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Your Westwood 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 Norfolk County sits in Dedham, at 650 High Street, Dedham, MA 02026. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
If you are reading this after an accident in Westwood, you are probably tired, sore and unsure whom to trust. That is normal. A few rules learned early can keep you from making choices that are hard to undo.
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 Westwood Attorney
Ask these in any first conversation:
- 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).
- Any ceiling. 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.
- 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 Westwood? Get matched with an attorney now.
What Shared Blame Means For You
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.
Is There A Ceiling On The Award
In Massachusetts, an award follows the medical bills, lost income and the lasting effects of the injury. Special rules can apply to particular kinds of claims, so ask about yours. 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).
Ask an attorney which rules, if any, reach your case.
How Long You Have To File
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.
Courts and Hospitals Near Westwood
The Census Bureau places Westwood in Norfolk County. Norfolk County’s superior court is listed in Dedham, at 650 High Street, Dedham, MA 02026. The state list of trauma centers names South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, in Norfolk County as well, as a Level II trauma center.
In the federal Hospital General Information file, the closest Massachusetts acute care or critical access hospital to Westwood is Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital (Needham) in Needham, 4.1 miles, an acute care hospital (148 Chestnut Street, Needham, MA 02494). After it come Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain, 7.3 miles, an acute care hospital; then Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital (Milton) in Milton, 7.6 miles, an acute care hospital. All distances are straight line miles from Westwood.
A straight line is shorter than the drive from Westwood. Ask each provider for your complete records and an itemized bill, and note the date of every appointment.
Fourth and fifth on the list are Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, 7.8 miles, and New England Baptist Hospital in Boston, 9.5 miles. Within 10, 25 and 50 miles of Westwood the file shows 7, 26 and 41 Massachusetts acute care and critical access hospitals, by straight line.
The nearest places in Massachusetts that this site has pages for, by the same coordinates, are Milton (7.0 miles east), Newton (7.8 miles north) and Natick (8.1 miles northwest). Boston is 13 miles northeast of Westwood and Worcester is 30 miles west.
Reaching Out For Help In Westwood
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.
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
How does Massachusetts treat an injured person who shares the blame?
Short answer: 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. The bills, the missed work and the lasting effects drive the amount. The facts of your claim drive the amount.
What is the least insurance a Massachusetts driver can carry?
The least an auto liability policy can provide is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries, plus $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.
How far is the closest hospital from Westwood?
In a straight line the nearest Massachusetts acute care or critical access hospital is Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital (Needham) in Needham, 4.1 miles, an acute care hospital; Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain is 7.3 miles and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital (Milton) in Milton is 7.6 miles. Call 911 in an emergency; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Which nearby places does this site cover besides Westwood?
Closest by straight line are Milton (7.0 miles east), Newton (7.8 miles north) and Natick (8.1 miles northwest).
Is there a notice requirement for a claim against a city or county?
Special rules may apply. Special claim or notice steps can apply (M.G.L. c. 258, s. 4). Skipping a required notice step can end a claim. An early start protects your rights.
How do I choose an attorney near Westwood?
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 many years do I have to sue after an injury in Massachusetts?
Most injury claims must be filed within three years (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A). Children and some other limited situations can have more time (M.G.L. c. 260, s. 7). A claim against a government body has its own notice step (M.G.L. c. 258, s. 4).
Help Elsewhere in Massachusetts
People are hurt in every part of Massachusetts. These pages cover other communities.
