Car Accident Lawyers in New Britain, CT

You Need Legal Advice After a Car Accident

The period following a car accident is confusing and stressful. The other driver’s insurance company wants you to remain ignorant of your legal rights. Specifically, the insurance company does not want you to talk to a New Britain car accident lawyer because they do not want you to pursue an auto accident claim.

Circumstances When You Should Talk With New Britain Car Accident Lawyer

You should speak with a New Britain car accident attorney as soon as possible if you suffered an injury resulting from a collision or wreck. The other driver’s insurance carrier does not care about your injuries. Additionally, they may deny your claim with the hope you simply give up and fail to speak with an attorney.

Minor Car Accidents

The other driver’s insurance company wants you to believe you are not entitled to compensation if you were involved in a minor car accident. You can still obtain financial compensation even if you suffered a non-life-threatening injury. This is because minor injuries are still painful and require medical treatment. 

Car Accident Claims as a Passenger 

If you were injured during a car accident and were not driving, you have to file claims with two insurance companies. Specifically, you must file a claim with the driver of your vehicle’s insurance company and the insurance company for the other driver’s vehicle. This is because the drivers of both vehicles often deny fault and instead blame each other.

Partial Fault in a Car Accident

Connecticut’s modified comparative negligence law allows you to receive financial compensation even if your negligence contributed to the collision. Specifically, you can obtain financial compensation if you were less than 51% at fault. However, your compensation is reduced in proportion to your level of fault, e.g., a $10,000 award is reduced to $6,000 if a judge or jury determines you were 40% at fault.

Suing for Hit & Run Accidents

Connecticut requires all drivers to purchase automobile insurance. One of the coverages drivers must also carry is uninsured motorist coverage, which is designed to provide coverage in the event a victim is struck by an uninsured vehicle or when a victim is injured due to a hit and run accident. If you were involved in a hit and run accident, you can make an uninsured motorist claim with your insurance carrier, which will then act as the driver who struck you during your case.

This can complicate matters, so you should speak with a New Britain car accident lawyer for help in navigating your filing and potential lawsuit.

Catastrophic Car Accidents

The majority of car accidents result in victims suffering minor injuries. However, catastrophic car accidents cause victims to suffer life-altering injuries. Worse yet, some catastrophic car accidents cause fatal injuries.

Wrongful Death Claims

Connecticut does not allow individual surviving family members to assert wrongful death claims. Instead, the executor or administrator of the victim’s estate can assert a wrongful death claim on behalf of the estate, which can claim damages for the victim’s medical expenses, mental anguish, and pain and suffering. If the victim’s estate obtains a judgment or settlement, the proceeds are distributed to the victim’s surviving family members.

Types of Compensation Available in Car Accidents in New Britain

You can obtain financial compensation from a car accident by successfully claiming damages. Your damages are the losses you suffered due to your injuries. You can seek economic and non-economic damages under CT Gen Stat § 52-572h, and punitive damages pursuant to Connecticut common law. 

Compensatory

Compensatory damages are meant to make you whole due to your economic losses. You can claim compensatory damages based on your medical expenses and property damage resulting from a car accident. You can also claim compensatory damages based on your lost wages if you were unable to work due to your injuries.

Non-Compensatory

Non-compensatory damages allow you to obtain compensation for your non-economic losses. Stated more clearly, non-compensatory damages allow you to seek money for the pain and suffering you endured due to your injuries. Additionally, non-compensatory damages allow you to seek money for the mental anguish you experienced due to the car accident.

Punitive

Under Connecticut’s common law, punitive damages are meant to punish a wrongdoer if they caused a victim to suffer injuries because of their malicious, reckless, or grossly negligent behavior. Pursuant to CT Gen Stat § 14-295, you can seek treble damages, i.e., 3 times the amount of your compensatory damages if the other driver injured you due to certain traffic violations. These violations include but are not limited to:

• Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol
• Driving recklessly
• Speeding
• Driving in the wrong lane

How to Prove Your Damages in a Car Accident

Connecticut law requires you to prove all the elements of your claim, including your damages, by a preponderance of the evidence, i.e., 51%. If you suffered minor injuries, proving your damages may only require your testimony regarding your injuries and medical treatment, along with copies of your medical records and bills. Expert witness testimony may be required if you suffered injuries which caused you to suffer permanent disabilities.

Common Types of Car Accident Cases in New Britain, CT

Some personal injury lawyers decline to represent victims of car accidents unless the facts surrounding the accident are simple. This is because some personal injury lawyers are unwilling to invest the time and resources required to litigate complex cases. The New Britain car accident attorneys at Carter Mario have successfully represented victims who suffered injuries due to:

• Commercial Truck Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Hit & Run Accidents
• Drunk Driving Accidents

New Britain Car Accident FAQ

Car accidents cause victims to suffer terrible injuries. The time following a car accident is chaotic and confusing as injured victims must concentrate on recovering from their injuries while also dealing with the loss of their vehicles. At Carter Mario, our New Britain car accident lawyers offer free consultations in order to provide victims and their families with legal advice during this difficult time period.

What is the Statute of Limitations on Car Accident Lawsuits in Connecticut?

Pursuant to CT Gen Stat § 52-584, the statute of limitations for a car accident lawsuit in Connecticut is two years from the date of the accident. This two-year deadline means you file your lawsuit within two years of the accident. Statutes of limitations are strictly enforced, which means you must act quickly following a car accident.

How Much Does A New Britain Car Accident Attorney Cost?

The car accident attorneys at Carter Mario represent injured victims on a contingency fee basis. This means our clients pay no legal fees unless we win their case in court or negotiate a settlement which they approve. Additionally, under our Zero Fee Warranty, our legal fee will not exceed the amount of money our clients recover, i.e., we will not earn more than you.

What to Do After a Car Accident

After a car accident, check on the status of the other driver and obtain their name and insurance information. Additionally, you should contact the police. Finally, you should obtain medical treatment either with your primary care provider, an urgent care center, or at an emergency room if your injuries are severe.

Trust Carter Mario Law Firm’s Experience

The New Britain car accident attorneys at Carter Mario have earned numerous awards for successfully representing injured victims. Additionally, our attorneys have used their experience and knowledge to recover over one billion dollars on behalf of our clients. Contact us for a free consultation with one of our auto accident lawyers.