Boston Car Accident Attorney Jeff Murad
Car accidents can occur for a number of reasons, but when they are the result of negligence or recklessness, victims may be able to recover monetary damages through a personal injury claim. Collision injuries can be devastating, and the extent of the harm often depends upon the type of crash. Below you will find the most common kinds of car accidents in Boston as well as common issues you may face during the claims process. The first step in obtaining establishing a claim is to contact a Boston Car Accident Attorney
Common Causes of Car Accidents
Boston Laws on Texting While Driving
Texting while driving is the most common form of distracted driving, and the most dangerous. This is illegal in Massachusetts, but many drivers do it anyway. By doing so, drivers are taking their eyes, hands and their cognitive functions away from the road. If you re involved in an accident involved with Texting While Driving contact a Boston Car Accident Attorney
Rear-End Accident
In almost every case, this type of accident is the fault of the driver following behind. It commonly results from tailgating and aggressive driving, as well as drivers who become distracted and fail to brake in time to avoid the vehicle in front of them.
Head-On Accident
Although rare, these accidents are deadly. These can be the result of drinking and driving, falling asleep at the wheel or swerving to avoid something in the road.
Driver Distraction
Other than texting, there are many ways that a driver can become distracted. Eating, putting on makeup, talking and the like can all distract a driver to the point that an accident happens.
Uninsured Motorists
These are difficult claims to deal with. When you find out that the driver who hit you wasn’t insured, you may become concerned that you will be left paying out of pocket for the damages. The Boston Car Accident Attorney’s at Murad Law are experienced in these claims and can fight so that you are not cut short of the compensation you deserve.
Due to the severity of all of these injuries, medical expenses such as therapy, treatment, and medication can be extensive and costly. Most insurance companies will try to settle for an amount that will only cover basic treatment, disregarding the lifetime of pain and discomfort caused by your injuries. In order to protect yourself in the long term from the damaging effects of car accident injuries, it is absolutely essential that you retain the representation of an experienced Boston Car Accident Attorney. Our knowledgeable Boston Car Accident Attorney’s can protect you from an unfair settlement, and help ensure that you receive the compensation you need, even if your accident was caused by an uninsured motorist.
Boston Car Accident Injuries
Reckless driving and speeding can lead to devastating injuries and possibly wrongful death. Even minor accidents can leave a victim with a spine injury or lifelong back pain or other physical injuries.
Some of the most common car accident injuries include:
- Concussions
- Whiplash that damages the muscles and nerves
- Neck or spine injuries
- Automobile safety feature injuries (seatbelts and airbags) can cause bruising and fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Experienced Boston Car Accident Attorney
At Murad Law, our Boston Car Accident Attorney’s are recognized as being at the top of their field. If you have been injured in a Car Accident, your next step is to call the Boston Car Accident Attorney’s at Murad Law at 617-315-0016.
Boston Car Accident Claims
Medical Bills
Massachusetts is considered a “no-fault” State. That means that it does not matter whose fault a car accident is. In Massachusetts, the insurance company of the car in which you are sitting pays for the medical bills that you incur when injured in a car accident, as long as they are reasonable and necessary. You are also covered if you are a pedestrian or bicyclist hit by a car. If you have any questions contact a Boston Car Accident Attorney immediately.
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, section 34M is the law that deals with the payment of medical bills for people injured in car accidents. This law states that every motor vehicle insurance policy shall have a benefit called Personal Injury Protection (PIP Benefits). This is a mandatory coverage. Every car insurance policy must have it.
What’s included?
Generally, the first $2,000.00 in medical bills is paid by the PIP insurance company. If you are not covered by private health insurance then you are covered for up to $8,000.00. Mass Health or other government-funded health insurance is not considered private health insurance. If you do have private health insurance (Blue Cross Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim, Aetna, Tufts Health Plan, United Healthcare, etc) then all medical bills in excess of the first $2,000.00 must be submitted to your private health insurance for payment. If your private health insurance denies payment of your medical bills, then the PIP will pay your bills up to a total of $8,000.00. In order for this to happen, however, you must comply with the rules of your health plan (stay within network, get a referral, etc.), if any.
Lost Wages
As with medical bills, your lost wages are paid under the PIP part of the insurance company policy of the car you were sitting in, or struck by when a pedestrian. PIP pays 75% of your documented lost wages, up to $8,000.00. This $8,000.00 limit includes medical bills.
Property Damage
Damage to your car is payable under the Collision part of your car insurance policy. If you do not have Collision coverage, then you have the option of seeking payment to fix your car from the car insurance of the car that caused your accident.
If you have been injured in a car accident call a Boston Car Accident Attorney at Murad Law today at 617-227-4648.
Car Rental
If you don’t have car rental coverage on your car insurance policy, then you have the option of getting reimbursed by the car insurance of the car that caused the accident.
Towing
As with Car Rental claims, if you don’t have towing coverage on your car insurance policy, then you have the option of getting reimbursed by the car insurance of the car that caused the accident.
Bodily Injuries or Wrongful Death
In Massachusetts, you are entitled to seek compensation from the insurance company of the car that causes your injuries if you have more than $2,000.00 in medical bills, a broken bone or a disfigurement (scarring).
Uninsured cars/Underinsured cars
If the car that caused your injury is not insured or has insufficient insurance coverage, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your injuries from your own car insurance policy, or from the car insurance policy of the car you were sitting in at the time of your accident. The Boston Car Accident Attorney’s at Murad Law will help you do just that.
Boston Car Accident Fault Standards
In Massachusetts, the standards of fault to determine who is at fault for a Car Accident is detailed in the Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR). The CMR lists 19 categories of car accidents in 211 CMR 74.04. These standards of fault determine if a driver is more than 50% at fault in a car accident.
Boston fault standards include:
- Collision with a person or a lawfully or unlawfully parked vehicle
- Rear end collision
- Out of lane collision
- Failure to signal
- Failure to proceed with due caution from a traffic control signal or sign
- Collision on wrong side of road
- Operating in the wrong direction
- Collision at an uncontrolled intersection
- Collision while in the process of backing up
- Collision while making a left turn or u-turn across the travel path of a vehicle traveling in the
same or opposite direction - Leaving or exiting from a parked position, parking lot, alley or driveway
- Opened or opening vehicle door(s)
- Single vehicle collision
- Failure to obey the rules and regulations for driving
- Unattended vehicle collision
- Collision while merging onto a highway, or into a rotary
- Non-contact operator causing collision
- Failure to yield the right of way to emergency vehicles as is required by law
- Collision at a “T” intersection
If you or a loved on has been injured in a Car Accident in Boston, Massachusetts, call the Boston Car Accident Attorney’s at Murad Law today at 617-315-0016.