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Your Andover Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Massachusetts most injury claims must be filed within three years (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A). A child, or a person whose mental illness left them incapacitated when the claim arose, may have more time (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 7). The trial court for Essex County sits in Salem, at 56 Federal St., Salem, MA 01970. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
An injury changes the pace of your days. Medical visits, paperwork and worry about money can crowd out everything else. If you were hurt in Andover because of another person’s actions, this page explains how Massachusetts treats injury claims so you can plan your next step.
A quick note on what this page is: general information about Massachusetts injury law, written from the statutes, from a matching service that does not practice law. It is meant to help you ask good questions, not to decide your case.
Before You Hire: Questions For An Andover Attorney
Ask these in any first conversation:
- The date. Ask for the specific last day to file in your case. The general rule is three years (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A).
- If you were partly to blame. Ask what happens to your award if a jury finds you share the blame (M.G.L. c. 231, s. 85).
- Limits on damages. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in Massachusetts.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
- The people. Ask who will be in touch with you and how quickly they return calls.
Personal Injury Types of Cases
Premises Liability
Many premises liability claims are from a property owner’s duty to maintain a property in the way that does not endanger others. There are may ways a property owner can violate this duty.
- Broken Stairs
- Unlit alleyways
- Slippery Floors
- Surfaces that are uneven
- Places to receive burns
- Places to receive chemical exposure
- Dog bites
- and other dangerous conditions
Work Place Accidents
These types of personal injury lawsuits involve more that just a employee and employer. If you feel like your place of employment was negligent in some way, you might have a claim for compensation. These types of accidents can include.
- Slip and Fall
- Unsafe working conditions
- Unmaintained equipment
- Auto Accidents
- Death
- Electrical Hazards
- Occupational illnesses like COPD, contagious diseases, and asbestosis
- personal injuries at work
Motor Vehicle Accidents
As long as the person that was operating the vehicle that injured you was negligent in some way, you can could have a claim for compensation. This can include.
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- 18 wheeler Accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Drunk Driving
- Distracted Driving
- Aggressive Driving
- and other types of motor vehicle accidents
Wrongful Death
When negligence leads to fatal injuries, a wrongful death suit can help the surviving family members hold the negligent company, persons, and or person accountable for what was done. A wrongful death case can involve different types of compensation from other personal injury claims. After a fatal accident, family members can ask an attorney to review what compensation the surviving loved ones may have a right to. These types of accidents can include.
- Auto Accident
- Maritime Accident
- Drowning
- Electrocution
- Falls
- Helicopter Accident
- Fire
- Firearm
- and other types of wrongful deaths
Injured in Andover? Get matched with an attorney now.
What Shared Blame Means For You
Shared blame matters in Massachusetts, because it can reduce an award or end it. The source is M.G.L. c. 231, s. 85.
You can recover if your share of the fault is 50 percent or less, and your award is reduced by your share; above 50 percent the claim is barred (M.G.L. c. 231, s. 85). Insurers often press this point first, so keep notes about how the injury happened.
What The Law Says About Damages
What an injured person can recover in Massachusetts is shown by the records and the medical proof. Special rules can apply to particular kinds of claims, so ask about yours. For a car crash claim, you can recover for pain and suffering only if reasonable treatment costs pass $2,000, unless the injury causes death, loses a body member, causes serious and permanent disfigurement or a listed loss of sight or hearing, or is a fracture (M.G.L. c. 231, s. 6D).
The facts of your claim drive the amount.
When The Clock Starts And Stops
The general time limit for an injury claim in Massachusetts is three years (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A). A child may have more time, and a few other limited situations extend the period too (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 7).
A wrongful death claim follows its own rules, so ask which date applies (M.G.L. c. 229, s. 2). If a government body may be responsible, the steps can differ (M.G.L. c. 258, s. 4). Missing the date usually ends the case, so ask any attorney to name the exact last day for yours.
Local Courts and Hospitals in Andover
Andover lies in Essex County, according to Census Bureau place and county names. Essex County’s superior court is listed in Salem, at 56 Federal St., Salem, MA 01970. The state list of trauma centers names Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital in Lawrence, in Essex County, as a Level III trauma center. That list also names Salem Hospital in Salem, in Essex County, as a Level III trauma center.
In the federal Hospital General Information file, the closest Massachusetts acute care or critical access hospital to Andover is Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital in Lawrence, 3.7 miles, an acute care hospital (One General Street, Lawrence, MA 01841). After it come Merrimack Health Methuen Hospital in Methuen, 5.0 miles, an acute care hospital; then Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, 10.2 miles, an acute care hospital. All distances are straight line miles from Andover.
A straight line is shorter than the drive from Andover. Ask each provider for your complete records and an itemized bill, and note the date of every appointment.
Further down the same list are Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington (12.1 miles) and Winchester Hospital in Winchester (13.2 miles). The file lists 2 Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals within 10 miles of Andover, 22 within 25 miles and 36 within 50 miles, all in a straight line.
Other places this site covers near Andover: Lawrence at 3.2 miles north, Tewksbury at 5.3 miles southwest, Methuen at 6.3 miles north. The reference cities are 23 miles south (Boston) and 43 miles southwest (Worcester).
How The Intake Process Works In Andover
Start with the form at the top. It asks a few questions about the injury. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Massachusetts. Using it is free, and it does not create an attorney client relationship.
While you wait, write down what happened and when, who saw it, what treatment you have received and how many days of work you missed. Put bills, letters and insurance messages in one folder.
Frequently Asked Questions
When must an injury lawsuit be filed in Massachusetts?
Within three years for most injury claims (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A). A child may have more time, and a few other limited situations extend the period too (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 7). A wrongful death claim follows its own rules (M.G.L. c. 229, s. 2).
What happens to my claim if I share some of the fault?
Massachusetts answers this directly. You can recover if your share of the fault is 50 percent or less, and your award is reduced by your share; above 50 percent the claim is barred (M.G.L. c. 231, s. 85). How the facts are described matters from the start. Details from the day of the accident can matter.
Does Massachusetts limit how much I can recover?
Pain and suffering is proved by the facts of your case, so ask which rules, if any, apply to your claim. The amount depends on the facts of your claim. Ask an attorney whether any rule reaches your claim.
Does Massachusetts require drivers to carry liability insurance?
Liability coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries (M.G.L. c. 90, s. 34A and s. 34O). Those figures are floors, not a measure of what a claim is worth. Ask an attorney to check every policy that may apply.
How far is the closest hospital from Andover?
In a straight line the nearest Massachusetts acute care or critical access hospital is Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital in Lawrence, 3.7 miles, an acute care hospital; Merrimack Health Methuen Hospital in Methuen is 5.0 miles and Lowell General Hospital in Lowell is 10.2 miles. Call 911 in an emergency; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Which nearby places does this site cover besides Andover?
Closest by straight line are Lawrence (3.2 miles north), Tewksbury (5.3 miles southwest) and Methuen (6.3 miles north).
What if the injury happened on public property?
There are special steps. Special claim or notice steps can apply (M.G.L. c. 258, s. 4). The notice step can come before any lawsuit. Ask an attorney at once if a public body may be responsible.
What comes first after an injury?
Seek medical attention before anything else. Make sure the incident is reported. Write down names of witnesses and keep every record in one place.
Injury Attorney Pages For Other Massachusetts Communities
People are hurt in every part of Massachusetts. These pages cover other communities.
