Posted on January 17, 2025 in Personal Injury

Pedestrian accidents are becoming a growing concern in Connecticut. Recent data shows that these incidents are increasing, with more injuries and fatalities reported each year.

Understanding the causes behind this trend and what measures are in place to protect pedestrians can help create safer streets for everyone.

Causes of the increase

Several factors contribute to the rise in pedestrian accidents. Distracted driving and distracted walking play a significant role. Drivers using cell phones or other devices are less likely to notice pedestrians, while walkers glued to their screens may not be aware of their surroundings. Additionally, the increased use of larger vehicles like SUVs can result in more severe injuries during collisions.

Another issue is road design. Many streets prioritize vehicle traffic over pedestrian safety, leaving walkers with limited safe crossing options. Busy intersections, insufficient lighting, and poorly marked crosswalks also add to the danger.

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 Posted on October 07, 2024 in Personal Injury

Hiring a personal injury lawyer in Connecticut can help those injured recover compensation for their losses. Understanding the cost of legal representation is crucial when considering a lawyer. In Connecticut, personal injury lawyer fees are typically based on a contingency fee, controlled by state statute.

Connecticut’s contingency fee statute

Connecticut General Statute § 52-251c regulates how much personal injury attorneys can charge. The statute caps the contingency fee a lawyer can collect at a percentage of the compensation recovered. The fee starts at a maximum of 33.33% of the first $300,000 recovered. As the settlement or verdict increases, the percentage decreases based on a tiered system.

No fees if there is no recovery

Under the contingency fee arrangement, clients pay no legal fees unless they recover compensation. If there is no financial recovery, the lawyer does not receive payment for their services. This provides access to legal representation for individuals who may not afford upfront legal fees.

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 Posted on August 22, 2024 in Car Accidents

Teen drivers in Connecticut face specific rules designed to improve road safety. These rules, which apply strictly to 16- and 17-year-old drivers, aim to reduce accidents and promote responsible driving.

Parents should understand these teen-specific rules so they can provide informed guidance to young student drivers as they can initial experience on the road.

Obtaining a permit

To obtain a learner’s permit, teens must pass a written knowledge test and vision screening. During the learner’s permit phase, they must drive with a qualified adult and complete 40 hours of supervised driving practice. This phase lasts for at least 120 days if they complete driver education or 180 days if they do not. The state also provides a graduated driver licensing system that gradually grants teens more driving privileges as they gain experience.

Permit and license restrictions

Once teens have completed the learner’s permit requirements, they can apply for a driver’s license. For the first six months, they cannot have any passengers except for a licensed driving instructor, their parents or a legal guardian. For the next six months, they may only drive with immediate family members as passengers. Additionally, teen drivers cannot drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless traveling for school, work, religious activities or emergencies.

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 Posted on July 22, 2024 in Car Accidents

Accidents in roundabouts can be confusing, especially when trying to figure out who’s at fault. In Connecticut, roundabouts are becoming more common, and knowing the rules can help drivers avoid accidents and understand responsibility if one occurs.

Understanding roundabout rules

In a roundabout, vehicles travel in one direction around a central island. Drivers entering the roundabout must yield to those already inside. This means that cars already in the circle have the right of way and other drivers must wait before proceeding. If you arrive at a roundabout and there are vehicles inside in the circle, you must slow down and let them go first before entering. Signs and road markings usually indicate these rules clearly, and understanding them is necessary to determine fault in an accident.

Common causes of roundabout accidents

Accidents in roundabouts often happen due to failure to yield, improper lane changes, or speeding. If a driver enters the roundabout without yielding to the traffic already circulating, that driver will likely be at fault. Similarly, if a driver switches lanes within the roundabout without signaling or checking for other vehicles, they may cause a collision. Speeding can also lead to accidents, as it reduces the driver’s ability to react to other vehicles properly.

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 Posted on May 02, 2024 in Car Accidents

Low road visibility contributes to over 38,700 vehicle crashes and 16,300 injuries annually in the United States, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Therefore, it is good to take extra precautions in such conditions.

The State of Connecticut encourages drivers to do just that with regulations surrounding the appropriate use of headlights.

Connecticut headlight laws

Drivers must use their headlights from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise or when visibility is less than 500 feet, according to Connecticut State Statute 14-96a. Additionally, drivers must use headlights whenever weather conditions require the use of windshield wipers. Failing to follow these laws can result in a ticket and a fine.

Factors that contribute to poor visibility

Several factors can contribute to poor visibility while driving, and drivers should not hesitate to use headlights when they feel it is necessary. For example, fog, rain, snow and heavy dust can all create hazardous driving conditions.

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 Posted on February 27, 2024 in Car Accidents

Automobile accidents are a prevalent issue in the United States. While auto insurance handles many of the liabilities, it does not always pay for everything. This could leave the at-fault party liable for left over expenses.

But what happens when that person does not have the money to pay?  The family car doctrine may help in such circumstances.

About the doctrine

The family car doctrine in Connecticut holds the owner of a vehicle responsible for accidents that occur when their spouse, parent or child is driving. It gives an injured party another liable person to go after if insurance will not pay for all losses. The owner of a car driven by a family member is liable unless they can prove they did not authorize the person to drive the vehicle. Being found liable for another driver’s negligence can result in significant financial obligations, including medical bills, lost wages and property damage.

How the doctrine impacts car accident cases

For the vehicle owner, this doctrine means a lot of responsibility. They have to ensure the person driving their vehicle is a good driver and someone they know will drive with care.

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 Posted on December 07, 2023 in Car Accidents

As the holidays draw near, the rise in online shopping and food orders paints a lively picture. According to the United States Postal Service, there were over 13 billion packages and mailpieces delivered during the 2022 holiday season. That doesn’t include numbers from drivers for companies like Amazon, UberEats, Instacart and others.

For the delivery drivers who make it all happen, this busy season also brings about increased dangers. Amidst the surge in delivery demand, icy sidewalks, dog bites and tricky driving conditions make for challenging tasks for these workers.

Slippery sidewalks

For those delivering packages and food orders during the holidays, one major obstacle is the slippery state of sidewalks. As winter takes hold, icy paths become commonplace, turning routine deliveries into risky ventures.

To get the job done, delivery drivers must navigate these frozen surfaces with care to avoid slips and falls. Balancing packages, food bags and drinks while treading cautiously may become tricky to prevent accidents that could lead to injuries and delayed deliveries.

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 Posted on September 14, 2023 in Car Accidents

Sharing the road with school buses requires a heightened sense of responsibility and awareness.

By understanding specific guidelines, you can play a significant role in ensuring the safety of students who rely on these buses. Following a school bus is different than other types of vehicles.

Stop for school buses

In 2021, 108 people across America died from school bus-related accidents. When a school bus stops to pick up or drop off students and activates its stop sign and flashing lights, all vehicles in both directions come to a complete stop. This simple action allows students to cross the road safely and minimizes the risk of accidents.

Maintain a safe following distance

Maintaining a safe distance behind a school bus is essential. Buses make frequent stops, and leaving enough space provides you with reaction time in case the bus stops suddenly. This precaution can also prevent rear-end collisions.

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 Posted on July 24, 2023 in Dog Bites

The old jokes about dogs biting mail carriers are, unfortunately, true. Connecticut is second in mail carriers bitten by dogs out of the New England states. Although Connecticut sits in the middle of all 50 states, it still has a high number of dog attacks.

The Connecticut city that saw the highest number of dog bite incidents was Waterbury, followed closely by Bridgeport.

It is not just that mail carriers bear the brunt of these attacks. There is a higher rate of dog bites among most people who deliver products, letters and even food to your home.

Why do dogs attack mail carriers and delivery people?

First, this is not an aggression issue exactly, nor is it a breed issue. There are a few reasons why delivery people bear the brunt of the attack.

• Territory – Dogs are territorial and defend what they view as theirs.
• Recurring encounters – Since delivery people have similar routes, they return. If a dog barks or bites and the delivery person leaves, then comes back, it reinforces the behavior.

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 Posted on June 05, 2023 in Car Accidents

For your kids, summertime may be the best season of the year. Long, sunny days give way to free non-school nights and make for months of fun.

However, summer is also one of the most dangerous times of year to drive, so much so that researchers have coined the term "100 deadliest days of summer."

When are the 100 deadliest days of summer?

Based on a AAA study, the 100 deadliest days of summer occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day. From 2010 to 2019, over 7,000 people died in teen-related summer crashes in the United States. Data from USAA’s SafePilot telematics app shows that Connecticut has one of the lowest distraction rates among teens.

What factors contribute to the dangers of summer driving?

Many factors contribute to the increase in teen driving-related accidents in the summer. For example, minor drivers have more time to be on the road when school is out of session. Teen drivers have limited experience, increasing the likelihood of a crash. Even an 18-year-old has, at most, a couple of years of legal driving experience. Making driving more risky, young people commonly carpool to summer parties and other activities, creating potentially deadly distractions in the car.

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