Every driver in Connecticut has a duty of care to operate their vehicle responsibly and to abide by posted traffic signals. When a driver is reckless, they put themselves and all others around them at grave risk and can easily cause a serious accident. If you or a family member have been injured by such a driver, it is important that you consult an experienced Middletown reckless driver accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
The attorneys at Bartlett & Grippe have more than 100 years of combined experience handling all types of vehicle accident and other personal injury cases for clients in Middletown and surrounding areas of Connecticut. Our firm approaches every case with the goal of helping our client maximize their recovery as efficiently as possible. If you are unsure how to proceed in the aftermath of a reckless driving accident, we can help.
Our firm will explain how the driver’s illegal misconduct could influence your recovery, gather the evidence needed to firmly establish fault for your damages, and guide you through the process of recovering from the accident. Your case may require filing an auto insurance claim and/or a personal injury suit against the reckless driver, and you will need an attorney’s help to reach optimal results in the recovery efforts you attempt.
In Connecticut, all vehicle accident cases are resolved using a fault-based system. This means the driver at fault for causing an accident absorbs liability for the resulting damages, and they must prove fault before they can recoup their losses through insurance or a personal injury suit. The reckless driver who caused your accident is likely to face criminal prosecution for their illegal misconduct, but you must be prepared to show evidence they are responsible for your damages.
Your Middletown reckless driver accident lawyer can assist you with building the foundation of your case, gathering the proof you need to show the defendant is directly responsible for causing the accident in question. You will not only need to prove the full extent of the damages you suffered, but also prove they are the direct results of the defendant’s actions and did not occur from any other cause.
Every Connecticut driver is required by law to have auto insurance that includes coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability. When a driver causes an accident, their insurance will pay for the resulting damages up to the coverage limits of the policy, but the insurance company is likely to look for any reasons they can find to deny or devalue the claim. You should expect the at-fault driver’s insurance company to push back however they can.
It’s important to consult a Middletown reckless driver accident lawyer before discussing your claim with an insurance company representative. Your attorney can ensure you are treated fairly and prevent the insurance carrier from trying to use your own words against you. After you receive a settlement offer, your attorney can then determine whether you have grounds for further legal recourse that might enhance your recovery.
In the event you cannot fully recover your damages through auto insurance, a personal injury case is likely to be your optimal choice for holding the defendant accountable and recovering compensation for your damages. Success with your personal injury case will require proof of liability as well as proof of the full extent of your damages. You will also need to prove those damages directly resulted from the defendant’s actions and not from any other cause.
A successful personal injury claim could yield compensation for any economic losses you suffered in the accident, such as your vehicle repair costs, and medical bills not covered by insurance, lost income, and lost earning power if you have been permanently disabled by your injuries. In addition to these economic damages, you also have the right to claim compensation for your pain and suffering.
It can be difficult for the average person to assign monetary value to things like physical pain and psychological trauma, but an experienced attorney can help with this aspect of their personal injury case. Generally, the amount of pain and suffering compensation a plaintiff can receive is proportionate to the overall severity of their injuries and the scope of long-term or permanent harm they have suffered.
In the event your family member has died in a reckless driver accident, the at-fault driver is not only likely to face significantly increased penalties in criminal court, but they are also liable for wrongful death. Bartlett & Grippe can help you and your family build a comprehensive wrongful death suit against the at-fault driver to hold them accountable for your family’s loss.
It’s possible for a wrongful death suit to yield compensation for the lost financial support the victim can no longer provide to their family, funeral and burial expenses, and compensation for the family’s pain and suffering. This type of personal injury case is especially challenging in several ways, so it is important to have legal counsel you can trust on your side if you intend to file this type of case in Middletown.
You have a limited time in which to build and file your case in the aftermath of a reckless driver accident. It is vital to connect with legal counsel you can trust at your first opportunity after the accident, so your attorney has as much time as possible to build the foundation of your case. The team at Bartlett & Grippe are ready to provide the legal counsel you need in this difficult situation and will do everything we can to maximize your recovery.
We only charge our client a fee if and when we recover compensation on their behalf, so the legal counsel you need is accessible when you need it most. If you are ready to learn what a Middletown reckless driver accident lawyer can do for your recovery, contact Bartlett & Grippe today to schedule your free consultation with our team.