Connecticut man hit by police car sues state for millions

Nearly three years ago, a local restaurant owner was driving home when he ran out of gas. He got out of his truck and attempted to cross the road when a police car came speeding toward him. The police car crashed into the man, and he will suffer from its effects forever.

The man, now 48, lost his right leg in the collision. His leg was found two streets away. Although it’s a gruesome detail, it shows how forceful the impact was. The man’s left leg was also left permanently disfigured, and he now uses a wheelchair to get around. Making things worse, the police officer continued driving after hitting the man. He only returned to the scene after someone else found the victim in the street and called 911. The man is now suing the state of Connecticut in a Bridgeport court for more than $10 million.

When a person is injured in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, he or she has the right to seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit, like this man has chosen to do. A successful personal injury lawsuit can result in compensation that can cover medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional trauma and other related damages. An experienced attorney can help you build a solid case.

In this case, there are several factors a play. First, the police officer was allegedly speeding at the time of the crash. According to the victim’s attorney, the officer was driving faster than 100 mph at the time of the crash. The crash happened in a 45 mph zone, and the officer did not have his siren or lights activated. Second, the officer left the scene of the accident. Third, the man was apparently never disciplined by the police department.

The police officer is arguing, however, that he was not at fault in this collision. He said he was driving no faster than 70 mph, which is still substantially above the speed limit, but claimed he was pursuing a vehicle. The victim was also intoxicated at the time of the crash. However, a few things contradict the officer’s claims, including the fact that he never radioed the station saying he was pursuing a car and never caught the car he was supposedly pursuing.

As the facts are presented, it will be up to the jury to determine the outcome of this case. It will be interesting to see what they decide.

Source: ctpost.com, “Crash victim seeks $10 million-plus from state,” Daniel Tepfer, Feb. 26, 2013