Whiplash, an injury often resulting from the abrupt acceleration or deceleration of the head and neck, can lead to various incapacitating symptoms. Car accidents happen every day; it is essential to comprehend the implications of whiplash and its legal aspects to effectively navigate the aftermath of a collision. This blog post is meant to provide you with the information needed to identify whiplash, pursue suitable treatment, and consider possible legal options within the framework of Massac...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
On May 3, 2017, the Lynnway Auto Auction in Billerica was the scene of a tragic accident resulting in three fatalities and multiple people hurt. I received an anxious phone call at the time from an eyewitness, who described a “chaotic, hectic” scene where a Jeep Grand Cherokee, a vehicle being driven in the auction, accelerated through the auto auction lane striking and fatally injuring several people. The Lynnway Auto Auction is the largest auto auction in New England and operates on 58 ...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
We get asked about so-called Section 1031 exchanges all the time. Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code is a valuable tool that allows you to defer payment of taxes on a gain from the sale of investment property, if you reinvest those proceeds into a new property and adhere to the code’s requirements. If done properly, real estate investors are allowed to retain the gains from their investments, and defer their capital gains tax liability (potentially forever). Here's what you need to k...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
No one expects an automobile accident to happen, which means very few people know how to proceed when it actually does. Unless you’ve been in an accident or you’re a personal injury lawyer in Boston, chances are you have no idea how to proceed when one occurs. Table of Contents Things You Need to Do After a Car Accident in Boston1. Take Pictures 2. Keep a Diary 3. Don’t Talk to the Other Person’s Insurance Company 4. Don’t Sign Anything 5. Forward All Correspondence to Your Lawyer...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
It can happen: you are injured by a vehicle that was not insured. Are you out of luck? The answer is that you certainly don’t have to be. You can protect yourself from this scenario if you carry uninsured/underinsurance coverage on your automobile. This inexpensive coverage provides help in two important ways. Table of Contents Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage How Much Does This Type of Coverage Cost? Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage Let’s say your c...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
Aerial photos are becoming commonplace in real estate listings and promotional materials. Drones are an inexpensive way to take great aerial shots for publication, but since 2016, the government has regulated the use of commercial drones. If you’re going to use drones for real estate listings, here is what you need to know about the regulations in order to make money and stay out of trouble. Officially known as “Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems” (sUAS), drones have been regulated by...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
Every year, more homeowners install solar panels for their home's energy. Harnessing the sun's energy to help power your home certainly seems like a positive thing. But having a leased solar panel system orPower Purchase Agreement (PPA) could hamper or defeat the sale of your property. How Solar Leases Work Solar leases and solar PPAs are similar to renting a solar panel system for the home. The owner enters into an agreement with the solar leasing company that entitles the owner to the...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
Homebuyers who are financing through a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) are often surprised to learn that the property they are hoping to buy does not meet FHA requirements. The most common question that loan officers hear is why can’t buyers can purchase the homes they want, as long as the appraised value is high enough? All of this relates to protection for the mortgage lender. Since the property is furnished as collateral for the mortgage loan, if the borrower defaults on payments,...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
A Massachusetts Land Court judge ruled in 2016 that a text message can satisfy the Statute of Frauds and seal a real estate transaction. As reported in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, the parties spent a month haggling over the sale of a Danvers office building. The seller believed it was free to accept another party’s offer and proceeded to enter a written purchase-and-sale agreement and set a tentative closing date. But the first purchaser thought they had a binding contract to acquire...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
Anyone who owns real estate and occupies it, or intends to occupy it, as a primary residence in Massachusetts needs to take advantage of the protections of the homestead law. The homestead statute, set forth in Chapter 188 of the Massachusetts General Laws, protects primary homes from being taken away by unsecured creditors. The current law, which took effect in 2011, provides an automatic estate of homestead of $125,000 for primary residences. This protection occurs automatically by operatio...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
Congratulations! You’ve received a pre-approval from your mortgage lender, and are out looking at homes! This is no time to mess things up. Experienced loan officers will always admonish borrowers to keep things the same as they are as of the time of the pre-approval, but every once in awhile a borrower will ignore the loan officer’s advice and make one or more of these critical mistakes as they move toward the closing. Keep in mind that a mortgage pre-approval has no value—and wo...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
At Brooks & Crowley, we close dozens of mortgage loans every month. In talking with borrowers, a common complaint that we hear is how much documentation had to be supplied to the lender in order to have the loan approved. Some folks who have not applied for a loan for many years, or who are helping their sons and daughters with their first homes, will talk about the “good old days” of limited documentation and even stated income loans that required little or no documentation from the ...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
In the Boston area, new condo developments appear to be springing up all around us. Traditionally, owning a condo instead of a detached home has allowed more people to purchase real estate that they could not otherwise afford, or in a location where detached homes do not exist, such as in Boston’s Back Bay or along the waterfront. There are upsides and downsides to condo ownership, so this article will help you to decide whether you are cut out for life as a condo owner. Condo Fees In addit...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
Every year, thousands of children are seriously injured as a result of negligent conduct of others. From unsafe conditions in homes to negligent driving, children can be especially vulnerable to injuries. Like adults, children are entitled to proper compensation for the full extent of their injuries. But unlike adults, children are not able to submit insurance claims or file lawsuits on their own. The legal system has developed some important safeguards so that the claims process and cour...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
Every year, thousands of children are seriously injured as a result of the negligent conduct of others. From unsafe conditions in homes to negligent driving, children can be especially vulnerable to injuries. Like adults, children are entitled to proper compensation for the full extent of their injuries. But unlike adults, children are not able to submit insurance claims or file lawsuits on their own. The legal system has developed some important safeguards so that the claims process and ...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
There are several national insurance companies promising to provide the cheapest auto insurance rates. Their ads are everywhere: television, radio, internet, and in print. The easiest way for them to do this is to simply cut out pieces of your coverage. Less coverage equals a lower premium. The standard Massachusetts automobile insurance policy includes several categories of coverage. Some categories of coverage are required by law (known as “compulsory” coverage), but there are some...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
Auto insurance policies can be customized to meet the unique needs of your family and should be reviewed and adjusted at each stage of life. For example, young drivers starting out may not need as much coverage as people with more assets. Life events such as marriage, having children, and home ownership should cause folks to revisit their policy coverages and limits. Insurance coverage is flexible and can be tailored to your individual needs. How Underinsured Motorist Protection Saves You Af...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
Congratulations to Michael Quade from Rochester, New York, who won our New England Patriots Playoff Ticket Contest! Michael submitted the winning lawyer joke, and won two great playoff tickets for the January 16th Divisional Game played at Gillette Stadium. Michael drove from Rochester down to New York City to pick up his friend, up to our office to claim his tickets, then straight to Foxboro for the game. His trip was not in vain, as he got to watch our Patriots defeat the Kansas City Chiefs...| Brooks & Crowley LLP Blog
Dedham Personal Injury Lawyers & Real Estate Attorneys: With 30 years+ of experience, Brooks & Crowley LLP serves injury victims and real estate clients in MA.| Brooks & Crowley LLP
When buying a new home, it's important that you know what to look for in terms of maintenance and structural integrity. Our real estate attorney gives tips.| Brooks & Crowley LLP
