As a Massachusetts car accident lawyer I regularly receive some common questions. Car accidents happen with alarming frequency. For those injured in a car accident, it can be a stressful, aggravating, and painful experience. Your car is damaged, your body hurts, you are not sure what to do next. The more paperwork you receive from the insurance company the more confused you get. You may be unsure what to do next. Here are some answers to some common car accident questions I typically receive:

Who Pays My Medical Bills?

Massachusetts is a no–fault car insurance state. That means the car insurance company that insures the car you were in will pay your medical bills. They will pay up to $2000 of your medical bills. If you have private health insurance, then after the first $2000 is paid by the car insurance company, the rest is submitted to your health insurance company. If you don’t have private health insurance, the car accident company will pay up to $8000 in your medical bills.

Who Pays My Lost Wages?

If you missed time from work, the car insurance company for the vehicle you were in at the time of the accident will pay 75% of your lost wages. Keep in mind that the $8000 discussed above encompasses both medical bills and lost wages. Therefore, you are permitted to use the $8000 for medical bills, lost wages, or a combination of the two. However, no matter how the $8000 is apportioned, you cannot collect more than $8000 for no-fault benefits.

Can I Collect Pain And Suffering?

If you sustained personal injury in the accident, a claim for pain and suffering can be made against the responsible driver’s insurance policy. This also applies to workers’ compensation claims as well, when there is a third-party responsibility for causing the crash.

You need to have at least $2000 in medical bills to bring a claim for pain and suffering. The $2000 amount is predicated on all reasonable and necessary costs incurred for your medical care. This includes all medical bills, co-pays, equipment purchases, etc. If however your medical bills do not reach $2000 but you sustained a fracture, or scarring, then the $2000 threshold does not apply.

Massachusetts Car Accident Lawyer Christopher Earley Can Help

If you experienced an accident 8and need a Massachusetts car accident lawyer contact us for your free, no-obligation consultation.