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Your Lawrence 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.
Recovering from an injury is hard enough without legal confusion on top of it. If someone else’s carelessness hurt you in Lawrence, you are allowed to take your time understanding your options before you sign or say anything.
This page is general information, not legal advice. NeedAnAttorney.net matches people with attorneys and does not represent anyone. The legal points below come from Massachusetts’s statutes, and the form at the top of the page is how you reach an attorney.
Questions Worth Asking In Lawrence
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 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).
- 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.
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
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 Lawrence? Get matched with an attorney now.
Sharing Blame And Your Claim
Whether you can recover in Massachusetts depends on how much of the fault is assigned to you. 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
Most injury claims in Massachusetts must be filed within 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). Write down the date of the injury now so the count is never in doubt.
The Court and Hospitals Behind a Lawrence Claim
Lawrence 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. In Lawrence, the state list of trauma centers names Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital as a Level III trauma center.
In the federal Hospital General Information file, the closest Massachusetts acute care or critical access hospital to Lawrence is Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital in Lawrence, 0.9 miles, an acute care hospital (One General Street, Lawrence, MA 01841). After it come Merrimack Health Methuen Hospital in Methuen, 1.8 miles, an acute care hospital; then Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, 9.9 miles, an acute care hospital. All distances are straight line miles from Lawrence.
A straight line is shorter than the drive from Lawrence. 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 (15.0 miles) and Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport (15.9 miles). The file lists 3 Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals within 10 miles of Lawrence, 16 within 25 miles and 35 within 50 miles, all in a straight line.
Closest to Lawrence among the places this site covers are Methuen, 3.1 miles north; Andover, 3.2 miles south; and Haverhill, 6.8 miles northeast. Boston is 26 miles south of Lawrence and Worcester is 44 miles southwest.
How To Take The First Step In Lawrence
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.
Until someone calls, make a simple record: what happened, the date and time, names of anyone who saw it, the treatment you have had, and the days you missed from work. Keep every bill and letter in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it matter that I was partly to 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). Photographs and witness names help show where the fault lies. Do not guess about fault when you talk to an insurer.
Is there a ceiling on what I can recover for pain and suffering?
The amount is shown by the medical records and the proof of your losses; ask an attorney whether any limit applies to your facts. How fault is assigned can also change the amount. Lasting effects and missed work are part of what is proved.
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 Lawrence?
In a straight line the nearest Massachusetts acute care or critical access hospital is Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital in Lawrence, 0.9 miles, an acute care hospital; Merrimack Health Methuen Hospital in Methuen is 1.8 miles and Lowell General Hospital in Lowell is 9.9 miles. Call 911 in an emergency; not every hospital has an emergency room.
What other places near Lawrence have their own page here?
Methuen is 3.1 miles north of Lawrence, Andover is 3.2 miles south and Haverhill is 6.8 miles northeast, by straight line from the Census coordinates.
What if a public vehicle hit me?
Often with special steps. 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 Lawrence?
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.
Is there a time limit for an injury claim in Massachusetts?
Three years for most injury claims (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.
If You Were Hurt Somewhere Else In Massachusetts
People are hurt in every part of Massachusetts. These pages cover other communities.
