The worst mistake people make is signing medical releases or a settlement check before they know what the papers do. In plain English, you do not have to sign whatever the adjuster sends, and if you sign a release, you may be giving up your Massachusetts injury claim for good.

Massachusetts is a no-fault state, so your own auto policy may pay up to $8,000 in PIP benefits for medical bills and lost wages after a crash. But the insurer will often send extra forms that go far beyond basic PIP paperwork. A broad medical authorization can let them pull years of records and blame your pain on an old condition. A settlement release can close the case entirely, even if your symptoms get worse next month.

Example: say you were shaken up after a spring pothole-season crash on Route 24 near Brockton, and Massachusetts State Police handled the scene. The other driver's adjuster calls fast, says it is "routine," and sends papers in English you cannot read well. You sign. A week later, your back pain worsens and an MRI is ordered. The insurer now says you already settled, or uses old records to argue the injury was not from this crash. That is how a manageable claim turns into a mess.

A lawyer is usually worth it when there is real injury, lost work, surgery, nerve symptoms, or pressure to sign forms. In Massachusetts, you generally have 3 years to file most injury lawsuits, but early mistakes can damage the case long before that.

Most injury lawyers charge a contingency fee, usually around one-third of the recovery, and the fee agreement must be in writing.

Red flags:

• They will not explain the fee clearly, will not use an interpreter, want signatures on blank forms, or push a quick settlement before treatment is clear

If it is only a bent rim or tire damage from a pothole and no injury, you may not need a lawyer at all.