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Slip and Fall Lawyer for Somerville, MA
If you fell on someone else's property in Somerville, 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 Somerville 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 Somerville.
Courts that serve Somerville for slip and fall 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.
- 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 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 Somerville readers ask most
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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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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.