BROOKLINE BICYCLE ACCIDENT LAWYER
You had every right
to that lane.
When a Brookline driver turns across your path or swings a door open into the bike lane, a crash can break bones in an instant, and Massachusetts law puts the fault on that driver.
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What a Brookline bicycle accident lawyer proves for you.
Massachusetts gives a cyclist the same right to the road as any driver, yet a bicycle claim is built very differently from a car claim. When a Brookline driver fails to yield, opens a door into the lane, passes too close, or turns across a rider’s path, the injuries are often far worse than a car-to-car crash at the same speed, because a cyclist has no metal shell and no airbags to absorb the blow. Broken collarbones and wrists, road rash, facial injuries, and concussions are common even at low speed, and a serious head or spinal injury can change a rider’s life in an instant. The legal difference that matters most is insurance: a bicycle is not a motor vehicle, so a cyclist gets no personal injury protection from the driver’s policy and must instead prove the driver’s fault and pursue that driver’s liability coverage directly.
Insurers know riders often do not understand that distinction, and they move early to blame the cyclist or settle a claim before the injuries are fully documented. A common tactic is to argue the rider was outside the lane, ran a light, or was hard to see, locking in that version before anyone pulls the video. A Brookline bicycle accident lawyer gathers the scene evidence, works with the police report, and applies the negligence rules so the driver’s insurer cannot shift the blame onto you. Larson Law handles these claims across Brookline and Norfolk County at no upfront cost, and you pay nothing unless we win. The same team serves cyclists as a Boston bicycle accident lawyer and a Cambridge bicycle accident lawyer, and handles the wider case as a Boston personal injury attorney when an injury reaches beyond a single claim.
What decides most Brookline bicycle cases is the quality of the record built in the first days after the crash. A rider who is injured and shaken is in no position to gather proof, yet that is exactly when the evidence is most available and the insurer is already working. The skid marks, the resting position of the bike and the car, the damage pattern, and the footage from nearby storefronts all tell the real story, and much of it is gone within a week or two. Moving quickly to preserve the photographs, the camera footage, the witnesses, and the medical record is what keeps a serious crash from being turned into a discounted offer, and it costs you nothing to have us start that work today.
What our clients say
Cyclists deserve a lawyer who knows the road.
- We handle bicycle crash claims for injured riders across Brookline and all of Norfolk County.
- We deal with the driver’s insurer directly so you are not blamed or pushed into an early, low settlement.
- We move fast to preserve the scene, the police report, camera footage, and witness accounts before they fade.
- We know the Massachusetts rules that give cyclists the road and the ways insurers try to limit a claim.
- We build each claim on medical proof and crash evidence, not the insurer’s reckless-rider narrative.
- No fee unless we win
- No upfront costs
- Direct attorney access
- Free case review
$300K+ Won For Clients
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8+ Years of Legal Expertise
98% Legal Success Rate
100+ Injured Victims Helped
No Win, No Fee Guaranteed
Massachusetts gives riders the same road rights.
A cyclist has a driver’s rights
Under MGL c.85 §11B, a person riding a bicycle on a Massachusetts road has the rights and duties of the driver of a vehicle. A Brookline rider lawfully in a travel lane has the full right to use it, and a driver who strikes a cyclist while failing to yield, turning across their path, or forcing them into a parked car has violated that right. Massachusetts also requires drivers to leave at least four feet when passing a cyclist under MGL c.90 §14, and to cross the center line to do it safely. A pass closer than four feet, or a right hook made without checking for a rider alongside, is direct evidence of fault the insurer cannot easily explain away.
No PIP, so fault is everything
Massachusetts drivers carry no-fault personal injury protection under MGL c.90 §34M, but that benefit pays the occupants of a motor vehicle, and a bicycle is not one. An injured Brookline cyclist therefore has no PIP of their own and must establish the driver’s fault and pursue the driver’s bodily-injury liability coverage. That makes the fault evidence, and a clear medical record tying each injury to the crash, the center of the case rather than an afterthought. Where the driver’s coverage is too low for a serious injury, the rider’s own underinsured motorist coverage under MGL c.175 §113L can add to the recovery, and a hit-and-run may open an uninsured claim.
Shared fault does not end a claim
Insurers often argue the cyclist rode outside a lane, ran a light, wore dark clothing, or was not visible, hoping to cut what they pay. Massachusetts follows modified comparative negligence under MGL c.231 §85, so a rider still recovers as long as they were not more than half at fault, with any award reduced by their share. Those arguments are tested against the actual facts, the signal timing, the sight lines, and the driver’s own conduct, not simply accepted. The deadline to sue is generally three years under MGL c.260 §2A, but the evidence fades in weeks, so acting early is what actually protects the claim.
Where Brookline bicycle crashes happen most.
The corridors where riders are hit
Brookline’s worst conflicts cluster on Route 9 (Boylston Street), Beacon Street, Harvard Street, Washington Street, and Commonwealth Avenue, where fast through-traffic, the Green Line C and D tracks, and rows of parked cars leave a cyclist almost no room. Coolidge Corner, Brookline Village, Washington Square, and the Longwood medical edge mix riders with turning cars, delivery vans, rideshare pickups, and pedestrians, so dooring and right-hook crashes concentrate there. The Emerald Necklace paths feed riders onto these same busy streets. Knowing the exact spot points to which cameras, signals, and witnesses may have captured the crash, and which duty the driver broke.
Care and where claims are handled
Riders hurt in Brookline are often treated at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and St. Elizabeth’s in nearby Brighton, and prompt, documented care ties each injury to the crash and heads off the insurer’s argument that the harm came from something else. A Brookline bicycle injury claim is generally handled in the Norfolk County courts, the Brookline District Court for smaller matters and the Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham for serious injuries. Because the town, the transit authority, and a private driver can each bear part of the blame in a corridor crash, identifying every responsible party early is one of the first tasks in a Brookline claim.
Why fast action protects the claim
Surveillance video from Beacon Street and Harvard Street businesses is often overwritten within days, a repaired vehicle loses the paint transfer and damage that show the point of impact, and skid marks and debris are swept from the road. Acting early lets your lawyer send preservation letters, secure that footage, and reach the witnesses while their memory is fresh. That groundwork is often what separates a claim the insurer takes seriously from one it brushes aside as the rider’s word against the driver’s, and it is work we start at no cost to you.
What a bicycle injury claim can cover.
Bicycle crash injuries tend to be severe because the rider absorbs the impact directly, and the costs can reach far beyond the first hospital visit into surgery, rehabilitation, time out of work, and the lasting effect of a fracture, head injury, or permanent scar. A full claim accounts for all of it, not just the bills already in hand. What yours supports depends on the severity of the injuries, the insurance available, and the facts of the crash, and we document each category so nothing you are owed is left out.
Medical Bills and Future Care
Lost Wages and Earning Capacity
Pain, Suffering, and Disability
Bicycle Damage and Property Loss
The first days after a crash decide the case.
Get medical care and a crash report
See a doctor right away, even if you feel fine, since bicycle injuries often surface later, and make sure the police document the crash, tying your medical record to the driver's fault from the start.
Photograph the whole scene and bike
Photograph the scene, the vehicle, the road, and your bicycle before anything moves, and note the driver's details. Get witness names, since the video and vehicle positions show who was at fault here.
Talk to a lawyer before the insurer
Before you give the driver's insurer a recorded statement or accept a fast payout, speak with a lawyer first, because early advice preserves the crash evidence and protects the filing deadline itself.
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Put a Brookline bicycle accident lawyer on your side today.
A bicycle claim turns on proving what the driver did wrong, whether they failed to yield, passed too close, opened a door, or turned across your path, and on documenting injuries that are often serious. Tell us where the crash happened and what the driver did, and we will establish fault, identify every insurance source, and explain what your claim may support. There is no cost and no pressure, and you pay nothing unless we win. When an injury reaches beyond a single claim, the same team handles the wider matter as a Boston personal injury attorney. If a Brookline bicycle crash takes a life, close family may bring a wrongful death claim under MGL c.229 §2.
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Our Clients.
Our Practice Areas.
Larson Law helps injured cyclists across Brookline and the surrounding communities. Riders hurt on Boston streets rely on us as a Boston bicycle accident lawyer, and those injured across the river reach us as a Cambridge bicycle accident lawyer. Not sure where your case belongs? Our Boston personal injury team can point you in the right direction.
Personal injury law in Brookline answered directly.
Do I have a personal injury claim?
You may, if someone else’s carelessness caused your injury. The key questions are whether another person or company was negligent, whether that negligence caused your injury, and how serious the harm is. Many people are unsure whether their situation rises to a claim, especially when an insurer downplays it. A free review with an attorney is the best way to find out, because we can look at the facts, the evidence, and the insurance and tell you honestly whether you have a case and what it may be worth, at no cost to you.
What kinds of cases do you handle?
We handle the full range of serious injury and wrongful death cases, including car, truck, motorcycle, bus, rideshare, bicycle, and pedestrian crashes, slip and fall and other premises injuries, dog bites and animal attacks, injuries from dangerous or defective products, and fatal accidents. What these cases share is that someone was hurt by conduct that should not have happened. If you are not sure whether your situation fits, the simplest thing is to ask; the review is free, and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.
How much is my claim worth?
It depends on the severity of the injuries and their lasting effects. Value can reflect past and future medical care, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and the long-term impact of a serious or permanent injury, along with property damage in a crash. Every case is different, and the future care is often the largest part of a serious claim. Be cautious of anyone who promises a number up front; a careful attorney evaluates the claim only after reviewing how the injury happened and the full medical picture.
What if the insurer says I was partly at fault?
You can still recover as long as you were not more than half to blame. Under comparative negligence, MGL Chapter 231 Section 85, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault but not eliminated unless that share passes fifty percent. Insurers often exaggerate the injured person’s role to cut what they pay, sometimes based on little evidence. An attorney can present the full picture of how the injury happened and protect your recovery from an unfair or inflated fault argument.
Should I talk to the insurance company?
It is best to be cautious. The other side’s insurer, and sometimes even your own, may contact you quickly and sound friendly, but their goal is to limit what they pay, and an early recorded statement can be used against you while you are still hurting. You are not required to give one. An attorney can deal with the insurers for you, so you do not say something that is later taken out of context, and so the focus stays on the other side’s fault and your recovery rather than on the insurer’s bottom line.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Most injury claims must be filed within three years under MGL Chapter 260 Section 2A, and for an injured child the deadline is paused under MGL Chapter 260 Section 7. Claims involving a city or other public entity can carry much shorter notice deadlines. Because evidence fades and cameras record over their footage within days, it is best to act soon so the proof can be preserved well before any deadline approaches.
What if I cannot afford a lawyer?
You can. Larson Law handles injury claims on a contingency fee, which means there is no charge unless we recover money for you, and the first review is always free. We advance the costs of investigating the claim and working with any experts the case needs. You do not pay out of pocket while you recover, and we are only paid from a successful result. That arrangement exists so that anyone, regardless of their finances, can afford strong legal help after a serious injury.
Do I really need an attorney for my claim?
For a minor injury you may not, but for any serious injury an attorney usually makes a real difference. Insurers settle for less when no lawyer is involved, and the rules around fault, deadlines, and coverage are easy to get wrong on your own. An attorney levels the field, handles the insurers, proves the claim, and pursues the full value while you focus on recovering. Because the first review is free and we work on a contingency fee, there is no cost to find out whether you need one and what your claim may be worth.
How long will my case take?
It depends on the case. Some claims resolve in a matter of months through negotiation, while others, especially serious injuries that are still healing or cases an insurer refuses to value fairly, take longer and may require filing suit. It is usually wise not to settle until the full extent of your injuries is known, since you generally cannot reopen a claim later. An attorney can give you a realistic timeline for your situation and work to move the case as efficiently as possible without leaving money on the table.
What if a loved one died from an injury?
If an injury proved fatal, close family may bring a wrongful death claim under MGL Chapter 229. Such a claim can seek compensation for the loss of the person’s income, services, companionship, and guidance, along with funeral and related expenses. These cases are painful and the legal steps are complex, and an attorney can handle the investigation and the filings so the family can focus on each other, never paying anything up front and owing a fee only if there is a recovery.
How much does a personal injury attorney cost?
Nothing upfront. Larson Law handles personal injury claims on a contingency fee, so there is no charge unless we recover money for you, and the first review is always free. We advance the costs of investigating the claim, obtaining the records, and working with experts. We are only paid from a successful result, which lets an injured person take on the insurers without paying out of pocket while they recover, so cost is never a reason to wait to find out what your claim may be worth.
What should I do after an accident?
Get medical care right away, even if you feel okay, since some injuries appear hours or days later, and keep every record. Write down how it happened, photograph the scene, the cause, and your injuries, and get the names of any witnesses while it is fresh. Report the accident as appropriate. Avoid giving the insurer a recorded statement or signing anything before you have spoken with an attorney, who can preserve the evidence and protect both your health and your claim from the start.
Results Disclaimer: Past case results, settlements, and verdicts mentioned on this website do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case. Every case is unique and depends on its own facts and legal issues.