Passenger Safety in Massachusetts

Accident Attorneys Assisting Victims in Boston and Surrounding Communities

When you are a passenger in another person’s vehicle, you are at their mercy when it comes to your safety and the likelihood of being involved in an accident. The driver of a motor vehicle has a duty to provide passenger safety. In many unfortunate instances, however, a driver fails to take this duty seriously and subjects passengers to serious injuries or even death. If you or a loved one was a passenger in a vehicle who suffered injuries as a result of the driver’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries from the driver or their insurance company. At Breakstone, White & Gluck, our diligent Boston car accident lawyers have proudly helped numerous injured passengers obtain compensation for the damages caused by negligent drivers. We are standing by and ready to help you achieve the outcome that you deserve.

Unique Issues Involved with Passenger Safety

When it comes to a passenger injury case, there are certain unique issues that make it slightly different from a standard personal injury case. First, in many cases, the victim has a special or close relationship to the driver. It may be a family member, friend, child, colleague, or significant other. Because of this, it can be very uncomfortable to bring a personal injury claim or lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident. However, victims should be aware that generally it is the driver’s insurer rather than the individual driver who will pay a compensation award.

There also may be issues involved with each individual’s account of the events that led to the accident. As a passenger in the vehicle, the victim may have observed certain behaviors that were leading to the accident, such as texting behind the wheel or failing to pay adequate attention to the roadway. The driver may refute these allegations, leading to a battle of evidence. Having a dedicated personal injury lawyer on your side can help you ensure that you gather all of the possible evidence and put your best arguments forward.

Assert Your Right to Compensation from a Careless Driver

If you are injured in an accident as a passenger in a vehicle, our attorneys can represent you in your personal injury claim against the negligent driver (and other responsible parties) to recover compensation for your injuries and damages. This can be a stressful type of claim to assert if you are related to the driver or have a close relationship with the driver. He or she may be pressuring you to forgo filing a claim or to give information to the insurance company that protects the driver and their vehicle.

Should the matter proceed to a lawsuit, your attorney will need to show that the driver failed to use reasonable care and skill when driving his or her vehicle and that this was the direct cause of the injuries that you sustained. Drivers owe passengers a duty to use the same reasonable care and skill that a prudent and careful driver would use when facing the same situation. This means obeying all traffic laws, driving at an appropriate speed for the surrounding conditions, and refraining from things like distracted driving. Your attorney must also show that the defendant’s failure to drive according to this standard of care was the cause of the injuries that you suffered. If the defendant can show that some other factor was to blame, you may be precluded from recovering compensation.

Damages for personal injury include medical bills, lost earning capacity, injuries, scarring, and resulting disability, whether it is temporary or permanent. Our attorneys work with your physicians and other experts to obtain solid medical evidence to support your case.

Schedule a Consultation with a Boston Lawyer Following a Motor Vehicle Collision

At Breakstone, White & Gluck, we know that you probably have questions about your legal rights after a car accident, especially if you were a helpless victim injured by a driver who failed to respect passenger safety. We provide compassionate legal counsel to accident victims in cities such as Boston, Cambridge, Waltham, Lowell, Newton, Somerville, Quincy, Dedham, Norwood, Brookline, Attleboro, Barnstable, Brockton, Plymouth, Worcester, Lawrence, and Springfield. To schedule your free consultation, call us at 1-800-379-1244 or contact us online to get started.