As a victim of a trucking accident, you need maximum compensation, and only a truck accident lawyer in Bridgeport, CT, can help you get it. Learn about it here.
Residents of Bridgeport, Connecticut, experience different types of auto accidents. This could be car accidents, bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, or truck accidents. A truck accident is the most severe of these motor vehicle accidents. This is because of the size of commercial trucks compared to other vehicles on the roadway.
Trucks generally refer to tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, dump trucks, etc. Due to the nature of their job, truck drivers travel long distances from Bridgeport to other parts of Connecticut and outside the state. This time on the road makes them more susceptible to factors that cause accidents like fatigue.
Aside from these factors, truckers exhibit different types of negligence behavior when on the road. When this behavior causes an accident, they open themselves and their trucking companies to a personal injury claim. However, personal injury victims who want fair compensation need an experienced attorney before starting the legal process.
Our personal injury attorneys at Jacob & Wallace have combined decades of experience handling truck accident claims. We are available every day to listen to you and offer excellent legal advice. So contact us immediately after a trucking accident.
Large truck accidents are pretty common. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 5,005 people died in crashes involving large trucks in 2019. That same year, 77% of all those killed in fatal truck accidents were occupants of other vehicles. So, what exactly caused these commercial truck collisions? Below, we discuss the most common causes of trucking accidents.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2018, over 2,800 people were killed, and an estimated 400,000 sustained injuries in crashes involving a distracted driver in the United States. Distractions could be mental, manual, or visual. In addition, it takes a distracted driver only about three seconds to crash. So, it is prudent for drivers to keep their attention on the road ahead and the task of driving.
Truck drivers consume alcohol in between stops despite the law against drinking and driving. These drivers believe that drinking alcohol will keep them awake, but this belief is false. Alcohol is a depressant, impairs a person's cognitive abilities, and doesn't help to stay awake. When taken too much, the driver becomes intoxicated and causes a drunk driving accident. An accident victim can bring a negligence action against a drunk driver and get maximum compensation.
Commercial truck drivers operating trucks travel for long hours. These drivers often fail to observe the mandatory number of hours they should be on the road and drive longer than necessary. This causes fatigue, which causes drowsy driving and, ultimately, a collision. A commercial driver who causes an accident due to fatigue will compensate an injured person.
Other known causes of truck collisions are speeding, tailgating, mechanical failure, overloaded cargo, adverse weather conditions, etc. Any of these factors can cause a rear-end collision, head-on collision, multi-vehicle accident, or rollover accident. Whatever the accident type, ensure you speak with a Bridgeport truck accident attorney after the crash.
Victims of auto accidents must take specific steps to ensure fair compensation for their injuries and other losses. Below are steps to take if you hope to have a successful personal injury compensation claim.
There are different degrees of injuries accident victims sustain in auto accidents. An accident victim can sustain a minor wound, severe injury, or catastrophic injury. Some physical injuries suffered in this type of accident are:
Any of the above wounds could lead to the accident victim's death. When this happens, their families can file a wrongful death claim against the truck driver or trucking company. If you lose a loved one to a truck collision, get a trucking accident lawyer to handle the compensation claim process.
Under personal injury law, truck accident injury victims can get compensation against a negligent driver. This compensation covers economic and non-economic damages.
It refers to the calculable losses suffered by the injured accident victim. It is easy to calculate because these losses have a fixed dollar amount. Common examples of economic damages are:
It refers to incalculable losses. Since they have no fixed dollar amount, it is hard to quantify non-economic damages. In addition, this compensation covers emotional injuries. As such, you get non-economic damages for:
Punitive damages serve to punish a negligent driver for their grossly negligent actions. It is not compensatory and is awarded by courts and not insurance companies. Note that you must ask the court for it to get punitive damages.
There are times when the truck driver may not be the only party responsible for a truck accident. When this happens, you need to know who you can sue. Below are the possible defendants to a truck accident claim.
Victims of trucking accidents need a truck accident lawyer to handle their cases. A legal team is crucial because you can't deal with insurance adjusters and the trucking company lawyer alone. These people already have decades of experience handling these cases and will keep you from getting the best accident injury compensation.
Here are some things your lawyer will do for you:
At Jacobs & Wallace, we have helped several persons with injuries get the maximum compensation. Our combined experience and in-depth legal knowledge make us the best law office to handle your claim. In addition, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don't charge you at the initial consultation. We only get paid when we win. So call today to schedule a free case review.
How dangerous is a drunk driving accident? As an injury victim, can a Bridgeport accident lawyer help you get maximum damages for your injuries? Find out here.
From birth injuries to nursing home abuse, bite injury claims, etc., Bridgeport personal injury attorneys attend to numerous compensation claims. However, only a few may be as common and damaging as motor vehicle accidents. Auto accidents are usually severe, resulting in catastrophic injuries and deaths. Many of such devastating motor vehicle accidents involve a drunk driver.
In Connecticut, drunk driving is a serious offense that carries steep penalties including jail time. Unfortunately, the effects are more damaging for innocent injury victims, especially in a fatal accident. According to NHTSA, 28 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes every day. A significant number of those fatalities are accident victims who did no wrong.
Drunk driving will typically lead to drowsy driving and distracted driving. If you're lucky enough to survive such accidents, you can get compensation for your injuries via personal injury claims. This article will show you why an experienced car accident lawyer increases your chances of maximum compensation.
Drunk driving accident victims will usually suffer the following injuries:
Broken bones or fractures occur when contact with a heavy object breaks or crushes the bones. Fractures are excruciatingly painful and may result in swelling, immobility, discolored skin, etc. In extreme cases, broken bones lead to bone death.
When a drunk driver hits you, the force is usually extreme because they may be too impaired to attempt halting. During such a collision, you may hit your head against an object that injures your brain. Such injuries can hinder your brain functioning and result in loss of consciousness.
Spinal damage from drunk driving accidents can result in permanent disability. The adult spinal nerve cells don't heal after damage. In the best cases, spinal damage patients may regain some functioning after a long while. Common symptoms of spinal damage include difficult breathing, loss of bladder control, severe pains, etc.
Impaired driving accidents can cause injuries to your back and neck. One of the most common neck injuries from car accidents is whiplash. You may also get a pinched nerve, stiff muscles, herniated disc, etc from your accident. Common symptoms of back and neck injuries include headaches, back pain, fever, muscle spasms in your neck, etc.
When it comes to auto crash claims, you must identify the liable party in your case. If you don't, you wouldn't be able to claim damages for your injuries. Usually, intoxicated drivers are liable for injuries in a drunk driving accident.
To establish their liability, the following negligence elements must be present in your case:
This means that the law imposed a duty on the impaired driver to keep you away from harm on the highway. All motorists have this legal responsibility towards one another.
Breach of duty of care refers to an action from the defendant that caused your injuries. In drunk driving cases, this breach of duty is established upon proof that the driver drove while intoxicated.
You must prove what you suffered as a result of the accident. It could be a catastrophic injury, property damage, emotional pain, etc.
The injuries above must be a result of the crash.
You can get compensation for your injuries in a drunk driving accident. The following types of damages are typically available for eligible accident victims in a personal injury claim or lawsuit:
Economic damages are the first category of personal injury compensation benefits in Connecticut. These damages refer to compensation for the financial losses you incurred due to the accident. For example, economic damages typically cover medical expenses.
These are reimbursements for the monetary losses you suffered due to medical bills. Other examples of economic damages include lost wages and the cost of property repairs. If a personal injury case becomes a wrongful death claim, economic damages will include funeral expenses.
Non-economic damages are compensation for intangible losses. These losses are not monetary. However, they adversely affect the accident victims' lives. Examples of such damages include emotional pain, loss of quality of life, loss of consortium, etc.
Punitive damages in drunk driving accident lawsuits aim to punish the impaired driver for their negligent driving. It also warns future drivers against engaging in drunk driving.
As an injured party in a Bridgeport drunk driving accident, you need experienced personal injury lawyers for the following reasons:
Settling a claim with insurance adjusters requires advanced negotiation skills that only an auto accident attorney possesses. Without such extensive experience and skill, you may end up with little or no compensation benefits. A competent accident attorney will typically have decades of experience in negotiating settlement claims. You can count on them to predict the insurance adjuster's tricks and beat them at their own game.
As a non-lawyer, you'll have limited knowledge of the rules and regulations that guide personal injury claims. As such, it's easy for you to run foul of them. However, personal injury attorneys know these laws by heart. They'll work within stipulated time limits and ensure that you're on the good side of the law.
Apart from the physical pain and emotional distress, drunk driving accidents can make you incur heavy financial burdens. As such, you may not have enough funds to pursue your claims. In such cases, you can approach a personal injury law firm and offer professional fees on a contingency fee basis.
That way, you can pursue your claims free of charge. You'll only get to pay your attorney's fees if they win your case. You wouldn't get such a deal if you work without a lawyer.
Lawyers have access to specific legal resources that can help your case. On your own, you wouldn't be able to leverage them.
An attorney knows the essential pieces of evidence to prove your case. They can carry out investigations to fetch them. For example, your lawyers can use available materials like a police report to support your claims. They can also help to prove that the defendants were in possession of illegal drugs that got them intoxicated as they drove.
Competent personal injury lawyers also make experienced trial lawyers when the occasion calls for it. They'll aggressively argue your case in court and ensure that you get favorable outcomes from the judgments.
Are you an auto accident injury victim in Bridgeport, Connecticut? Then the chances are that a negligent driver caused your crash. Car collisions, especially drunk or distracted driving accidents, are due to human error and reckless driving. The negligent parties must pay for your physical pain and property damages, and emotional trauma.
At Jacobs & Wallace, our car accident lawyers are experts in aggressive advocacy. With our extensive experience in personal injury law, we assure you of the best results when we handle your claims. We believe that you deserve maximum compensation for your injuries. As such, we'll stop at nothing to ensure that you don't get any less.
We've won millions of dollars in compensation benefits for our past personal injury clients. We're ready to do the same for you in your challenging time. Call our office immediately to book a free case review.
Winning a car accident claim depends largely on the lawyer you hire. Learn about auto crashes and the role of a car accident lawyer in Bridgeport, CT.
In the United States, motor vehicle accidents remain one of the leading causes of unnatural deaths. Unfortunately, car accidents happen when drivers least expect it, and most times, they are avoidable. This is why the crucial factor in most collisions is negligence. A negligent driver fails to uphold their duty of care to other road uses, and as such, causes a traffic accident.
When this happens, it gives rise to an accident claim against such an at-fault driver. An accident victim who desires to pursue a personal injury claim would face many hurdles from insurance companies who do not like to pay compensation. The best way to beat the odds is by hiring a personal injury lawyer.
An attorney is your best option if you desire the maximum compensation. At Jacobs & Wallace, our attorneys have decades of experience helping crash victims in Bridgeport, Connecticut, get the justice they deserve. So contact us immediately after an accident you did not cause.
The number of fatal accidents in Connecticut keeps increasing. According to a report, in 2019, 254 people died in traffic accidents, and the number went up to 310 in 2020. Another report by the Office of Legislative Research showed that between June 2016 and June 2021, there were 501,320 total crashes in Connecticut. 121,708 resulted in at least one possible suspected minor, suspected serious, or fatal injury.
In addition, 1,120 people died, 5,141 were suspected of having sustained severe injuries, and 47,597 were suspected of having suffered minor injuries during these five years. So what causes these injuries? Below are some of the common causes of vehicle accidents in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Distracted drivers are one of the leading causes of auto accidents. Distracted driving accidents occur when a driver does an act that takes their focus off the road. The distraction could be mental, visual, or manual.
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol causes automobile accidents. In Connecticut, drunk drivers are people with 0.08% blood alcohol content or above. When it is more than this, the chances of crashing increase as alcohol affects the cognitive ability and reduces reaction time.
Driving over the speed limit causes a motor vehicle collision. Speeding like drunk driving reduces reaction time. As such, you cannot stop in time to avoid a collision.
Also known as following too closely, tailgating occurs when vehicles fail to keep adequate space between each other. It is one of the common causes of rear-end collisions. Drivers can avoid it by keeping at least three seconds of space between themselves.
Drivers who run red lights also contribute to the crashes in Connecticut. A common example of this is running red lights, failure to maintain lanes, taking turns illegally, etc. A driver who causes an accident by disobeying traffic rules will face a citation from the police in addition to the accident claim the injured person will file.
Other known causes of car accidents in Connecticut are adverse weather conditions, mechanical failure, bad roads, reckless driving, etc.
Car accident victims can suffer minor injuries, severe or catastrophic injuries, or fatal injuries. Injured victims do not survive fatal injuries, hence the name. Those with minor injuries can recover with or without medical treatment. But it is advisable to get medical attention, especially if you desire to pursue a personal injury claim.
Those with severe or catastrophic injuries need medical attention as soon as possible. Not getting treated may aggravate the injury, which in turn may affect your chance of getting fair compensation. So, rather than worrying about medical costs, get treated and then hire an auto accident attorney to help you recover the money spent.
Examples of the common injuries sustained in an automobile accident are:
Keep in mind that your medical record for treating your injuries is a piece of vital evidence for your compensation claim.
What you do after an automobile accident plays a key role in how your Bridgeport personal injury claim would go. As such, our experienced car accident lawyers recommend you do the following:
Personal injury victims have two options available to them in their compensation claims. They can either file an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. The insurance claim is against the responsible party's insurer. The injury lawsuit is before a court of law. It would help if you worked with an experienced lawyer to get maximum compensation in either case.
A lawyer with extensive experience is crucial because insurance companies have a legal team who will not go easy on you. They will do all they can to throw out your claim or offer you a lowball settlement. So, work with a law office that is well-versed in personal injury law.
If your claim or lawsuit succeeds, you can expect to get the following compensation.
It covers the calculable losses suffered in the accident. This includes medical bills, lost wages, property damage, vehicle repair, out-of-pocket expenses, etc. Economic damages are easy to prove as long as you have the receipts of all the transactions.
It covers intangible losses, that is, losses from the accident that have no fixed dollar value. Unlike economic damages, non-economic damages are hard to calculate. However, accident lawyers have a formula for arriving at an amount. This compensation type covers emotional distress, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, etc.
Unlike economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages are not compensatory. Instead, it punishes the at-fault driver for the injury the victim suffered. However, the fault party must have been grossly negligent for the injured person to get the award. Note that insurance companies do not award punitive damages; only courts do. Hence, you need an experienced trial lawyer to get it.
Often, injury victims shy away from hiring a personal injury law firm to handle their cases. They believe since they are not filing a lawsuit, they can handle negotiations with the insurance company alone. While this is true, we've seen victims get cheated of what they are entitled to as a result. This is because they lack the experience and the legal knowledge lawyers in auto accident practice have.
A lawyer knows when the strength and weaknesses of a car accident claim and will advise you on when to accept or reject a settlement offer. In addition, they will coach you on what to say to avoid hurting your case. Furthermore, an experienced car accident lawyer will investigate your case and get all the pieces of evidence needed to win. Lastly, accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don't pay them until they win.
Jacobs & Wallace is a reputable law firm serving Bridgeport. Our lawyers see you as a real person who suffered an injustice. As such, we will use our decades of experience and extensive legal resources to get you the maximum personal injury compensation. With us, you don't have to worry about legal costs as we work on a contingency fee basis. Contact us today for a free case review.
