Because cars and other motor vehicles are more powerful than bicycles and pedestrians, the responsibility tends to fall – unfairly – on those on the street to play it safe and avoid collisions. But at an intersection, a bicyclist has the right-of-way against a car coming in the opposite direction and making a left-hand turn. Many times, motor vehicles ignore rules of the road and end up being the root of the cause of these accidents.

If you have been injured in a bike accident, call us. O’Connor and Ryan has extensive experience handling personal injury matters, and Attorney Ed Ryan also happens to be an avid cyclist as well. We will stand up for your rights and ensure you have the opportunity to pursue the personal injury claim you are entitled to.

The post Cyclists involved in motor vehicle collisions have rights to compensation, too appeared first on O'Connor and Ryan, P.C..

You will want an attorney experienced in these types of claims who will help you retrieve money according to your rights. This is especially because insurance companies do not make voluntary payments: The monetary amount they offer may fall far short of the amount you are entitled to. When hiring an attorney, make sure you ask about prior experience with personal injury. Sites like Avvo, FindLaw and Martindale Hubbel can help you search for a lawyer in your area with the right experience.

The attorneys at O’Connor and Ryan, P.C. have recovered millions of dollars for clients injured in car accidents and other personal injury claims, including civil rights actions.” Contact us for a consultation.

If you’re interested in more about personal injury, you can learn more about these types of legal claims and proceedings on our webpage here.

The post Hiring an attorney for personal injury gets you the money you deserve appeared first on O'Connor and Ryan, P.C..

You may have heard the term “pain and suffering” used in legal conversations, on television programs or by peers. This term is often used in discussions of

In general “pain and suffering” is just what it sounds like. It refers to the physical pain, and psychological and emotional suffering that a person often goes through when they’ve been injured in an accident. When that accident, and resulting injury, was caused by someone else’s negligent or wrongful conduct the law in Massachusetts allows you to recover damages for your “pain and suffering.”

It is useful to note that the amount of damages that you might be entitled to for “pain and suffering” is not subject to easy or specific calculation.

In injury cases the damages which a victim is entitled to recover are often divided into two categories:

• The first category is referred to as “special” damages, which can be objectively determined by mathematical calculation. It includes the amount of medical bills incurred for treatment of the injuries and lost earnings (including projected future medical expenses and lost earnings established by expert testimony).
• Pain and suffering can also be subjectively categorized by loss of enjoyment of life. The general nature and basis of this category is the attempt to make the injury victim whole for the suffering they have, and will endure due to the injury. There is no way to calculate these damages by a mathematical formula, although some insurance companies will attempt to do so applying their own, usually meager, formulas, i.e. “$500.00 per week for each week of ‘Total’ disability that resulted from the injury.

One significant benefit of the “subjective” nature of these damages is that it has led courts to the rule that because personal injury damages are subjective, and not subject to clear calculation, they are not taxable to the recipient. Thus an injury recovery will not be treated as taxable by the state or federal government

In fact, the courts have resisted this type of calculation of damages, and have usually prevented attorneys from suggesting “formulas’ to quantify these damages- “It would be fair to give my client $100.00 for each day she had to suffer pain due to her injury’”, will typically not be allowed by the court.

The result is that juries are generally allowed wide latitude in how they value “pain and suffering,” and the amount that they chose to award for damages. This means that hiring experienced attorneys that know the value of all elements of a damages claim, including fair treatment for “pain and suffering” is critical to your case. Most injury cases are negotiated to a settlement rather than going to Trial, but all insurers will base their settlement offer on the expected recovery range, if the case goes before a jury.

At O’Connor and Ryan, our attorneys have over 70 years combined legal experience, have extensive trial experience, and are fully prepared to maximize all aspects of the damages you are entitled to, including “pain and suffering.” We often receive full and fair settlement offers, without filing a lawsuit, because insurers are aware of our knowledge, experience and track record. However, if and when we need to go to court to secure a full and fair recovery for all aspects of your damages in an injury case, we are ready! Contact us for a free personal injury consultation today.

The post What does ‘Pain and Suffering’ mean in legal terms? appeared first on O'Connor and Ryan, P.C..

These following personal injury terms can form the basis of a financial claim after a car accident:

• If you have your own car and are insured you have a right to collect lost wages and medical bills under your own insurance policy up to a limit of $8,000.
• If the accident was caused by a third person and you were injured, suffering a fracture, permanent disfigurement or have medical bills for treatment that exceed $2,000 you have the right to make a claim against the person or persons who caused the accident.
• If that person was driving a vehicle that they did not own at the time of the accident, you may be able to recover from both the owner of the vehicle involved in the accident and the person who was driving the vehicle and caused the accident.

In some cases the person who caused the accident, or the owner of the vehicle, or both, has either no insurance, or there is not enough insurance to cover the cost of your entire claim.  In that case you may be able to recover money under your own insurance policy if you purchased underinsurance coverage.

Determining what your rights are can be confusing and you will need help navigating through the complex insurance and claims issues.  We have helped thousands of people recovery hundreds of thousands of dollars for injuries sustained in accident claims.  If you have been injured in a car or motor vehicle accident, or in any other type of accident, call us or send us your case below.

The post Your rights when you’re injured in a car or auto accident appeared first on O'Connor and Ryan, P.C..

Motor vehicle accidents happen every day. Many of these victims suffer painful injuries, trauma, time off work and medical and other unexpected expenses. In these instances, it makes sense for personal injury victims to explore their rights to financial compensation. Insurance companies are notoriously unwilling to pay fair amounts for personal injury claims, so you should seek professional help to deal with the complexities of asserting your right to compensation.

Here are some things to keep in mind regarding your personal injury rights from an auto accident:

• You can recover for lost wages and medical bills under your own auto policy.
• You may be able to obtain additional money for pain and suffering under your own insurance policy.
• If the other party is at fault you can make a claim against his/her insurance company.
• You may need a lawyer to help you prove that the other party was at fault.
• You are entitled to make a claim against the person who caused you injury in an auto accident if you have a broken bone, serious permanent disfigurement, or have at least $2,000 in medical expenses.
• Other types of accidents do not have these limitations.

O’Connor and Ryan attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for people injured in accidents of all types over the past forty years. Our experienced attorneys will make sure you get the compensation you are entitled to.  If you have been injured in an accident contact us at O’Connor and Ryan, P.C., for a full review of your case and an explanation of all of your rights.

The post Recover from auto accidents with a personal injury claim appeared first on O'Connor and Ryan, P.C..

How do I start?

O’Connor and Ryan offers no-obligation consultations for personal injury cases. When you contact us, we’ll set an immediate appointment for you to meet with one of our experienced attorneys. We will aggressively pursue your case from day one. If you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence, you are entitled to recover for any medical bills for your treatment, lost earnings, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and/or any permanent loss of function, permanent scarring, or future pain and suffering.

How will my personal injury case proceed?

We will pursue the maximum recovery we believe is possible for your injuries. In many cases we can obtain a settlement that fully compensates you for everything that you have suffered without the need to file a lawsuit. However, even if you don’t receive a full and fair offer, we can file a lawsuit against the negligent party and pursue that litigation tenaciously.

With our collective 75+ years of litigation experience, you will be well-served at all points during the process.

Even after we file suit, most cases resolve with a settlement before proceeding to trial. However, if we do have to take your matter to court, we will do everything in our power to ensure a judgment that fully compensates you under the law. At every point in this process we will keep you fully informed, advise you of all of your rights under the law, and make sure that you understand that you have control to make decisions regarding your case. These qualities will keep you 100% satisfied with the representation we provide!
For a free personal injury consultation, call us at 978-534-1301 or send us your case by filling out the form here.

The post Pursuing a personal injury case: What are my options? appeared first on O'Connor and Ryan, P.C..