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New Bedford, MA Slip and Fall Attorney
If you fell on someone else's property in New Bedford, you have a claim when the owner knew or should have known about the hazard and failed to fix it; every owner owes lawful visitors reasonable care (Mounsey v. Ellard, 1973), and snow and ice fall under the same rule since Papadopoulos v. Target (2010).
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The New Bedford answer in plain language
Massachusetts property owners owe a duty of reasonable care to all lawful visitors after the 1973 Mounsey v. Ellard ruling. To win a slip-and-fall claim you must show the owner knew or should have known about the hazard and failed to address it. Snow and ice cases are subject to the 2010 Papadopoulos rule, which removed the old natural accumulation defense. Jim Glaser Law has represented Massachusetts slip-and-fall claimants since 1995. Slip-and-fall matters are accepted on contingency.
The full Massachusetts rules, statutes and typical timeline are on the slip and fall page; this page covers what is specific to New Bedford.
Courts that serve New Bedford for slip and fall matters
Under M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1, New Bedford is in the judicial district of the Third District Court of Bristol, which also covers Fairhaven, Acushnet, Dartmouth, Freetown and Westport. New Bedford is in Bristol County, so a Superior Court case brought by a New Bedford 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Third District Court of Bristol | Civil claims up to $50,000 | New Bedford, Fairhaven, Acushnet, Dartmouth, Freetown and Westport |
| Bristol Superior Court | Civil claims over $50,000 | 9 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780 |
First steps
- Get medical care and keep every record. St. Luke's Hospital (Southcoast) is among the hospitals listed for New Bedford, and the firm requests the records itself once you sign an authorization.
- Know the court: the Third 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 Third District Court of Bristol serves New Bedford, Fairhaven, Acushnet, Dartmouth, 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).
New Bedford 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.
- St. Luke's Hospital (Southcoast) 101 Page St, New Bedford, MA 02740
The firm requests records from any Massachusetts provider on the medical chain, listed here or not.
Talk to the firm about your slip and fall 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.
Results as published by Jim Glaser Law on jimglaserlaw.com. Results vary and depend on the facts of each case. See all results
Recent settlementsSettlement summaries from Jim Glaser Law's own case files, without client names.
Veteran Electrician Injured in Ladder Fall
An electrician with more than three decades at the same company fell from a ladder while stapling wires and injured his right knee. He reported the fall, sought treatment immediately, and kept working. When conservative care did not help, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on the meniscus and went out of work. He returned to the job after surgery, but the pain eventually became so severe that he was advised to stop working again.
Client reviews as published on jimglaserlaw.com.
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Questions New Bedford readers ask most
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Which District Court covers New Bedford?
Under M.G.L. c. 218, sec. 1, New Bedford is in the judicial district of the Third District Court of Bristol, which also covers Fairhaven, Acushnet, Dartmouth, 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 New Bedford, that is Bristol County, and the Bristol Superior Court sits at 9 Court Street, Taunton, MA 02780.
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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.