When someone else’s carelessness injures you in Taunton, Massachusetts — on their property, through their dog, behind their wheel, or on a job site they controlled — Massachusetts law entitles you to full compensation, and Shea Culgin Law pursues it on contingency. Robert Shea and Joseph Culgin have represented injury victims in Bristol County for over 20 years. Call 508-510-5107 for a free consultation.
The Injury Claims We Bring for Taunton Residents
Falls and Unsafe Property
Property owners and businesses in Taunton owe lawful visitors a duty of reasonable care. In winter, that duty includes snow and ice: ever since the Supreme Judicial Court decided *Papadopoulos v. Target Corp.* in 2010, owners can no longer escape liability by labeling ice a “natural accumulation” — they must act reasonably to keep walkways, lots, and entrances safe. Be aware of the trap built into these cases: snow-and-ice claims require written notice to the responsible party within 30 days of the injury. Year-round, we handle falls caused by wet floors, broken stairs and railings, poor lighting, and parking-lot defects.
Taunton’s Injury Geography
The city’s injury exposure mirrors its economy. The Route 44 and Route 140 commercial strips concentrate big-box stores, supermarkets, and restaurant parking lots where fall and negligent-maintenance claims are a steady occurrence. Downtown’s older building stock around Taunton Green raises its own hazards — aging stairwells, uneven sidewalks, and deferred maintenance in commercial and residential rentals. Myles Standish Industrial Park brings heavy truck traffic and industrial premises into the picture, and large public venues and schools round out the map.
Dog Attacks
G.L. c. 140, §155 makes dog owners strictly liable for the harm their animals cause. You do not need to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous or did anything careless — liability attaches unless the injured person was trespassing or provoking the dog, and children under seven are presumed innocent of provocation. Homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policies are the usual source of payment.
Wrongful Death
The Massachusetts wrongful death statute, G.L. c. 229, §2, lets the personal representative of the estate recover the value of the decedent’s lost earnings and services, the family’s loss of companionship and guidance, and punitive damages where the conduct was grossly negligent or malicious. Given the severity of crashes on Route 24 and Route 140, Taunton families face these cases more often than most. They are typically filed in Bristol County Superior Court.
Three Rules That Shape Every Taunton Injury Case
First: comparative negligence. Under G.L. c. 231, §85, your recovery survives as long as your share of fault is 50% or less, reduced proportionally — and defendants in premises cases almost always argue the hazard was “open and obvious.” Second: the clock. G.L. c. 260, §2A allows three years from the date of injury for most claims, with the separate 30-day written notice for snow-and-ice falls. Third: damages. Massachusetts permits recovery of all medical expenses, lost earnings and future earning capacity, and pain and suffering, with no cap in ordinary negligence cases.
You Pay Nothing Unless We Win
Every Taunton personal injury case we take is handled on a contingency fee. We advance the costs of investigation, experts, and litigation, and our fee is a percentage of the recovery — if there is no recovery, you owe nothing.
Talk to a Taunton Injury Lawyer Now
Evidence in injury cases has a short shelf life — surveillance loops get overwritten, hazards get repaired, witnesses scatter. Call 508-510-5107 today for a free case review. You can also explore our full personal injury practice, our Taunton car accident page for crash claims, or our Taunton workers’ compensation page for on-the-job injuries.
Taunton Personal Injury FAQ
I fell in a store parking lot on Route 44. What should I do first?
Report it to the store before you leave, get medical care the same day, photograph the defect, and collect witness names. Then call us — we send evidence-preservation letters immediately, because parking-lot surveillance footage rarely survives more than a few weeks unrequested.
Does the 30-day notice rule apply if I slipped on ice at a private business?
Yes — the statutory notice requirement for snow-and-ice injuries reaches private property owners, not just municipalities. It is one of the shortest deadlines in Massachusetts injury law, and missing it can be fatal to the claim.
The property owner’s insurer offered me a quick settlement. Should I take it?
Not before you know the full extent of your injuries and your damages. Early offers are calculated to close files cheaply before the medical picture is complete. Once you sign a release, the claim is over permanently.
Where would my Taunton injury lawsuit actually be filed?
Smaller-value claims go to Taunton District Court at 40 Broadway. Larger cases are filed in Bristol County Superior Court, whose civil sessions sit in New Bedford. Most claims settle without a lawsuit at all — but filing readiness is what drives fair offers.
