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Property Damage Lawyer for Fall River, MA
If your insurer denied, delayed or underpaid a covered loss on Fall River property, Chapters 93A and 176D can allow double or triple your actual damages plus attorney fees for bad-faith handling, and a suit on a standard policy must be filed within two years of the loss (M.G.L. c. 175, sec. 99).
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The short answer for Fall River
Massachusetts homeowners and business policyholders are protected by Chapter 93A and Chapter 176D, which prohibit unfair claim-handling practices. If a carrier denies, delays, or undervalues a covered loss in bad faith, you may recover double or triple your actual damages plus attorney fees. Common cases include water-damage denials, fire-loss disputes, and roof-claim underpayment. A suit against your own insurer on a standard Massachusetts policy must be filed within two years of the loss under M.G.L. c. 175 sec. 99; a tort claim against the person who caused the damage has three years under c. 260 sec. 2A, and a bad-faith claim under c. 93A has four years. Jim Glaser Law evaluates property claims at no cost. Property-damage matters are accepted on contingency.
The full Massachusetts rules, statutes and typical timeline are on the property damage page; this page covers what is specific to Fall River.
Courts that serve Fall River for property damage matters
Under M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1, Fall River is in the judicial district of the Second District Court of Bristol, which also covers Somerset, Swansea, Freetown and Westport. Fall River is in Bristol County, so a Superior Court case brought by a Fall River resident goes to the Bristol 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Second District Court of Bristol | Civil claims up to $50,000 | Fall River, Somerset, Swansea, Freetown and Westport |
| Bristol Superior Court | Civil claims over $50,000 | 9 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780 |
First steps
- Know the court: the Second District Court of Bristol hears claims up to $50,000 and the Bristol 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 Second District Court of Bristol serves Fall River, Somerset, Swansea, Freetown and Westport.
- 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).
Talk to the firm about your property damage matter
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Common questions from Fall River
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Which District Court covers Fall River?
Under M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1, Fall River is in the judicial district of the Second District Court of Bristol, which also covers Somerset, Swansea, Freetown and Westport.
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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 Fall River, that is Bristol County, and the Bristol Superior Court sits at 9 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780.
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Information on this page is published as 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.