Sandwich, MA Car Accident Lawyer
As the victim of another driver’s negligence, you may seek compensatory damages by filing a car accident lawsuit in Sandwich.
Many car accidents are complex, making liability somewhat unclear initially. Our attorneys can help victims in these situations, particularly after accidents involving multiple drivers. We can enlist experts in accident reconstruction to determine who caused a collision or allocate fault to multiple negligent drivers. After determining liability, you can seek damages for your economic and non-economic losses, provided you pass the criteria in Massachusetts. To help with their claims, victims can give our lawyers all pictures and evidence they have from the scene and prioritize their medical care and physical recovery so we have ample hospital records for their lawsuits.
Call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407 to get a free and confidential case assessment from our car accident lawyers today.
Common Car Accident Scenarios in Sandwich, MA
There are many different car accident scenarios, and we can help you investigate liability and prepare a claim for your collision, whether the accident happened because of a mechanical malfunction, involved multiple parties, or was caused by a commercial driver.
Single-Vehicle Accidents
If you recently got into an accident and no other vehicles were involved, it could have been due to mechanical issues within your car. For example, brakes that stall out on the highway might be defective, possibly making the manufacturer liable for a victim’s damages. Our car accident lawyers may have to enlist experts to examine vehicles more closely to prove liability in these situations.
Multi-Vehicle Accidents
Most car accidents involve at least two parties: the negligent driver and the victim. Some involve more individuals than that, as additional drivers might be roped into a collision, making it difficult to determine fault. Multi-vehicle accidents happen for various reasons, such as one driver rear-ending another and causing a chain reaction. Collisions on popular highways might become more catastrophic and involve additional parties, and preserving these scenes is important, as first responders often want to clear them away quickly.
Victims can take photos at any crash site, and our lawyers may give these images to crash reconstruction experts to determine who initiated the crash. Accident reconstruction is particularly useful in these cases, as experts can pinpoint a driver’s speed, direction of travel, and actions during a collision.
Commercial Vehicle Accidents
Many vehicles you see on the road are delivery vehicles, meaning the people driving those cars are on the job. If a delivery driver hits you, their employer might be financially responsible because of vicarious liability, provided the driver is a regular employee. Confirming the driver’s employment status and whether or not they were operating in the scope of their employment is important, as this could let you include their employer in your claim, possibly maximizing your recovery.
Damages You Can Sue for Following a Car Accident in Sandwich, MA
Victims may seek damages to become whole again after incurring economic and non-economic losses due to negligence, provided they pass Massachusetts’ specific criteria.
Economic Damages
The first category of compensation for accident victims is economic damages. These are any concrete monetary expenses you have incurred from an accident, including property damage, hospital costs, lost wages, and more. Victims can get compensation for all damages they prove came from the defendant’s negligence, so it is important to create a clear timeline of your medical treatment and its cost. In terms of victims’ missed wages, our lawyers can estimate them using recent tax returns and paychecks from their employers.
Non-Economic Damages
Getting non-economic damages from a lawsuit is only possible if victims meet the criteria of Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 231, § 6D, meaning they have incurred more than $2,000 in hospital expenses or sustained serious injuries. Intangible damages attempt to compensate victims for pain and suffering. This is the emotional distress victims experience while adjusting to their new lives with debilitating injuries. The trauma from a collision might cause some victims to develop anxiety or depression, and any costs associated with mental health care should be covered as well.
How to Help Our Lawyers with Your Car Accident Case in Sandwich, MA
Start by being forthcoming and telling our lawyers everything you remember about the accident, including seemingly minor details. Do not delete any pictures of property damage or your injuries before giving them to our lawyers. If you recall new information as you recover from your injuries, inform our attorneys right away.
One of the most significant things victims can do to help with their claims is to get ongoing medical care. Stopping treatment for any reason could lead to gaps in medical records, which defendants might point toward to undermine the severity of a victim’s injuries. Following doctors’ advice and being present at all scheduled appointments can result in clear evidence showing the timeline of your injuries, diagnosis, and physical recovery.
Victims can also consider all the ways an accident has affected their lives, as this could illuminate us to additional damages that warrant compensation. For example, if you sustained a permanent spinal cord injury and must make alterations to your home to accommodate paralysis, we could request compensation for those expenses. Victims can examine how a defendant’s negligence has reduced their quality of life or impacted their overall happiness, which can improve their chances of recovering non-economic damages.
Car accident victims help with their claims when they give our lawyers time to prepare them. Massachusetts’ statute of limitations for auto injury lawsuits is three years, according to Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260, § 2A, and ideally, we would file sooner so you can get the settlement you need as quickly as possible.
Call Our Accident Attorneys in Sandwich, MA Today
Call our car accident lawyers at (617) 925-6407 for a free case analysis from the Law Office of John J. Sheehan.
