Boston Head-On Collision Lawyers
Santoro & Gray offer compassionate representation for victims of devastating crashes
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Head-on collisions are some of the most severe car crashes on Boston’s roads. These are frequently catastrophic in nature, and the resulting injuries can be life-changing or even fatal. Although head-on collisions represent a relatively small percentage of total accidents, they account for a disproportionately high share of fatalities.
When a car crash causes severe harm to a person or a family, there is a great need for legal representation. Insurers know that because these cases often involve severe injuries, they can lead to high payouts depending on the total insurance coverage available. As a result, they don’t take them lightly, and they’re prepared with their own legal teams who are going to focus on reducing their exposure.
The only way to fight back is with your own attorneys. Lawyers who are prepared to take your case all the way to trial if that’s what it takes to get you the compensation that you deserve. At Santoro & Gray, our trial lawyers are ready to stand up for you and your family when a head-on collision changes your life.
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How Santoro & Gray can help you
- Why are head-on crashes so devastating?
- How Santoro & Gray helps survivors and families
- Head-on collision facts in Boston
- The most common and catastrophic injuries
- Determining liability after a head-on crash
- Comparative negligence in head-on crashes in Boston
- Proving negligence in a head-on collision
- Massachusetts laws that come into play in head-on crash claims
- How Santoro & Gray develops your case
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Do you have a Boston head-on collision lawyer near me?
Imagine a car traveling at 40 mph when it collides with a brick wall. That crash is pretty serious. Now imagine that instead of hitting a stationary object, the car strikes a vehicle heading in the opposite direction, also at 40 mph. The forces in that crash are compounded, leading to some of the worst imaginable injuries from a car crash.
The results can be traumatic brain injuries (TBI), spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and fatal trauma. With injuries this serious, the emotional and financial losses can absolutely devastate a family. Those who are facing the aftermath of a catastrophic collision need all the help they can get – including legal representation.
If you or your loved ones suffered severe injuries in a car crash, you need to focus on healing and recovering. We’re here to handle the legal side – issues like negotiating with insurers, and potentially, bringing them to court to fight for a fair outcome in your case. In order to effectively play our role, we start by truly listening to you. We want to gather all the information we can, but we also need to understand the physical and emotional toll of your injuries. Our goal is to use that to tell a story that conveys your losses and proves that you both need and deserve the compensation you’re seeking.
We take a trauma-informed approach because we know that our clients aren’t just cases. There is a human story that fuels each claim. Our experience handling catastrophic injury litigation allows us to stand up for our clients in court and fight back when legal teams for insurers work to minimize your injuries or to shift the blame for the accident. We’re proud of the work we do and of the results we’ve achieved for past clients – people who suffered incredible losses as a result of negligence.
Technically, a head-on collision occurs when the front ends of two vehicles collide. These types of crashes are, fortunately, rare. But when they happen, the results are often devastating.
There are a few common causes of head-on collisions, including:
- Wrong-way driving: While entrances to divided highways are often well-marked, there are times when a driver enters an off-ramp and travels the wrong direction on a high-speed highway. These incidents often involve impairment.
- Cross-center-line driving: It’s much easier to drift across a centerline on an undivided road. While the speeds on such roadways shouldn’t be as high, catastrophic head-on collisions can happen even at relatively modest speeds.
- Distracted driving: Looking down to read a text is really all it takes to end up crossing into oncoming traffic.
- Speeding, reckless or aggressive driving: Dense traffic in Boston’s crowded corridors can magnify the risks of cars entering the opposite traveling traffic lanes.
- Poor visibility and weather conditions: Poor visibility, especially when there is heavy snow or rain, can make it easy to veer into opposing traffic lanes. Slick roads can add to these risks.
Injuries resulting from head-on crashes are often extremely serious. Some of the possible results include:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord damage and paralysis
- Fractures and crush injuries to lower extremities (especially legs/knees)
- Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
- Burns or airbag deployment injuries
- Wrongful death or fatal trauma
In any of these cases, victims will need legal representation from an experienced Boston personal injury attorney ready to fight on their behalf.
Liability following a head-on crash often falls on one or more of the involved drivers, but that’s not the only possibility. Here are some of the potentially liable parties:
- Another driver: If someone crossed the center line and struck your vehicle, they would be the most likely at-fault party. We can look into the crash to determine whether they were impaired, speeding, or otherwise engaged in dangerous and negligent behavior.
- Employers or delivery companies: If a driver was on the job when they caused a head-on collision, the company could be vicariously liable and responsible for covering your damages.
- Vehicle manufacturers: Defective cars with faulty steering or brakes can cause crashes. In some instances, poorly performed maintenance might also lead to such incidents, making the maintenance provider another possible liable party.
- Road design or maintenance issues: If a road isn’t well-marked or is missing signage, you might have a claim against the city or state.
Santoro & Gray can work with you to determine all of the potentially liable parties.
Massachusetts uses a modified comparative negligence policy. Essentially, this means that even if you are partly at fault for your injuries, you may still be able to recover for your damages. However, you can’t be more at fault than the other party. In other words, you can’t be more than 50% liable for your own injuries.
If you’re less at fault than the other party, the court will reduce your damages to reflect your share of liability. For instance, in an accident where you suffered $100,000 in damages, but you were 30% at fault, you could still collect $70,000 in damages.
In a negligence cause of action, you need to prove several elements, including:
- Duty of care: The defendant must have owed you a duty of care. In the case of a car crash, drivers owe others on the road a duty of care, which means they should drive reasonably.
- Breach: Breaching a duty of care might involve crossing the center line, possibly because they were engaged in other negligent actions, such as texting or driving under the influence.
- Causation: There needs to be a link between the breach and your injuries. If it were a head-on crash and you suffered a broken leg as a result, the causation would be fairly clear.
- Damages: You must have actual losses, such as medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering that the crash caused.
The way you build your case and prove these damages is by gathering and presenting evidence. Examples include eyewitness statements, traffic camera footage, accident reconstruction data, and your medical records. If you work with us, we can help you collect all of the evidence you need to build a strong claim.
Here are a few state laws that might influence your head-on collision case.
No-fault (PIP) insurance
In Massachusetts, your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance covers up to $8,000 in medical expenses and lost wages, regardless of fault. While this can be helpful in minor crashes, it is likely far too little to cover losses in a catastrophic collision like a head-on crash. Fortunately, the PIP will not prevent you from filing a lawsuit as long as your medical bills are equal to or greater than $2,000, or if the injury is serious (permanent disfigurement, fracture, etc.). It’s likely that many victims of head-on collisions will meet this threshold.
The Massachusetts statute of limitations
The state’s statute of limitations prevents people from filing personal injury claims too long after their injuries. In Massachusetts, you generally must file your case within three years of the date of injury or death for personal injury and wrongful death claims. Be aware that there may be some shorter deadlines that apply to your specific case. If you fail to file on time, the court will not hear your case. However, you should be speaking to a lawyer as soon as possible for many other reasons, not just the filing deadline. When it comes to evidence, it becomes more challenging to collect everything you need as time passes. People’s memories become less reliable, security footage may be taped over, and documents can go missing. Your best bet is to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible.
At Santoro & Gray, we’re here to support you each step of the way. Here are some of the steps in our process:
- Early scene investigation and black-box data retrieval: Evidence collection should take place as soon as possible.
- Accident reconstruction and expert witness collaboration: We may want to work with experts who have the skills and experience to better tell your story to a judge and jury.
- Medical and vocational expert coordination for long-term damages: In the case of catastrophic injuries, your medical expenses may continue throughout your life, and you might not be able to work as you did before. We might want an expert who can give a more reliable estimate of your future losses.
Our goal is to build the strongest case we can so that we can fight to get you the compensation you need.
What if the other driver was uninsured?
If the other driver was uninsured, you might not be out of luck. Your UM/UIM coverage may apply, but recovering from your own insurer can prove challenging. Reach out for legal support to learn your options in this situation.
Do head-on collisions always go to trial?
Not usually. In general, most cases settle, but having a trial-ready lawyer is the best way to put pressure on the opposing side to make a fair settlement. You want the insurance company to know that your lawyer isn’t afraid to take the case in front of a jury. That way, they won’t think they can push you to settle for a low-ball offer.
What potential damages are available in a head-on collision case?
It’s impossible to say which damages and how much would be available in a case without all the facts. However, there are some general categories of damages that you might be able to recover, including:
- Economic damages: Personal injury cases allow recovery for your medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, property damage, lost income, and future earning capacity. Most of the time, the more serious the injury, the higher your medical costs. As a result, this could mean a higher amount of compensation.
- Non-economic damages: In addition to the losses that you can tie some kind of monetary amount to, accidents lead to pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and, in some cases, the loss of consortium. The law allows you to recover for these as well.
Punitive damages are rare in Massachusetts but may apply in some wrongful death claims.
We have an office located at 131 Dartmouth St, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02116. If you aren’t able to make it to our office in person, reach out. We offer phone and video consultations as well.
Our team is here to listen to you and to stand by your side through this challenging time.
Speak with a Boston head-on collision lawyer today
At Santoro & Gray, we take the time to listen carefully to our clients. We understand that you’ve experienced severe trauma, and we’re prepared to provide compassionate representation for you and your loved ones. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today. You can reach us over the phone or fill out our contact form. We’re here to help.