For people that have an ongoing Massachusetts personal injury claim or car accident case that receive an offer they are unhappy with, they have two choices. They can either accept the offer and settle the case, or they can file a lawsuit. Many people who consider the latter option want to know what are the costs involved with a Massachusetts personal injury lawsuit? Here are some common expenses you should expect to encounter it your case is litigated.

Filing Fees

No court in Massachusetts allows you to file a lawsuit for free. Most personal injury lawsuits in Massachusetts are filed in either district court or superior court. Generally, the cost to file a lawsuit in district court is around $200 while the filing fee in superior court is around $275.

Service of Process

Once the lawsuit is filed it must be served on the party that you have sued. Most sheriffs’ departments charge right around $50.00 to serve lawsuit papers on a defendant (the person sued).

Depositions

Depositions are part of the discovery phase of any lawsuit. Depositions can be had of the parties to the case, as well as any witnesses, and any expert witnesses. These costs vary greatly depending on whether or not the deponent (the one being sued) is or is not an expert hired by one of the parties.  For non-experts, the deposition transcript cost for a three-hour deposition is right around $300-$400. For experts, including physicians, their time to attend a deposition can cost thousands, plus the cost of the transcript.

Experts

Experts can sometimes be necessary for a case. For example, for a serious trucking accident case, an accident reconstructionist may be needed. Or, for a slip and fall case, an engineer may be needed. The costs of such an expert can range anywhere from between $5000 – $15,000.  Much of this cost depends on whether or not the expert will be testifying at trial.

Please note these expenses are general guidelines only on what to expect, as each case is unique and different in terms of the expenses involved. Contact us if you have any follow-up questions.