Cape Cod Personal Injury Lawyer
Cape Cod is 15 towns that make up Barnstable County, from Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth, and Mashpee on the Upper Cape to Provincetown at the tip. From 2018 through 2020, the Cape had 14,404 reported vehicle crashes, 33 of them fatal, and the Cape Cod Commission says the summer influx of visitors creates unique challenges along Route 6, the Cape’s only major highway.
Jon Olsson has been licensed in Massachusetts since 2017 and represents people hurt across the Cape, including Barnstable and Hyannis, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Dennis, and the Lower and Outer Cape. The consultation is free, and there is no attorney’s fee unless you recover compensation. Request a free case review.
Cape Cod injury claims at a glance
- Deadline to sue: generally three years from the injury (G.L. c. 260, § 2A).
- Claims against a Cape town or the state: 30 days to give notice of a road defect (G.L. c. 84, § 18); two years to present most other claims (G.L. c. 258, § 4).
- Cape Cod Canal bridges: the Sagamore and Bourne bridges are federally owned, so a claim about the bridge itself follows federal rules.
- Partial fault: no recovery if you’re more at fault than the people you’re suing (G.L. c. 231, § 85).
- Where cases are filed: Barnstable, Falmouth, or Orleans District Court, or Barnstable County Superior Court for larger claims.
Our Massachusetts personal injury guide covers PIP, the $2,000 threshold for pain and suffering and the other statewide rules.
Why Jon’s defense experience helps your Cape Cod claim
Jon spent the early part of his career on the other side of injury cases, so he knows how insurers and their lawyers will size up your claim. Before founding Olsson Law, he spent six years at a leading international law firm in Massachusetts, defending major corporations in complex, high-stakes litigation, including serious injury and product liability matters. He then joined a Los Angeles personal injury firm, where he represented injured people in motor vehicle collisions, dangerous property conditions, public entity cases, and disputed liability matters. That background tells him what evidence moves a defense lawyer, and what they look for to justify paying less.
Jon stays directly involved from your first consultation through the resolution of your case, and works to reduce medical bills and liens so more of any settlement goes to you.
- Education: Georgetown University Law Center
- Bar admissions: Massachusetts, California, and Texas
Prior results
- $3.85 million: wrongful death settlement
- $700,000: car accident, back and neck injuries
- $400,000: slip and fall, knee injury
These results include matters personally handled by Jon Olsson at prior law firms and matters in which he participated as part of a legal team. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Read more about Jon Olsson, our approach, and prior results.
Where do Cape Cod crashes happen?
A Cape Cod Commission study of more than 1,100 MassDOT crash reports at 15 interchanges on Routes 6 and 28 identified these as the most dangerous ramps:
| Interchange | Crashes over five years |
|---|---|
| Route 6 eastbound at Route 134, Dennis | 44 |
| Route 6 eastbound at Station Avenue/Union Street | 38 |
| Route 28 southbound at Route 151, Falmouth | 29 |
The Commission noted fatal crashes at both the Route 134 and Route 151 interchanges.
Who do you file a claim against on Cape Cod?
| Where you were hurt | Responsible party | Deadline and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Pothole or other defect on a town road or sidewalk | The town where it happened, such as Barnstable or Falmouth (G.L. c. 84, § 15) | Written notice to the town within 30 days; $5,000 maximum |
| Defect on Route 6 or another state highway | Commonwealth of Massachusetts | Claim within 30 days; $4,000 limit on injury damages |
| Sagamore or Bourne Bridge | The United States: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates both bridges | Written federal claim within two years (28 U.S.C. § 2401(b)) |
| Cape Cod Rail Trail and other free public recreation land | The landowner or manager. The 25.5-mile rail trail is maintained by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation | For free recreational use, generally liable only for willful, wanton, or reckless conduct (G.L. c. 21, § 17C) |
| Another driver, a hotel, rental, restaurant, or other private party | That person or business, through their insurer | 3 years to sue |
On the rail trail, the limits protect the landowner, not other users. If another cyclist or a driver at a road crossing caused the crash, the claim is against them.
Cape Cod accident cases we handle
Cape Cod car accident lawyer
We represent drivers, passengers, and pedestrians hurt on Route 6, Route 28, Route 6A, and town roads from Bourne to Provincetown. PIP pays up to $8,000 of your medical bills, lost wages, and replacement services first, then you can claim against the at-fault driver. If you were hurt on the drive to the Cape, see our guide to Route 3 crashes on the way to the Sagamore Bridge.
Cape Cod bicycle accident lawyer
Cyclists ride the Cape Cod Rail Trail through Yarmouth, Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, and Wellfleet, and share the road with cars where it crosses streets and on routes like 6A and 28. Who caused the crash, and where it happened, can decide whose rules apply.
Cape Cod pedestrian and motorcycle accident lawyer
Pedestrians and motorcyclists can be seriously hurt even in slower crashes, and insurers may argue they were to blame. Under the 51% rule, that argument can decide whether you recover.
Cape Cod Uber and Lyft accident lawyer
Rideshare coverage depends on what the driver was doing in the app. It rises to $1,000,000 from the time a ride request is accepted until the trip ends.
Cape Cod slip and fall lawyer
Hotels, vacation rentals, restaurants, and shops must keep their property reasonably safe for guests. Report the fall before you leave and photograph the hazard.
Cape Cod dog bite, truck accident, and wrongful death lawyer
A dog’s owner or keeper is generally liable for injuries the dog causes (G.L. c. 140, § 155). We also handle truck crashes, brain injuries, and wrongful death claims, which the estate brings for the family (G.L. c. 229, § 2).
What should I do after an accident on Cape Cod?
- Get medical care, and keep your records. If you’re visiting, ask for copies before you head home.
- Call the police so there’s a report, whether it’s the town police or, on Route 6, possibly the State Police.
- File the state crash report within five days if anyone was injured or any one vehicle or property had more than $1,000 in damage. Copies go to the RMV, the police, and your insurer.
- Note exactly where it happened: the town, road, exit, or bridge. That can decide which deadlines apply.
- Get contact information from witnesses, especially visitors who may leave the Cape soon.
- Get advice before an insurer records your statement or asks you to sign anything.
Where are Cape Cod injury lawsuits filed?
Smaller cases go to the District Court for the town, and cases likely to exceed $50,000 go to the Barnstable County Superior Court at 3195 Main Street in Barnstable, which serves the whole county.
| District Court | Towns served |
|---|---|
| Barnstable District Court, 3195 Main Street, Barnstable | Barnstable, Yarmouth, and Sandwich |
| Falmouth District Court, 161 Jones Road, Falmouth | Bourne, Falmouth, and Mashpee |
| Orleans District Court, 237 Rock Harbor Road, Orleans | Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Harwich, Orleans, Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet |
Cape Cod personal injury FAQs
I was visiting the Cape when I got hurt. Can I still bring a claim?
Yes. Living out of state doesn’t stop you from bringing a claim for an injury on the Cape. Which insurance applies can depend on where each car is insured, so get advice early, and keep the Massachusetts deadlines in mind, including 30 days for notice of a road defect.
Who is responsible for a crash on the Sagamore or Bourne Bridge?
If another driver caused the crash, the claim is against that driver. If the bridge itself was the problem, the bridges are owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, so a claim generally must be presented in writing to the federal agency within two years (28 U.S.C. § 2401(b)). The state will take over ownership once the bridges are replaced, but that’s years away: as of September 2026, construction of the new Sagamore Bridge was expected to start in late 2027, and funding for the Bourne Bridge replacement hadn’t been secured.
Can I sue for an injury on the Cape Cod Rail Trail?
Against another rider or a driver who caused it, yes. Against the landowner, it’s harder: someone who lets the public use land for free recreation is generally liable only for willful, wanton, or reckless conduct (G.L. c. 21, § 17C).
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
You pay nothing unless we recover for you. Then our fee is an agreed percentage of the recovery, set out in a written agreement that we both sign, as Massachusetts requires (Mass. R. Prof. C. 1.5(c)).
Serving all 15 Cape Cod towns
Jon represents injured people in Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth, Mashpee, Barnstable (including Hyannis), Yarmouth, Dennis, Brewster, Harwich, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown. See our Massachusetts personal injury page for the other communities we serve, including nearby Plymouth.
Talk to a Cape Cod personal injury attorney today
Witnesses on the Cape may be visitors who leave soon, and road defect notices are due within 30 days. Call Jon Olsson at (508) 659-5235 or contact us online for a free case review. There is no fee unless you recover.
This page provides general information about personal injury claims on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Deadlines and rules can change and may depend on the facts of your case.