Massachusetts Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Who Pays You A Settlement If You Slip And Fall?

Massachusetts slip and fall law is a branch of premises liability law that is intended to encourage landowners to keep their properties safe.  If they fail to do, they can be held liable.  Keep in mind that property owners are not automatically liable if someone slips and falls on their property.  Rather, the person that fell has the burden to prove that his injuries from the slip and fall accident were due to the carelessness or negligence of the property owner.

If this can be done then the claim will likely at some point settle.  It may settle during the claims stage, or the lawsuit stage, but it will likely settle prior to the case being tried in court.

Boston Shoulder Injury Lawyer

Shoulder injuries are very, very common.  Like the knee, the shoulder is a part of the anatomy that is susceptible to injury.  Shoulder injuries can happen from playing sports, working, and also can occur with age (degenerative wear and tear).  Other times shoulder injuries can occur due to negligence, including car accidents and other personal injury accidents.  They also occur frequently from accidents at work.  When this happens, the injured party may be considering whether or not to file a claim and file a lawsuit against the person or company that negligently injured them in the accident.  As a Boston shoulder injury lawyer, I have handled many of these cases, and they can be very complex, given just how complex the shoulder itself is.

There are various types of shoulder injuries.  Here are some of the most common:

Do I Need A Lawyer For A Massachusetts Dog Bite Accident?

Dog bites are personal injury events that happen much less frequently than other more common types of injury claims such as car accidents and slip and falls.  However, they do occur more than most people realize.  For those involved in a dog bite accident, the question that often arises is do I need a lawyer for a Massachusetts dog bite accident?

If you were the victim of a dog bite, whether or not you need a lawyer really depends on whether or not you were injured in the attack.  If no injuries were sustained, you likely don’t need a lawyer.  However, typically these accidents do not leave victims unscathed.  Typically scarring any other serious injuries can result.  When that is the case, it makes sense to hire attorney for the dog bite.  Plus, the attorney only gets paid if the case settles which is called a contingency fee.  That means only if there is a settlement does the attorney get paid.

What If I Broke A Bone In A Car Accident?

Although automobiles are getting safer, they still cannot fully protect people from suffering injuries when there is a collision.  A common injury from a car accident are broken bones.   Broken bones are referred to medically as fractures.  Fractures can either be displaced or non-displaced.  Sometimes they require surgery (open reduction internal fixation, or ORIF) and sometimes they can be closed reduced, meaning the bone can be put back into place without surgery.

Common types of broken bones from car accidents are:

Do You Need A Lawyer For A Car Accident That Was Your Fault?

No matter how careful and experienced a driver you may be, you may at some time in your life be responsible for negligently causing a car crash.  If the crash results in personal injuries, you may be facing a potential claim and lawsuit.  Many people that do cause an accident want to know, do you need a lawyer for a car accident that was your fault?

If the driver and/or passenger in the other vehicle involved in the accident was injured, they may file a claim or lawsuit against you.  This would be for all damages they suffered due to your negligence.  It would be a claim for payment for medical bills, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and any other damages that were suffered.  But do you need to hire a car accident lawyer?

Boston Torn Meniscus Injury Lawyer

Meniscus tears are very serious injuries.  They are a common injury that can be caused by playing sports, skiing, and from many other types of activity.  They also frequently occur from personal injury accidents.  When a person suffers a torn meniscus due to negligence, they frequently want to know what their options are.  They want to know if they may file a claim an sue for their injuries.  As a Boston torn meniscus injury lawyer, I have seen this injury occur to many of my clients.  We have recently been

Each knee has two menisci.  A meniscus is a C-shaped pieces of cartilage that cushions the area between the shin bone (tibia) and thigh (femur) bone.  Mensicus tears frequently arise from a forceful rotating or twisting of the knee.  They sometimes are accompanied by other corresponding knee injuries such as a torn ACL or other structural injury to the knee.

Massachusetts Crosswalk Accident Law

Pedestrians are unfortunately struck much too frequently by motor vehicles.  Many of these accidents are caused by negligence.  The victims of these accidents understandably want to know if they may file a claim or sue the driver that caused the accident.  Motor vehicle operators must use caution so as to avoid striking pedestrians.  When they fail to they may be held liable.

But pedestrians too have a duty to walk safely in order to avoid being struck.  Pedestrian accidents in Massachusetts occur all the time and oftentimes result in soft tissue injuries, bruising, broken bones, and even wrongful death.  I was surprised to recently learn that most most crosswalk buttons in Boston do not work, which I recently wrote about.

If You Have A Car Accident While Driving A Rental

From time to time many of us may need to rent a car.  Whether it be through U-Haul, Avis, Hertz, Zipcar, or another company, the car rental business is alive and well.  Even though rideshares through Uber and Lyft have skyrocketed in popularity, renting a car can still be become necessary for all of us.

Perhaps your own vehicle is being repaired or you must travel for work so you need to rent a car at the airport.  The car rental business is still very relevant and necessary for all of us.  But what happens if you are involved in a car accident while driving a rental car?

How Is Negligence Shown For A Massachusetts Car Accident?

Many people have heard the word negligence before, but may not know what it actually means.  Basically, negligence is a legal term that means failing to conduct oneself reasonably in a given situation.  If someone is injured due to negligence, he may bring a claim against the negligent party.

Determinations of negligence are very fact-specific.  All personal injury cases revolve around negligence.  In the context of car accident claims, in order to have a valid claim for pain and suffering, you must be able to show that the other driver was negligent.

What Are Your Rights If You Were Injured At Work In Massachusetts?

Many workers who get injured on-the-job want to know what rights they have.  Generally, if you get injured at work in Massachusetts, your rights are contained at MGL c. 152.  This is a series of laws that control what you can collect in workers’ compensation benefits, how much you can collect, and for how long.

Generally, as long as your injury occurred during the course and scope of your employment, then you are eligible for workers’ comp benefits in Massachusetts.