As a motorist who navigates Massachusetts roads and highways often, you may encounter public transport vehicles that include buses, light rails and shared ride vans. While these systems provide inexpensive local travel and commute options for people from all walks of life, they may also pose a danger to you and your vehicle if an accident occurs. If you plan to bring a lawsuit against the MBTA for damages to your car, hiring an attorney to assist you with your case may provide you with a variety of advantages when compared to attempting to handle this legal matter on your own.
MBTA Transit Police Involvement
The MBTA has its own police force that handles emergencies and other sudden incidents related to any public transport vehicle. As such, they may investigate your case if a bus or trolley strikes and damages your vehicle. They may provide several services for you, including:
- Processing the crime scene
- Reporting all details regarding the incident
- Tracking any hearings related to the crash
While these details may assist you with your case, you may find it difficult to resolve the issue on your own, especially if the accident caused serious damage to your car or if an insurance company deemed it a total loss. While the transit police may assist you with some facets of the accident, they do not involve themselves in damage claims.
The Advantages of Legal Assistance
Most accidents that involve MBTA vehicles are complicated affairs and may involve more than one vehicle. In some cases, a bus or shared ride van may strike several vehicles and cause traffic problems, as well as insurance tangles. While Massachusetts is a no-fault state and you must carry Personal Injury Protection, such insurance does not cover damage to your car, so you may have to bring a case against the MBTA to recoup your losses in this case, and seeking legal assistance can provide you with several advantages as you build your case.
Case Inspection and Determination
Gauging whether you have a viable case against the MBTA after an accident that damages your vehicle is not always easy. While PIP covers injuries up to $8,000 per person after a wreck, you may have trouble determining whether you have a case when it comes to damage to personal property outside your own insurance. Collision and liability insurance may cover the cost of some repairs to your vehicle, but this depends heavily upon the type of insurance you carry and the details within your policy.
An experienced lawyer can review your case, often initially at no cost, and advise you about how to proceed with seeking coverage for vehicle damage. If your attorney believes that an MBTA vehicle caused an accident and destroyed your vehicle, you can move ahead with confidence and focus on the details you may need to build a case.
Claim Value
The overall value of your claim can have a profound effect on your case, especially if the MBTA vehicle caused such serious damage to your car that you can no longer drive it. An attorney can help you put a monetary value to that claim by including several different factors, including:
- The value of the vehicle at the time of the accident
- The value of any custom parts
- The condition of the vehicle
- Damaged personal items inside the vehicle (your phone or other electronics)
Because of the uniqueness of your case and its results, consulting an attorney regarding the value of its worth can help you gain fair compensation. This may provide you with a better understanding of how courts determine the overall value or monetary worth of your loss.
Protecting Your Case
An attorney can assist you with protecting your case and its overall value. When you proceed with a lawsuit against the MTBA on your own, you may accidentally reveal incorrect or flawed information that could tie you up with the insurance company or weaken your case.
Obtaining legal assistance can also prevent you from disclosing too much information about the case to friends, family or on social media. Even the most seemingly innocuous comment on Facebook or posting pictures of your ruined vehicle on other sites may compromise your case. Additionally, insurance companies or attorneys who represent the MBTA may use your words against you. Your attorney can advise you when to stay silent about your case, who to speak to and how to handle your social media presence as your case continues.
Experience With the Legal System
While your case may seem simple at first, the deeper you delve into details regarding state and city laws, as well as those related to what type of protection the MBTA may have, your case may no longer seem as straightforward. Hiring an attorney can cut through the legalese and provide you with greater peace of mind.
When you hire a legal group to recover vehicle damages caused by city transport, such as those at Jason Stone Injury Lawyers, they can take the stress and confusion out of your case by performing a variety of actions, including:
- Speaking to insurance representatives
- Contacting and speaking to any witnesses
- Handling insurance documents
- Filing your case for you
- Representing you in all communications regarding your case
Allowing experienced attorneys to handle most facets of a vehicle damage case may also allow proceedings to move along more quickly and provide you with the compensation you need to repair or replace your car. Your attorney may also assist you with handling settlement offers, especially if you cannot be sure of the fairness of any amount offered.
Providing Evidence
When you experience a crash with an MBTA vehicle, the moments directly before the incident and the aftermath may seem unclear. As a result, you may not have the solid evidence you need when your case goes to court. An attorney can track down witnesses, gather their statements and speak to insurance adjusters about their findings at the scene of the accident. This includes tire skid marks, the type of damage your car endured and the actions of the public vehicle operator.
Factors To Consider
The decision to hire a lawyer can depend on a variety of factors once you believe you have a case against the MBTA. Cost usually dictates whether you hire an attorney, but some offer free initial consultations and may offer several different types of legal assistance that fit your budget.
The overall difficulty of the case details may also help you decide about whether to obtain an attorney. Cases that involve a city vehicle are often daunting, which leaves you with little room to protect yourself and your interests, especially when it comes to speaking about the details of the crash and the cost of damages.
Let Us Help You
At Jason Stone Injury Lawyers, we understand that such cases can cause confusion and uncertainty and that as a plaintiff, you carry the burden of proof. Our lawyers can provide you with a variety of services and give you the confidence you need to endure as your case goes to trial. From fair and experienced representation to in-depth knowledge of state and city laws, we can provide you with what you need and help you move forward. Contact us today for more information and for a free initial consultation.
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