Are you dealing with the aftermath of a car accident in Boston and unsure about your next steps? At Earley Law Group, we’re here to guide you through this challenging time. Our team is dedicated to supporting you, providing clear advice, and fighting for maximum compensation on your behalf.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to us when you’re ready to demand the recovery you deserve. Contact Earley Law today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Let a Boston car accident lawyer from our law firm help you get the money you need to get your life back on track.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring an Attorney for My Car Accident Claim?
If you’ve been hurt in an auto accident, you need, deserve, and will get support from Earley Law. An experienced car accident attorney in Boston from our firm can help you by:
- Investigating the accident and gathering evidence to support your claim
- Consulting medical professionals to understand the extent of your injuries
- Calculating the full extent of your expenses and losses
- Coordinating with accident reconstruction experts when necessary
- Negotiating with insurance companies on your behalf
- Filing all the required paperwork promptly and accurately
- Shielding you from insurance tactics to undervalue your claim
- Representing you in court, if necessary
- Never charging you anything unless we get money for you on your car accident claim
At Earley Law, we’re here to make the entire legal process as straightforward as possible. Our team prides itself on delivering five-star customer service, something we like to call the “Earley Experience.” This means we work tirelessly to provide the best client experience possible. Your satisfaction is our top priority. If something doesn’t meet your expectations, we promise to do everything in our power to make it right.
Let us show you why we have more than 600 positive Google reviews for the stellar service we provide and the real results we deliver.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
The steps you take following a car accident can significantly affect your ability to recover, both physically and financially. Here’s what you should do to protect yourself and your legal rights:
- Take photos of the accident scene, including damage to all vehicles.
- Look for witnesses and get their contact information.
- Seek medical attention, even if you feel fine initially.
- Follow all medical advice and keep records of your treatment.
- Document your symptoms and how they affect your daily life.
- Save all receipts related to the accident, including medical bills and repair invoices.
- Contact a Boston car accident attorney from Earley Law as soon as possible.
- Notify your insurance company about the accident.
- Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company without speaking with an attorney.
- Avoid discussing the accident or your injuries on social media.
- Stay organized by keeping a file of all accident-related documents.
How Does Earley Law Investigate Car Accident Cases?
When we at Earley Law take on your car accident case, our team dives deep into investigating every detail.
We start by gathering all the facts, looking at police reports, and talking to witnesses. We visit the accident scene ourselves to get a firsthand look at where and how the accident happened. Our team also reviews any available camera footage and sometimes works with accident reconstruction experts to build a clear picture of the events.
We examine all the evidence, including damage to the vehicles and your medical records, to understand the full impact of the accident on your life. This thorough approach allows us to develop a strong legal case and fight effectively for the car accident compensation you deserve.
What Compensation Could I Recover in a Car Accident Claim?
If you get hurt in an auto accident in Massachusetts, you will first turn to your own insurance company for medical coverage under your personal injury protection (PIP) policy. Your PIP coverage will also pay up to 75% of your lost income and replacement household services (these are tasks you couldn’t do while injured, such as doing laundry, running errands, and yard work), up to the limit of your policy. You can file a claim with the other party’s insurer for additional medical expenses and lost wages if your PIP coverage isn’t enough.
There are other expenses you could recover, too. Suppose your injuries caused you to incur at least $2,000 in medical costs and resulted in serious or permanent disfigurement, a broken bone, or lost vision or hearing. You can file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurer seeking compensation for the intangible losses and suffering you have experienced as a result. This could include compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disability or disfigurement
- Loss of consortium (this means you no longer have the love, companionship, affection, and sexual intimacy from your spouse or partner that you had before the accident)
- Out-of-pocket expenses related to the accident
You’ll also be able to claim compensation for:
- Lost earning capacity (this means losing the same ability you had before your accident to earn money)
- Rehabilitation costs
- Costs to modify your home if your disability requires it, such as installing a ramp to your porch or grab bars in your shower
- Vehicle repair/replacement costs
Who Could Be Held Liable for a Car Wreck in Boston?
Determining who is at fault for a car crash can be a complicated process. Multiple parties might hold responsibility for what happened, and identifying these parties is essential when it comes to seeking accountability and fair compensation.
Here are some examples of potentially liable parties:
- Other Drivers – If another driver was speeding, driving recklessly, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or not following the rules of the road, they could be responsible for the motor vehicle accident.
- Vehicle Manufacturers – Sometimes, the cause of an accident is a mechanical defect in one of the vehicles. In such cases, the manufacturer of the defective vehicle or part could be liable.
- Government Entities – The condition of the road itself can sometimes contribute to a car wreck. If a road is poorly maintained, lacks proper signage, or has hazardous conditions that haven’t been addressed, a government entity responsible for road maintenance might be liable.
- Employers – If a driver causes an accident while working or driving a company vehicle, their employer could be liable under certain circumstances.
- Bars or Restaurants – If a driver was under the influence at the time of the accident, the establishment that served the driver alcohol might be liable under state “dram shop” laws.
It depends. If you’re involved in a Massachusetts car accident for which you are partly at fault, a law called comparative negligence comes into play. To apply this rule, you look at how much each person contributed to the wreck to determine whether they are entitled to compensation and, if so, how much.
For instance, let’s say you’re in a car accident. The court decides you were 30 percent at fault because you were speeding at the time. Meanwhile, the other driver was 70 percent at fault because they ran a red light. If you decide to seek compensation, the total amount you can receive will be reduced by your share of the fault. So, if your car accident claim was worth $10,000, the most you could get would be $7,000 because 30 percent (your share of the blame) would get taken out of the total.
It’s important to understand this rule because even if you are partly to blame for an auto wreck, you can still demand compensation from other at-fault parties. However, if you are 51 percent or more at fault, Massachusetts law says you cannot collect any compensation from others. This is why it’s essential to have a lawyer from Earley Law help you with your claim, especially if another party tries to pin the blame on you.
If you suffer injuries in a car accident in Massachusetts, you have a limited amount of time to start a personal injury lawsuit. Specifically, state law says you have three years from the date of the accident to bring your car accident injury lawsuit. If you wait too long and miss this deadline, you won’t be able to take your case to court to get compensation for your injuries and related losses.
This is why it’s so important to act swiftly and talk to a Boston car accident attorney from Earley Law right away. We can make sure your car accident lawsuit gets filed on time, so you can focus on your day-to-day life and healing from your injuries.
Identifying the type of accident you were involved in is an important step in seeking justice and compensation. Here are some examples of common types of car accidents:
- Rear-end collisions
- Side-impact collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Multi-vehicle pile-ups
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Rollover accidents
Every car accident is different, but many of them result from the same handful of common causes. Typical contributing factors in car accident cases include the following:
- Distracted driving, such as texting, cell phone use, and eating/drinking behind the wheel
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Road rage
- Driving under the influence
- Reckless driving
- Poor road conditions
- Running red lights
- Running stop signs
- Driver inexperience
- Vehicle manufacturing defects
- Poor vehicle maintenance
- Improper lane changes
- Wrong-way driving
- Failure to yield the right of way
From immediate shock and pain to devastating injuries with long-term recovery challenges, the physical and emotional toll of an accident can be immense. Let’s explore some injuries that commonly result from auto collisions in Boston:
- Whiplash
- Concussions
- Broken bones
- Lacerations
- Internal bleeding
- Bruises
- Burns
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Dislocations
- Rib and torso injuries
- Knee trauma
- Shoulder injuries
- Foot and ankle injuries
- Hand and wrist injuries
- Pelvic injuries
- Eye injuries
- Crush injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Psychological trauma
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Amputations
- Dental injuries