Have you been injured in a car accident in Massachusetts? If so, because Massachusetts is a no-fault car accident state, even if someone else caused the accident, you may be able to seek compensation for your medical bills and related losses by filing a claim with your own insurance.
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If your injuries/damages are particularly severe and the amount of money you receive from your insurance provider isn’t sufficient to fairly compensate you, it may be possible to file an additional claim or lawsuit against the negligent party who caused the collision.
It’s natural to wonder how much money you should expect to receive in these circumstances. The main point to understand is that there isn’t a universal answer to the question of how much compensation you may collect via a settlement or award after a car accident in Massachusetts. Numerous factors can influence how much compensation you receive. They include:
Medical Expenses
You’ll likely need medical treatment after a car accident that leaves you with injuries. The compensation you receive is meant to ensure you don’t have to pay for said treatment yourself.
Be sure to keep all copies of your medical bills after an accident. You should also keep receipts and documentation of other expenses related to your medical care. For example, if you had to buy prescription pain medicine after an accident, you may deserve compensation for the cost.
Lost Wages
The injuries you sustain in a Massachusetts car accident can affect your ability to perform work duties. You may thus be unable to earn an income until you’ve fully recovered. This is another example of a loss for which you may receive compensation.
Property Damage
Your vehicle probably sustained damage if it was involved in a collision. The cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle will likely be accounted for when determining the amount of compensation for which you’re eligible.
Insurance Coverage
Naturally, your insurance provider can only compensate you up to your policy limits. That said, if your injuries are severe enough to meet a threshold established under Massachusetts law, and someone else caused your accident, remember, you could also receive additional compensation from their insurance.
If your injuries meet the criteria to qualify as severe in Massachusetts, you can pursue compensation beyond what you’ll receive from your insurance if you can prove liability.
Liability
If your injuries meet the criteria to qualify as severe in Massachusetts, you can pursue compensation beyond what you’ll receive from your insurance if you can prove liability. That means you need to prove that you were injured because another party was careless.
Identifying the liable party and gathering evidence of their negligence may require conducting a thorough investigation into your accident. This is a task a Massachusetts car accident attorney can assist you with.
How Severe Your Injuries Are
Knowing whether your injuries are severe enough to warrant filing a claim or lawsuit against the party who caused your accident may require a thorough understanding of the relevant laws. Just as a lawyer can help you investigate your accident, they can also evaluate the severity of your injuries and determine how they might influence your eligibility for additional compensation.
Non-Economic Damages
The damages you may incur as a result of a car accident aren’t exclusively economic in nature. For example, although there’s no objective price tag for your pain and suffering after an accident, you may nevertheless deserve to receive compensation for your pain.
Comparative Negligence
Assigning blame when a car accident occurs isn’t always simple. Sometimes, even if another party is primarily to blame for a collision, the at-fault party may attempt to argue that a victim’s own negligence may have played a role in causing the accident. An experienced attorney will be able to assess the impact of such an allegation. This is important because the degree to which a victim’s own negligence contributes to their injuries can impact how much compensation they are eligible to receive.
Negotiations
Seeking compensation after a car accident in Massachusetts often involves negotiating with insurance companies. Insurance is a profit-centric business, and an insurer might try to convince you to settle for less than your claim is worth to minimize their financial losses. As such, your ability to effectively negotiate with an insurance company is one factor that can play a significant role in how much compensation you receive.
Luckily, you don’t need to negotiate with an insurance company directly. Instead, you can hire a lawyer to do so for you. At Swartz & Swartz, P.C., our Boston car accident attorneys understand insurance company tactics, and are prepared to help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Get started today by contacting us online or calling us at (617) 742-1900 to schedule a free consultation.
Need Help?
If you or someone you know, needs help from a lawyer, contact the law offices of Swartz & Swartz, use our live chat, or send us a message using the form below and we’ll get in touch to assess your case and how we can help.
About the Author: Matthew Dunn
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