Massachusetts Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation Law Blog

When You Don’t Need A Lawyer For A Car Accident

Almost everyone at some point will unfortunately be involved in a car crash. Most times an attorney is needed in order for the crash victim’s right to be protected. But an attorney is not always needed. Here are some examples of situations when you don’t need a lawyer for a car accident.

If you were at fault you don’t need a lawyer. That is because you would have no claim to make. If anyone was injured in the accident they may sue you. But your auto insurance company would step into the lawsuit and provide you with an attorney.

When A Minor Is Injured In A Personal Injury Accident

No one wants to think of their child being injured. As the father of two young children, I especially understand this sentiment. Unfortunately, negligence happens and children, just like adults, can be victims of personal injury.

Children can be injured in a  variety of ways. They may be passengers in a vehicle involved in a motor vehicle accident. They can be struck by motor vehicles while they are walking as pedestrians. They may be the victims of a dog bite.

What To Do After A Dog Bite Attack

No one ever wants to be bitten by a dog. Man’s best friend provides loving companion ship. Sometimes, like animals, they can behave very unpredictably. If you have been the victim of one of these types of personal injury accidents, it is important to know what to do after a dog bite attack.

Receive medical attention as soon as possible. Dog bites and attacks can cause injuries ranging from scarring, broken (fractured) bones, and many other possible injuries. Sometimes with a bad mauling by a dangerous dog, wrongful death can occur. Getting prompt medical attention ensures that the injuries caused by the do bite are properly addressed as soon as possible.

Settlement For Client That Slipped On Ice

Our client was injured when she slipped and fell at the property where she rents. The cause of the fall was ice. She sustained a fractured toe and needed to take an ambulance to the hospital. She eventually came under the care of an orthopedic doctor. She needed to use crutches and a boot.

We brought a claim for negligence against the property owner. A claim was set up with the property owner’s insurance company in order for our client to receive compensation for her personal injuries. The claim asserted against the property owner was that it failed to reasonably clear the ice that had accumulated.

How To Know If A Settlement Offer Is Fair

The vast majority of Massachusetts personal injury cases, car accident cases, and workers compensation cases settle. Many people that have an open case understandably are curious on how to know if a settlement offer is fair. Here are some factors to consider.

Any settlement (assuming liability is clear) should pay all of your medical bills. Whether it is an ambulance, hospital, physical therapy, or chiropractic bill, they all should be paid as part of any settlement.

Qualities To Look For In A Personal Injury Lawyer 

If you’ve been injured in an accident, you likely are searching the internet for the right lawyer. With so many to choose from, how do you select the right one? Here are some of the qualities to look for in a personal injury lawyer.

Experience is essential. You want someone that has experience with cases just like yours. If you need a car accident attorney to help you, you want to make sure the attorney has plenty of experience with these cases. That experience will bode well for your case.

Settlement For Minor Injured In Car Accident

Recently we were able to settle a case for the full policy limit for a client injured in a car accident. Our client, a minor, sustained extremely serious injuries. She was a passenger in the wreck. Her injuries were so severe that she needed to be mid-flighted to a hospital for immediate medical attention. The insurance company offered the full policy limit available in order to settle the case and avoid litigation.

There was a dispute between the drivers as to who was at-fault. However, since our client was a passenger, that did not impact at all what our client was entitled to or able to collect.

Reasons To Change Personal Injury Lawyers

Sometimes people need to change lawyers. Regardless of the reason why, clients have the right to change lawyers whenever they want. There are different reasons to change personal injury lawyers. Here are some of them.

Sometimes the reason a client switches to a different personal injury lawyer is because of poor communication on the part of the attorney. If the client is not updated on the status of the case he may feel that the attorney is not hard at work on the client’s case. Or, if the client’s phone calls are not returned, the client may feel that his case is not very important to the lawyer.

The Most Common Types of Personal Injuries

The list of possible injuries that are caused by negligence is a very long list. Whether it be an auto accident, premises liability accident, or other type of personal injury accident, injuries can range from mild to catastrophic injuries. Here are some of the most common types of personal injuries.

Strains and sprains are probably the most common types of injuries that personal injury accidents cause. These are generally temporary injuries that heal with physical therapy and chiropractic treatment. They are oftentimes called soft tissue injuries, and commonly arise from car crashes.

When A Third-Party Causes A Work Accident

People can become injured at work due to a variety of causes. Sometimes a work accident can result in personal injuries, medical bills and lost time from work, due to the negligence of a third-party. When that is the case, besides a workers comp claim, the injured worker may also pursue a third-party claim as well.

This can happen when a worker slips and falls while working, and a cleaning company caused the floor to be excessively slippery. Or, if someone is on-the-clock and is injured in a car accident, if a third-party caused the accident, then a claim can also be made directly against that party.