Hartford Truck Accident Lawyer

Truck accident victims face a long road to recovery, if a full recovery is even possible.  A Hartford personal injury lawyer from the Law Offices of James A. Welcome can help victims move along this road by offering compassionate support and insightful legal guidance and fighting to get them the compensation they need to secure a stable financial future.

Our team has more than 40 years of combined experience in leading clients to favorable case outcomes. Put your case and future in the capable hands of a Hartford truck accident lawyer from our firm to give yourself the best chance of seeing justice served.

What to Do After a Truck Accident

If you are injured in a truck accident, you may need to stay still until help arrives. If you can move without causing further damage, follow our ten tips for building a successful truck accident injury claim. Call the police and begin collecting valuable information right at the scene.

Exchange license and insurance information with the truck driver. Take pictures of the truck, its license plate, and any other identifying information. Get photos of the damage to the vehicles, their positions, road conditions, locations of traffic or surveillance cameras, and the overall environment. Get contact details from witnesses and ask them to send you an account of what happened.

Do not say anything that could be taken as an admission of fault or that minimizes your injuries. Do not speak to the other party’s insurance company without first connecting with a Hartford truck accident attorney. Better yet, let us handle those discussions on your behalf.

Get Medical Care After a Hartford Truck Accident

See a doctor as soon as possible after your accident. Do not wait longer than a few hours or a day. Prompt care supports your well-being and the strength of your case. Delaying care can cause damage on both of those fronts.

Often, truck accidents cause serious and obvious injuries. However, sometimes, severe and even potentially fatal injuries, such as brain trauma and internal organ damage, are not immediately apparent. Without fast diagnosis and care, these injuries can cause lifelong debilitation or death.

The at-fault party could use your decision to delay care to attack your case. They could say your injuries could not have been as severe as you say if you did not see the need for immediate attention. They could also argue that your increased debilitation resulted from the postponement of care, not the accident itself.

How Truck Accidents Happen

By finding the cause of your accident, we can identify the negligent party or parties and hold them responsible for paying damages. There are a variety of possible at-fault parties in a truck accident, as different entities all play a part in ensuring the safe operation of the vehicle. 

Truck Drivers

Truck drivers could speed or oversteer and lose control of the vehicle. Truckers also drive long hours and may become fatigued and less alert behind the wheel, which factors into the dangers of distracted driving among truckers.

Trucking Companies

Companies are responsible for maintaining safe fleets and for monitoring their drivers closely. While truck companies should ensure their drivers do not exceed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) allowable hours of service, speed, or overloaded cargo, some do the opposite. They pressure drivers to beat competitors at any cost, putting lives at risk.

Cargo Loaders

Unbalanced, improperly secured, or overloaded cargo all present serious dangers. Those responsible for loading a truck must ensure the cargo is balanced throughout the trailer and not able to shift and send the truck off balance mid-ride. Loaders must also follow cargo securement rules and keep trucks within the safe weight limit. 

Inspectors and Mechanics

Drivers must give their trucks pre- and post-ride inspections, but the vehicles must undergo additional inspections periodically. Inspectors must assess the trucks according to federal guidelines, keeping unsafe vehicles off the roads. Mechanics must complete thorough repairs, ensuring all parts and systems are in working order when the vehicle returns to service.

Other Possibilities

Sometimes, a negligent third-party driver causes an accident. Or, when bad road conditions or defective traffic signals cause an accident, the government entities responsible for those aspects of travel may be culpable. Count on your truck accident lawyer in Hartford to dig deep and identify the negligent party in your accident. 

Connecticut Truck Accidents Can be Deadly

Truck accident victims deserve compensation, and entering a swift legal partnership with an experienced Hartford truck accident attorney increases the probability of securing it. According to FMCSA Crash Statistics for truck accidents in Connecticut, the most recent full year of data collected shows:

  • 1368 crashes
  • 23 fatalities
  • 563 injuries

Chapter 926, Section 52-584 of the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) gives victims two years to file most personal injury claims. With fast access to your case, your lawyer can investigate the accident to find the negligent party and file your claim within that deadline.

Reach out to the Law Offices of James T. Welcome, even if you fear you have missed the deadline. Your case may allow for an extension.

Compensation for Truck Accident Victims

Our team will collect every shred of evidence available to build your case. We will speak to witnesses, consult with experts, examine the accident scene and physical evidence, get input from your medical team and caregivers, and leave no source of information unexamined. We will also assess your losses in detail, calculating a settlement demand to cover them all.

Economic and non-economic damages, and in some cases, punitive damages, are the types of compensation available in truck accident lawsuits. Economic and non-economic damages recover or provide financial recognition of your:

  • Medical costs, including future needs
  • Income loss, including future lost wages and benefits if you cannot return to work
  • Property damage
  • Other expenses incurred by the accident
  • Physical pain, disability, and disfigurement
  • Emotional suffering
  • Reduced quality of life

Punitive damages are available under Connecticut Law only when victims can prove the negligent party acted with “a reckless indifference to the rights of others or an intentional or wanton violation of those rights.” If your case presents grounds for punitive damages, your Hartford truck accident attorney will fight for them.

Justice Is Within Reach with Law Offices of James A. Welcome

The Law Offices of James T. Welcome offers the guidance and representation you need to achieve the best possible outcome for your truck accident claim. 

Get in touch to schedule your free case consultation. We are ready to listen and ready to fight.