If you have been injured due to another's negligence in a Massachusetts automobile accident or have been injured by a vehicle as a pedestrian, you may be entitled to recover monetary damages. This compensation can include pain and suffering, current or future medical expenses caused by the accident, and lost wages. In order to bring a claim for damages, Massachusetts Law requires the injured person to have one of the following:

1. $2,000 or more in medical bills
2. A fracture
3. A scar, or
4. To have been killed

Massachusetts is a "no-fault" state when dealing with auto insurance claims, meaning that the medical bills of a person injured in an accident is covered for a certain amount under Personal Injury Protection (PIP). In most automobile accident cases, the first $2,000 in medical bills is paid by PIP. However, Massachusetts law requires that if medical bills exceed $2,000 and the insured has private health care insurance, that the insured submit the bill to their private health care provider. For people who do not have private health care insurance, or if their provider refuses to pay the medical bills, the insured may be entitled to up to $8,000 in PIP coverage.

PIP coverage may also compensate for wages lost due to related injuries that prevent the injured from working. The amount of compensation is based upon weekly earnings and may compensate the victim for up to 75% of lost wages with a cut-off at $8,000.

If you are injured in an automobile accident and the person responsible does not have insurance or adequate coverage to take care of your damages, you may be entitled to collect uninsurance or underinsurance coverage from your policy or the policy of a family member.

What should I do?

If you have been injured in a Massachusetts pedestrian accident or automobile accident, there are several steps that you should take to ensure the protection of your rights.

First and foremost, if you have been injured in a Massachusetts automobile accident, you need to get medical attention immediately. Call for an ambulance if you believe anyone is injured. Even if you are not suffering any symptoms immediately, you should see a doctor because some injuries, such as whiplash, may not display symptoms right away. A doctor can best evaluate if you have been seriously injured and by getting a medical evaluation immediately, you are helping to provide solid evidence for your injury case.

Contacting the police is also a very important step. A police report is an official document proving that the other party was involved in the accident. While the police report should contain a lot of helpful information, try to obtain as much information as possible yourself. Information such as the driver's name, their insurance company, telephone number, license number, and address should be gathered. Also, try to collect as much contact information as you can from witnesses.

You should also make a note of the direction and the position of the vehicles involved. Remember what the weather was like at the time of the incident, what time of day it occurred, and the lighting conditions.

Contact your insurance agent as soon as possible following the accident. Request a coverage selection sheet of the insurance you have. Make sure that you contact your carrier and explain that you have had an accident. Do not agree to any terms or settlements before talking to a lawyer.

If possible, get photographs of the vehicles involved, any visible injuries, and the location of the accident. If there are any defects in the road, construction, or any blocked or obstructed traffic signals, include those in the photographs.

Finally, if you or someone you care about has been injured in a Massachusetts automobile or pedestrian accident, please contact a qualified personal injury attorney immediately. Only an experienced Massachusetts personal injury lawyer will be able to deal with the insurance companies properly and win you the compensation that you deserve.

Call Kantrovitz & Associates today to have your car / auto accident evaluated and to preserve your rights under the law. We can be reached at 800-335-0361 or contact us via email at info@kantrovitzlaw.com.