Can you sue after a car accident if you weren’t hurt in Massachusetts? Generally, you have to sustain injuries and financial losses to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, you may still get compensation for other losses, like repair costs for your vehicle.
An insurance settlement may cover these expenses. A Boston car accident lawyer from our team at Jason Stone Injury Lawyers can discuss your legal options after a collision if you end up in a more severe accident.
Find out more 24/7 by calling or filling out our online contact form.
Can You File a Lawsuit After a Non-Injury Accident in Massachusetts?
Generally, drivers file lawsuits for compensation after sustaining injuries like concussions, broken bones, or spinal cord injuries (SCIs). You cannot file a personal injury lawsuit without sustaining injuries.
However, you may still file a lawsuit for property damage expenses in some cases. For example, you may seek funds to cover vehicle repairs or replacement fees if the accident totals your car.
You may also seek compensation for other damaged property, including any electronic devices in your vehicle, at the time of the accident.
Do You Have to Sue for Property Damages in Massachusetts?
Generally, drivers focus on settling with the insurance company for accidents that only involve property damage. Insurance policies typically cover damage to vehicles, allowing you to get compensation for these losses quickly.
However, if the other driver or the insurance company tries to blame you for the collision, you may have to consider a lawsuit.
Can You File a Pain and Suffering Claim After a Non-Injury Car Accident?
Some individuals can request compensation for their emotional and physical pain and suffering after a car accident.
However, the laws in Massachusetts generally only allow you to get damage for pain and suffering if you require medical care costing more than $2,000 as a result of the accident or suffer a permanent injury, such as a wound that leaves a scar.
Exceptions to this rule may apply to some serious injuries or wrongful death accidents. However, you generally can’t request pain and suffering damages if your accident caused no injuries.
What Should You Do After a Non-Injury Car Accident?
You can take a few steps immediately after a non-injury car accident to improve your chances of getting compensation. The professionals recommend that you:
Notify Law Enforcement
It’s essential to report any car accident involving property damage to the police. Filing a report will create official documentation to establish when and where the collision took place, backing up your story of events.
Collect Evidence
You can gather evidence at the accident scene to strengthen your claim. We suggest that you:
- Take pictures of the damage to your vehicle and the position of other vehicles
- Get contact information from the driver who struck you
- Get information from any eyewitnesses
A lawyer may look for additional evidence, including footage from surveillance cameras, to bolster your case further.
How do Lawyers Help with Non-Injury Car Accidents?
An attorney will review your situation and help you determine if you qualify to file a lawsuit, answering any legal questions you have after an accident. Our local team understands the legal system in Massachusetts, allowing us to provide detailed information to clients.
Our staff at Jason Stone Injury Lawyers only represents clients who sustained injuries. However, you may still receive compensation from the insurance company after a non-injury collision. We can also answer a few questions about non-injury accidents.
Do You Have to Use a Repair Shop Mentioned by the Insurance Company?
You may take your vehicles for repairs at any shop you wish, but you must wait for the insurance company to appraise the damages.
What Happens if Repair Shops Exceed an Insurance Appraisal?
Sometimes, insurance appraisers miss damage on their initial review of your vehicle. The repair shop can contact the insurance company for a supplemental appraisal in this situation. The insurance company may then increase the funds available.
What Happens if the Appraiser and Repair Shop Disagree?
Sometimes, an insurance representative will disagree on the extent of the damage reported by a repair show. You can request a further explanation from the insurance company in this situation.
Do You Have to Repair Your Vehicle?
You can choose not to repair your vehicle after an accident.
How Long do You Have to File a Property Damage Claim?
You need to seek compensation for your losses before the statute of limitations for property damage claims expires in Massachusetts. Generally, you’ll have a few years to proceed with your claim.
Our team can review the facts surrounding your case and provide exact details about your deadlines. If you wait too long to move forward with a case, the court will dismiss your request for compensation.
How Long does it Take to Get Compensation for Property Damage Claims?
Once you file a property damage claim, you may have to wait a few months for insurance negotiations to complete. Generally, filing a lawsuit means you have to wait longer to get compensation for your losses.
Speak to Us About Suing After a Car Accident Without Injuries
Can you sue after a car accident if you weren’t hurt? Generally, drivers in Massachusetts settle property damage claims out of court.
However, our team at Jason Stone Injury Lawyers can review your situation and discuss the best methods to handle your circumstances if you sustained an injury due to another driver’s negligence.
You can reach out to us around the clock for help. We’ll review all the damages you can collect for a car accident. Call or complete our online contact form to learn more.
Not Trusting What You’re Being Told?
Better Phone Stone
800-577-5188
START MY NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION
