents that leave victims with serious injuries, such as fractures, head injuries, and neck injuries.
Fractures
Bone fractures are complete or partial breaks in bones typically caused by trauma. These types of injuries are common in slip and fall accidents in Needham. For example, slipping on a wet floor at a restaurant could cause a victim to fall hard on the ground, fracturing their wrist. Facial fractures like broken noses might happen during car accidents as well.
Slight fractures still require treatment. Victims might need to get bones reset with casts or surgery, depending on the break.
Head Injuries
Head injuries are also common personal injuries in Needham. Victims might suffer concussions during car accidents like fender benders. For example, when struck from behind, a victim might be pushed forward, causing their head to move back and forth quickly. This can lead to a concussion or other head injury.
Victims might also sustain head injuries during falls from great heights, such as from scaffolding while working on a construction site in Needham.
Head injuries present the risk of brain bleeds and other permanent complications. If you hit your head at all during an accident, get immediate medical care to confirm your injury. Under no circumstances should victims ignore head injuries.
Back and Neck Injuries
Back and neck injuries are also common. Again, these types of injuries are common in auto accidents and slips and falls but could happen for numerous other reasons. For example, if a negligent driver sped through an intersection and hit a pedestrian who had the right of way, the force of impact might cause back and neck injuries.
Whiplash is a common neck injury sustained in car accidents. Though seemingly minor in comparison to other neck injuries, whiplash still requires treatment and is often compensable.
Back and neck injuries might lead to partial or total paralysis. Victims might require long-term physical therapy to heal. Because of the impact spinal cord injuries can have on victims’ lives, they can often recover compensation for non-economic damages.
Other Injuries
Other injuries, like burns and amputation, are also reasons to file personal injury lawsuits in Needham. For example, if defective machinery exploded at work, burning you, you could possibly file a third-party work injury claim against the negligent manufacturer.
Catastrophic injuries like limb loss and crushing injuries are common in severe car accidents, like T-bone accidents. Generally speaking, you can file a lawsuit for most injuries caused by negligence in Needham.
How to Track Your Damages from a Personal Injury in Needham, MA
When you file your complaint with your court, you must request damages. You will need proof of damages to support your request. Our attorneys can help victims carefully track all losses associated with their injuries so that there is sufficient proof of their damages.
For example, if you had to go to the emergency room after a car accident, keep the bill the hospital gave you. If you had to get surgery or other treatment, track those costs as well. Give copies of medical charges to our lawyers as you incur them.
Victims should start tracking their lost wages from the first day they cannot work because of an injury. You can give our personal injury lawyers your employment and financial information, like paystubs and past tax returns, to calculate damages due to lost wages. Your lawsuit can also cover any other out-of-pocket expenses related to the accident in question.
Notice how your injuries impact your life. Can you no longer engage in activities you once enjoyed? Have you been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder since the accident? Often, victims with serious injuries can recover compensation for pain and suffering. You can track your non-economic damages in a personal journal or by confiding in a capable mental health professional.
Time Limit on Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Needham, MA
Under Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260, § 2A, Massachusetts imposes a three-year statute of limitations on most personal injury lawsuits. In general, the clock begins running the day an accident takes place. Although you will have three years to bring your claim, you should do so immediately.
In general, evidence is most readily available immediately after an accident. For example, emergency response services might clear away car accident scenes quickly to eliminate the risk of danger to other drivers on the road. Or, security camera owners might unintentionally delete footage of the accident if you wait too long to obtain it. Furthermore, eyewitnesses might forget the exact sequence of events preceding the accident as time goes on, making their testimony less valuable to your case.
If victims attempt to file claims past the statute of limitations, the court will likely dismiss their lawsuits in Needham.
Call Our Accident and Injury Lawyers in Needham, MA Today
Call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407 to discuss your case for free with our personal injury lawyers.
Ready to Make Things Right?
Attorney John Sheehan is here to answer your questions and address your concerns. Don’t wait — contact us now to start your path to justice.
All consultations and meetings can be held virtually via Zoom or teleconference. If necessary, we can also meet with you at your home or in the hospital.
Ready to Make Things Right?
Attorney John Sheehan is here to answer your questions and address your concerns. Don’t wait — contact us now to start your path to justice.
All consultations and meetings can be held virtually via Zoom or teleconference. If necessary, we can also meet with you at your home or in the hospital.