Car Accident Lawyers in Massachusetts

Massachusetts layers two systems on top of each other for every car accident claim: a no-fault insurance requirement that pays the first round of medical bills automatically, and a traditional fault-based lawsuit system that only opens once an injury clears a specific threshold. A car accident lawyer working Massachusetts cases spends as much time on that threshold question as on the crash itself.

PIP Pays First, Regardless of Fault

Every Massachusetts auto policy must include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) of at least $8,000 per person, which covers medical bills and a portion of lost wages after a crash no matter who caused it. That system resolves smaller claims quickly, but under M.G.L. c. 231, § 6D, a driver can only sue the at-fault party for pain and suffering once reasonable medical expenses exceed $2,000, or the injury involves a fracture, permanent and serious disfigurement, loss of a body function, or death.

That threshold means the size of a medical bill can decide whether pain-and-suffering damages are available at all — which is why consistent treatment after a crash matters for the legal claim as much as for recovery.

Three Years to File, a Shorter Clock for Government Claims

Once a claim clears the no-fault threshold, M.G.L. c. 260, § 2A gives most claimants three years from the date of the crash to file suit. A claim against a city, town, or the Commonwealth runs on a much shorter track: written presentment to the responsible executive officer is required within two years under the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act, and missing that step can bar the claim before the three-year lawsuit deadline is ever reached.

The 51% Bar

Under M.G.L. c. 231, § 85, Massachusetts reduces an injured driver’s recovery by their own percentage of fault, but only up to a point: a driver found 51% or more at fault recovers nothing. That hard cutoff gives insurers an incentive to push a claimant’s fault share toward 51% in any case with disputed facts, since doing so eliminates the payout rather than just shrinking it.

Insurance Minimums Rose in July 2025

• $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident — the new bodily injury liability minimum, up from limits unchanged since 1988.
• $30,000 property damage — the minimum available to repair or replace a damaged vehicle.
• $8,000 PIP minimum — pays medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault before any liability claim is pursued.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage — mandatory on every policy, so a driver’s own insurer can step in when the at-fault driver lacks adequate coverage.

What Massachusetts Caps — and What It Doesn’t

Standard claims against a private at-fault driver are not capped — medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering are decided on the evidence. Claims against a city, town, or the Commonwealth are generally capped at $100,000 under the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act, and claims against a charitable organization are capped at $20,000 for most torts under M.G.L. c. 231, § 85K.

Choosing Counsel in Massachusetts

The Lawyer Atlas is a directory, not a law firm, and nothing here is legal advice for your specific situation. Because so much of a Massachusetts claim turns on clearing the PIP threshold and avoiding the 51% fault bar, ask any attorney you are considering how they document medical treatment and fault evidence early in a case. Free consultations are standard, and Massachusetts car accident attorneys typically work on contingency.

Browse the Boston page above to find attorneys handling crash claims in and around the city.