Published Saturday, October 10, 2026. This post summarizes public news reports and is general information, not legal advice.
What Happened on Route 44 in Raynham
A fundraiser has been started for the family of an 18-year-old Brockton pedestrian who was struck and killed while crossing Route 44 near 430 New State Highway in Raynham at approximately 6:15 a.m. Tuesday, fallriverreporter.com reported. Fallriverreporter.com reported that the fundraiser, started by one of his managers, says he was on his way to get breakfast, a regular part of his morning routine.
Fallriverreporter.com also reported that the fundraiser is meant to help his family with funeral and memorial expenses and other unexpected costs, and that services had not yet been announced as of its report. The sections below explain Massachusetts legal rules that can apply when a pedestrian dies after being struck on a road.
How Can Filing Deadlines Affect a Wrongful Death Claim
A civil claim for compensation after a death asks who can be responsible for the harm, and it does not depend on whether anyone is charged or convicted. Under M.G.L. c. 229, § 2, a person whose negligence causes another person’s death can be liable for damages in a wrongful death action. The action is brought by the executor or administrator of the deceased person for the benefit of the surviving spouse, children or next of kin.
The same statute sets the time limit. A wrongful death action generally must be filed within three years from the date of death, or from the date when the executor or administrator knew, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, of the factual basis for a cause of action. That period is subject to any additional time provided by certain sections of chapter 260.
A separate personal injury claim arising from the same incident falls under M.G.L. c. 260, § 2A, which generally requires filing within three years after the cause of action accrues.
At Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C., Boston personal injury attorney Dino M. Colucci represents people injured in pedestrian crashes and families who have lost someone in one. Our team investigates how a crash happened, gathers the records a claim depends on, and tracks the deadlines that can apply. Our team represents injured clients in Suffolk, Norfolk and Middlesex counties and throughout Massachusetts.
Why Witness Accounts and Scene Evidence Can Go Cold
Witness accounts can be relevant evidence of how a pedestrian crash happened. A passenger, a passerby or another motorist can describe traffic, the positions of the vehicles involved and the pedestrian, and what occurred in the moments before and after the impact.
Memories can fade, and contact details can be lost if no one records them at the scene. Statements taken early can be more complete than accounts gathered later.
Physical and digital evidence can change as well. Video from nearby businesses, homes or vehicles can be overwritten, roadway marks can fade, and debris can be removed. A vehicle can be repaired before anyone documents its condition.
Together, these records can help show who can be responsible for a death. That is why our team works to gather them while they are still available.
What Families Can Do Now
Families coping with a sudden death on a Massachusetts road often have practical questions. The steps below are general information for anyone in a similar situation.
- Request the official records: Ask the investigating agency for a copy of the crash report. Where one was prepared, the medical examiner’s findings can also be requested.
- Ask that evidence be preserved: Make written requests that the vehicles, scene photographs and nearby video be kept. Requests sent to the people and businesses that hold this material can help keep it available.
- Be careful with insurer paperwork: A recorded statement, a medical authorization or a settlement release given to an insurer early can affect a claim before its full extent is known. It is generally worth understanding what a document does before signing it.
- Learn how a wrongful death claim is brought: Ask how the executor or administrator role works for the family and which of the deadlines described above can apply.
- Speak with a lawyer: A Massachusetts lawyer who handles wrongful death claims can review the records and explain the options available to the family.
Sources
- fallriverreporter.com: Friends and coworkers remember 18-year-old Brockton teen after fatal Raynham pedestrian crash
Questions for Families After a Fatal Crash in Raynham
Our team can explain how a wrongful death claim is brought in Massachusetts, which records to request and which deadlines can apply. Call Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C. at (617) 958-3807 for a free, confidential consultation. Our office at 31 Milk St, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02109 serves injured clients throughout Boston and across Massachusetts.
