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Somerville Motorcycle Accidents Law Firm
If another driver hit you on a motorcycle in Somerville, you can claim pain and suffering without first clearing the $2,000 medical-bill threshold, because motorcycle policies give the rider no PIP (Murphy v. Bohn, 377 Mass. 544 (1979)), and riding without a helmet is evidence of negligence, not a bar to recovery (M.G.L. c. 231, sec. 85).
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Somerville: the short answer
Massachusetts motorcycle policies do not provide PIP to the rider, so under Murphy v. Bohn, 377 Mass. 544 (1979), a Massachusetts rider injured by another driver does not need to clear the $2,000 medical-bill tort threshold to bring a claim for pain and suffering. Recoverable damages include medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. Massachusetts requires helmets for every rider and passenger under M.G.L. c. 90, sec. 7; under M.G.L. c. 231, sec. 85 a violation is evidence of negligence rather than a bar to recovery. Jim Glaser Law evaluates Massachusetts motorcycle matters at no cost. Motorcycle matters are accepted on contingency.
The full Massachusetts rules, statutes and typical timeline are on the motorcycle accidents page; this page covers what is specific to Somerville.
What the state's crash records show for Somerville
Massachusetts publishes every reported crash through the MassDOT IMPACT open data system. Across 2022 to 2024, Somerville recorded 1,999 reported crashes, of which 625 involved an injury and 0 were fatal. That places Somerville number 52 of 349 Massachusetts cities and towns by total reported crashes. Somerville alone accounts for 0.5 percent of every crash reported in the commonwealth over those three years.
Manner of collision is how the vehicles first came together, as the reporting officer recorded it, and by that measure the most common crash in Somerville is the angle collision. Rear-end collisions, where one vehicle runs into the back of another, were 25.5 percent of Somerville's reported crashes; angle collisions, where vehicles meet because their paths cross, 27.6 percent; and single vehicle crashes, which involve one motor vehicle, 19.5 percent, against 28.1, 23.9 and 22.9 percent statewide. How that mix varies across Massachusetts, and why it moves the injury and fatal rates, is in what kind of crash is most common in each Massachusetts town.
The roads carrying the most reported crashes in Somerville in the most recent year of data:
- Broadway9 crashes
- Mcgrath Highway9 crashes
- Broadway8 crashes
These figures are reported crashes, not claims or lawsuits, and a crash appearing in the state record says nothing about who was at fault. Fault in Massachusetts is decided under the comparative negligence rule of M.G.L. c. 231, sec. 85. Full figures for every Massachusetts community are in the Somerville crash report and the statewide Massachusetts crash report.
Source: MassDOT IMPACT open crash data, 2022 to 2024. Updated monthly.
Courts that serve Somerville for motorcycle accidents matters
Under M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1, Somerville is in the judicial district of the District Court of Somerville, which also covers Medford. Somerville is in Middlesex County, so a Superior Court case brought by a Somerville resident goes to the Middlesex Superior Court.
A District Court civil case can be filed in the district where any party lives or has a usual place of business, or in an adjoining district (M.G.L. c. 223, sec. 2). Where the event happened does not decide it.
| Court | What it hears | District or address |
|---|---|---|
| District Court of Somerville | Civil claims up to $50,000 | Somerville and Medford |
| Middlesex Superior Court | Civil claims over $50,000 | 200 Trade Center, Woburn, MA 01801 |
First steps
- Get medical care and keep every record. Cambridge Hospital (CHA) and Mount Auburn Hospital are among the hospitals listed for Middlesex County, and the firm requests the records itself once you sign an authorization.
- If a vehicle was involved, file the operator's crash report within five days when anyone was hurt or damage passed $1,000 (M.G.L. c. 90, sec. 26), and keep the police report number.
- Know the court: the District Court of Somerville hears claims up to $50,000 and the Middlesex Superior Court hears larger ones.
- Call (617) JIM-WINS before you file or appear, so the deadline and the right court are checked against your facts.
Key terms
- Judicial district
- The towns one District Court division serves, as listed in M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1. The District Court of Somerville serves Somerville and Medford.
- Venue
- The county or district where a case may be filed. Massachusetts sets it by where the parties live or work (M.G.L. c. 223, secs. 1 and 2).
Middlesex County hospitals where treatment records often originate
If you were seen at one of these facilities, the firm requests your treatment records as part of building the documentary record. You do not need to retrieve them yourself; a signed medical authorization at intake gives the firm the access it needs.
- Cambridge Hospital (CHA) 1493 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139
- Mount Auburn Hospital 330 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138
- Lowell General Hospital 295 Varnum Ave, Lowell, MA 01854
- Newton-Wellesley Hospital 2014 Washington St, Newton, MA 02462
The firm requests records from any Massachusetts provider on the medical chain, listed here or not.
Talk to the firm about your motorcycle accident matter
Call us 24/7 for a free case review. Or send us your details and we will reach out to you within one business day.
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Frequently asked from Somerville
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Which District Court covers Somerville?
Under M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1, Somerville is in the judicial district of the District Court of Somerville, which also covers Medford.
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Where does a Superior Court case go from here?
A Superior Court case is filed in the county where one of the parties lives or has a usual place of business (M.G.L. c. 223, sec. 1). For someone who lives in Somerville, that is Middlesex County, and the Middlesex Superior Court sits at 200 Trade Center, Woburn, MA 01801.
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How many crashes does the state record here?
MassDOT's open crash records list 1,999 reported crashes in Somerville across 2022 to 2024, of which 625 involved an injury and 0 were fatal. A reported crash says nothing about fault, which is decided under M.G.L. c. 231, sec. 85.
Related Massachusetts legal answers
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- Massachusetts Motorcycle Accidents and the Injury Threshold
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- Can You Ride a Motorcycle With a Learner's Permit in Massachusetts?
- Where Do Most Motorcycle Accidents Happen in Massachusetts?
Browse every question in the Massachusetts legal answers library.
This sub-entry constitutes legal information, not legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Attorney advertising under Mass. R. Prof. C. 7.1 to 7.5. Responsible attorney: Jim Glaser, Massachusetts.