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Your Newton 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 Newton, you are allowed to take your time understanding your options before you sign or say anything.
We match people with attorneys; we do not advise on cases. Treat what follows as a plain language guide to Massachusetts law drawn from the statutes. When you want to talk to an attorney, the form at the top of this page is the way to start.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Newton Attorney
A short list of questions can sort out who is right for you:
- 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).
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
- Fees and costs. Ask what the fee is, when it is paid, and which expenses are deducted from a settlement.
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 Newton? Get matched with an attorney now.
Your Own Share Of The Blame
Fault is divided by percentage in Massachusetts, and the dividing line sits at fifty percent. 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.
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.
Courts and Hospitals Near Newton
The Census Bureau places Newton 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 Newton, the nearest Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals in the federal Hospital General Information file are Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, 2.0 miles, an acute care hospital, then Boston Medical Center-Brighton in Brighton, 3.4 miles, an acute care hospital, then Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital (Needham) in Needham, 4.0 miles, an acute care hospital. Newton-Wellesley Hospital is at 2014 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02462.
Road distance from Newton 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 Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain, 4.7 miles, and Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, 4.9 miles. Within 10, 25 and 50 miles of Newton the file shows 14, 27 and 41 Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals, by straight line.
Closest to Newton among the places this site covers are Waltham, 4.3 miles northwest; Cambridge, 5.5 miles northeast; and Arlington, 6.4 miles north. From Newton, Worcester lies 31 miles west and Boston 10 miles east.
How To Begin Your Newton Claim
Use the form at the top of the page to tell us what happened. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Massachusetts. There is no charge to submit it, and submitting it does not hire anyone.
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
What is the nearest hospital to Newton?
On the federal list the nearest Massachusetts acute care or critical access hospital is Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton (2.0 miles, straight line), then Boston Medical Center-Brighton in Brighton (3.4 miles) and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital (Needham) in Needham (4.0 miles). In an emergency call 911; not every hospital has an emergency room.
What other places near Newton have their own page here?
Waltham is 4.3 miles northwest of Newton, Cambridge is 5.5 miles northeast and Arlington is 6.4 miles north, by straight line from the Census coordinates.
Can I sue a government body for an injury in Massachusetts?
Often with special steps. Special claim or notice steps can apply (M.G.L. c. 258, s. 4). Different entities can have different steps. Keep every letter you receive from a public agency.
What do I do first after a crash?
Start with your health and get checked out. Report what happened to the police or the property owner as appropriate. Photograph the scene and your injuries, and write down what happened while you remember it.
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). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 7). Do not wait to ask.
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). Ask how the rule would be argued in your case. Raise it early with any attorney you speak with.
Is there a limit on damages for an injury in Massachusetts?
It depends on the bills, the missed work and the lasting effects, and an attorney can tell you whether any rule limits the amount. How fault is assigned can also change the amount. Lasting effects and missed work are part of what is proved.
How much insurance does the other driver have to have?
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 (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.
If You Were Hurt Somewhere Else In Massachusetts
People are hurt in every part of Massachusetts. These pages cover other communities.
