While the truck industry is crucial to our economy, accidents involving trucks can be severe and often cause life-threatening injuries.
If you live in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk-Danbury metropolitan area and have been involved in a truck accident, make sure you get in touch with a Danbury truck accident lawyer right away for assistance seeking compensation for your injuries.
As a truck accident victim, you might be liable for compensation for damages and injuries suffered and a Danbury personal injury lawyers from Injured CT can help you determine whether you have a case or not. Our lawyers are professionals with experience handling truck accident claims and can help ensure that you get aptly compensated for your damages.
Call now to schedule a no-obligation meeting with our attorneys for a free case review. As we don’t charge a cent until we’ve won the case, there’s nothing to hold you back from seeking justice for your grievances.
Truck Accident Stats in Connecticut
According to a report filed by the National Highway Safety Administration in 2015, there were 266 fatal traffic accidents in Connecticut, and of this, 37 involved trucks. As per the report, only three people involved in these truck accidents were truck drivers while the others were pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles.
Such figures are shocking and go to show that truck drivers or operators are generally much safer than other drivers and road users.
These findings also show that traffic accidents involving trucks generally put the lives of those involved, more so, other road users, at great risk and tend to be fatal.
What Should I Do After Being Involved in a Truck Accident?
We all hope that we could be immune to traffic accidents, but sadly, that is not the case. If you’ve been involved in a truck-related accident, there are several steps that you should consider following to guarantee your safety and to ensure you have a solid foundation on which to build your case in the event you decide to file a claim. Here’s what you need to do:
- Call the local law enforcement agency and inform them of the incident. Wait until the police arrive and make sure you answer any questions you might be asked.
- If you are still able-bodied, help those who seem hurt before emergency crews arrive.
- Collect or exchange contact and personal information with the other driver. Do not, under any circumstances, discuss the turn of events or accept fault as that could prove detrimental to your case.
- Take photos and videos of the scene, damages to your vehicle, and any injuries you might have suffered
- Speak to witnesses and kindly ask for their contact information.
- Seek medical attention immediately. While you might feel alright, it’s still advisable that you get checked to ensure that you don’t have any internal injuries.
- Get in touch with a Danbury truck accident lawyer right away for legal counsel on what you need to do next.
What Laws Are There Regarding Truck Liability in Danbury, Connecticut?
In Connecticut, two agencies regulate truck operations in the state. These are:
- The Commercial Vehicle Safety Division of the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Together, the agencies have established specific regulations and rules regarding truck liability in the state. This includes:
- Hours of service. Dictates the number of hours truck drivers should drive before resting.
- Weight. Dictates the max. weight of a truck (based on its size and the cargo it’s carrying.)
- Permits. Truck drivers in Connecticut should have the proper permits for Commercial Driver Licenses and other crucial documentation before operating a truck.
How Can a Truck Accident Attorney in Danbury, Connecticut, Help?
There are several ways a Danbury truck accident lawyer can be of help to you. Apart from providing you with legal advice, an attorney will take up other responsibilities like:
- Questioning witnesses to gather more information about the accident
- Investigating the accident to determine what caused it and who is at fault
- Filing a claim on your behalf
- Handling all court processes to ensure your case is heard
- Negotiating with the other party’s insurance to ensure you get well-compensated for your injuries and damages
- Represent you in a court of law should an out-of-court settlement fail to materialize
The truck accident attorneys at Injured CT are professional and experienced and can help you seek the justice you deserve for injuries and damages suffered.
Call now to speak to one of our attorneys.
What Compensation Is Available Through a Truck Accident Claim?
If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, there are three forms of compensation that you might be eligible to receive after filing a claim in Connecticut. These are:
- Economic Damages: This covers compensation for things that can be calculated such as lost income, property damage, medical expenses, and any other type of loss whose value (monetary) can be determined.
- Non-Economic Damages: This involves compensation for things that can’t be seen but victims experience such as loss of enjoyment, suffering, pain, paralysis, etc.
- Punitive Damages: This is compensation awarded by the courts and is designed to punish the defendant for their negligence or carelessness.
How Much Are Truck Accident Claims Worth?
Since truck-related accidents generally cause life-threatening or severe injuries, they tend to attract higher compensation value than other types of accidents.
However, it’s worth noting that this doesn’t mean that your claim will attract a substantial amount in compensation since the amount paid out differs from one case to the other. If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, it essential that you have your case reviewed by a professional personal injury attorney to determine how much it might worth.
Call Injured CT today and schedule a meeting with our Danbury truck accident lawyers to have your case reviewed for a chance to know how much we believe your claim is worth.
Is There a Deadline for Filing a Truck Accident Claim in Danbury, Connecticut?
The statute of limitations in Connecticut (Section 52-584) limits the time you have to file a truck accident claim to 2 years from the day the accident happened.
If your case is against a government or county entity, then you have 6-months to express your intention of suing the county or city.
How’s Fault in Truck Accidents Determined?
Truck accidents tend to be a bit complicated since there are many entities and factors to be considered; due to this, determining who’s at fault isn’t as easy as you might think.
Determining fault in such cases is something that requires a large number of resources, skill, and experience; and is something that will require thorough investigations to identify the responsible party.
Can a Truck Accident Attorney Prove that the Truck Driver was Careless?
A truck driver can be proven to be careless or negligent. However, for them to be considered negligent, an attorney must first prove the following things:
- Duty of Care: He must prove that the driver had a duty of care while operating their truck on a public road.
- Breach of Duty: He must then prove that driver failed to observe their duty of care and ended up causing the accident.
- Causation: Finally, he must prove that it’s their breach of duty that led to the accident causing harm to the victim.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Truck Accident Claim?
Parties that are generally held responsible for any damages or injuries caused by a truck include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking companies
- The truck loading company
- The manufacturer
- Parts/vehicle manufacturers
What Are Some of the Most Common Causes of Truck Accidents?
- Driver fatigue
- Distracted driving
- Drug use
- Poor road condition
- Reckless driving
- Lack of proper truck maintenance
- Oversize or improperly secured freight
- Equipment malfunction or failure
- Poorly trained or inexperienced drivers
Call Injured CT Today for Professional Legal Representation
The truck accident lawyers at Injured CT are professional, hardworking, and experienced legal experts who are dedicated to protecting the rights of all our clients.
When you have us take on your case, you can rest assured that we’ll work efficiently and swiftly to ensure your claim is heard and that you are well compensated for your troubles. And the good thing about working with us is that we work on what’s known as a contingency fee basis – that means that we don’t get paid if we don’t win the case!
What does that mean to you as a victim? It means that you no longer have to worry about affording the costs of hiring an attorney. All you need to do is call now and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a Danbury truck accident lawyer at Injured CT to have your case reviewed by a professional legal team.