FAQs

If you have suffered an injury as a result of someone’s negligence, you may have a case. The safest and most efficient way to find out if you have a case is to call us for a free consultation. We will review your case over the telephone and let you know if we believe you have a case. Usually, we are able to give you a good idea as to whether or not you have a case. If we cannot do so right away, we will be more than happy to investigate and research the facts and law and let you know. If you have been injured and you believe you may have a case, please call us for a free consultation

The initial consultation is free. It does not cost you anything to call or meet with us to discuss your claim. If you have a claim and want to retain the Law Office of Sousa & Sousa, we handle all personal injury cases on a contingent fee basis which means you do not pay us until we are successful in recovering monies from a settlement, judgment or award. We charge a percentage of the recovery plus out-of-pocket expenses.

We handle most personal injury cases charging a contingent fee of one-third (33.33%) of any money recovered by way of settlement, judgment or award. Medical malpractice and product liability cases are handled on a different percentage basis. Client expenses, also known as out-of-pocket expenses, are incurred in the handling of your case, for example, obtaining copies of your medical records, the filing fee in the event a lawsuit has to be filed, sheriff’s fees, deposition fees and expert witness fees. The out-of-pocket expenses are advanced by the Law Offices of Sousa & Sousa and are paid once the case is settled and monies are obtained. If there is no recovery, then you do not owe any attorney’s fees or client expenses.

Usually most cases are settled without the need to file a lawsuit. Even after a case is filed in court, the majority settle prior to going to trial. Usually, the at-fault party has some form of insurance which provides coverage for your claim. For example, if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident the at-fault driver’s automobile insurance will provide coverage for your claim. If you are injured at somebody’s home because of a defective condition, then their homeowner’s insurance will generally provide coverage. If you have been injured by a dog, the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance will usually provide coverage. If you have been injured at a business or commercial establishment, the business owner’s commercial insurance policy will provide coverage.

No. If you have been injured as a result of another driver’s negligence, and that driver left the scene of the accident, or did not have insurance, you can bring a claim against your own automobile insurance company for uninsured motorist’s benefits and it will not affect your insurance premium in any way.

This is a difficult question, because it depends on many things. First of all, no experienced personal injury attorney will advise you of what your case is worth right after your accident. Your case cannot be fully and properly evaluated until a thorough investigation of your claim has been completed. This includes investigating liability and determining the full extent of your injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses, past and future lost wages, disability and whether or not you have suffered any permanent loss of function. We do not evaluate your case until you are at a medical end which is defined as completing your treatment and having a full recovery or you have completed your treatment and you have not had a full recovery and your doctor has informed you that there is nothing more that can be done for you. Once you have reached a medical end, we will evaluate your file and let you know what we believe your case is worth. Please see What’s My Case Worth?

The Law Offices of Sousa & Sousa have been practicing law in the greater Brockton and Taunton area since 1960. We are not one of those law firms with satellite offices throughout Massachusetts. Our office is conveniently located on the Easton/Brockton line in the Easton Industrial Park off of Route 123 in Easton, Massachusetts. We have a satellite office available in Taunton to meet with our clients from the Taunton area.

If you unable to meet with us at one of offices because of your injuries, we will be more than happy to meet with you at the hospital or in your home.