Is My Massachusetts Personal Injury Settlement Taxable?

Personal injury settlements can include payment for various damages, such as lost earning capacity, emotional distress, medical bills, attorney fees, and more. While most financial compensation is considered taxable income, the IRS typically does not have involvement with injury settlements for damages associated with a settled claim. According to the IRS, “If you received a settlement for personal physical injuries or physical sickness and did not take an itemized deduction for medical expenses related to the injury or sickness in prior years, the full amount is non-taxable. Do not include the settlement proceeds in your income.” Therefore, a monetary settlement

Filing a Personal Injury Claim for Whiplash After a Car Accident

Whiplash is a common injury resulting from minor to severe auto accidents. Compensatory damages for whiplash injuries may be filed when an accident involves a negligent driver. If you’ve been in an auto accident and have already suffered whiplash injuries, you should seek immediate medical attention. Then call our office for information about filing a personal injury claim. What is whiplash? Whiplash is common among victims who are involved in rear-end collisions. The term whiplash is a non-medical term that refers to the rapid backward and forward motion that can occur during an auto accident. Rapid movement can cause damage

Massachusetts Medical Malpractice Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you’ve received a misdiagnosis, delay in treatment, or experienced adverse drug reactions, you have the right to file a claim for medical malpractice. Medical malpractice suits can be tricky to navigate, see the answers to frequently asked questions below. What Is Medical Malpractice? Patients have the right to expect a consistent standard level of care to be administered by health care providers. When a medical professional fails to provide appropriate care resulting in harm, injury, or death to a patient, the patient or loved one can claim malpractice in a court of law. Medical providers are legally required to

When An Injury Occurs At A Short-term Rental Property

When an injury occurs at a short-term rental property (e.g. Airbnb), can the injured party recover damages from the property owner, the rental app/service, or both? Who’s to Blame When an Airbnb Goes Awry? Premises Liability and Short-Term Rentals While you may be able to take a vacation, gravity never does. If you slip and fall on the freshly mopped floor of a hotel lobby, it is pretty clear that the hotel proprietor is responsible for the condition of the floor. But what if you fall down the narrow, railing-less stairs of a short-term rental you found on a platform

How long do I have to file a medical malpractice lawsuit in Massachusetts?

When a patient is harmed by a medical professional due to negligence, the patient can file a medical malpractice suit. These personal injury cases are very complex, and plaintiffs are required to comply with procedural rules unique to this type of lawsuit. Massachusetts follows a specific statute of limitations for medical malpractice lawsuits, a law that sets a time limit on when you may file a suit. However, there are rules surrounding when the time period begins. Under the Massachusetts statute of limitations law, an injured patient has three years to get the lawsuit process started. The three-year period generally

Dog Bite Injuries and The Law in Massachusetts

Dog Bites: An Injury Worthy of Legal Representation About five million Americans suffer dog bite injuries every year. Dogs of any breed and size, whether unfamiliar animals or family pets, can bite and cause injuries. Dog bite injuries can cause life-long and life-altering injuries as well as psychological trauma. Victims of dog bites have a path to seek compensation through the legal system. Massachusetts Law on Dog Bites Massachusetts law maintains “strict liability” with regard to dog bite injuries. Even if the owner was exercising due caution (such as by having the dog on a leash), and even if the

Pedestrian Injured By Car Accident – What You Need To Know

Any person on foot is considered a pedestrian. Most pedestrian accidents involving an automobile occur at intersections, crosswalks, and parking lots. If you or a loved one is hit by a vehicle while walking, running, jogging, or even sitting on a bench, you have legal options. Immediate Steps The actions taken immediately following a pedestrian and car accident are vital in protecting your wellbeing and legal rights. Start by calling 911 if anyone involved requires immediate medical attention but also to get the police on scene for a police report and perhaps investigation. Next, you’ll want to obtain contact and

What You Need to Know About Auto Accidents in Massachusetts

Quick Action Is Required After an Accident There is never a good time to have an accident. Depending on the circumstances, an accident can be a minor inconvenience or a life-altering calamity. Recent studies suggest that the average driver will have a collision three or four times over a lifetime, or about one collision every eighteen years. We all hope and pray that any collisions we are involved with are minor and result in no serious property damage and–even more importantly–no real harm to people. Yet even a minor “fender-bender” can ruin more than an ordinary afternoon of errands and

I suffered an injury on a wet floor at the gym. The manager says I can’t sue because I signed a “general release” when I joined. Is this true?

While it’s standard procedure for a health club or gym to require members to sign a liability waiver, members still have rights. The purpose of a general release of liability waiver is to protect the gym from injuries caused by members. It’s common to sustain an injury while exercising. For example, pulling a muscle by lifting too much weight, misusing an exercise machine, or overexerting are typical injuries covered members are prohibited from bringing about legal action. However, when an injury is sustained due to the gym’s negligence, a release is not enough to excuse the gym from liability. Similar

What You Need to Know About Filing a Wrongful Death Suit in Massachusetts

When processing the death of a loved one caused by someone else’s bad choices, you need skilled legal representation to advocate for your—and your late loved one’s—interests in the judicial system. Below, we lay out the basics of filing a wrongful death suit in Massachusetts. The Basics of a Wrongful Death Suit In general, whenever a living person could file a personal injury suit on behalf of himself or herself, the estate of a deceased person may file a wrongful death claim. As specified in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 229, Section 2, the Commonwealth defines a “wrongful death” as a

How Does Legal Marijuana Impact Personal Injury Cases?

While marijuana use is legal for people over the age of 21 under Massachusetts law, it does not change whether or not a person under the influence can be considered at fault in a personal injury case. Marijuana use, legal or not, is treated similarly to alcohol and other substances when it comes to things like driving, operating heavy machinery, and personal injury cases. Like alcohol, cannabis impairs a person’s reaction times. Massachusetts has passed a range of laws governing the legal use of cannabis to keep people safe. Just like it is illegal to drive under the influence of

Injured While Ridesharing: Can Passengers Sue the Company as Well as the Driver?

Ridesharing has been hailed as one of the great conveniences of modern life: easier than designating a driver, cheaper than a cab, and faster than waiting for the bus. When it comes to injuries incurred because of a rideshare driver’s recklessness or negligence, however, it is less clear how victims can receive compensation. The average driver, even working fulltime, is almost certainly lacking insurance, assets, and earnings substantial enough to cover millions of dollars in medical treatment expenses and lost wages. As of 2021, however, the rideshare industry was valuated at $61 billion. For such a massive, profitable industry, the

The Preponderance of Evidence Standard and What It Means for Your Personal Injury Case

Aside from those of us who choose the law as our professional calling, most people will find the inside of a courtroom a disorienting, unfamiliar place, populated by the plotlines of police procedurals and award-winning dramas. When you are confronted with the prospect of not only visiting a court, but placing all your faith and hope for restitution in the court system, such as when you are already coping with physical pain and financial loss after an accident, trip, slip, or fall, it becomes even more daunting. Competent and caring legal professionals, like our team, can make the legal process

How does the court determine fault for injuries suffered in a car accident?

The terms comparative fault and contributory negligence are legal doctrines often referred to during auto accident lawsuits to address who is at fault. More precisely, these terms determine the percentage of each party at fault to determine how and if damages will be awarded. If you are injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to recover damages from the responsible party. Under Massachusetts law, anyone operating a motor vehicle has a duty to standard care. All drivers are expected to obey traffic laws and exercise caution based on driving conditions. When it comes to auto accidents, it’s not

Can I sue my employer if I’m injured on the job?

Nearly all Massachusetts companies are required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance. In doing so, employees essentially forfeit the option to sue an employer. However, there may be circumstances where an employee can pursue additional damages for a job-related injury. This article will discuss what workers’ compensation covers and when you can seek additional damages. Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Explained The Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation system was created to ensure both employees and employers are protected. Workers’ compensation guarantees that employees who are injured or rendered ill because of the job are covered under insurance. Worker’s compensation benefits may cover payment

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