Connecticut auto accidents have the power to completely change your life. You could be out of work for several weeks or perhaps months. You may be in excruciating pain as a result of a traumatic injury. And even if the accident wasn’t your fault, you might have to pay for it if you don’t take action to defend your rights.
If you’re looking for a car accident attorney in Connecticut, start by paying attention to these suggestions. Don’t just choose the first lawyer you come across. To make sure you’re hiring the greatest lawyer for your needs, you need to conduct some research. If not, you risk hiring a lawyer who is unqualified and unconcerned with the outcome of your case.
Finding the ideal attorney may take some time, but the extra time is worthwhile.
Car Accident Causes
There are many different things that might cause car accidents. Anything that affects driving circumstances has the potential to cause an accident, including driver negligence, maintenance problems, and environmental influences.
The following are a few of the primary reasons for car accidents:
- Aggressive or careless driving
- Breaking traffic regulations
- DUI (driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol)
- Driving while distracted
- Drowsy driving
- Dangerous traffic conditions
- Faults and maintenance-related problems with vehicles
- Unfavorable weather
Best Car Accident Lawyers In Connecticut
1.) Trantolo & Trantolo Personal Injury Lawyers
21 Oak St Suite 605, Hartford, CT 06106
+18609999999’
2.) Polito & Harrington LLC
567 Vauxhall Street Ext. Suite 230, Waterford, CT 06385
+18604473300’
3.) Carter Mario Law Firm
100 Plains Rd, Milford, CT 06461
+12032901102
4.) Gould Injury Lawyers
900 Grand Ave #1, New Haven, CT 06511
+12037730817
5.) McCoy & McCoy
20 Church St Suite 1720, Hartford, CT 06103
+18602449100
6.) Law Offices Of James F Aspell, PC
40 Stanford Dr, Farmington, CT 06032
+18604670852
7.) The Flood Law Firm LLC
190 Washington St, Middletown, CT 06457
+18603462695
Common Traumatic From Auto Accidents
The severity of collisions might vary greatly. Some people involved in car accidents are fortunate enough to escape the site of the incident relatively uninjured, but others are less fortunate. In any scenario involving a car collision, it’s critical to see a doctor right away to have any injuries evaluated and treated.
Car accidents can result in injuries like these:
- Bone fractures
- Burns
- Scrapes and cuts
- Bruises
- Traumatic encephalopathy
- Spinal cord damage
- Internal organ damage
- Whiplash
- Amputation or limb loss
- Muscular tearing and tension
What To Do After A Car Accident?
After an automobile accident, there are a few steps that should almost always be taken. Following these procedures after a collision will assist in ensuring that your injuries are treated and that your claim progresses smoothly, whether you want to file an insurance claim or elect to go to court.
Following an automobile collision, you ought to:
- Seek medical help as soon as you can.
- If you are able, assist others.
- If you can move vehicles off the street.
- Take pictures of the crash site, the damaged vehicles, and any injuries.
- Trade contact information and insurance information with other drivers and witnesses.
- Take regular pictures of the healing of your wounds.
- Archive any pertinent paperwork
- Call the Connecticut automobile accident attorneys now.
Your physical condition following a collision may affect your capacity to carry out the aforementioned steps. Keep in mind that getting proper care comes before finishing any of these tasks; your health always comes first. While you heal from your injuries, our legal experts can help with the collecting of evidence.
When Should You Retain A Connecticut Automobile Accident Attorney?
The best approach to make sure you receive the most compensation for your damages and safeguard your interests is to hire a car crash attorney as soon as possible. This provides your injury attorney with crucial time to develop your case, acquire evidence that must be gathered quickly, send out investigators, and gather all the necessary evidence to ensure that you receive the maximum compensation allowed by Connecticut’s vehicle accident regulations.
There is a time limit known as the statute of limitations that must be followed in order for you to file a vehicle accident claim, which further increases your chances of a successful conclusion. Connecticut allows you two years from the accident date to bring a lawsuit related to a car accident; however, this time frame may change based on the specifics of your case. We strongly advise dealing with a lawyer as soon as you can due to legal intricacies that may have an impact on the time restriction. During a consultation, a lawyer can probably accurately explain Connecticut’s statute of limitations.
It should be noted that chatting with a vehicle accident attorney does not constitute hiring one. The majority of law firms representing vehicle crash victims offer free consultations. The sooner you team up with an experienced attorney, the quicker you’ll be on the road to recovery and receiving the compensation you are due.
Is Connecticut An Accident Free State For Cars?
No longer. In Connecticut, vehicle accident claims are currently processed according to who was to blame. Connecticut was once a no-fault state, identical to its neighbor New York, as longtime inhabitants of the state may recall.
The no-fault rule was eliminated in 1993 by Connecticut Public Act 93-297 in favor of a fault-based or tort system. In Connecticut, vehicle accident victims have been able to file claims for damages against careless drivers and other parties since 1994.
Car accident claimants greatly benefit from the at-fault system. Torts give plaintiffs the ability to seek compensation for all economic damages, as well as pain and suffering and other non-economic losses, as opposed to being mostly limited to coverage of specific economic damages through the victim’s own insurance.
Car Accident Statistics In Connecticut
Unfortunately, you still have to share the road with people who don’t obey traffic laws, even if you’re a careful driver. In Connecticut, there are several car accidents every day, ranging in severity from small to serious.
The state crash data repository contains accident statistics for Connecticut. This is an online application that logs accident information from the Department of Public Safety and the CT Department of Transportation.
The state repository provided the statistics on auto accidents below.
Total crashes: 97,818
Included 183,539 automobiles
Individuals involved: 234,972
Including 1,155 pedestrians
One thousand two hundred fifteen of them involve motorcycles.
With regard to 708, school buses
involving 457 bicycles
420 bus-related incidents
Two thousand five hundred fifty of them involved uninsured drivers.
The number of collisions by prospective point of contact:
2,923 accidents linked to DUI
5,489 accidents involving distracted driving
16,958 collisions with motorists over 65
33,055 accidents involving motorists aged 15 to 25
15,019 collisions involving immovable objects, 864 collisions involving work zones, and 506 collisions involving vehicles traveling the wrong way
Tragically, as you can see below, the number of deadly car accidents has been rising yearly.
2019 had 251 deaths.
300 fatalities by 2020
312 fatalities in 2021.
Value Of Your Connecticut Auto Accident
When figuring up how much a car accident is worth, several different variables are involved. A competent personal injury attorney will sit down with you, look into the details of your case, and provide you with a reliable estimate after all the facts are known.
The following are some elements that could affect the amount of monetary compensation you receive:
Medical costs associated with the injury: After a car accident, it’s always vital to contact a doctor, even if you first feel fine. Keep in mind that some injuries, such as brain injuries, may not immediately show symptoms. Your attorney will make sure that the money you receive will cover all of your medical expenses, both current and future. Your auto accident attorney will determine how much money you are entitled to after taking into account your injuries, medical bills, records, and other necessary procedures.
Loss of earning capacity and lost wages: It can take some time before you’re able to return to work after suffering major injuries in a car accident. Some automobile accident victims sustain injuries that make it impossible for them to ever return to work. Your attorney will pursue monetary damages for lost wages and diminished future earning potential.
Damage to vehicles and other property: If your car is damaged in an accident, your insurance should pay for it. However, a lawyer is required to provide legal counsel and make sure you are compensated in situations when the at-fault individual is either uninsured or driving while intoxicated.
Financial compensation is calculated by taking into account all damages, including emotional anguish and pain, and suffering. A person’s post-accident emotional and mental suffering is taken into account when calculating damages. Loss of sleep, fear, and coping with post-traumatic stress disorder are examples of this (PTSD). There is no amount that can undo the harm that has been done, making it difficult to set a price on this kind of suffering. However, your accident attorneys will fight hard to secure cash compensation for the emotional suffering you are experiencing.
Connecticut Laws Regarding Auto Accidents
Connecticut liability laws
Finding out who is responsible for the damage and medical costs that occur from car accidents is crucial. Your insurance claim, your level of liability, and the amount of uncertainty you can experience during the claims process are all impacted by who is at fault.
For the purposes of car accidents, Connecticut has been an at-fault jurisdiction since 1994. Therefore, any losses resulting from the collision are normally covered by the driver who caused it or their insurance provider. However, if you bring a lawsuit, you must adhere to the amended comparative negligence statute of the Constitution State. In particular, this regulation may bar you from receiving any monetary or other damages if you were more than 50% to blame for the accident.
CT’s Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations for a claim is determined by the tort laws of each state. You may have up to six years in some areas, while in others, you may only have a year to launch a lawsuit. The statute of limitations in Connecticut is typically two years for auto accidents. While there are few exceptions, you most often only have a short window of time in which to bring a lawsuit or otherwise make use of your legal rights.
This is why it’s crucial to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible following your vehicle accident. Waiting could result in you losing out on whatever compensation they are able to obtain.
FAQ
What activities should you avoid following a car accident?
The obvious thing to avoid doing is what we already told you to do. Even if it wasn’t your fault, don’t leave the accident area without calling and speaking to the police.
Even if it was your fault, defer accepting blame until you’ve spoken to your attorneys. Yes, even to the on-site paramedics, witnesses, and particularly police officers. Let us decide that for you later. You recently got into a car accident, and even if you are not seriously hurt, you can still be feeling a lot of strain.
Last but not least, wait to speak with us before giving any comments to the insurance company.
What happens if the at-fault driver has no insurance or leaves the scene of the accident?
You can find out if your insurance includes uninsured motorist coverage if the at-fault driver has no insurance. If so, your own insurance provider may be required to assist you in recouping your losses.
The aforementioned protection extends to hit-and-run victims as well.
How long do you have in Connecticut to file a car accident claim?
In the event of a car accident, victims have two years to submit a claim for compensation. Both property damage and personal injuries are covered by the same time frame. However, the two-year period begins to run after the victim of a wrongful death passes away as a result of their injuries.
The courts strictly uphold the “statute of limitations,” which is a set of temporal restrictions with few exceptions. Get your claim started as soon as you can if you need to make a claim for a car accident. Building a case and pursuing the necessary recovery takes time. When you file a claim as quickly as possible following an accident, you not only aid yourself but also provide your auto accident attorney the time they require to prepare your claim.
What about connecticut auto accident insurance coverage?
Connecticut mandates a minimum of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in terms of liability insurance coverage for accidents. The value of your particular case against the driver or vehicle that hit you will typically be restricted to $25,000 or less if they only have the minimal minimum insurance.
Unless there were additional vehicles involved or the at-fault driver had passengers as well, another $25,000 in coverage would be available if you were a passenger or were driving another passenger. To compensate for your losses, there can be extra policies in effect.
What does Connecticut’s coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers entail?
You can file a claim against your own insurance for any value over what was collected if the value of your case exceeds the insurance coverage offered by the at-fault driver’s policy.
Consider the scenario in which your case is valued at about $100,000 based on the seriousness of your injuries. The other driver who hit you only carried the mandatory $25,000 in insurance, but your policy offers you an additional $100,000 in coverage. If you reach a $25,000 settlement with the other driver’s insurance provider, you can file an “underinsured claim” with your own insurance provider to recover the remaining $75,000 to ensure that you receive the full value of your injury claim.
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