Cape Cod Personal Injury Lawyer

Boston personal injury law firm representing people injured throughout Cape Cod and Barnstable County.

Quick Answer: Cape Cod Personal Injury Lawyer

Gavagan Law is a Boston personal injury law firm representing people injured throughout Cape Cod and Barnstable County, including Cape Cod residents and people injured while visiting the area.
Gavagan Law handles personal injury claims involving car, motorcycle and truck accidents, pedestrian and bicycle crashes, slip and fall and vacation rental injuries, construction and workplace injuries, dog bites, nursing home negligence, wrongful death claims, and other serious injuries.
Gavagan Law operates on a contingency fee basis for all personal injury cases. We only get paid if we’re able to obtain a settlement or judgment for our injured clients.
Gavagan Law identifies all responsible parties and available insurance coverage, develops the full value of the claim, and works to pursue the maximum compensation available. Free consultations.

Gavagan Law represents people injured throughout Cape Cod and Barnstable County in a wide range of personal injury cases, including accidents on local roads, in crosswalks, stores, restaurants, vacation properties, workplaces, construction sites, and other properties.

Car Accidents

Pedestrian Accidents

Bicycle Accidents

Slip and Fall Accidents

Construction & Work Injuries

Truck & Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Car and Motor Vehicle Accidents on Cape Cod

Cape Cod roads can become heavily congested, particularly during the summer months. Car accidents may occur along Route 6, Route 28, Route 6A, Route 132, and near the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges, as well as in busy areas such as Hyannis, Falmouth, Mashpee, Barnstable, and Provincetown.

Crashes may involve distracted driving, unsafe turns, failure to yield, rear-end collisions, rideshare vehicles, commercial vehicles, or uninsured and underinsured drivers. Gavagan Law identifies all responsible parties and available insurance coverage, documents the medical treatment, lost income, and other losses caused by the crash, and develops the personal injury claim to pursue fair compensation.

Motorcycle and Truck Accidents on Cape Cod

Motorcycle and commercial vehicle accidents can result in particularly serious injuries. Cape Cod traffic includes motorcycles, delivery vans, box trucks, construction vehicles, moving trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles operating on roads that can become heavily congested during the tourist season.

A truck or commercial vehicle accident may involve more than the driver. Depending on the circumstances, an employer, vehicle owner, delivery company, contractor, maintenance company, or another business may also be responsible. Gavagan Law identifies the responsible parties and available insurance policies and develops the claim around the full medical, financial, and personal impact of the injuries.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents on Cape Cod

Pedestrians and cyclists share Cape Cod roads with passenger vehicles, buses, delivery vehicles, and seasonal traffic. Accidents may occur in crosswalks, village centers, parking areas, near beaches and businesses, or along bicycle routes such as the Cape Cod Rail Trail.

Pedestrian and bicycle crashes can cause fractures, traumatic brain injuries, orthopedic injuries, scarring, and permanent limitations that affect work, mobility, independence, and daily life. Gavagan Law develops these claims around the full effect of the injuries and works to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, future medical care, pain and suffering, and other losses.

Slip and Fall, Premises Liability, and Vacation Rental Injuries

People may be injured on Cape Cod in restaurants, stores, hotels, parking areas, rental properties, vacation homes, apartment buildings, and other properties because of wet floors, defective stairs, uneven surfaces, poor lighting, snow and ice, unsafe walkways, or another dangerous condition.

Cape Cod also has a large number of vacation and short-term rental properties. Injuries at an Airbnb, VRBO, summer rental, hotel, or other vacation property may involve a property owner, landlord, property manager, maintenance company, or another business responsible for keeping the property reasonably safe.

Gavagan Law evaluates all potentially responsible parties and available insurance coverage and develops the claim for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, permanent limitations, and other losses caused by the injury.

Construction and Workplace Injuries on Cape Cod

Construction and workplace accidents may involve more than workers’ compensation benefits. When a contractor, subcontractor, property owner, equipment company, negligent driver, or another third party contributes to the accident, the injured worker may also have a separate personal injury claim.

Cape Cod workplace injuries may arise in construction, landscaping, hospitality, restaurants, retail businesses, marinas, delivery work, and other seasonal or year-round employment. Gavagan Law evaluates the responsible parties and available insurance coverage so an injured worker is not limited to workers’ compensation when another person or company may be legally responsible.

Dog Bites, Nursing Home Negligence, and Wrongful Death Claims

Gavagan Law also represents people injured in dog attacks, families dealing with serious nursing home negligence, and families who have lost a loved one because of another person’s or company’s negligence.

These cases may involve serious injuries, medical expenses, scarring, permanent impairment, emotional distress, or wrongful death. Gavagan Law identifies the responsible parties and available insurance coverage and develops the claim around the full financial and personal losses caused by the injury or death.

A serious accident can affect far more than a person’s immediate medical bills. Injuries may require emergency care, physical therapy, diagnostic imaging, specialist treatment, injections, surgery, time away from work, and ongoing medical care.

Serious injuries in Cape Cod personal injury cases may include:

Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions and persistent cognitive symptoms;
Neck and back injuries, including whiplash, herniated or bulging discs, and nerve symptoms;
Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis, loss of sensation, impaired mobility, and permanent neurological damage;
Broken bones and fractures that may require surgery and rehabilitation;
Shoulder, knee, hip, and other orthopedic injuries;
Nerve injuries, including radiating pain, numbness, or tingling;
Scarring and disfigurement; Internal injuries; and
Catastrophic injuries and permanent disability.

A Cape Cod personal injury claim may include compensation for medical expenses, future medical care, lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent limitations, and other economic and non-economic damages.

Gavagan Law develops the claim around the full effect of the serious injury on the client’s health, work, independence, family responsibilities, and daily life. The firm also addresses insurance company arguments that attempt to minimize the injury, medical treatment, or long-term impact of the accident.

Gavagan Law represents people injured throughout Cape Cod and Barnstable County, including Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth, Mashpee, Barnstable, Hyannis, Yarmouth, Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown, across the Upper Cape, Mid-Cape, Lower Cape, and Outer Cape.

The firm represents Cape Cod residents as well as people injured while visiting the area. Personal injury claims may arise from accidents on local roads, at businesses and restaurants, vacation and rental properties, hotels, workplaces, construction sites, and other properties throughout the Cape Cod area.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Massachusetts?

The Statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in Massachusetts is generally three years from the date of the accident. M.G.L. c. 260, § 2A.

Different deadlines or notice requirements may apply in some cases, including claims involving public entities, minors, or other special circumstances. Under the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act, written notice of the claim (known as “Presentment”) must be provided to the appropriate government entity within two (2) years of the accident. Failing to comply with these requirements can jeopardize your right to recover compensation and pursue a claim.

Because these deadlines and notice requirements can vary depending on the circumstances of the accident, it is important to speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.

Can I recover compensation if I was partly at fault for an accident on Cape Cod?

Yes, depending on the percentage of fault. Massachusetts follows modified comparative negligence. An injured person may recover if their negligence was not greater than the combined negligence of the person or parties against whom recovery is sought. Any damages are reduced by the injured person’s percentage of fault. If the injured person’s fault is greater than 50%, they are not entitled to any damages award.

Who pays my medical bills after a Cape Cod car accident?

Massachusetts motor vehicle insurance generally includes Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, which may provide benefits for certain medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who caused the accident, subject to Massachusetts law and the insurance coverage involved.

Depending on the accident and the seriousness of the injuries, additional compensation may also be available through the negligent drivers bodily injury coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, commercial insurance, or another applicable policy.

For a more detailed explanation, see our guide to car insurance after a Massachusetts car accident.

What if I was injured while visiting Cape Cod?

You do not need to live on Cape Cod to pursue a personal injury claim arising from an accident that happened there. People visiting Cape Cod may be injured in car or motorcycle accidents, pedestrian or bicycle crashes, falls, vacation rentals, hotels, restaurants, or other properties.

Who may be responsible for a slip and fall or vacation rental injury on Cape Cod?

Depending on where and how the accident occurred, responsibility may involve a property owner, landlord, property manager, hotel, business, maintenance company, snow-removal contractor, or another party that controlled or maintained the property.

Massachusetts premises liability law generally requires a property owner or occupier to use reasonable care to avoid foreseeable injuries to lawful visitors.

What should I know after a motorcycle accident on Cape Cod?

Motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries and may involve different insurance issues than ordinary car accidents. In Massachusetts, insurers are not legally required to provide Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage on motorcycle policies in the same way PIP is required for private passenger motor vehicles.

Because medical bills and other losses may need to be recovered from different sources, identifying the negligent driver and all available insurance coverage can be particularly important after a serious motorcycle accident. Gavagan Law evaluates fault, insurance coverage, medical expenses, lost income, and the full effect of the injuries when developing the claim.

Who may be responsible for a truck or commercial vehicle accident on Cape Cod?

A truck or commercial vehicle accident may involve more than the individual driver. Depending on the circumstances, potentially responsible parties may include the driver, employer, vehicle owner, delivery company, contractor, maintenance company, or another business involved in the operation or maintenance of the vehicle. These cases may also involve multiple insurance policies or additional commercial coverage.