Car accidents are a leading cause of death among Americans between the ages of one and 54. When it comes to determining liability and assigning damages, things can get complicated quickly. That’s why finding a skilled car accident lawyer in Boston is essential when you’ve been injured or have suffered property damage.
Steinger, Greene & Feiner has been the trusted personal injury law firm in the greater Boston area since 1997. With more than 25 years of experience under our belt, we have what it takes to achieve the results you want. Contact us today to discuss the details of your case.
Why Choose a Boston Car Accident Lawyer?
Expertise in Massachusetts Traffic Laws and Personal Injury Claims
Car accident cases are complex. If you don’t know local traffic laws, how to file a claim, and how to negotiate a settlement, you very likely won’t receive the compensation you need to cover all accident-related costs. Depending on how severe your damages and injuries are, you could be left without thousands of dollars in debt when all is said and done.
After more than 25 years of experience representing various types of car accident cases, our personal injury attorneys know the legal landscape surrounding them. We know local traffic laws, which play a role in determining fault and assigning damages. We also know the ins and outs of personal injury claims, including how to build a successful one. When you have a Steinger, Greene & Feiner lawyer on your side, your chances of having a successful claim and securing maximum compensation increase significantly.
Experience With Local Courts and Insurance Companies
When handling a car accident claim, you have two options for seeking compensation: insurance negotiations or litigation in a courtroom. Your lawyer will first try to secure compensation on your behalf by negotiating with either your insurance company, the at-fault driver’s insurance company, or both. If a settlement can’t be reached, your lawyer will take your case to court and represent it in front of a judge and jury.
Whether it’s fighting profit-driven insurance companies for fair compensation or presenting sufficient evidence to convince a jury of your need for justice, this process is demanding. That’s why hiring an experienced car accident lawyer in Boston is so important—we know how to navigate these complex situations because we’ve done it successfully for clients just like you.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Boston
These are the leading causes of Boston area car accidents.
- Dangerous Weather: Being a northern East Coast city, Boston receives heavy snowfall and rainfall each year. Such weather conditions limit visibility on roads, making it difficult for drivers to navigate safely. This increases their chances of hitting another driver or even a cyclist or pedestrian.
- Hazardous Intersections: Boston is a bustling city full of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Unfortunately, the downtown area has several hazardous intersections that put all at a greater risk of getting injured.
- Tourist Traffic: Boston received 21 million domestic and international visitors in 2022 alone, making it a top tourist destination in the US. While tourism is great for the city’s economy, it’s not as great for safety. Tourists don’t know the city like locals do and are more likely to get in an accident while driving.
- Congested Streets: Like other East Coast cities such as New York and Philadelphia, Boston is very walkable. With that comes congested sidewalks and intersections. This congestion makes it more difficult for drivers to navigate roads safely.
Accident Trends
According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, 3,758 car accidents occurred in Boston in 2022 with 30 involving serious injuries, 527 involving minor injuries, and 24 being fatal. In 2023, there were 4,498 car accidents within city limits, with 68 involving serious injuries, 729 involving minor injuries, and 16 being fatal. In just one year, the number of car accidents increased by nearly 20%.
With car accidents on the rise in the city of Boston, it’s more important than ever for drivers and pedestrians alike to take precautions and seek professional legal help when necessary.
Types of Car Accidents We Represent
At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, we’re known for representing all kinds of car accident cases. When we say we provide comprehensive representation, we mean it. Here are some of the most common types of car accident cases we handle for Boston clients.
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on collisions
- Sideswipe crashes
- DUI accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Rollover accidents
- Fatal car accidents
- Accidents involving uninsured motorists
- Highway accidents
- Unlicensed driver car accidents
- Single-vehicle crashes
- Multi-vehicle crashes
- Accidents involving pedestrians
If you don’t see an accident type listed or have questions about the ones that are, feel free to contact us. Our team is available 24/7 to address your concerns.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Boston
1. Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Your safety is the top priority when you get in a car accident. If you sustained any major or seemingly major injuries, call 911. First responders will arrive at the scene to administer emergency medical care.
2. Take Photos and Videos
If you weren’t seriously injured, take a few minutes to get photos and videos of the scene. This documentation will come in handy later when building and representing your case.
3. Move to Safety
Whether the accident took place on a highway or in a busy intersection, your vehicle might be in the way of or dangerously close to oncoming traffic. If you can do so safely, move your vehicle to a nearby shoulder or parking lot. This will protect you and your vehicle from danger.
4. Call the Police
Notify the police of the accident. Officers will arrive at the scene to gather witness statements and file a police report. If the accident is relatively minor and officers don’t respond, file an accident report through your local DMV. Obtain a copy of either report for future reference.
5. Exchange Information With Other Drivers
Share your personal and insurance information with the other driver(s) involved in the accident, and gather theirs as well. Whether you file a claim with your insurer or theirs, you’ll need this information to do so.
6. Gather Witness Statements
When it comes to car accident cases, you can never have too much evidence. Eyewitness statements are one of the most important pieces of evidence you can gather. While eyewitnesses aren’t completely reliable, their firsthand accounts provide valuable insight into the events that caused the accident.
7. Contact a Car Accident Attorney
The next step is to consult an auto accident attorney. During this initial stage, you will go over the details of your case, address any questions or concerns, and make an action plan. It’s important to contact a lawyer before notifying your insurance company so you know what to say and not to say.
8. Notify Your Insurance Carrier
Now it’s time to notify your insurance company about the accident. This step will initiate the claims process so you can get the compensation you need to recover. If you run into any issues with your insurer, let your lawyer know. They’ll help you navigate the process.
Massachusetts’ No-Fault Insurance
Massachusetts is a no-fault insurance state, meaning your insurance policy will cover any medical expenses and other damages resulting from the accident—regardless of who caused it. Because of this, your first step should be to file a claim with your insurance company. However, if you sustained a serious or life-altering injury or incurred a minimum of $2,000 in medical expenses, you can file a lawsuit with the other driver’s insurance company.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policies cover up to $8,000 in damages caused by a car accident, including medical bills, lost wages, repair costs, and other calculable damages. PIP policies do not cover intangible losses such as pain and suffering or emotional trauma.
Filing a Car Accident Claim in Boston
When it comes to filing a claim, there are a few things to keep in mind—first and foremost being the statute of limitations. Massachusetts’ statute of limitations is three years for car accident and other personal injury claims. This means you have three years from the date of the accident to file a claim. Extensions may be granted to victims who are minors or whose injuries were delayed.
If you’re filing a lawsuit against another driver, you (the plaintiff) must prove they 9the defendant) acted negligently. Here’s a breakdown of the four criteria that must be met to establish negligence.
- Duty: The defendant owed a duty of care to the plaintiff.
- Breach: The defendant breached their duty of care.
- Damages: The breach caused the plaintiff’s injuries and/or property damage.
- Causation: The losses suffered by the plaintiff caused them some form of identifiable harm, whether physical, psychological, or financial.
Now it’s time to file. As we mentioned above, start by filing a claim with your insurance carrier. Your PIP policy will cover up to $8,000 in medical expenses and other losses caused by the accident. If your damages exceed this amount, you can file a claim with the other driver’s insurance carrier to cover your losses in full.
Compensation for Car Accident Victims
You can recover compensation for two types of damages: economic and non-economic. We’ll cover what each one is and provide some examples below.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are tangible losses such as medical bills, lost wages, and car repairs that are measured monetarily.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are intangible losses such as pain and suffering, mental anguish and emotional suffering, and loss of consortium or companionship that can’t be measured monetarily.
Comparative Negligence
Massachusetts practices modified comparative negligence—a legal principle that allows a partially at-fault plaintiff to seek compensation from the defendant. Their compensation is simply reduced by their percentage of fault, which cannot exceed 50%. If the plaintiff is 51% at fault for the accident, they can’t seek damages from the defendant.
How Compensation Is Calculated
There are factors beyond modified comparative negligence that help insurance companies and judges determine how much compensation one or both parties should receive. These factors include the following:
- Who caused the accident
- The severity of injuries and damages
- What type of insurance and how much coverage each party has
The lawyers at Steinger, Greene & Feiner consider every possible factor when calculating your damages and determining a fair settlement amount. You can count on us to leave no stone unturned and advocate for maximum compensation on your behalf. If you have any questions or concerns along the way, feel free to address them with your attorney. They’ll be happy to explain the process in more detail.
The Role of a Car Accident Lawyer
Car accident attorneys simplify the aftermath of a stressful and even devastating situation. Our priority is to make sure you’re taken care of financially moving forward. Here are some of the ways we support clients from start to finish.
- Investigate the accident
- Gather evidence
- Consult specialists
- File paperwork
- Meet hard deadlines
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- Represent cases in court
We take care of everything so you don’t have to, leaving you more time to focus on your recovery.
Choosing the Right Boston Car Accident Lawyer
Qualities to Look For
Experience
An experienced lawyer knows everything from local laws and court systems to how insurance companies operate and how to file a claim. This means there’s less for you to worry about because they have everything covered. You should find a lawyer who has handled other car accident cases like yours.
High Success Rate
Experience is great, but success is better. The attorney you choose should not only have experience handling cases like yours but also winning them. A lawyer who has won past cases is more likely to win future cases.
Availability
There are lots of steps involved in car accident cases. You never know when a question or problem will arise that you need your lawyer to respond to. While other law firms make it difficult for you to reach them and take forever to respond, Steinger, Greene & Feiner is available 24/7 to support you. Whether you need us in the middle of the day or the middle of the night, we’ll be there to help.
Communication
You can reach our team 24/7 by phone, email, or through our online chat feature. You can also handle your entire case online if you’re unable to visit us in person. We work around your schedule to make things as convenient as possible every step of the way.
Questions to Ask
Now you know what qualities to look for in a Boston car accident lawyer, but how do you find out which ones possess them? All you have to do is ask. Here are some basic questions you should ask during your initial consultation with a lawyer. Feel free to add other questions as you see fit.
- What is your fee structure?
- How long do you think my case will take?
- If I lose, will I be responsible for any case-related costs?
- How much is my claim worth?
- What experience do you have handling similar cases?
- What information will you need from me?
- How often will you communicate with me about my case?
- Who will be working on my case?
- Will my case go to trial? What is your success rate at trial?
Contact an Experienced Boston Car Accident Lawyer Today
Steinger, Greene & Feiner is the names you can trust to achieve the outcome you want. But don’t just take our word for it—see why former clients recommend working with us. We’ll take any steps necessary to hold the responsible party accountable for their actions so you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to get started with a free case evaluation.