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Your Taunton 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 Bristol County sits in New Bedford, at 441 County St., 1st Floor, New Bedford, MA 02740. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
After an injury, ordinary life gets heavy. There are appointments to keep, bills arriving, and a claim that nobody explained to you. If another person’s carelessness hurt you in Taunton, it is reasonable to want a clear picture before you decide 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.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Taunton 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).
- 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).
- Any ceiling. 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.
- 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 Taunton? Get matched with an attorney now.
How Fault Is Divided
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.
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). Records fade and witnesses move, so an early start helps even well inside the limit.
What Auto Policies Must Cover
The minimum liability limits for a driver in Massachusetts are $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).
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 Taunton
The Census Bureau places Taunton in Bristol County. Bristol County’s superior court is listed in New Bedford, at 441 County St., 1st Floor, New Bedford, MA 02740. In Bristol County, the state list of trauma centers shows Southcoast Hospitals St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford as a Level II trauma center.
In the federal Hospital General Information file, the closest Massachusetts acute care or critical access hospital to Taunton is Brown University Health Morton Hospital in Taunton, 0.2 miles, an acute care hospital (88 Washington Street, Taunton, MA 02780). After it come Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, 9.7 miles, an acute care hospital; then Boston Medical Center-South in Brockton, 13.6 miles, an acute care hospital. All distances are straight line miles from Taunton.
A straight line is shorter than the drive from Taunton. Ask each provider for your complete records and an itemized bill, and note the date of every appointment.
The file also lists Southcoast Hospitals Group in Fall River at 13.6 miles and Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital in Brockton at 13.7 miles. Counting Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals in a straight line from Taunton: 2 within 10 miles, 9 within 25 miles, 37 within 50 miles.
Closest to Taunton among the places this site covers are Fall River, 12.3 miles south; Brockton, 12.9 miles north; and New Bedford, 18.6 miles southeast. Boston is 30 miles north of Taunton and Worcester is 44 miles northwest.
Making Your First Contact In Taunton
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.
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
How far is the closest hospital from Taunton?
In a straight line the nearest Massachusetts acute care or critical access hospital is Brown University Health Morton Hospital in Taunton, 0.2 miles, an acute care hospital; Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro is 9.7 miles and Boston Medical Center-South in Brockton is 13.6 miles. Call 911 in an emergency; not every hospital has an emergency room.
What other places near Taunton have their own page here?
Fall River is 12.3 miles south of Taunton, Brockton is 12.9 miles north and New Bedford is 18.6 miles southeast, by straight line from the Census coordinates.
What if the injury happened on public property?
There are special steps. Special claim or notice steps can apply (M.G.L. c. 258, s. 4). The notice step can come before any lawsuit. Ask an attorney at once if a public body may be responsible.
Where do I start after an injury?
Seek medical attention before anything else. 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.
Is there a time limit for an injury claim in Massachusetts?
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.
Will my own mistakes ruin my injury claim?
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.
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. 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.
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