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Your Arlington 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 Middlesex County sits in Woburn, at 200 Tradecenter Drive, 2nd Floor, Woburn, MA 01801. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Getting hurt rarely comes at a convenient time. You may be in pain, missing work and answering calls from an insurance company while trying to learn what you are owed. If your injury in Arlington was someone else’s doing, start with the basics below and go at your own pace.
Nothing on this page is legal advice, and NeedAnAttorney.net is not a law firm. It is a service that connects injured people with attorneys. The rules described here are quoted or summarized from Massachusetts’s own statutes so that you can check them yourself.
Before You Hire: Questions For An Arlington 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).
- Any ceiling. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in Massachusetts.
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly responsible would change the numbers (M.G.L. c. 231, s. 85).
- The people. Ask who will be in touch with you and how quickly they return calls.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
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 Arlington? Get matched with an attorney now.
Your Own Share Of The Blame
Massachusetts lets you recover while your share of the fault is not greater than the other side’s. 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.
Limits On What You Can Recover
What an injured person can recover in Massachusetts is shown by the records and the medical proof. What you can recover turns on the bills, the missed work and the lasting effects. 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).
Ask an attorney which rules, if any, reach your case.
Filing Deadlines For Injury Claims
A lawsuit for most injuries in Massachusetts must be started within three years (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 7).
A claim against a government body usually has its own claim or notice steps that must be followed before you sue, so ask early (M.G.L. c. 258, s. 4). If someone died, a separate set of rules can apply (M.G.L. c. 229, s. 2). Ask in your first conversation which date applies to your claim.
Insurance Limits To Know
Under M.G.L. c. 90, s. 34A and s. 34O, an auto liability policy in Massachusetts must provide at least $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $30,000 for property damage.
When the other driver carries only the minimum and your injuries are serious, any other policy that applies becomes important. Before you accept a payment, ask your attorney to check for every policy that might apply, yours included.
Courts and Hospitals Near Arlington
The Census Bureau places Arlington in Middlesex County. Middlesex County’s superior court is listed in Woburn, at 200 Tradecenter Drive, 2nd Floor, Woburn, MA 01801. The state list of trauma centers names Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, in Middlesex County as well, as a Level III trauma center.
Measured in a straight line from Arlington, the nearest Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals in the federal Hospital General Information file are Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, 3.4 miles, an acute care hospital, then Winchester Hospital in Winchester, 3.9 miles, an acute care hospital, then Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, 4.4 miles, an acute care hospital. Mount Auburn Hospital is at 330 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Road distance from Arlington is longer than a straight line. Wherever you were treated, ask for the full records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every visit.
Fourth and fifth on the list are Boston Medical Center-Brighton in Brighton, 4.8 miles, and Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, 5.1 miles. Within 10, 25 and 50 miles of Arlington the file shows 15, 28 and 39 Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals, by straight line.
Closest to Arlington among the places this site covers are Cambridge, 3.7 miles southeast; Somerville, 3.8 miles southeast; and Waltham, 4.5 miles southwest. The reference cities are 9 miles southeast (Boston) and 34 miles west (Worcester).
Making Your First Contact In Arlington
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.
Meanwhile, jot down the facts while they are fresh: date, time, place, who was there, what care you have had and what work you have missed. Save every bill and every message from an insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which other places near Arlington does this site cover?
By Census coordinates the nearest are Cambridge, 3.7 miles southeast; Somerville, 3.8 miles southeast; and Waltham, 4.5 miles southwest, all in a straight line from Arlington.
How much can I recover for pain and suffering in Massachusetts?
Pain and suffering is proved by the facts of your case, so ask which rules, if any, apply to your claim. The bills, the missed work and the lasting effects drive the amount. The facts of your claim drive the amount.
How low can the other driver’s liability limits be?
The least an auto liability policy can provide is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries, plus $30,000 for property damage (M.G.L. c. 90, s. 34A and s. 34O). A serious injury can cost more than the other driver’s policy pays. Keep the other driver’s insurance details from the day of the crash.
What is the nearest hospital to Arlington?
On the federal list the nearest Massachusetts acute care or critical access hospital is Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge (3.4 miles, straight line), then Winchester Hospital in Winchester (3.9 miles) and Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge (4.4 miles). In an emergency call 911; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Do I need to speak with the adjuster right away?
It is fair to say you are getting advice first. You can ask for questions in writing. An attorney can speak to the insurer for you.
What if a city, county or other government body caused my injury?
Possibly. Special claim or notice steps can apply (M.G.L. c. 258, s. 4). The notice steps can differ from those for other claims. Write down the date and place of the injury.
What should I ask when choosing an attorney for Arlington?
Ask each attorney you consider whether they handle cases where you live, how you would meet and how the fee works. Compare more than one before you decide.
When does the time to file an injury claim run out in Massachusetts?
Within three years for most injury claims (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A). A child can have extra time, and so can a few other limited situations (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 7). Write down the date of the injury now.
Help Elsewhere in Massachusetts
The same matching service covers more of Massachusetts. Pick the community closest to where it happened.
