Car & Motorcycle Accidents
According to the most recent MA Public Safety crash data available, more than 136,000 accidents occurred over the course of a single year. From those, 3,747 "Serious Injuries" resulted, while another 363 proved fatal.
Injured in a Car Accident - call Germani & Germani Law Offices
Although our attorneys handle many types of personal injury matters, the majority of our cases involve motor vehicle accidents.
Along with immediate issues that must be dealt with, such as filing police and Operator's Reports, contacting your insurance company, and filling out of forms, there are numerous long-term situations that need to be addressed. There are doctors to be seen, on-going forms to be completed and bills that need to be paid.
When you come into our office for the first time, for your free initial consultation, we will sit with you to determine whether or not you have a case. We will examine the damage to your vehicle and will ask you about your specific injuries.
In Massachusetts, in order to maintain a claim for personal injuries as a result of an automobile accident, you must have $2,000.00 in medical bills, which would include an ambulance bill. The $2,000.00 threshold only applies if it is an automobile accident. It would not apply in cases such as a slip and fall or dog bite case. As part of your case we will obtain the police report and help you prepare and file the Crash Operator Report Form with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, if you were the driver of the vehicle. We will obtain from your medical providers, all of the relevant medical records, notes, x-ray reports, diagnostic tests, MRIs, cat scans, as well as the related medical bills.
We will also place on notice the insurance company that insures the person that caused your accident. This is referred to as a bodily injury claim. There is a section under your own automobile policy that we will pursue, and that is referred to as Personal Injury Protection, which are no-fault benefits. As part of the PIP claim, we will submit to you insurance company, all medical records and bills, as well as making a claim for actual loss wages. Depending on your situation, we may be able to collect for you, out-of-pocket expenses. The application required to file a PIP claim, is referred to as the PIP application. The PIP application is complex and requires some knowledge of automobile accident case law. Depending on how the questions on the PIP application are answered, will determine whether or not any PIP benefits are actually obtained. PIP benefits coordinate with private health coverage, which we will explain to you at the first meeting.
As is standard practice for Personal Injury Lawyers, we do not charge by the hour. Rather, personal injury cases are handled on a contingency basis; which is usually 1/3 of the full settlement. We only get our payment once we have received a settlement. In addition, if there are any costs advanced by our office, these costs are not reimbursed by you until the time of settlement, and are paid out of the settlement amount. If, by some chance, there is no settlement, you are not responsible for any costs. This is made clear at the outset of your case.