
Personal Injury Cases
If you’ve been injured by someone else, you most likely need a personal injury lawyer to determine the legal source of that person’s duty to you (common law, statutory law, regulatory law). Secondly, you and your lawyer need to determine what kind of damages you have suffered, including:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Physical/mental pain and suffering
- Partial disability
- Permanent disability
- Punitive damages
- Attorney’s fees
- 12% statutory interest

40+ Years of Experience in Personal Injury Law

If the party who injured you carries liability insurance, you and your personal injury lawyer may wish to collect all your evidence and first make an effort to settle the case. If the insurance company balks, then file suit. If you file suit, you need a lawyer who can try a case. I have spent 40 plus years in courtrooms, often involved in personal injury cases:
1978-1986—Assistant District Attorney (criminal personal injury)
1986-1999—Private practice
Prior to Doug being appointed as a Judge to the Framingham District Court, Doug practiced as an ADA (1978-86) and as a private lawyer (1986-99). As a private lawyer during this time, Doug represented personal injury clients in various matters, including:
- $500,000 automobile accident suit
- $40,000 slip/fall on ice settlement
- $87,000 home improvement verdict
- $27,000 dental malpractice suit
- 500,000 wrongful death settlement
- $2.3 million dollar jury verdict against Red Roof Inns
- $450,000 wrongful death civil settlement
- $1.7 million jury verdict
1999-2016—District Court judge
Presided over civil motion and trial lists for 17 years
2016-Present—Private practice
- $28,000 for broken foot bone settlement
- $230,000 for broken hip settlement
- $250,000 broken leg settlement
- $120,000 broken elbow settlement in Superior Court
Doug Stoddart – Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer

As Doug explains…
“I started my legal career like many lawyers as an Assistant D.A. By the end of my eight years, I had tried 60 felony cases (1981-86), more than any other Assistant D.A. in the office.
As a Judge, I sat on 100+ civil trials, in courtrooms all over Eastern Massachusetts.
I believe in immediate legal action when a client calls me. That means the interview of the client and all witnesses, view of the scene, evidence, videotape, request for medical records and all necessary motions to preserve evidence and/or the testimony of witnesses. In many cases, an expert is necessary. Once we know the legal strength of our case, I presume that we will file suit (in Plaintiff cases) as soon as possible. Court congestion and Court rules can push District Court cases out 1-2 years and Superior Court cases out 3-4 years, so we don’t need more delay (unless injuries are still unresolved).
I know how to prepare a case for trial, to actually try a case and to know when a settlement number has a value equivalent to a client’s loss. The client has full veto power on any decision. No client should go through this process without a lawyer who has years of trial experience.”
Doug can be reached anytime at (508) 243-4877, by email at info@dougstoddart.com, or by visiting his office at 8E Pleasant Street, 2nd Floor, South Natick, MA.
Common Personal Injury Cases
Doug has successfully handled hundreds of personal injury cases for clients in Natick, MA and surrounding areas. Here is helpful information on some of the most common personal injury claims.
Dog bites: If another person’s dog’s conduct caused you to suffer physical injury, Massachusetts has a statute, MGL Ch. 140, s. 155, which creates automatic liability on the part of that dog’s owner, unless you were committing either a trespass or some other tort, like teasing or tormenting the dog at the time of the injury. Learn more…
Slip and fall on ice or snow: Today, the snow and ice cases have been merged into one rule; a property owner now has a general duty to use reasonable care to maintain its property, in a safe condition, in view of all circumstances. Public sidewalks are more complicated. Learn more…
Car accidents: Under the Massachusetts statutory scheme, minor accidents are expected to be resolved between insurance companies. However, if you sustain a broken bone, loss of an organ, permanent disfigurement, equivalent physical impairment, or $2000 or more in medical bills, then you may sue in court. Learn more…
Other common personal injury claims include:
- Assault, battery, and other intentional harm
- Workplace accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Defamation
- Premises or product liability
- Wrongful death
If you have been injured, get in touch with Doug Stoddart today at (508) 243-4877 to see how he can help.