Finding the Party Liable for Your Injuries
In pursuing compensation for your injuries, a Brockton personal injury attorney from our firm will work to identify all the parties who may have legal liability to you. In some personal injury matters, more than one person or company will have liability for paying damages. For example, if you are hurt in a truck accident with a driver who, due to company policy, exceeded the legally mandated number of hours he was allowed to spend behind the wheel, then you may have grounds for a claim against both the driver and the driver’s employer.
As a general matter, under Massachusetts law, you may have grounds for a personal injury claim if:
- Someone else owed you a “duty of care” not to act in a way that could harm you.
- That person or company violated the duty of care through actions or inactions.
- You suffered injuries as a result.
Though it is not always the case, the more parties who have potential legal liability to you, the better chances you may have of recovering every dollar of compensation you deserve. That is why it is important to hire an attorney who works tirelessly on your behalf to get the money you deserve from anyone whose actions led to your injuries.
How Much Is Your Personal Injury Claim Worth in Brockton?
Every personal injury claim has a unique set of facts and circumstances that determines how much money an injured person might receive as compensation. No two personal injury claims are identical. To figure out how much money you might receive for your claim, speak with an experienced Brockton personal injury attorney who has represented people in cases like yours.
As a general matter, if you have a right to receive compensation, you may take legal action to recover:
Medical Expenses
You should not have to carry the burden of medical expenses resulting from an accident or incident that was not your fault. In a typical personal injury claim, you may have the right to receive payment for:
- Emergency treatment, including ambulance transport if needed
- Hospitalization, including long-term hospitalization for long recoveries from serious injuries
- Scans and tests
- Treatments, including surgical treatments, for your injuries
- Durable medical equipment, including wheelchairs, crutches, braces, and prosthetic devices intended to help improve your mobility following a serious accident
- Physical therapy to aid in your recovery
- Occupational therapy to help you relearn how to perform common tasks
- Psychological therapy, if needed to cope with your injuries or the conditions of the accident
- Any modifications you need to make to your home or vehicle to allow you more independence following your accident. An accident that leaves you in a wheelchair, for example, might require you to install wheelchair ramps in your home or to widen doorways to allow for greater access.
Keep all records of any expenses related to your injuries, no matter how minor they might seem. In many cases, an attorney can help you identify categories of expenses that you might not have considered but that you have every right to recover as damages.
Lost Wages
Some personal injuries prevent you from returning to work temporarily or permanently. Even if you do return to work, your injuries might make it difficult to work the same hours or to do the same job tasks. If an injury keeps you out of work or hurts your ability to work, you might have the right to pursue payment of the wages you would have earned if it weren’t for the at-fault party’s wrongful actions. That includes not just the time you have already missed at work, but also potentially the wages you would have earned in the future.
Pain and Suffering
Someone else’s carelessness, recklessness, or intentionally harmful conduct left you feeling physical and emotional pain. That pain might not come with a price tag attached, but that does not mean it is any less real or costly to your relationships and quality of life. An experienced Brockton personal injury attorney can help you estimate the “value” of your pain and suffering so that you can pursue compensation for all of the ways your injury damaged your life.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Personal Injury Claim in Massachusetts?
The statute of limitations will dictate the window of time in which you must bring a lawsuit for your claim. For personal injury lawsuits in Massachusetts, plaintiffs must bring any claim for recovery within three years of the date of the accident. You will find it difficult or impossible to recover on any claim brought outside of this time frame.
