If you were injured in Plymouth, Massachusetts because someone else was careless — a fall on an unsafe property, a dog attack, a fatal accident — Shea Culgin Law pursues full compensation on your behalf. We have represented Plymouth County injury victims for more than 20 years, we work on contingency, and the first conversation is free: 508-510-5107.
Injury Cases We Handle for Plymouth Residents
Slip-and-Fall and Premises Liability
Property owners in Plymouth owe lawful visitors reasonable care in maintaining their premises. That duty extends to snow and ice: since the Supreme Judicial Court’s 2010 decision in *Papadopoulos v. Target Corp.*, Massachusetts owners can no longer hide behind the old “natural accumulation” defense — they must use reasonable care to keep walkways, ramps, and parking lots reasonably safe in winter conditions. Plymouth’s coastal freeze-thaw cycles make icy walkways a recurring hazard from November through March. One procedural trap: for snow-and-ice injuries, Massachusetts requires written notice to the property owner within 30 days. Falls also happen year-round — wet floors in supermarkets, broken stairs in rental housing, unmarked elevation changes in busy retail spaces.
Where Plymouth Injuries Happen
Plymouth’s injury exposure tracks its economy. Colony Place — the large open-air retail center near the Route 3/Route 44 interchange — concentrates thousands of daily shoppers in parking lots and store aisles. The downtown waterfront along Water Street and Court Street draws heavy seasonal foot traffic to restaurants, shops, and historic attractions, where crowded sidewalks, uneven historic surfaces, and busy patios create fall risks. Add hotels, marinas, and large residential developments like The Pinehills, and Plymouth produces a steady volume of premises claims.
Dog Bites
Massachusetts imposes strict liability on dog owners under G.L. c. 140, §155. If a dog injures you, the owner is liable without any need to prove the dog was vicious or the owner careless — unless you were trespassing or tormenting the animal. Children are frequent victims and receive added protection under the statute. Homeowner’s insurance typically pays these claims.
Wrongful Death
When negligence takes a life, G.L. c. 229, §2 allows the estate’s personal representative to recover the decedent’s lost income and services, loss of companionship for the family, and — where the conduct was malicious or grossly negligent — punitive damages. These cases are typically filed in Plymouth County Superior Court, which sits right in Plymouth at 52 Obery Street as well as in Brockton.
The Legal Framework for Plymouth Injury Claims
Three rules shape nearly every case. First, modified comparative negligence (G.L. c. 231, §85): you recover if you were not more than 50% at fault, with damages reduced proportionally — expect the defense to argue you should have seen the hazard. Second, the statute of limitations (G.L. c. 260, §2A): three years from the injury date for most claims, with the separate 30-day notice rule for snow-and-ice falls. Third, damages: Massachusetts allows recovery of all medical expenses, lost earnings and earning capacity, and pain and suffering, with no statutory cap in ordinary negligence cases.
What Our Representation Costs
Nothing up front, ever. Shea Culgin Law handles Plymouth personal injury cases on a contingency fee — we are paid a percentage of the recovery only if we win, and we advance case costs. If there is no recovery, you owe us no fee.
Speak with a Plymouth Injury Attorney Today
The earlier we get involved, the more evidence survives — incident reports, surveillance footage, witness memories. Call 508-510-5107 for a free consultation, or learn more about the full scope of our personal injury practice. If your injury happened behind the wheel, see our Plymouth car accident page; if it happened on the job, start with our Plymouth workers’ compensation page.
Plymouth Personal Injury FAQ
I fell at a Plymouth store. Should I report it before leaving?
Yes. Ask for a written incident report and the names of employees who saw the fall or the hazard. Photograph the condition that caused it. Stores often preserve surveillance video only if asked promptly — we send preservation letters immediately when we take a case.
I slipped on ice at a Plymouth business in January. Do I have a case?
Possibly. The owner’s duty is reasonable care under the circumstances — failing to treat a walkway hours after a storm, or ignoring a chronic refreezing problem, can be negligence. Act fast: the 30-day written notice requirement for snow-and-ice claims is unforgiving.
A dog bit my child at a Plymouth park. Who pays?
The dog’s owner is strictly liable under G.L. c. 140, §155, and the claim is usually paid by the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. Children under seven are presumed not to have provoked the dog.
How long will my Plymouth injury case take?
Straightforward claims with completed medical treatment often resolve in months through negotiation. Cases requiring suit in Plymouth County Superior Court take longer — but we only recommend filing when the insurer’s offer doesn’t reflect what the case is worth.
