Rhode Island sees roughly 40,000 reported crashes a year, and about 10,000 of them involve injuries. Massachusetts adds many times that. If you were hit in either state, you already know the insurance company moved fast — they called within hours, they were friendly, they asked for a "quick statement." That's not a coincidence. Early statements lock in low-value claims.
Our job is to slow the process down, document the full extent of your injuries the way an adjuster needs to see it, preserve the evidence before it's lost (police reports, dash-cam video, surveillance footage, vehicle black-box data), and refuse the lowball. Dylan C. DiLibero is admitted in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts, so cross-border cases — a Providence resident rear-ended in Seekonk, a Boston resident hit on I-95 at the state line — stay in the family with no outside referral fees eating into your recovery.
There's no fee unless we win. The consultation is free and we make home and hospital visits at no cost if you can't travel to Dorrance Street.
Rear-end collisions
The most common crash type we handle. Liability is usually clear — the trailing driver is nearly always at fault — but the insurance company will still argue the "minor impact" means your injuries must be minor too. They aren't. We document soft-tissue and whiplash injuries rigorously and, when the facts warrant, bring in biomechanical experts to explain why the force was enough to hurt you.
T-bone and intersection collisions
Liability often turns on who had the green light. We pull traffic-camera footage, talk to independent witnesses before memories fade, and reconstruct the sequence from the skid marks and vehicle damage patterns. When the police report is wrong (and it sometimes is), we push back with evidence.
Head-on collisions
Usually catastrophic. These cases involve serious injuries, high medical bills, and often multiple insurance layers (at-fault driver's policy + your own UIM + possibly commercial umbrella). Getting the coverage analysis right changes the case value by six figures.
Hit-and-run
If the at-fault driver fled, your own uninsured motorist coverage steps into their shoes. Many clients don't realize this coverage exists on their policy. We find it and use it.
Multi-vehicle pile-ups
Chain-reaction crashes on I-95 and I-195 are procedurally tricky — multiple insurers, multiple liability theories, limited policy dollars to go around. Order of filing matters. Call us before you file anything with anyone.
Drunk driving victims
If the other driver was impaired, punitive damages may be available on top of compensatory damages. We also pursue dram-shop claims against bars or restaurants that overserved the driver when the facts support it.
- Past medical bills
- ER visits, hospital stays, imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT), physical therapy, chiropractic, pain management, medications, surgical fees, in-home care. We help order the records the way insurers expect to see them.
- Future medical bills
- Projected surgeries you haven't had yet, long-term physical therapy, pain management, mental health treatment for PTSD, assistive devices. Requires a life-care planner for serious injuries — we coordinate the expert if the case needs it.
- Lost wages
- Every hour you missed from work because of the crash, documented through pay stubs and employer letters.
- Diminished earning capacity
- If the injury affects your ability to earn what you would have earned — a nurse who can't lift patients anymore, a carpenter who can't swing a hammer — that lost career trajectory is compensable. Economists can model it; we retain them for the cases where it matters.
- Pain and suffering
- The part of your case the insurance adjuster will try hardest to minimize. In Rhode Island, there's no statutory cap on pain and suffering in most PI cases — the real limit is the strength of the evidence and the available policy.
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- If you can no longer do things you used to enjoy — coach your kid's Little League team, garden, run, hike — that's compensable as a separate category.
- Property damage
- Vehicle repair or total-loss value, plus rental reimbursement while yours is being fixed, plus any personal property damaged in the crash.
Do I have to pay anything upfront to hire a car accident lawyer in Rhode Island?+
No. We work on a contingency fee basis — our fee is a percentage of the recovery we obtain, and we only get paid if we win. You owe nothing out of pocket while the case is pending, and nothing at all if we don't recover money for you.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Rhode Island?+
Most personal injury claims in Rhode Island must be filed within three years of the date of the crash under R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14 [FIRM TO VERIFY]. Shorter periods apply for claims against government vehicles and certain other defendants. Don't wait — evidence disappears and witnesses forget.
What if the other driver was uninsured or underinsured?+
Your own auto policy probably includes uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. These pay when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough to cover your damages. Many clients don't realize this coverage exists — we find it and use it.
Should I give the other driver's insurance company a recorded statement?+
No, not without talking to an attorney first. You are not required to give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver's insurer, and anything you say will be used to minimize your claim. Politely decline and call us.
How long does a Rhode Island car accident case take?+
Most cases resolve 9–24 months after the crash. Treatment duration is the biggest variable — the case can't be valued until you reach Maximum Medical Improvement. Straightforward cases with clear liability settle faster; complex cases or ones that have to be filed can take longer.
What's my case worth?+
It depends on three things: injury severity, clarity of fault, and available insurance coverage. Minor soft-tissue cases often recover $5,000 to $25,000; moderate cases $25,000 to $100,000; severe or catastrophic cases can reach seven figures. The free consultation is the fastest way to get a real range for your specific situation.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault?+
Yes. Rhode Island follows pure comparative negligence — you can recover even if you were 99% at fault, though your recovery is reduced by your percentage. Massachusetts follows modified comparative negligence (51% bar) — you can recover as long as you weren't more than 50% at fault.
Do you handle car accidents outside Providence?+
Yes. We represent clients across all of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. From Westerly to Woonsocket, Boston to Fall River. If you can't come to our office, we come to you — no charge.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Statutes of limitations apply — don't wait to call.