There are risks when traveling on our roads: potholes, bumps, ruts, car parts, debris, etc. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 81, Section 18 controls both what our courts deem “defects” in the road, and the rules that MassDOT must follow if we receive notice from you. A defect is anything in the condition of the way that renders it unsafe or inconvenient for ordinary travel. Both this statute and the case law state that there can be no recovery for property damage, only personal injury (limited to $4,000.00), in actions against the Commonwealth due to road defects. But if our investigation finds that the area was in an active construction zone, we will forward your claim to the contractor of the record.
