Law Office of John J. Sheehan

08/04/2026

The insurance company is using your missing seat belt to pay you less — and it’s working on people who don’t know their rights.

When fault is clear, the seatbelt defense is often just a pressure tactic. Clients who were told they had no case because of the seat belt have still recovered when an experienced attorney pushed back.

Call (617) 973-1593 or visit attorneysheehan.com for a FREE consultation.

08/03/2026

Not wearing a seat belt doesn’t automatically end your MA injury case.

The at-fault driver’s insurance may raise the seatbelt defense — but the burden is on THEM to prove your injuries were caused or worsened by not wearing one. And under Massachusetts comparative negligence, you can still recover as long as you weren’t more than 50% at fault.

Call (617) 973-1593 or visit attorneysheehan.com for a FREE consultation.

07/31/2026

You were in a Massachusetts car accident without a seat belt on. Now the insurance company is telling you your case is dead. It probably isn’t.

Attorney John Sheehan walks through what Massachusetts law actually says, why the “seatbelt defense” puts the burden of proof on the insurance company (not on you), and how comparative negligence still lets you recover as long as you weren’t more than 50% at fault.

Call (617) 973-1593 or visit attorneysheehan.com for a FREE consultation.

07/30/2026

Hurt in a Massachusetts car accident without a seat belt on? You may still have a case.

A lot of accident victims believe the insurance company when they say the missing seat belt ends the claim. It doesn’t. Under Massachusetts comparative negligence, you can still recover as long as you weren’t more than 50% at fault.

Call (617) 973-1593 or visit attorneysheehan.com for a FREE consultation.

07/28/2026

07/20/2026

Dog bit you in Massachusetts? The owner is always liable.

Massachusetts law holds dog owners strictly liable — the dog’s history doesn’t matter. Not “he’s never done this before.” Not “she’s usually so friendly.” If you were somewhere you had a right to be, and weren’t provoking the dog, you have a claim. Attorney John Sheehan explains.

Call (617) 973-1593 or visit attorneysheehan.com for a FREE consultation.

07/17/2026

Bitten by a dog? The homeowner’s insurance probably covers it.

Having the legal right to sue and actually being able to collect are two different things. Attorney John Sheehan explains why identifying the dog owner’s homeowner’s policy is one of the first things an attorney investigates — because most policies include liability coverage for dog bites, and that’s usually how victims get paid.

Call (617) 973-1593 or visit attorneysheehan.com for a FREE consultation.

07/16/2026

A dog bit you — or your child. Do you actually have the right to sue in Massachusetts?

Almost always, yes. Attorney John Sheehan walks through strict liability under Massachusetts law, the special protection kids under seven get, the three categories of damages, and why the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance is usually what actually pays the claim.

Call (617) 973-1593 or visit attorneysheehan.com for a FREE consultation.

07/15/2026

If a dog bit your child under seven in Massachusetts, the law is on your side.

Under Massachusetts law, kids under seven are automatically presumed to have done nothing wrong — the burden of proof shifts to the dog owner to prove otherwise. Attorney John Sheehan explains why that protection matters and how it strengthens your case.

Call (617) 973-1593 or visit attorneysheehan.com for a FREE consultation.

07/13/2026

Bills aren't your whole case.

Most people only think about their medical bills when settling — and that's exactly how cases settle for too little. Attorney John Sheehan explains the TWO categories of damages in Massachusetts: economic damages (bills, lost wages) AND non-economic damages (pain and suffering, lost activities, the toll on your family).

Don't leave the human cost on the table. Call (617) 973-1593 or visit attorneysheehan.com for a FREE consultation. Hablamos Espanol.