Boston Car Accident Lawyer

Boston Car Accident Lawyers

We fight and win for car crash victims throughout Massachusetts

Car accidents can leave you with devastating injuries, mounting bills, and growing anxieties. When another driver is negligent and causes a crash, you want a team who knows how to fight and knows how to win.

For more than 40 years, the lawyers at Breakstone, White & Gluck have been holding wrongdoers accountable. Our Boston car accident lawyers are committed to your medical wellbeing, your financial security, and your full recovery. Our record of multi-million dollar results and 5-star Google reviews speaks to how hard we fight for clients throughout Massachusetts. Don’t spend another day worrying: call us, and we’ll take care of everything for you.

OVER $300 MILLION
won for our clients

$2,200,000

Automobile Accident

Rear End Collision

Read More

$1,800,000

Automobile Accident

Chest Injuries, Wrongful Death

Read More

$1,725,000

Automobile Accident

Multiple Fractures

Read More

$750,000

Automobile Accident

Leg Fracture and Psychological Injury

Read More

He was amazing. He was responsive, supportive, thorough, and gave great advice throughout the whole stressful ordeal. They are the best!
~ Anna Olds

What should I do after a car accident?

If you have been involved in a car crash in Boston or anywhere in Massachusetts:

  • Obtain as much information as possible about the vehicles involved, as well as names, addresses and telephone numbers for the drivers.
  • Request the names, addresses and telephone numbers of any witnesses.
  • Make sure police are aware of any traffic violations that the operator may have committed.
  • If you are injured, get medical attention as soon as possible.
  • Promptly notify your insurance company about the accident – however, do not give a statement until you speak to your lawyer.
  • Obtain photographs of vehicles, injuries, and accident location.
  • Contact a Boston car accident lawyer promptly to determine your legal rights.

For a more detailed list, please see our What to Do When You Have a Car Accident page.

What damages can I claim for my injuries?

Under Massachusetts law, car accident victims can seek compensation for the injuries and losses they sustain. The legal term for your losses is “damages,” and those which compensate you for losses are “compensatory damages.” Compensatory damages usually fall into one of two categories:

Economic damages (called “special damages” in Massachusetts), which typically cover your financial losses. Examples of economic damages can include:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost earnings
  • Property damage
  • Associated costs for care and services

Non-economic damages (called “general damages” in Massachusetts), which can include:

  • Scarring and disability
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium

If the car crash was fatal, or if your loved one succumbs to his or her injuries, we can file a wrongful death claim, which can include additional damages for burials and funeral expenses.

How is pain and suffering calculated?

General damages like pain and suffering are calculated differently than special damages like medical bills. There is no magic formula for calculating general damages. The amount of damages will depend on several factors:

  1. The severity of your injury – such as broken bones, internal injuries, injuries requiring surgery
  2. The type of treatment your required – such as hospitalization, surgery, extended out-patient care
  3. Permanent injury – such as scarring and disability
  4. Pain and suffering
  5. Loss of enjoyment of life

Presentation of these issues to an insurance company or to a jury requires the skill of an experienced car accident trial attorney in order to maximize your recovery.

Who pays my bills after a Boston car accident?

After a Boston car accident, you likely have many questions about what is and what isn’t covered under car insurance. Here’s a brief overview of what to expect – although we can give you more specific information in your personal consultation.

  • Medical Bills: In general, the first $2,000.00 in medical bills is paid by the Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance carrier of the car you were in or hit by if you were a pedestrian or a bicyclist. If you have private health care insurance, Massachusetts lawrequires that medical bills in excess of $2,000.00 be submitted through your provider for payment. If you do not have private health care insurance, or if your health care insurance company refuses to pay your medical bills, or if your insurance is under an ERISA plan, you may be entitled to up to $8,000.00 in PIP medical coverage.
  • Lost Wages: If you lose money because of your inability to work due to your injuries, you may be entitled to collect 75% of your lost wages, based on your average weekly wage, from the PIP carrier, up to $8,000.00.
  • Incidental Expenses: After an accident you might get stuck with bills for services at home, such as cleaning or yard work, for medical devices, or many other incidental items. PIP will also reimburse you for those expenses, up to the $8,000 limit.
  • Bodily Injuries and Wrongful Death: If you have more than $2,000 in medical bills, a fracture, or other serious injury, you may be entitled to compensation for injuries, including scarring, pain and suffering, permanent or partial disability, and loss of ability to enjoy life. Wrongful death claims are also compensable under Massachusetts motor vehicle laws.
  • Insufficient Insurance: If the person who caused your injuries does not have insurance, or inadequate insurance to cover your damages, you may be entitled to collect uninsured or underinsured coverage from your own automobile policy or a family member's automobile policy. Please see our page on buying insurance to protect yourself with underinsured motorist insurance.

Immediate action may be required to preserve all of your rights.

What if I’m partially “at-fault” for a car accident?

Under Massachusetts law, your own insurance must pay the medical bills for your injuries up to a certain point, under the PIP provisions of your insurance policy. Once you have exceeded the “tort threshold” of $2,000 in medical bills (or a fracture or permanent scar), you can make a claim for bodily injury (and pain and suffering).

To be successful in your claim, you cannot be more than 50% at fault for the collision. If two or people are responsible for the collision, as long as your fault is 50% or less, you may be entitled to recover your damages. However, under the law of comparative negligence, your award will be reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to you.

This is just one of the reasons why you need an experienced car accident attorney on your side if you sustain injuries in a crash. At Breakstone, White & Gluck, we fight to show that you are not at fault for the accident, and that you are entitled to seek additional compensation.

How can a Boston car accident lawyer from Breakstone, White & Gluck help me?

Talk to us today if you or a loved one suffered injury in a car accident anywhere in Massachusetts – we can help you protect your rights and get you the compensation to which you’re entitled. You won’t have to deal with insurance companies or worry about your bills: we take care of ALL of that. Check out our testimonials to see how we’ve helped past clients. Get in touch today to find out how we can help you.

We fight to win for our clients. We’re not the type of attorneys who take on hundreds of cases each year just to settle them quickly. We are trial lawyers, which means every case we take is prepared for a jury. That means taking the extra steps needed to ensure we have all the evidence we need, like seeking the full investigatory report of your accident and interviewing all the witnesses. Our willingness to stick with your case, and to put in that extra work, often results in a far better outcome for our clients.

Just some of the awards we’ve secured for car accident clients include:

  • $3.0 Million for bicyclist struck by truck while riding to school
  • $2.2 Million for a man who was rear-ended in rush hour traffic by a distracted driver.
  • $1.8 Million for the widow of a driver who was struck by a motor vehicle crossing the center line.
  • $1.725 Million for a young man who suffered multiple fractures in a crash as he returned from a skiing trip. Our client required spinal fusion.

Our record of results speaks for itself.

We don’t shy away from the toughest injury cases

Breakstone, White & Gluck focuses on catastrophic injury claims. The people we help have some of the most severe injuries that there are, and many of them will live with those injuries for the rest of their lives. That means a lifetime of medical treatment and bills, and little-to-no possibility of returning to work. We routinely represent folks with car accident injuries such as:

Katelyn Ludwig

"I knew that Ron had my best interests at heart, and that I could trust him to help me make the right decision."

What types of car accident claims does your firm handle?

Our Boston personal injury attorneys handle just about every type of motor vehicle accident claim. This includes car crashes and accidents caused by:

In dangerous weather – ice, sleet, rain, snow, hail, and so forth ­– the risk of a multi-vehicle wreck is much higher. The chance of sustaining a serious injury is greater, too. These complex cases often involve cars, 18-wheelers, and other vehicles. Our team has the skills, experience, and resources you want on your side when you are injured in a chain-reaction collision on icy roads.

Boston Uber and Lyft accidents

In Massachusetts, when passengers are injured in Uber, Lyft or other rideshare vehicles, the cause may be negligence by the driver or another operator on the road. Passengers may be entitled to seek financial compensation for their injuries. At Breakstone, White & Gluck, all of our attorneys are experienced in successfully handling rideshare claims resulting from Uber accidents and Lyft accidents. We have helped passengers, pedestrians and cyclists injured across Massachusetts, from Boston to Cape Cod and Nantucket Island.

Boston road defect and construction zone accidents

Car accidents can also result from faulty construction of roads, tunnels, embankments, exits, and lighting. If a roadway is defectively designed or improperly constructed, the designers or builders may be liable for the personal injuries they cause. Builders can also be responsible if you’re injured in a construction zone accident, including roadway debris, inadequate safety, improper road markings, and loose construction materials.

Can you help if I was injured by a Boston drunk driver?

Our attorneys are highly experienced in negotiating compensation for victims of drunk drivers in Massachusetts. When someone is injured in a drunk driving accident, they may be entitled to file a claim against the driver and, in some cases, against restaurants and bars for dram shop violations. These businesses have a responsibility to check IDs and only serve patrons who are 21 and older. They should never serve anyone who is intoxicated.

Drivers may also consume alcohol at private homes or other gatherings. Under Massachusetts social host liability, hosts may be held liable by third-party victims when an underage guest is served alcohol, then leaves when intoxicated and causes drunk driving injuries.

How long does a car accident lawsuit take?

The length of your car accident lawsuit is determined by several factors. These can include the severity of your injuries, the number of vehicles involved, and whether a defective part played a role in the crash, among others. In cases involving catastrophic injuries, the lawsuit may take longer because we need to know the full extent of your injuries before we can make a final demand for total compensation.

Note that insurance companies look to settle claims quickly before we know how injured you truly are. They do this because they know that you’re scared, and more inclined to accept this lowball settlement because some money is better than nothing. They also do it to keep their profit margin high. Breakstone, White & Gluck can help protect you and your future.

What is the statute of limitations for a car accident claim in Massachusetts?

All motor vehicle accidents in Massachusetts are governed by a statute of limitations, which is three years. NOTE: Some accidents also have shorter notice provisions, which may be very strict. These cases include claims against a government entity, whether local, state or Federal. Failure to make timely notice will result in a bar to the case.

Do you have a car accident lawyer near me?

Breakstone, White & Gluck has an office in Boston at 2 Center Plaza #530 in Government Center, within walking distance of the John Adams Courthouse and Suffolk County Superior Court. There’s a parking garage in the building. The MBTA Green Line and Blue Line are right across the street at the Government Center T station. And there is a bus stop almost in front of our office. If you are unable to travel because of your injuries, we’re happy to arrange a phone or video conference, or a hospital visit.

Center Plaza - Breakstone, White & Gluck

Boston car accident lawyers holding the right people accountable

If you have been injured in a car accident in Massachusetts, it’s vital that you act immediately to protect your rights. Get in touch with the attorneys at Breakstone, White & Gluck for personalized representation and leave the rest to us. We file the insurance claim, we advocate for you, and we go to trial if that’s what it takes to get things done. Contact our Boston office in the heart of Government Center by calling or using our contact form. We offer free consultations.

Related articles