Connecticut Trucking Accident Attorneys

The moments after an accident can be chaotic and painful. If you cannot move or if you feel trapped in your car, try to stay put until medical help arrives. If you or your passengers have injured your neck or spine, you may need professional help to get out of the car. 

Always call 911 after an accident — in Connecticut, it’s illegal not to report an accident. Calling 911 summons the police, and they will examine the accident scene and compile a police report. The officer will also check all the drivers to see if driving under the influence had any role in the crash.

The police report contains information about all parties involved in the accident, the circumstances of the crash, and whether any party violated Connecticut traffic laws. The police report is an essential part of the case that your truck accident attorney will build to file a suit for damages.

If you’ve been involved in trucking accidents, lawyers will tell you that getting medical attention is always important. Some injuries may not show up immediately, but having prompt medical care can start your recovery right away. 

Additionally, the medical reports will establish that you received your injuries due to the crash — another important piece of evidence used for your claim.

Finally, hire an experienced trucking accident lawyer to represent your interests and file a claim against the driver and the commercial carrier.

Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring that their drivers are properly trained and certified, with a valid Commercial Driving License (CDL), and have the proper certifications for the goods they are hauling. 

If the commercial carrier doesn’t complete due diligence in the hiring process and hires a trucker with a spotty driving record, one with an expired CDL, or one who isn’t properly trained, then they can be held liable by your truck accident lawyers for your injuries. 

Or, the commercial carrier may have failed to maintain its fleet properly, and a malfunctioning truck could have led to the crash.

Furthermore, commercial drivers must adhere to certain safety standards, which govern how long they're allowed to drive before they have to stop to rest, how long the rest periods are, and the maximum speeds they’re allowed to drive.

If a commercial trucking company doesn’t provide oversight and supervision for their drivers, or if they knowingly encourage truckers to drive faster or for more extended periods of time to save money, then the carrier could be liable. 

Your trucking accident lawyers will likely request the company’s safety records and the driving records of the truck driver who hit you.

No Zones are the blind spots or dangerous areas around a semi-truck and the areas where accidents are most likely to happen. These are in the front, sides, and rear of the vehicle. Knowing where the truck driver’s blind spots are can help you avoid staying in them for too long and drive defensively to avoid them.

Although truck accidents can happen anywhere, some places in the state are more accident-prone than others. Three of the most dangerous roadways for a truck accident are Interstate 91, Interstate 95, and U.S. Highway 6. Between 2015 and 2017, nearly 70 deaths from trucking accidents occurred along those roads.

The circumstances of each accident are different; therefore, the settlement amount will also differ. Trucking accident attorneys will look at how badly you’ve been injured and the extent of the damages to your car. 

Your medical bills, property damage, and lost wages from missed work all comprise the economic damages that can be sought by your lawyer. For trucking accident cases, medical treatment can include the cost of emergency care after the crash and any ongoing treatment you need, such as surgery, a chiropractor, or physical therapy.

After trucking accidents, lawyers also file for non-economic damages, covering the pain and suffering you experience after the accident. Non-economic damages can also include:

• PTSD or anxiety you develop after the accident
• Emotional trauma and mental anguish
• Diminished quality of life, if your injuries leave you in chronic pain
• Inability to resume your usual activities because of your injuries
• Disfigurement and scarring

It’s hard to put a dollar amount on the cost of the trauma accident victims suffer, and typically the judge will use a multiplier of your economic damages to calculate non-economic damages. 

However, Connecticut has no cap on damages that a plaintiff in a trucking accident can be awarded, so your truck accident lawyer may ask for more than the multiplier.

When trying to decide who’s liable, trust your lawyer. For trucking accidents, they may find the commercial carrier liable for the accident, too. 

In that case, they may seek punitive damages against the company, which are a form of economic punishment for their negligence and gross oversight.

Many people may worry that they cannot afford a lawyer to represent them. However, many personal injury firms, including Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, work on a contingency basis. We only get paid if we win your case, and our legal fees will come from the settlement you’re awarded.