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Your Cambridge 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.
Recovering from an injury is hard enough without legal confusion on top of it. If someone else’s carelessness hurt you in Cambridge, you are allowed to take your time understanding your options before you sign or say anything.
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 A Cambridge Attorney
Whoever you speak to, a few answers tell you a lot:
- 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 deadline. Ask the attorney to name the exact last day to file for your claim. The general limit for injury claims in Massachusetts is three years (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A).
- Limits on damages. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in Massachusetts.
- Fees and costs. Ask what the fee is, when it is paid, and which expenses are deducted from a settlement.
- 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 Cambridge? Get matched with an attorney now.
How Fault Is Divided
An insurer may stress your own mistakes, and in Massachusetts the percentage it can attach to you matters. M.G.L. c. 231, s. 85 sets the rule.
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). Photographs, witness names and medical records help show where the fault lies.
Time Limits To Know
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). The type of claim decides the date, so do not wait.
The Court and Hospitals Behind a Cambridge Claim
The Census Bureau places Cambridge in Middlesex County. The Massachusetts court directory lists the superior court for Middlesex County in Woburn, at 200 Tradecenter Drive, 2nd Floor, Woburn, MA 01801. In Middlesex County, the state list of trauma centers shows Lowell General Hospital in Lowell as a Level III trauma center.
Measured in a straight line from Cambridge, the two nearest Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals in the federal Hospital General Information file, Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge and Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, are about equally close, 0.7 and 0.8 miles away. Third is Boston Medical Center-Brighton in Brighton, 2.3 miles, an acute care hospital. Mount Auburn Hospital is at 330 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.
These figures are straight line distances, so the drive from Cambridge is longer. Whichever provider treated you, request your complete records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every appointment.
The file also lists Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston at 2.6 miles and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston at 2.6 miles. Counting Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals in a straight line from Cambridge: 17 within 10 miles, 28 within 25 miles, 40 within 50 miles.
The nearest places in Massachusetts that this site has pages for, by the same coordinates, are Somerville (1.3 miles northeast), Arlington (3.7 miles northwest) and Everett (3.9 miles northeast). Boston is 6 miles southeast of Cambridge and Worcester is 36 miles west.
Starting Your Claim Review In Cambridge
The form at the top of this page is the starting point. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Massachusetts. It costs nothing to use and does not commit you to anything.
Before the first call, collect the basics: the date, the place, names of witnesses, your medical visits and your missed work. A single folder for bills, letters and photographs saves time later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What other places near Cambridge have their own page here?
Somerville is 1.3 miles northeast of Cambridge, Arlington is 3.7 miles northwest and Everett is 3.9 miles northeast, by straight line from the Census coordinates.
Is a claim against a government entity different in Massachusetts?
It can be. Special claim or notice steps can apply (M.G.L. c. 258, s. 4). The rules for public bodies differ from the rules for private parties. Do not wait to ask.
How do I choose an attorney near Cambridge?
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.
How soon must I file a claim for an injury in Cambridge?
For most injury claims, three years (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A). The period can be longer for a child, and a few other situations extend it too (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 7). An early start protects the evidence.
Does Massachusetts bar me from recovering if I share the blame?
The rule: 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 raise this point first. An attorney can explain how the rule fits your facts.
Does Massachusetts put a ceiling on pain and suffering?
It depends on the facts of your claim, so ask an attorney whether any rule limits it in your case. Special rules can apply to particular kinds of claims. Keep every bill, because the economic part of a claim is proved by records.
What are the minimum auto insurance limits in Massachusetts?
$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $30,000 for property damage (M.G.L. c. 90, s. 34A and s. 34O). Several policies can apply to one crash. Before you accept a payment, check for every policy that may apply.
Which hospital is closest to Cambridge?
Among the Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals on the federal hospital list, Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge and Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge are about equally close, 0.7 and 0.8 miles away in a straight line. Boston Medical Center-Brighton in Brighton is 2.3 miles away. In an emergency call 911 first; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Help Elsewhere in Massachusetts
If your injury happened outside Cambridge, one of these pages may fit better.
