Monday, September 12, 2016

If You've Been Injured, What Are Your Legal Rights?

When you’ve suffered an injury, knowing what to do immediately afterward can help provide peace of mind and get you on the road to recovery faster.  If you’ve suffered a personal injury in Massachusetts, here are a few of your legal rights and steps you should take to help protect those rights.

Medical Treatment

Immediately after suffering an injury you should seek medical treatment.  Seeing a qualified doctor will accomplish several things.  First, you’ll be on the road to recover that much faster.  A doctor is able to assess an injury and determine whether there is any additional damage that may not be apparent to a someone without a medical education.  Second, seeing a doctor will provide the necessary documentation in the event of any legal action regarding your injury.  Knowing the full extent of any damage and having a medically qualified third party fully notate the condition is essential to protecting any legal right of recovery you may have.

Receiving Compensation for Your Injury

If you are injured, you may have the legal right to recover for various kinds of damages.  Depending on your exact situation, there are a few types of damages you may qualify for.
•    Lost Wages
 
If the injury you suffered caused you to miss work and as a result lose wages you may be entitled to recover those losses from the at-fault party.  If you were forced to use vacation time or medical leave in order to treat your injuries, these are resources you were forced to use up as a result of the injury.  You may be able to recover the value of this time, regardless of whether you lost actual wages as a result of the accident or injury.

•    Pain & Suffering

An injury can be incredibly painful and under MA law you are sometimes able to recover damages to compensate for any pain and suffering as a result of an injury.  There are various restrictions and limits on the amount of pain and suffering damages you can collect and its especially important to document your injury with pictures, descriptions and medical files in order to make a claim for compensation for your pain and suffering.
•    Other Types of Damages

Under MA law, there are various other types of damages you may be able to recover depending on the severity of your injury.  If you’ve suffered a permanent disability, there are various calculations that can provide for lifetime payments or a lump sum payout.  Your loved ones may also be able to recover damages in certain cases if the injury is severe enough and meets certain conditions.

Consult an Attorney

If you suffer an injury and have questions about your legal rights you should not hesitate to contact a qualified boston personal injury attorney.  They can answer any specific questions you have and discuss your legal rights and obligations.