A vacation or weekend trip to Massachusetts should be about enjoying historic landmarks, fall foliage, or the vibrant streets of Boston, not dealing with an unexpected injury. However, accidents can happen anywhere, from hotel stairways to crowded tourist attractions. If you’ve been hurt while visiting the Commonwealth, knowing what steps to take to protect your health, your rights, and your ability to recover compensation is important.
At DiBella Law Injury and Accident Lawyers, we understand how stressful it can be to face a medical or financial crisis far from home. Our compassionate vacation accident attorneys help injured visitors across Massachusetts get the answers and support they need. Call 855-342-3552 (855-DiBella) or request a free evaluation online to discuss your case today.
Massachusetts Travel Accident Guide: 5 Steps to Take After an Injury
Accidents can be overwhelming, especially when they happen away from home. The most important thing you can do is stay calm, ensure your safety, and create a record of what happened. Official documentation will be vital when you return home and begin recovering your expenses.
1. Seek Medical Help Immediately, Even if You Feel Fine
Your well-being should always come first. After an accident, feeling shaken or unsure about how badly you’re hurt is completely normal. Even if you think your injuries are minor, take the time to get checked by a doctor. Some conditions, like concussions, whiplash, or internal bleeding, can take hours or even days to show symptoms, and getting early care can make all the difference in your recovery.
If you need immediate help, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. When possible, confirm that the hospital or urgent care center accepts your insurance to avoid unexpected bills later. Beyond ensuring your health, medical records from your visit will provide important documentation for your claim and help support your path toward physical and emotional healing.
2. Report Your Accident or Injury
Report the incident as soon as possible. Contact local law enforcement and your insurance company if the accident occurred on the road. If it happened at a business, hotel, or tourist attraction, immediately notify a manager or property owner and ask for an incident report.
This step ensures your injury is formally documented and helps prevent the business from disputing your account later.
3. Gather as Much Evidence as Possible
Evidence helps tell your story, not just what happened, but how it has affected your life. The more details you gather, the stronger your claim will be. Take photos or videos of the scene, your injuries, and any hazards like wet floors or uneven pavement, and gather witness contact information if possible. Keep medical records, bills, receipts for your care, and notes on missed work or follow-up visits. These details help show the full impact of your injury, including your pain and suffering, and give your attorney the foundation needed to pursue fair compensation.
4. Avoid Admitting Fault
After an accident, it’s natural to want to apologize or explain what happened, even when you’ve done nothing wrong. However, those words can sometimes be misunderstood or taken as accepting blame. Instead, it’s best to focus on getting help and documenting the situation.
If an insurance adjuster or business representative reaches out, take your time before signing paperwork or giving a formal statement. These conversations can affect your claim, and it may help to speak with an attorney first to understand your rights and options.
5. Contact a Massachusetts Personal Injury Lawyer
Speaking with a personal injury attorney can make a meaningful difference after an accident in Massachusetts. A free consultation with the premises liability lawyers at DiBella Law gives you the opportunity to understand your rights and explore your options before taking the next step. Our team can manage your claim remotely by phone, Zoom, or through our secure online tools, allowing you to focus on recovery, wherever you are.
Understanding How Massachusetts Law Applies to Your Out-of-State Accident
Every state handles personal injury claims differently, so it’s important to understand how Massachusetts law could affect your case if you’re visiting from elsewhere.
Car Accidents and No-Fault Insurance
Understanding who is responsible for a crash is still important, even though Massachusetts requires no-fault, or personal injury protection (PIP), insurance coverage. Under this system, your own insurance generally pays for certain medical expenses and lost wages after a collision, no matter who caused it. However, if your injuries are serious or your losses exceed the PIP limits, you may be eligible to pursue a fault-based personal injury claim against the driver who caused the accident.
Massachusetts’ Comparative Negligence Rule
Under Massachusetts’ modified comparative negligence rule, you can still recover compensation as long as you are not more than 50 percent at fault for the accident. However, your total recovery will be reduced by your share of responsibility. For instance, if you are found 20 percent at fault, you may still recover 80 percent of your total damages.
File Your Claim Within the Legal Deadline
Massachusetts law places a statute of limitations on personal injury claims, typically three years from the date of the accident. While recovery takes time, it’s important to act before that window closes. Waiting too long could mean losing your right to pursue compensation.
Tourist Injuries in Massachusetts
From walking the historic Freedom Trail to exploring Cape Cod’s beaches or celebrating Haunted Happenings in Salem, Massachusetts, welcomes millions of visitors each year, resulting in thousands of tourist accidents and injuries annually. Tourism continues to grow across the Commonwealth, Salem alone saw record-breaking crowds in October 2024, with more than half a million people attending Halloween festivities.
With such large gatherings, the risk of slip and falls, rideshare or car accidents, and other preventable incidents also increases, often due to poor maintenance, insufficient staffing, or unsafe conditions. Businesses and property owners have a legal duty to keep their premises safe for everyone, including out-of-state guests who come to enjoy all that Massachusetts has to offer.
Accidents can occur in a variety of locations, including:
- Hotels and Airbnbs: Unsafe stairs, broken furniture, or improper lighting can cause falls or other injuries.
- Museums and historical sites: Uneven walkways, crowded exhibits, or unmarked hazards may lead to slips or trips.
- Restaurants and retail stores: Wet floors, unstable chairs, or falling merchandise can seriously injure patrons.
- Recreational areas and tours: Boat rides, hiking trails, and other guided activities can be dangerous without proper maintenance or supervision.
- Stadiums and sporting events: Overcrowding, spills, or poorly marked hazards may result in falls or collisions.
- Parking garages and public transit areas: Poor lighting, uneven surfaces, or a lack of signage can contribute to pedestrian accidents.
How DiBella Law Can Help You
At DiBella Law Injury and Accident Lawyers, every client experience matters. For more than 20 years, our firm has helped people across Massachusetts navigate the aftermath of serious accidents with compassion and skill. We understand how overwhelming it can be to face medical bills, travel complications, and insurance questions while far from home, and we’re here to make that process easier.
Our personal injury attorneys combine personalized care with proven results, offering free consultations, no fees unless we win, and flexible communication options like Zoom meetings and mobile updates. Whether it’s visiting you at your hotel, coordinating your claim remotely, or guiding you through every step of recovery, our team works tirelessly to deliver the outcome you deserve.
If you were injured while visiting Massachusetts, call 855-342-3552 (855-DiBella) or contact us online for your free evaluation today.