Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Brookline, MA
$100+
millions recovered
25+ years
in business
100+
verdicts
A motorcycle crash can leave you facing serious injuries, expensive medical treatment, missed work, and an insurance company questioning how the accident happened. A Brookline motorcycle accident lawyer at DOLAN CONNLY, P.C. can investigate the collision, preserve evidence, identify available insurance coverage, and pursue the compensation you may be entitled to.
Why Brookline Motorcycle Accident Victims Choose DOLAN CONNLY, P.C.
Since 2000, DOLAN CONNLY, P.C. has represented injured clients throughout Massachusetts, combining decades of trial experience with a detailed understanding of how insurance companies evaluate injury claims. Motorcycle accident claims can turn on details that insurers may use to shift blame onto the rider. Working with a lawyer who knows the local roads and how these cases are handled matters.
- Trial Experience That Matters: Our personal injury attorneys in Brookline have decades of courtroom experience in all types of claims. We will prepare your case with litigation in mind from the very first day.
- Millions Recovered for Injured Clients: Our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars through settlements and verdicts, including substantial results for clients whose injuries have had lasting effects on their lives.
- Personal Attention to Every Case: Every matter receives dedicated time, thorough analysis, and attention to detail. You work directly with the motorcycle accident attorney handling your case.
Clients and families in Brookline and the surrounding communities trust DOLAN CONNLY, P.C. with high-stakes legal matters because we take the responsibility personally. Every client is treated with the care and attention we would give a member of our own family, and our commitment to the communities we serve extends beyond the courtroom.
Our Verdicts and Settlements
$1,006,330.03
Greg Connly of DOLAN CONNLY represented a client who was a former MBTA trolley operator and a member of the affiliated Union. She alleged in her lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court that the Union had not advocated for her by failing to take her case to arbitration after she was wrongfully terminated by the MBTA. The client was a native of Haiti and alleged that this failure by the Union to advocate on her behalf, was based on her race and national origin. The client had been the subject of egregious discrimination from some members of the Union.
The trial began on October 29, 2018 in Suffolk Superior Court. The jury found in favor of the client and awarded her $490,500.00 in emotional distress damages. Prejudgment interest of $179,771.19 and statutory costs were added to the verdict bringing the total amount of the judgment to $670,556.19. The Judge then allowed an additional award of attorney’s fees in the amount of $150,000.00 plus $8,733.40 in costs. The total amount of the judgment and fees owed to the client after the Superior Court trial was $829,289.59. The Union then appealed the verdict to the Massachusetts Court of Appeals. Greg Connly represented the client during the entire appeal process. On August 4, 2020, a decision came down from the Massachusetts Appeals Court. The Appeals Court upheld the Superior Court judgment. Further, the Appeals Court awarded attorney’s fees in the Appeals Court case in the amount of $27,355.00. Post-judgment interest that accrued during the appeal was also added.
On November 24, 2020, the Union paid to the client the amount of $1,006,330.03.
This case that was handled by Attorney Greg Connly of DOLAN CONNLY went from one on the verge of dismissal, to one in which there was a recovery in excess of a million dollars. No settlement offer had ever been made by the Union prior to the Superior Court trial.
$4,426,180.35
Greg Connly of DOLAN CONNLY tried a case in September of 2018 in the Worcester Superior Court. The case alleged chiropractic malpractice. The plaintiff/client was an 81-year-old gentleman who had a manipulation to adjust his pelvis done by the defendant/chiropractor. The negligent performance of this manipulation resulted in the breaking of his prosthetic knee. The client reported that he heard an audible popping sound and felt immediate pain at the time of the adjustment. The prosthetic knee had to be surgically repaired fourteen days later. The chiropractor testified that he had no memory of the treatment and he testified that he did not perform the adjustment described by the client. Greg Connly and Barbara Connly of DOLAN CONNLY worked on the case for over seven years. During the trial, Greg Connly put together the facts and expert testimony supporting the client’s position into a coherent credible case for the jury.
On September 14, 2018, the Worcester Superior Court jury came back with a verdict in favor of the plaintiff/client. DOLAN CONNLY’S client was awarded $750,000.00 in past and future medical expenses and $3,000,000.00 in pain and suffering. Including interest, the total judgment was $4,426,180.35. No offer had ever been made by the defense to settle the case. The verdict was appealed by the defense attorney. The case resolved during the appeal process with the 88-year-old client receiving a significant financial settlement, above and beyond any other comparable Massachusetts settlement or verdict for such injuries. Click here to see the actual court docket.
$3,680,187.78
Greg Connly of DOLAN CONNLY tried a case in the Brockton Superior Court in November of 2011. The plaintiff/client was a forty-two-year-old chef working for a third-party food service company at the defendant’s corporate cafeteria. The plaintiff sustained an electric shock when a dishwasher, provided for his use by the defendant, malfunctioned when he pressed the off button on the control panel. The machine was leaking water that came in contact with a live electrical circuit behind the control panel. Greg Connly was able to prove at trial that the defendant corporation was responsible for maintenance of the dishwasher and that it was in a hazardous and unsafe condition. It was discovered that the dishwasher had various mechanical problems after its initial installation and employees of the defendant failed to properly maintain it. The plaintiff suffered a traumatic brain injury, major depression, panic disorder, cognitive impairment and post-traumatic stress disorder. Following the electric shock, the plaintiff who had received excellent work reviews over the years, struggled at his job due to the effects of the traumatic brain injury. He never regained his previous high-level functioning in his occupation and was forced to stop working altogether.
On November 29, 2011, the Brockton Superior Court jury came back with a verdict in favor of the plaintiff/client. DOLAN CONNLY’S client was awarded $2,500,000.00 in past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost earning capacity. Including interest in the amount of $1,180,187.78, the final award was $3,680,187.78. The last offer by the defendant corporation to settle the case before trial was $50,000.00. The verdict was appealed by the defense, but the judgement was paid in full after the trial transcripts were reviewed by appellate counsel. Click here to see the actual court docket.
$475,000.00
A client from Reading was injured when his vehicle was struck by another vehicle traveling in the wrong direction on a one-way street. Our client suffered a worsening of a pre-existing cervical disc protrusion that required surgical repair, as well as injuries to his lower back. He received an insurance claim settlement of $475,000.00. This amount represented the total motor vehicle insurance policy limit for the at-fault driver in the amount of $250,000.00, plus $225,000.00 from an umbrella insurance policy.
$750,000.00
A client from Windham, NH sustained a dog bite in the course of his employment as an electrician. The client was working on an electrical project outside a home when he was asked by the homeowner to enter the home to look at another project. The homeowner did not restrain his Weimaraner dog while our client was in the home, despite knowing the dog was not comfortable with unfamiliar people being present in the residence. When our client was in the process of walking from one room to another, the dog unexpectedly bit him in the back of his leg. The client tried to get the dog to unlock its grip on his leg and in the process, he twisted his back. In addition to the dog bite, the client sustained significant injuries to his low back, hip and groin, including radiating pain into his legs and feet. The client underwent treatment including fusion surgery to his back and hip surgery to repair a labral tear. We represented the client in litigation filed against the homeowner. This litigation was settled during mediation for $750,000.00.
Motorcycle Accident Cases We Handle in Brookline, MA
Massachusetts recorded 71 motorcycle operator fatalities in 2024 alone, highlighting the serious consequences motorcycle crashes can have even when another driver’s mistake causes the collision. In Brookline, riders navigate busy roads such as Route 9, Boylston Street, Beacon Street, and Harvard Street, along with dense intersections, MBTA activity, and areas where vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcycles share limited road space.
Our motorcycle accident attorneys in Brookline handle claims involving:
- Left-turn and failure-to-yield collisions
- Blind-spot and lane-change accidents
- Rear-end collisions
- Dooring accidents
- Distracted or impaired drivers
- Dangerous road conditions
- Hit-and-run crashes
- Multi-vehicle accidents
- Fatal motorcycle accidents and wrongful death claims
The circumstances of the crash can have a significant effect on a motorcycle injury claim. Massachusetts does not permit lane splitting, and helmet use is required, but neither issue automatically determines who caused a collision or whether an injured rider can recover compensation.
Our Brookline motorcycle accident lawyers know insurers may focus on speed, lane position, visibility, or protective equipment when trying to reduce a claim. We look at those issues in the context of the entire crash, including the physical evidence, witness accounts, traffic conditions, and the other driver’s conduct, to make sure the facts are not being used to unfairly shift responsibility onto the rider.
What Compensation Can I Recover in a Brookline Motorcycle Accident Claim?
Motorcycle accident claims are different from ordinary Massachusetts car accident claims because motorcycles are excluded from the state’s no-fault PIP system. An injured rider may instead need to pursue compensation through the at-fault driver’s liability insurance, applicable uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and other available sources.
Depending on the circumstances, your motorcycle accident attorney may be able to pursue compensation for:
- Medical expenses: Emergency treatment, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, and future medical care.
- Lost income: Wages lost during recovery and reduced future earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering: Physical pain and the emotional effects of the injury.
- Permanent injuries: Scarring, disfigurement, loss of function, or other lasting impairment.
- Property damage: Damage to the motorcycle, riding gear, and other property where legally recoverable.
- Wrongful death: Certain losses resulting from a fatal motorcycle crash, including funeral expenses and loss of financial support and companionship.
Massachusetts also follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If a rider is partially responsible, compensation may still be available, but the recovery can be reduced according to the rider’s percentage of fault. For example, if your damages total $100,000 and you are found 20% at fault, your recovery could be reduced to $80,000.
Our Brookline motorcycle accident lawyers can examine the available insurance and the full effect of the injury rather than allowing the initial insurance offer to define the value of your Massachusetts personal injury claim.
We advance all costs.
You pay nothing unless we secure compensation for your injuries.
How a Motorcycle Accident Attorney at DOLAN CONNLY, P.C. Protects Your Claim
A motorcycle claim can turn on a few feet of roadway, a driver’s line of sight, or what happened in the seconds before a vehicle turned across a rider’s path. The investigation needs to account for the motorcycle’s smaller profile and for the arguments an insurer may raise about the rider’s conduct. When you have a Brookline motorcycle accident lawyer in your corner, these aspects are not something you will have to worry about while recovering.
✓ Preserving evidence before it disappears: Surveillance footage, traffic-camera records, photographs, vehicle damage, and witness accounts may help establish how the collision occurred. Early preservation can prevent important evidence from being lost.
✓ Challenging assumptions about the rider: Insurance companies may point to speed, lane position, helmet use, or other conduct to shift responsibility. The evidence should determine fault, not an assumption that the motorcyclist caused the crash.
✓ Finding coverage beyond the other driver’s policy: Because motorcycles do not receive PIP benefits, the available liability, uninsured, and underinsured motorist coverage can have an especially significant effect on recovery.
✓ Preparing the claim for negotiation and court: If the insurer refuses a fair resolution, the case may proceed to the appropriate Massachusetts court, including Norfolk County Superior Court in Dedham for qualifying cases. Your attorney will already be fully prepared for discovery, depositions, expert testimony, and trial.
Insurance companies may seek statements, records, and other information while you are still dealing with pain and uncertainty. Having our motorcycle accident lawyers involved early shields you from early mistakes, gives you someone to handle those communications, and allows you to focus your energy on recovery rather than managing the claim yourself.
How Long Do I Have to File a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit?
The statute of limitations in Massachusetts gives an injured person three years from when a personal injury claim accrues to file a lawsuit under M.G.L. c. 260, § 2A. In a typical motorcycle accident case, that will mean three years from the date of the crash.
Different rules can apply to claims involving public entities or other circumstances. A motorcycle accident claim can also require substantial investigation before a lawsuit is filed, particularly when liability or the extent of an injury is disputed. Speaking with a Brookline motorcycle accident lawyer early can help identify applicable deadlines and preserve evidence while it is still available.
Client Testimonials
The legal council I received from DOLAN CONNLY starting with the initial office visit to the settlement of my personal injury case was very helpful when I needed it most. They helped me navigate all the options and told me in plain English what to expect. I was a cooperative client and provided them with all the documentation they required and was patient allowing the legal process to unfold all of which they appreciated. Given the extent of damages I incurred from the accident I was pleased with the total compensation I received.
Kathleen Allen has been our attorney for a few properties and we have sold and have been very happy and satisfied with her professional care in these transactions. There is a very easy way about her, as these things can be very stressful. She was always right there for any concerns or questions that we had. I would highly recommend her to my friends and family.
I have closed on two houses with DOLAN CONNLY in the past 10 years. In July 2022, I worked with Kathleen Allen on a closing and was extremely impressed with her professionalism, honestly, and attention to detail. She was the only party to notice a trust was expiring weeks before the planned closing date. Her keen eye resulted in the seller extending the trust and preventing a delay in the closing.
-Sam
Excellent service ! Barry McIsaac was prompt and effective in dealing my claim case. We need more attorneys like him to help hold big companies accountable. I’d recommend Barry and the DOLAN CONNLY firm to anyone.
I worked with Kathleen Allen to purchase my first home in Boston and she was incredible! The seller and I were not working with real estate agents, but Kathleen went above and beyond to make the closing process smooth. I was able to close on time due to her advocating and watching over me. I could not have bought this home without her help. I highly recommend anyone looking for a knowledgeable, quick, and advocating attorney to contact her to purchase a home.
Speak to a Lawyer at DOLAN CONNLY, P.C. Today
The decisions made early in a motorcycle accident claim can affect what evidence is available, how fault is evaluated, and what insurance coverage can be pursued. A Brookline motorcycle accident attorney at DOLAN CONNLY, P.C. can help protect those interests from the start while you focus on your recovery. If you can’t travel to our office, we will come to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, our lawyers answer the questions we hear most often from injured riders we represent in Brookline and throughout Massachusetts.
What should I do immediately after a motorcycle accident in Brookline?
Your first priority should be getting to safety and receiving medical attention. If you can do so safely, call 911, document the crash scene, photograph the motorcycle and roadway, collect witness information, and avoid discussing fault with the other driver. Do not assume that feeling okay immediately thereafter means you are uninjured; some motorcycle crash injuries become apparent later. Contacting our attorneys early can also help protect evidence and prevent avoidable mistakes when dealing with insurance companies.
Does Massachusetts PIP coverage apply to motorcycle accidents?
No. Motorcycles are excluded from Massachusetts’ no-fault PIP system. An injured rider may instead pursue compensation through the at-fault driver’s liability insurance, applicable uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, health insurance, and other available sources.
What are the helmet laws in Brookline, Massachusetts?
Massachusetts requires motorcycle operators and passengers to wear helmets that meet the state’s safety standards. The law applies throughout Massachusetts, including Brookline. While failing to wear a required helmet may affect a claim involving a head or neck injury, it does not automatically determine who caused the crash.
Can I recover compensation if I was partially at fault for the accident?
Yes, potentially. Massachusetts follows a modified comparative negligence rule under M.G.L. c. 231, § 85. In our experience, insurers may be quick to point to a rider’s speed, lane position, or other conduct when trying to reduce a claim. Our motorcycle accident attorneys look at the full circumstances of the crash and the evidence before accepting that the rider was partially responsible. If the rider’s share of fault does not exceed the combined fault of the other parties, compensation may still be available, although the recovery is reduced according to the rider’s percentage of responsibility.
What if the other driver has no insurance or not enough insurance?
Because motorcycles do not receive PIP benefits, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can be particularly important after a motorcycle accident. The available coverage depends on the policies involved and the circumstances of the crash.
What does it cost to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer in Brookline?
There are no upfront attorney fees. At DOLAN CONNLY, P.C., our personal injury attorneys handle motorcycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis, so you do not pay attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you through a settlement or verdict.