At Goldberg Law Group we’ve worked as New Bedford car accident lawyers for over 20 years and we care about the people who live here. That’s why we dedicate our auto accident lawyers to making sure your injuries receive the maximum available compensation.
2018 saw 3,298 car accidents recorded in the city of New Bedford. A sleepy, coastal town like ours is not immune from the complications surrounding a car accident. At Goldberg Law Group, , we’ve worked as New Bedford car accident lawyers for over 20 years and we care about the people who live here. That’s why we dedicate our auto accident lawyers to making sure your injuries receive the maximum available compensation.
We don’t take kindly to big insurance companies pushing around the working-class people of our community. New Bedford is our home, and we won’t let a car accident ruin the life of anyone who shares their home with us. If you’ve been injured in a New Bedford car accident, Goldberg Law Group, is here to answer any questions you have. There is never any fee to speak with us! In fact, there is no fee until we win your case…period!
How does a Car Accident Lawyer work?
A car accident claim is the most common type of personal injury claim. A competent personal injury lawyer will be well versed in Massachusetts liability laws. These laws include:
Massachusetts Car Accident Statute of Limitations
Massachusetts law states a victim has three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. The accident must be documented, or else there will be no evidence for the case. So if another auto accident lawyer has turned you away because the accident happened two years ago, call our office today! There’s still time to file a lawsuit for your injuries. Furthermore, if a minor is injured in a car accident, the Statute of Limitations does not start until their 18th birthday! Therefore, an injured minor has up to age 21 to file a lawsuit on any car accident claim!
Comparative Negligence in a New Bedford Car Accident
Comparative negligence states both people involved in an auto accident can share fault. To collect any damages, the victim must share less than 50 percent of the blame. Your car accident attorney will play a vital part in convincing insurance adjusters, judges, and juries that you bear the smallest percentage of fault possible.
Other New Bedford Accident Lawyer Responsibilities
In addition to knowing Massachusetts car accident law, your New Bedford car accident lawyer will be responsible for the following:
- Collecting Medical Records
- Investigating the Accident
- Deposing Witnesses and Adjusters
- Making sure that you get the best medical care possible!
Most importantly, your car accident lawyer will be a liaison between you and the insurance company. It’s crucial to remember any communication with the insurance company needs to run through the attorney. After a car accident, you should always contact an attorney before contacting the other party’s insurer! While you own insurance company should look out for your interests…this is not always the case! You should contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as practical after any motor vehicle accident. A seasoned auto accident attorney will sniff out any tricks an insurance company can pull to reduce compensation.
Where do I report a Car Accident?
A car accident in Massachusetts needs to be reported to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in five days. If the car accident resulted in:
- Death
- Any Personal Injury
- Property Damages over $1,000.00
The driver needs to fill out a Motor Vehicle Crash Operator Report Form. Also, the same report needs to go to the New Bedford Police Department. The experienced accident attorneys at Goldberg Law Group can obtain this form and assist you in filling it out and filing it with the proper authorities!
If police are on the scene, they will write an official police report. It’s prudent for the accident victim to take down a report of their own. It’s crucial to be thorough in your documentation, so make sure to include:
- Date and Time
- Weather Conditions
- Physical state and Age of the Other Driver
- Pictures of the Accident
- Names/contact info of Witnesses
If you have been injured, then, before you do this, call an ambulance to address any immediate injuries you have suffered. Then, after you have received competent medical care and are stable, call the auto accident attorney’s at Goldberg Law Group, . We can help guide your claim from that point on.
Who’s insurance pays for an Auto Accident?
No-fault car insurance laws in Massachusetts state anyone injured in an auto accident must seek compensation first from their own insurance company. If you live in New Bedford and own a car, you must have personal-injury-protection (PIP benefits) insurance on that vehicle.
Your car accident lawyer will negotiate with your insurance company first before going after the other driver’s insurance company. The kind of compensation you can receive through your insurance company is:
- Payment for Medical Treatment
- Lost Wages
- Replacement Service
- Property Damage (If you have collision coverage)
If you were not at fault in the accident and have no collision coverage, then the other driver’s insurance company would handle your car repairs and other property damages. To file an additional claim for personal damages, the car accident must have caused personal injuries that caused the following:
- Over $2000. in Medical Expenses
- Permanent or Serious Disfigurement
- Fracture
- Death
If one of these conditions are met a car accident victim can file for non-economic damages like pain and suffering, and if it was severe enough, you could be looking at dealing with three different streams of compensation coming from two insurance companies.
If you’ve been in a car accident, there’s no better choice than the experienced New Bedford car accident lawyers at Goldberg Law Group, to handle your claim. Don’t even think about managing your claim alone. There is never a fee or charge to you until we win your case!
How much is a Car Accident settlement?
Each & every case is different and has its own set of metrics. There is no tried and true method for predicting what an auto accident settlement will be. There are several factors that go into the evaluation of value in a motor vehicle accident claim, including:
- Medical bill costs
- Lost wages from work
- Pain and Suffering
- Length of disability
- Scarring
- Future pain & suffering
- Future medical costs
- Lost future wages
- Vehicle Repairs
This is no way to predict the value of a settlement in advance. We deal with accident claims in New Bedford with values between $5,000 and over $250,000. Every case is unique and different, its value depends on all of the factors surrounding your car accident, injuries and recovery.
Negotiating an auto accident settlement is a delicate balance. An overly-aggressive attorney can go to trial and risk a reasonable settlement turning into nothing. A passive attorney may settle too quickly, leaving thousands of dollars you need on the table. The car accident attorneys at Goldberg Law Group understand this balance at the negotiating table and will never lead a client astray when it comes to a significant settlement.
How does an Auto Accident Attorney get paid?
All experienced New Bedford Car Accident Attorneys will work with you on a contingency-fee-basis. A contingency fee is a negotiated percentage of the settlement the attorney receives once the case concludes. A personal injury case legal fee is typically paid through a contingency. The auto accident victim pays nothing upfront for any of the legal services the attorney performs. The contingency fee at Goldberg Law Group is the exact same fee that we have charged since 1986! This is a flat one third (33.3%) contingency fee. There is never any additional charge for filing a lawsuit or going to mediation or arbitration!
When to get a New Bedford Car Accident Lawyer?
If you’ve been involved in an auto accident in New Bedford that has left you with medical bills and time off work, don’t let an insurance company lowball you.
The car accident attorneys at Goldberg Law Group, are here to make sure all New Bedford drivers are protected from injuries suffered in car accidents. Our 50 combined years of legal experience have yielded thousands of successfully settled car accident claims for our clients.
Call our New Bedford personal injury lawyers today at 508-775-9099 for your free, confidential consultation. There is never any fee to speak with us! In fact, there is no fee until we win your case…period!
