Lavecchia v. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

At the conclusion of a bench trial, a judge of the District Court awarded the plaintiff, Angelina Lavecchia, $15,500 in damages1 against the Massachusetts Bay Transportatiori Authority (MBTA) for injuries that she sustained when she fell on a public sidewalk maintained and controlled by the *241MBTA. The sole issue before us is whether the plaintiff’s claims are governed by the two-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims against the MBTA, see G. L. c. 161A, § 38,2 or by the three-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims arising from a “defect” in a public “way.” See G.…