Published Monday, October 19, 2026. This post summarizes public news reports and is general information, not legal advice.
What Happened on Broadway in Lawrence on Sunday
A vehicle crashed into the McDonald’s restaurant on Broadway in Lawrence on Sunday afternoon, according to reports from WCVB and NBC Boston. Police said the crash happened at 3:12 p.m.
Police said the vehicle, an SUV, struck parked vehicles that were occupied at the time before colliding with the building. Lawrence police said six people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Police said investigators believe the driver appeared to have lost control of the vehicle before the crash.
How Can PIP Coverage Affect Medical Bills After a Car Crash
When a crash injures several people, an early question for each person is which insurance pays the first medical bills and lost wages. In Massachusetts, the answer usually begins with personal injury protection, known as PIP.
Under M.G.L. c. 90, § 34M, a Massachusetts motor vehicle liability policy generally must provide PIP, which § 34A defines as coverage of at least $8,000 per person. For an eligible injured person, PIP can pay, without regard to fault, reasonable medical expenses incurred within two years of the crash, lost wages generally limited to 75 percent of the person’s average weekly wage for the year before the crash, and payments to people outside the household for necessary replacement services. A deductible purchased under § 34M can modify, reduce or eliminate these benefits for the insured and members of the insured’s household. Where health, sickness or disability insurance, or a group plan that pays for health care, has paid or will pay an eligible person’s medical, dental, hospital, ambulance, nursing or funeral expenses, the § 34A definition of PIP bars PIP from paying more than $2,000 of those expenses to the extent they are so paid. Amounts that coverage does not pay, such as its deductibles and copayments, can generally still be paid by PIP up to the policy’s PIP limit. A person entitled to workers’ compensation benefits under M.G.L. c. 152 is excluded from PIP under § 34A, so an employee hurt in a crash while working generally looks to workers’ compensation rather than PIP for medical bills and lost wages.
A claim against another party for pain and suffering is a separate matter with its own threshold. Under M.G.L. c. 231, § 6D, a person injured in a motor vehicle crash can recover damages for pain and suffering only if reasonable and necessary medical expenses exceed $2,000, or the injury causes death, loss of a body member, permanent and serious disfigurement, loss of sight or hearing, or a fracture.
At Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C., Boston personal injury attorney Dino M. Colucci represents people injured in car crashes. Our team investigates which policies apply, how PIP and health coverage fit together, and whether another party can be responsible for the harm. Our team represents injured clients in Suffolk, Norfolk and Middlesex counties and throughout Massachusetts.
Why Electronic Crash Data and Witness Accounts Can Be Lost
Much of the information about how a vehicle was operated before a crash is stored electronically, and that information does not always remain available. Many passenger vehicles carry an event data recorder, and the data it holds can be overwritten or can leave with the vehicle when it is repaired, sold or released from storage. Obtaining that data can require a formal request.
Phone records can be relevant in many crash investigations, and they generally can be obtained only through a formal request. Surveillance systems at businesses and nearby properties can record over older video, so footage that once showed a crash can be lost.
Witness accounts can fade as well. People who were nearby can be difficult to locate later, and their memory of details can become less certain. Our team can send written preservation requests and gather witness statements while the information is still available.
What Injured People Can Do Now After a Car Crash
- Preserve documents and photos: Keep hospital paperwork, medical bills, insurance letters and any photos of injuries, vehicles and the scene. Write down the names and contact details of anyone who saw what happened.
- Get the crash report number: Ask the Lawrence Police Department for the report number. It can make it easier to request the police report later and to share it with insurers.
- Do not give recorded statements to another party’s insurer: A recorded statement, a medical authorization or a settlement release given to an insurer early can affect a claim before the full extent of an injury is known. It is generally worth understanding what a document does before signing it.
- Follow medical advice: Keep follow-up appointments and follow treatment instructions. Medical records can serve as evidence of the treatment that was needed, which can be relevant to PIP benefits and to any later claim.
- Speak with a lawyer: A lawyer can review how PIP, health insurance and another party’s liability coverage fit together. A lawyer can also explain the options that may be available.
Sources
- wcvb.com: Six people sent to hospital after car crashes into Lawrence McDonald’s
- nbcboston.com: Car crash into Lawrence McDonald’s leaves 6 people hurt
Questions After the Lawrence Crash
If this report involves you or someone close to you, an early conversation can clarify your options without any obligation. Call Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C. at (617) 958-3807 for a free consultation. Our office at 31 Milk St, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02109 serves injured clients throughout Boston and across Massachusetts.
