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Your Lowell 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 Middlesex County Superior Court sits in Woburn, at 200 Tradecenter Drive, 2nd Floor, Woburn, MA 01801, and also in Lowell, at 370 Jackson St., Lowell, MA 01852. 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 Lowell 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 A Lowell Attorney
Whoever you speak to, a few answers tell you a lot:
- 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.
- 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).
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
- 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 arise from a property owner’s duty to maintain a property in a way that does not endanger others. There are many 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 claims can involve more than just an employee and an employer. If you were hurt at work, ask an attorney whether your claim is a workers’ compensation claim, a claim against someone other than your employer, or both. 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
If the person operating the vehicle that injured you was negligent, you 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 or person accountable. 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 Lowell? Get matched with an attorney now.
Your Own Share Of The Blame
A person who is fifty percent at fault or less can still recover in Massachusetts. 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.
Is There A Ceiling On The Award
In Massachusetts, an award follows the medical bills, lost income and the lasting effects of the injury. How fault is assigned can also change the amount. 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).
Lasting effects and missed work are part of what is proved.
Filing Deadlines For Injury Claims
The general time limit for an injury claim in Massachusetts is three years (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A). A child, or a person incapacitated by mental illness when the claim arose, may have more time (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). The type of claim decides the date, so do not wait.
The Court and Hospitals Behind a Lowell Claim
Lowell lies in Middlesex County, according to Census Bureau place and county names. The Massachusetts court directory lists the superior court for Middlesex County in Woburn, at 200 Tradecenter Drive, 2nd Floor, Woburn, MA 01801. It also lists a Middlesex County Superior Court location in Lowell, at 370 Jackson St., Lowell, MA 01852, and says that court serves all cities and towns of Middlesex County. In Lowell, the state list of trauma centers names Lowell General Hospital as a Level III trauma center.
For an injury claim, request complete medical records and itemized bills from every provider who treated you. Keep appointment dates, discharge instructions and receipts together.
Other places this site covers near Lowell include Tewksbury, Billerica and Lawrence.
How The Intake Process Works In Lowell
Fill in the form at the top of this page. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Massachusetts. The form is free to use, and sending it does not mean you have hired anyone.
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
Is the other driver’s policy enough to cover my injuries?
Not necessarily. Whether the other driver’s policy is enough depends on its limits, the injuries, other available coverage and the facts of the claim. Ask an attorney to review the policies.
Which hospitals are listed in Lowell and nearby communities?
Lowell General Hospital in Lowell is listed in the federal file as an acute care hospital. The file also lists Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, which its own website identifies as Merrimack Health Methuen Hospital, and Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital in Lawrence. Call 911 in an emergency; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Which nearby places does this site cover besides Lowell?
Nearby places this site covers include Tewksbury, Billerica and Lawrence.
Are there special steps for claims against the government?
Yes. Before suing a Massachusetts public employer, a claimant generally must first present the claim in writing to the employer’s executive officer within two years after the cause of action arose (M.G.L. c. 258, s. 4). Write down the date and place of the injury.
Which court covers Lowell?
The Massachusetts court directory lists two Middlesex County Superior Court locations, 200 Tradecenter Drive, 2nd Floor, Woburn, MA 01801, and 370 Jackson St., Lowell, MA 01852, and says each serves all cities and towns of Middlesex County. Ask the attorney you speak with to name the court for your case and explain why.
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, or a person incapacitated by mental illness when the claim arose, can have extra time (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 7). Write down the date of the injury now.
Does Massachusetts bar me from recovering if I share the blame?
Your share of the fault does not bar the claim unless it is greater than the total fault of the people you are claiming against; any award is then reduced in proportion to your share (M.G.L. c. 231, s. 85).
Are there limits on an injury award in Massachusetts?
For a claim from a motor vehicle accident, damages for pain and suffering can be recovered only if the reasonable and necessary treatment expenses are over $2,000, unless the injury causes death, is the loss of a body member, is a permanent and serious disfigurement, is a loss of sight or hearing of the kind the statute describes, or is a fracture (M.G.L. c. 231, s. 6D). Any award is reduced by your share of the fault (M.G.L. c. 231, s. 85). Ask an attorney whether any other limit applies to your facts.
Injury Attorney Pages For Other Massachusetts Communities
NeedAnAttorney.net connects injured people throughout Massachusetts with attorneys who handle cases in their area.
