Top Connecticut Truck Accident Attorneys

Truck accidents happen for a variety of reasons. Crash causes often involve the trucker, trucking company, vehicle defect or malfunction, or cargo stakeholders. In Connecticut, common factors in truck accidents include:

• Speeding
• Tailgating (following too closely)
• Trucker inexperience
• Illegal maneuvers
• Unsafe cargo
• Defective truck parts
• Tire blowout
• Poor vehicle maintenance
• Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol (DUI)
• Fatigued, drowsy truckers and those who fall asleep at the wheel

An experienced Connecticut truck accident lawyer can investigate the crash to determine the cause and file documents to protect important evidence to support a victim’s case. This may include surveillance video, and black box records – two types of evidence may be quickly destroyed if legal action isn’t taken to preserve them.

Where do truck accidents happen in Connecticut?

A truck accident can happen anywhere in Connecticut – busy highways, country backroads, along the shoreline, or a congested main street. However, some locations see more accidents than others. In Connecticut, multiple fatal truck accidents have occurred on these roadways:

• Milford – I-95
• Fairfield – I-95 by exit 19
• Hartford and East Hartford – I-84, either side of the Bulkeley Bridge
• New Haven – Chapel Street
• Norwich – I-395

Truck accidents differ in many ways from crashes that do not involve commercial motor vehicles. Here are three examples:

• One of the primary differences is in the sheer size and weight of commercial trucks. Trucks can weigh 80,000 pounds. As a result, when a truck collides with a smaller vehicle, the impact can be much more severe, often resulting in more serious injuries and even fatalities. Injuries that may result from a truck accident include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, multiple fractures, amputations, and internal organ damage.
• The number of liable parties is likely greater in a truck accident.
• Big rigs, construction vehicles, 18-wheelers, and other large trucks are subject to various federal and state regulations that passenger vehicles are not. This includes driver qualifications, hours of service, and maintenance requirements, to name a few.

Who is at fault in a Connecticut truck accident?

Following a truck accident, it's common for multiple investigations to take place to determine fault - this can include the police, lawyers, and representatives for each party involved, all of whom may come to different conclusions. If a person is 51 percent or more at fault in an accident, they cannot pursue compensation in Connecticut. After a truck accident, at-fault parties may include:

• Trucker
• Truck owner
• Trucking company (employer)
• Cargo owner
• Cargo loaders
• Maintenance crews
• Defective truck parts manufacturers

An experienced Connecticut truck accident attorney can determine who is at fault and fight hard to hold them accountable. When the insurance and trucking companies try to push blame on the victim to reduce their own liability, a knowledgeable lawyer will relentlessly push back with hard evidence that cannot be ignored.

Typically, the more severe the injury, the more compensation a person collects. Connecticut truck accident settlements, verdicts, and decisions can average anywhere from tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some even result in multi-million dollar payouts. It all depends on the circumstances of the case. Factors that typically determine truck accident compensation include injury type and severity as well as accident fault. In general, Connecticut truck accident victims deserve compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Long-term rehabilitation and disability equipment
• Lost wages and diminished earning potential
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage

In fatal truck accidents, the victim’s family may also be eligible to recover compensation for funeral expenses and loss of consortium, among other damages.

How long do I have to file a claim or lawsuit after a Connecticut truck accident?

A statute of limitations applies to personal injury and truck accident claims and lawsuits in Connecticut. Although there are exceptions that can reduce this window of opportunity, in general, crash victims have 2-3 years to file a lawsuit. An experienced Connecticut truck accident attorney can listen to the details of a case and let a crash victim know which legal deadlines apply to their situation.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the state set laws and regulations for the trucking industry in Connecticut. After a truck accident, laws involving the following may apply:

• Connecticut heavy truck highway tax
• State truck emissions standards
• Hours of Service
• Trucker fitness standards and qualifications
• Motor vehicle inspection, repair, safety, and maintenance requirements
• Connecticut truck size and weight limits and permit policy for overweight vehicles.

How a Connecticut truck accident lawyer can help

Truck accidents can be complex, and the insurance and trucking companies may try to avoid liability. An experienced lawyer can help by investigating your accident, gathering evidence, and taking legal action to preserve records, potentially including the truck driver's logs and data from an event data recorder, and looking into any violations of state or federal trucking laws that could help your case.

On average, studies show that people who consult lawyers generally collect more damages than those who do not - even after paying attorney fees. In Connecticut, truck accident attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning there are no upfront costs or expenses, and you won't owe anything if they don't win your case. There is no reason to take on the trucking industry and insurance companies alone. Contact an experienced Connecticut truck accident lawyer with a track record of success to schedule a free case consultation and explore your options.