Boston, Massachusetts Personal Injury, Legal Malpractice, & Bankruptcy Lawyers

Law Office of Neil Burns

6 Beacon Street
Suite 600
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
USA

(617) 227-7423 or(888) 241-0161

(617) 227-0691

www.neilburnslaw.com

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Law Firm Overview FREE CONSULTATION

The Law Office of Neil Burns is a Boston-based law firm that offers personal representation to victims of car accidents, personal injury, child injury, wrongful death, legal malpractice, and personal bankruptcy. Our job is to secure the best results for our clients. Our practice includes representing victims in the District Courts, Superior Courts, the Appeals Court, Probate Courts Federal Bankruptcy Court and the Federal District Court.

Many of our clients are victims of personal injuries. They and their families need clear and concise counsel to help them with the legal aspects of their claims. The insurance companies are stacked with procedures, formulas and methods that an experienced attorney can help navigate. We caringly guide our clients; we work effectively with the insurance companies; we communicate with our clients from day one until the day the case is resolved. The process is effective because we have the experience. We aim to be their lawyer thereafter as well; we offer a personal injury blog to keep our clients informed of the law.

We have also represented many families who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Wrongful death, cases are especially difficult for the family. Often another family member has suffered personal injuries from the same catastrophe, whether it was a motor vehicle collision, a house fire, or a result of negligently maintained premises. Our services include filing the probate of the estate and negotiating settlement or trial.

Year this Office was Established: 1985

Languages: Spanish; English.

Areas of Law

Additional Areas of Law: Child Injuries; Dog Bite Cases; Underinsurance Accidents; Uninsured Accidents; Taxi Cab Accidents; Drunk Driving Accidents; Texting While Driving Accidents; Rear End Collisions; Motor Vehicle Insurance Demystified.

Areas of Law Description

The Law Office of Neil Burns offers legal representation and services in the following areas of practice:

- Personal Injury

At The Law Office of Neil Burns, we’ve handled thousands of personal injury cases since 1985, and have had a great deal of success for our clients. If you’ve been injured, you’ve got enough to deal with. Focus on healing – not on wrangling with insurance companies and their lawyers. We’ll do the fighting for you. Feel confident that we will always behave ethically and professionally. Feel just as confident that we will fight for your rights intelligently and aggressively.

* Child Injuries
When a child is injured, the case may be more complicated than when an adult is injured. First, the parent has to be involved in finding the lawyer and assisting in the preparation of the case. Second, the child has to be involved – talking to the lawyer about the accident or the medical treatment, talking about how it has affected the child at home or school, and perhaps being prepared to testify. This requires the gaining of the child’s trust. I must spend time with the child, with the parents present, to gain this trust.

* Construction Accidents
Construction injury lawsuits are very complicated. They can involve state and federal workplace safety violations, medical experts, contractor and subcontractor liability, and tough questions about what “negligence” means in a specific situation. Sometimes the toughest issue is figuring out which companies, employees, subcontractors, material suppliers, architects, engineers, and insurance companies should be held responsible. At the Law Office of Neil Burns, we have a solid track record of taking and winning construction accident personal injury lawsuits. Our excellent reputation for helping injured construction workers is well-earned.

* Dog Bite Cases
Dog bites and dog attacks can cause serious injuries. The victim may be left with permanent scarring, facial disfigurement, broken bones, and lasting emotional trauma. If you suffered a dog bite or attack, the law in Massachusetts is clear – and in your favor. You can win compensation for your injuries from the dog’s owner even if the owner was not negligent. You can win compensation regardless of whether the dog attacked anyone before – there’s no such thing as a “free bite.” You can win compensation regardless of the dog’s breed – whether the dog’s a pit bull or a poodle, a Doberman or a Golden.

* Burn Injuries
People who have suffered serious burn injuries face many hurdles in their road to recovery. The pain and suffering of a burn victim is horrific, and impossible to overstate. Some die, while those who survive often have a difficult and protracted rehabilitation. If you’ve been burned, or if your family member suffered or died from burns, you may be entitled to receive monetary compensation. We understand the severity of burn injuries and dedicate ourselves helping burn victims and their families get the compensation they deserve and that may be needed to get their lives back on track.

* Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries and spinal injuries often cause harm to the victims and their families that never fully heals. Though there are many potential causes of brain and spinal injuries, they are often the result of carelessness by others. If you or a member of your family suffered a traumatic brain injury or spinal injury, talk to the Boston, Massachusetts brain and spinal injury attorneys the Law Office of Neil Burns. We have the resources; compassion, knowledge, and skill that you need to get the full monetary compensation that you deserve.

* Premises Liability
Premises are generally governed by intricate building and safety codes that require buildings and land to be kept up to specific safety standards. Unfortunately, many building owners and landowners cut corners to save money, leading to hazardous conditions. There can also be multiple responsible parties – landlords, landowners, employers, elevator manufacturers, escalator repair companies, mass transit authorities – and multiple overlapping insurance policies that can be difficult to interpret. The Boston personal injury attorneys at the Law Office of Neil Burns are intimately familiar with the relevant codes and insurance policies regarding landlord liability.

* Slip and Fall Accidents
For over 25 years we have represented people who have slipped, tripped, fallen and have suffered bodily injury as a result of the negligence of the owner of the properly. Slip and fall accidents happen in a range of environments – in supermarkets, in restaurants, on stairs, on or near construction sites, in rental apartments, in stores. Everywhere. The injuries from such falls range from simple cuts and bruises to head injuries, to broken bones, to injuries to children.

- Motor Vehicle Accidents

Any motor vehicle accident can result in serious injuries. Notwithstanding the impact and the amount of damage to your vehicle, victims can be left with disabling injuries, medical bills, hospital stays, operative procedures and surgeries, rehabilitation or chiropractic therapy, lost income, lost benefits, physical pain and mental suffering, and the very real prospect of permanent disabilities. To make matters worse, automobile insurance in Massachusetts seems to be set up so that you have to battle with insurance companies for everything.

* Truck Accidents
We have represented victims of truck accidents on highways, on small road, and in intersections. The consequences of these types of accident can have a serious impact on victims and their loved ones, both physically and emotionally. We understand that these situations require sensitivity and determination to effectively recover damages from the negligent persons responsible for your injuries. We will work tirelessly and diligently on your behalf to recover compensation for your loss, which may include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and more.

* Underinsurance Accidents
Having minimal coverage can be costly: if you are injured by another driver, his or her policy will reimburse you at least in that amount for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering and disability periods. If his policy is minimal, the most you can get from the insurance policy for pain, suffering and any permanent injuries is $20,000. However, if your damages exceed that value, and you have the minimal Massachusetts underinsurance policy of $20,000 underinsurance coverage on your own vehicle, there is no more insurance money we can get for you. However, with additional underinsurance coverage, you will be able to seek additional compensation.

* Uninsured Accidents
If you are a victim of a personal injury from a motor vehicle accident in Massachusetts, and you discover that the negligent driver had no insurance, don’t worry. First, so long as your vehicle had Massachusetts insurance, you have at the very least a policy for up to $20,000 of coverage for pain and suffering and lost earnings. Further, your PIP coverage will add up to another $8,000 of coverage for medical bills and lost earnings. Most importantly, however, you should elect to buy additional uninsured motor vehicle coverage.

* Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians often have the right–of–way when navigating streets and walkways. Motor vehicle drivers who fail to yield to a pedestrian can and should be held responsible for their negligence. Car accidents, truck accidents and accidents involving buses, for example, can lead to serious or fatal pedestrian accidents. In order to win a pedestrian accident case, you must prove that the driver responsible for your accident engaged in some type of negligent behavior. The attorneys at the Law Office of Neil Burns will act quickly to build your case, and protect you, your family and your rights.

* Bicycle Accidents
Many motor vehicle accidents whereby a bicyclist is struck and injured occur when the driver of the automobile turns left into the oncoming cyclist, the driver cuts across the path of the cyclist in attempting a right-hand turn, or the driver runs a stop sign or red light and strikes the cyclist directly. If you are involved in a bicycle accident, talk to our personal injury attorneys, who understand both the dynamics of bicycle injuries and Massachusetts law as it relates to bicycles and the rules of the road.

* Motorcycle Accidents
When motorcyclists, and their passengers, are in involved in collisions, their injuries are often far more severe than those driving or riding in cars. Motorcyclists are more likely to have spine, back, and/or head injuries that can affect them for the rest of their lives. In addition, Massachusetts does not provide Personal Injury Protection benefits for motorcyclists. The Boston accident attorneys at the Law Office of Neil Burns will begin working with you immediately. We are aggressive when working with the insurance company during the claims process.

* Taxi Cab Accidents
Many times we represent people who are inside the taxi when there is a collision. We have also represented taxi drivers. Often however we represent clients who are passengers. Passengers, as a general rule, cannot be held responsible for their injuries. Thus, they look to the person at fault; the taxi driver, or the driver of another vehicle. If you or are victim of a taxi accident in Boston or anywhere in Massachusetts, talk to Attorney Neil Burns. We have been representing victims of taxi collisions since 1985. Neil is aggressive, effective and caring when representing victims of taxicab accidents while giving clients personal attention from the outset to the resolution of each and every case.

* Hit and Run Accidents
If you are the victim, you need to report the collision to your insurance company. They will likely undertake some type of investigation. That may include taking photographs of your vehicle and the scene, and also, taking a statement. The statement you give is critical because quite often the insurance adjusters take a skeptical view of a collision. The reasons for this may vary, but one important reason is that your insurance company will be responsible for all the damages. Those damages include Personal Injury Protection, or no fault, medical and lost income coverage; motor vehicle damage; and pain and suffering.

* Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving collisions often happen at night. They are often serious collisions because drunk drivers who are speeding make mistakes of judgment resulting in their erratic driving. We often see high speed lane violations, blown red lights at high speeds, and rear end collisions forcing vehicles into other vehicles or objects. The resulting injuries include Massachusetts wrongful death, serious head injuries, broken bones, and neck whiplash injuries. The law does not protect victims of drunk drivers with respect to damages or injuries. Insurance companies in Massachusetts will focus on damages in these cases, giving up on liability.

* Texting While Driving Accidents
There is no question that texting, using cell phones and other distractions adversely affect drivers' ability to focus on the road. Studies show that more than 10% of drivers are using cell phones while driving; 20% of all collisions are as a result of "distracted" drivers; and, that at least 16% of motor vehicle fatalities are as a result of cell phone use. In a study by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, texting while driving motor vehicles and truck driver texting is both increasing, and increasingly dangerous. While cell phone use may be a distraction, texting while driving in Massachusetts and other smart phone use while driving are more severe distractions.

- Wrongful Death

Our firm has been helping families recover monies in wrongful death cases for over 25 years. Losing a family member can be catastrophic for a family. In addition to the devastating emotional loss, there is also financial loss after a death. We work to hold the responsible party, and their insurance company, legally responsible for negligence in death cases throughout Massachusetts. I represent my clients aggressively and effectively. Of course, money cannot replace the love, companionship and society after a loved one dies. However, it can help replace income. Our clients often express feelings of anger and confusion. They often face becoming a witness a criminal prosecution against the person responsible for the death, especially if the death is associated with a motor vehicle accident involving negligent driving or alcohol.

- Legal Malpractice

In general, attorney malpractice occurs when an attorney breaches his or her duty to a client to perform legal services according to the minimum standard of professional care imposed by law, resulting in damage to the client. Most cases involving legal malpractice in Massachusetts result in a settlement with a "confidentiality agreement." This is a contract between our client and the prior attorney (and his or her insurance company) which forbids the client from discussing the settlement. Wherefore, for the following representative cases in which no lawsuit was filed, we have changed names, towns, and genders so that our clients are not in violation of the confidentiality agreements. We have not changed dates.

- Personal Bankruptcy

A personal, no asset, bankruptcy is known as Chapter 7. For this type of bankruptcy, our clients keep all of the assets they want to keep (home if it qualifies, motor vehicle, personal property, clothing, etc.) and discharge all their consumer debts. We will work with you to determine that all of your assets are kept protected from the creditors. We work with the client to determine if they qualify. Once the client hires us, and supply us with the documents we need, we prepare all of the paperwork to complete the Chapter 7 Petition and Schedules. We forward them to the client for review and signature. When finalized, we file with the Bankruptcy Court electronically. Thirty days later there is a hearing before a Chapter 7 Trustee. This is called the Creditor Meeting or 341 Hearing.