Every driver in Bridgeport assumes a duty to not cause any foreseeable harm to other people. These include other drivers, passengers, and even riders in their own vehicles. Drivers cannot avoid this duty, and it applies whenever they get behind the wheel.
Failures in this duty leave drivers liable for any damage that results from their reckless or careless activities. This legal concept forms the basis for most personal injury claims that arise out of car accidents. People who suffer injuries because of the negligence of drivers have the right to demand fair compensation for their losses.
A Bridgeport car accident lawyer could help injured individuals to pursue their claims. An experienced car crash attorney could work to explain the law, investigate the crash, and to hold negligent drivers liable for their failures to keep others safe.
Just Because a Collision is an Accident Does not Mean that a Defendant is not Liable
Getting behind the wheel of any vehicle forces a driver to accept a duty as part of a social contract. In exchange for the ability to use public roads, these drivers must take appropriate steps to protect others.
In general, this means driving in a safe and responsible manner. More specifically, this involves following the rules of the road, such as those that govern speeding, proper lane changes, and stopping at red lights. It is unfair to say that defendants in accident cases intended to cause harm to the injured parties. However, assuming this duty means that even careless driving can leave a defendant liable for any resulting damages.
In fact, the vast majority of Bridgeport car crash cases rely on this concept of negligence to demand payments from at-fault drivers. A Bridgeport auto accident attorney could work to explain the concept of negligence and gather evidence to demonstrate that it was the defendant’s negligence that led to the collision. Additionally, a car accident firm that uses aggressive tactics to resolve cases could utilize its resources to help injured victims throughout the claims process.
for Bridgeport GET A FREE CONSULTATION
Helping to Pursue Claims for their Full Value
Proving that a defendant driver was at-fault for a crash is only a small part of a car accident claim and a car wreck lawyer’s job. Plaintiffs must also show how that negligence resulted in their losses. The most obvious example of these losses is physical injuries. Car crashes can be catastrophic events that break bones, separate joints, result in burns, or leave people with permanent injuries. A negligent driver is always responsible for providing compensation to cover the costs of all necessary medical care.
In addition, car crashes can also have an indirect effect on a plaintiff’s life. An injury usually comes with a pain component. Even though this does not appear on any doctor’s bill, this is still a form of loss as a person enduring pain suffers a loss of quality of life. Also, many crashes result in significant mental anguish in the form of flashbacks or PTSD. Finally, if an injury is so severe so as to force a plaintiff to miss time at work, a defendant carries car accident liability to provide reimbursement for those lost wages.
In all, the focus of a car collision case is to demand the car accident compensation necessary to make the victim whole again. However, injured people must be sure to act quickly. Connecticut Statutes §52-584 states that all claims for injury centered around the concept of negligence must be in court no more than two years from the date of injury. In most cases a claim may not be brought more than three years from the act or omission complained of, even if the injury is discovered later. A Bridgeport auto injury attorney could work to bring cases to a close within this strict time limit.
How shared fault affects your claim
Connecticut follows modified comparative fault under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-572h: when the victim and the defendant share fault, the court reduces recoverable compensation by the victim's percentage of fault, and a victim whose share of fault is more than 50 percent may not recover at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What duty do drivers owe to others in Bridgeport?
Every driver in Bridgeport assumes a duty to not cause any foreseeable harm to other people, including other drivers, passengers, and riders in their own vehicles. Drivers cannot avoid this duty, and it applies whenever they get behind the wheel. Failures in this duty leave drivers liable for any damage that results from their reckless or careless activities.
Does the fact that a collision is an accident mean the defendant is not liable?
No. While it is unfair to say that defendants in accident cases intended to cause harm, getting behind the wheel means accepting a duty to drive safely. Assuming this duty means that even careless driving can leave a defendant liable for any resulting damages, and most Bridgeport car crash cases rely on negligence to demand payment from at-fault drivers.
What types of compensation can a car accident claim seek after a crash?
A plaintiff must show how a driver’s negligence resulted in losses. These may include physical injuries and the costs of all necessary medical care. Claims may also include pain and loss of quality of life, mental anguish such as flashbacks or PTSD, and reimbursement for lost wages if the injury forces a plaintiff to miss time at work.
How long do I have to file a negligence-based car accident injury claim in Connecticut?
Connecticut Statutes §52-584 states that all claims for injury centered around the concept of negligence must be in court no more than two years from the date of injury.
How can a Bridgeport car accident lawyer help with a claim?
A Bridgeport car accident lawyer could help injured individuals pursue their claims by explaining the law, investigating the crash, and holding negligent drivers liable. Car wreck attorneys could also gather essential evidence, fit that evidence within the framework of the law, and help people measure their losses to form accurate demand packages, while working to bring cases to a close within the strict time limit.
Contact a Bridgeport Car Accident Lawyer Today
Car accidents are always traumatic events that can affect every part of a person’s life. While the physical injuries are the most visible consequence of these events, a collision also affects a victim’s emotional wellbeing, quality of life, and finances. All drivers assume a duty to protect others when behind the wheel, and a failure to uphold this duty leaves them liable for all resulting damage.
A Bridgeport car accident attorney is prepared to take the lead in pursuing these claims. Car wreck attorneys could work to gather essential evidence, fit that evidence within the framework of the law, and help people measure their losses to form accurate demand packages. There is a short time following an accident to make these claims. Contact a Bridgeport car wreck lawyer today to schedule a car accident consultation.
