Fall River Personal Injury Lawyer
Fall River is a city of about 94,000 people where the Taunton River meets Mount Hope Bay, on the Rhode Island line. Interstate 195 crosses the city from the Braga Bridge and meets Route 24 on the Fall River Expressway, and the city has some of the most crash-prone intersections in Southeastern Massachusetts.
Jon Olsson has been licensed in Massachusetts since 2017 and represents people hurt in Fall River and the nearby SouthCoast towns. The consultation is free, and there is no attorney’s fee unless you recover compensation. Request a free case review.
Fall River injury claims at a glance
- Deadline to sue: generally three years from the injury (G.L. c. 260, § 2A).
- Pothole or road defect: written notice within 30 days (G.L. c. 84, § 18).
- Other claims against the City of Fall River: a written claim generally within two years (G.L. c. 258, § 4).
- Car accident pain and suffering: generally requires more than $2,000 in medical expenses or a listed serious injury, such as a fracture (G.L. c. 231, § 6D).
- Where cases are filed: Fall River District Court for smaller claims; Bristol County Superior Court in New Bedford for larger ones.
Our Massachusetts personal injury guide explains PIP, the 51% fault rule, and the other statewide rules in more detail.
Why Jon’s defense experience helps your Fall River 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.
Fall River’s most dangerous intersections
The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) ranks the 100 most dangerous intersections in Southeastern Massachusetts using MassDOT crash data from 2018 through 2022, giving more weight to crashes that caused injuries or deaths. About 20 of the 100 are in Fall River, including three in the top 10.
| Regional rank | Fall River intersection | Crashes, 2018–2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | Plymouth Avenue and Rodman Street | 201 |
| 4th | William S. Canning Boulevard and Napoleon Street | 145 |
| 10th | President Avenue (Route 6) and Highland Avenue | 81 |
SRPEDD lists improvements at Plymouth Avenue and Rodman Street as completed in 2015, yet it still recorded 201 crashes from 2018 through 2022.
Who is responsible for Fall River roads?
It depends on the road and on what caused the crash or fall.
| What happened | Responsible party | Deadline and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Pothole, broken sidewalk, or other defect on a city street | City of Fall River (G.L. c. 84, § 15) | 30-day written notice; no more than $5,000 recoverable |
| Defect on I-195, Route 24, or another state highway | Commonwealth of Massachusetts | Claim should be made within 30 days; injury damages limited to $4,000 |
| Crash with a city vehicle, or other negligence by a city employee | City of Fall River, under the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act | Present the claim in writing to the city’s executive officer within two years; recovery generally limited to $100,000 (G.L. c. 258, § 2) |
| A careless driver, store, landlord, or other private party | That person or business, through their insurer | 3 years to sue |
If another driver caused an intersection crash, the claim is against that driver, not the city. The government limits matter when the road itself was the problem.
Fall River accident cases we handle
Fall River car accident lawyer
We represent people hurt in intersection, rear-end, and highway crashes in Fall River, including on I-195, Route 24, President Avenue, and Plymouth Avenue. PIP pays up to $8,000 in medical bills, lost wages, and replacement services regardless of fault, and a claim against the at-fault driver can cover losses beyond that.
Fall River truck accident lawyer
A crash with a delivery or tractor-trailer truck can involve the driver, the trucking company, and their commercial insurers. Ask early for logs, dash camera footage, and tracking data to be saved.
Fall River pedestrian accident lawyer
Pedestrians hit at busy city intersections can be seriously hurt, and PIP covers pedestrians too. Photograph the crossing and look for nearby store or doorbell cameras.
Fall River motorcycle and bicycle accident lawyer
Insurers may try to put the blame on riders. Under Massachusetts’ 51% rule, being found more than half at fault means no recovery, so the evidence on fault matters.
Fall River Uber and Lyft accident lawyer
A rideshare driver’s coverage rises to $1,000,000 from the time they accept a ride request until the trip ends.
Fall River slip and fall, dog bite, and wrongful death lawyer
Property owners generally must fix or warn about hazards they know about or should have found. A dog’s owner or keeper is generally liable for the dog’s bites (G.L. c. 140, § 155). And when an injury is fatal, the estate brings the wrongful death claim, generally within three years (G.L. c. 229, § 2).
What should I do after an accident in Fall River?
- See a doctor promptly and follow through with treatment. Gaps in care can make it harder to show your injuries and your medical costs.
- Report the crash to the police at the scene.
- Send the Motor Vehicle Crash Operator Report within five days if anyone was injured or damage to any one vehicle or property was over $1,000. It goes to the RMV, the police, and your insurer.
- Take photos of the vehicles, the intersection, and your injuries, and ask nearby businesses to save their video.
- Start your PIP claim with your own auto insurer.
- Don’t sign a release or give a recorded statement to the other side’s insurer before getting advice.
Where are Fall River injury lawsuits filed?
The Fall River District Court, on the second floor of 186 South Main Street, serves Fall River, Freetown, Somerset, Swansea, and Westport. It handles cases with no reasonable likelihood of a recovery above $50,000. Larger cases go to the Bristol County Superior Court. Its Fall River location in the same building handles only criminal matters, and the state lists its New Bedford location at 441 County Street as the one for civil matters.
Fall River personal injury FAQs
I was hurt at a dangerous Fall River intersection. Can I sue the city?
If another driver caused the crash, the claim is against that driver. A claim against the city is possible when a defect in the road caused it, but notice is due within 30 days and recovery is capped at $5,000 (G.L. c. 84, § 15).
Who pays my medical bills after a Fall River car accident?
At first, your own PIP coverage, up to $8,000, regardless of who caused the crash. Beyond that, the at-fault driver’s bodily injury coverage, which since July 1, 2025 must be at least $25,000 per person.
What if I was partly to blame?
Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, and you can still recover as long as you’re not more at fault than the people you’re suing (G.L. c. 231, § 85).
How much does it cost to hire Jon?
Nothing up front. You pay an attorney’s fee only if we recover for you, under a written agreement signed by both of us, as Massachusetts requires (Mass. R. Prof. C. 1.5(c)).
Serving Fall River and the SouthCoast
Jon represents injured people throughout Fall River and in nearby Somerset, Swansea, Westport, and Freetown. For the rest of the state, see our Massachusetts personal injury page, including Plymouth, Quincy, and Cape Cod.
Talk to a Fall River personal injury attorney today
Video at city intersections can be recorded over quickly, 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 in Fall River, 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.