What to expect from your Massachusetts case
Most people have never been through a legal matter and have no idea what actually happens after they sign with a firm. Here is the real sequence: what we do, what you do, and roughly how long each part takes.
- 01
You telephone (617) JIM-WINS. The line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by an AI intake assistant that captures your facts, the type of matter, and your contact information. The summary is routed to the firm immediately. An attorney follows up directly during business hours; for time-sensitive matters the follow-up is faster.
What you give
- What happened
- When and where
- Who else was involved
- Any photos, documents, or police-report numbers you already have
What you get
- A plain answer about whether the firm can help
- Whether the matter falls inside the firm's in-house practice or is referred without fee to a Massachusetts partner attorney
- Next steps in writing
- 02
If the firm takes the matter, you receive a written fee agreement that complies with Massachusetts Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(c). For contingency cases (most personal injury matters): no attorney's fee unless and until a recovery to the client. Case-related costs and expenses (filing fees, deposition costs, medical-records charges, expert witnesses) are addressed in the agreement and may be the client's responsibility. Read it. Ask questions. Sign only when you understand what you are signing.
What you give
- Signature on the engagement letter
- Authorization for the firm to request your medical and insurance records
What you get
- A signed copy of the agreement for your records
- A direct attorney contact at the firm
- 03
The firm collects police reports, medical records, employment records (for lost-wage claims), photos of the scene and the injuries, witness statements, and any expert reports the case requires. For workers' compensation matters, the firm files the c. 152 claim with the Department of Industrial Accidents within statutory deadlines. For mass-tort matters, you complete the docket-specific screening questionnaire and the firm coordinates with national lead counsel where appropriate.
What you give
- Continued medical treatment as your provider recommends (gaps in treatment hurt cases)
- Any new bills, records, or correspondence you receive about the matter
- Any contact from insurance companies (do not give recorded statements without telling the firm first)
What you get
- Status updates as records arrive
- A clearer picture of the case's strength as the file builds
- 04
Once your treatment has reached a stable point and the records are in, the firm prepares a written demand to the at-fault carrier or defendant. The demand sets out the liability, the medical record, the documented losses (medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering), and the settlement number. For matters under M.G.L. c. 93A or c. 176D (insurance bad faith), the demand triggers a 30-day clock; the carrier must make a reasonable offer or expose itself to multiple damages at trial.
What you give
- Final review of the demand before it goes out (facts must be exactly right)
- Your decision authority on settlement range
What you get
- A copy of the demand
- A timeline for the carrier's response
- 05
The carrier responds with an offer (or a denial, or radio silence). The firm negotiates back. Most Massachusetts personal injury matters resolve here, without a lawsuit ever being filed, because the carrier knows the firm is prepared to file if the offer is unreasonable.
What you give
- Your decision on each offer (settle, counter, or proceed to litigation). The firm advises; you decide
What you get
- Each offer in writing, with the firm's recommendation and the math behind it (after fees, after medical liens, what you actually keep)
- 06
If the carrier will not pay fairly, the firm files suit in the appropriate Massachusetts court (Superior Court for matters over $50,000, District Court for smaller matters; Probate and Family Court for divorce; the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts for bankruptcy referrals). Filing starts the discovery phase: written interrogatories, document requests, depositions, expert disclosures. Most cases still resolve at mediation before trial; some go to a jury.
What you give
- Time for at least one deposition (usually a half day)
- Continued cooperation with discovery requests
- Patience: civil litigation in Massachusetts moves slowly by design
What you get
- Court date confirmation
- Mediator scheduling
- A trial date if mediation fails
- 07
When the case resolves, the firm distributes funds: any medical liens are paid first (workers' comp lien, MassHealth lien, hospital lien, ERISA plan reimbursement), then case-related costs and expenses per the engagement agreement, then the contingency fee, then the net to you. You receive a written settlement statement showing every line item. Funds disburse from the firm's IOLTA trust account, typically within days of clearance.
What you give
- A signed release (most settlements require one)
- Confirmation of how you want funds disbursed (check, wire)
What you get
- Itemized settlement statement
- Funds in the form requested
- A closed file you can request a copy of at any time
Timelines are typical Massachusetts patterns; every case is different. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Attorney advertising under Mass. R. Prof. C. 7.1 to 7.5. Responsible attorney: Jim Glaser, Massachusetts.