The sudden death of a family member is one of the most tragic experiences we may have to face in life. The loss may be all the more heartbreaking if your loved one was killed by a reckless or negligent driver. And stress only mounts if serious injuries piled up expensive hospital bills until the day he or she died.
You and your family are likely suffering emotionally and financially, and we empathize. At Gould Injury Law, we understand that no amount of money can compensate for the death of a loved one. However, a fast financial settlement can provide you with one less thing to worry about as you and your family take steps to move forward during this difficult time.
If your loved one died in a fatal car accident caused by negligence on the part of another driver or someone else, you could pursue justice on his or her behalf. The personal injury lawyers at Gould Injury Law are here to help.
When we take on your case, we work fast investigating your case and protecting your legal rights, from damages for everything from minor injuries to wrongful death. Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 888-WIN-FAST to schedule a free case review.
Hartford, Connecticut Fatal Car Accidents
If you have suffered the tragic loss of a loved one in a car accident, you are not alone. The Connecticut Crash Data Repository report states that there were 215 fatal motor vehicle collisions in 2022.
Surviving family members may be able to recover wrongful death damages after a family member has died in a fatal car crash. These damages can include medical bills for serious injuries sustained prior to death.
Gould Injury Law has handled hundreds of motor vehicle accident cases, including many timely financial recoveries for wrongful deaths. Our personal injury lawyers are both fast and thorough in investigating.
We can obtain reports from officials and other evidence on your behalf to establish liability in various circumstances, including:
- Car collisions
- Motorcycle accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Trucking crashes
- Pedestrian accidents
- Multi-car accidents
- Hit-and-run collisions
- Passenger accidents
- Work-related vehicle collisions
Common Causes of Fatal Car Accidents
Sadly, road safety and the well-being of others are not a priority for some drivers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year over 1.35 million people are killed on roadways globally. Motor vehicle-related injuries are estimated to be the eighth-leading cause of death for all age groups and the leading cause of death for people ages 5 to 29.
Fatal crashes have a devastating impact on the lives of family members and other loved ones left behind. What is the cause of these tragic accidents? The following are some common causes of fatal motor vehicle collisions, other than external issues including traffic congestion.
Distracted driving
Driving while distracted is one of the leading causes of all motor vehicle accidents, including fatal crashes. A report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that 8 percent of fatal crashes are distraction-related.
Distracted driving behaviors include:
- Texting
- Sending emails
- Talking on the phone
- Posting to social media
- Taking selfies or other pictures
- Applying makeup
- Eating or drinking
- Programming the GPS
- Adjusting the stereo
Reckless driving
All drivers have an obligation to obey traffic laws and follow street and highway rules. Reckless drivers are a danger to everyone around them.
Reckless driving can take various forms, such as:
- Passing where prohibited
- Excessive speeding
- Failure to obey traffic signs and signals
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Improper lane changes
- Tailgating
- Illegal driving on the shoulder of the road
- Racing
Drunk driving
In Connecticut, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher. Driving under the influence of alcohol presents a massive danger to everyone on the road.
The dangerous effects of alcohol on a driver include:
- Impaired judgment
- Decreased coordination
- Delayed reaction time
- Lowered alertness
- Blurred vision
- Lack of self-control
If your loved one died in a collision caused by a drunk driver, contact our law firm today. Our attorneys will take fast action to obtain justice for you and your family.
Speeding
Unfortunately, many drivers view the posted speed limit as a suggestion, not a law. Speeding affects road safety and can have deadly consequences.
In one year, there were 11,258 speeding-related deaths in the United States. It was a contributing factor in 29 percent of all traffic fatalities.
The risks of speeding include:
- Loss of vehicle control
- Increased stopping distance after a perceived danger
- Reduced effectiveness of seatbelts and other safety equipment
- Increased degree of crash severity
Drowsy driving
The term “drowsy driving” refers to the operation of a motor vehicle while fatigued or tired. The NHTSA has reported that 633 traffic fatalities were attributed to drowsy driving within 1 year in the US.
Fatigue or sleepiness can affect a driver’s ability in much the same way as alcohol.
This may include:
- Reduced reaction time
- Impaired judgment and reasoning ability
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty focusing or concentrating
- Inability to process information quickly
- Daydreaming
- Decreased attention span
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Connecticut?
If your loved one was killed in a fatal car accident or due to resulting serious injuries, a personal injury lawyer might be able to help you file a wrongful death claim and recover damages.
Each state has its own laws that dictate who is allowed to file a wrongful death claim. Some states allow surviving family members to pursue wrongful death damages, but Connecticut is different from many other states.
In Connecticut, only an executor or administrator of the deceased’s estate may file a wrongful death claim. The deceased may have named an executor of his or her will prior to the fatal incident. If not, the court can assign someone such as a spouse, child, or another surviving family member. In some situations, an attorney may be appointed as the administrator.
How a Hartford, CT Fatal Accident Lawyer Can Help After Your Loss
After losing your loved one in a fatal auto accident, you may have an overwhelming amount of urgent matters to attend to. This may include funeral and burial arrangements, registering a death certificate, and, most importantly, grieving.
It is likely that one of the last things on your mind is filing a wrongful death claim. However, it may be a necessary step that affects your and your family’s well-being and financial security.
This is where a car accident lawyer from Gould Injury Law can step in and help. Our legal team will work fast to handle every aspect of your wrongful death case so you don’t have to.
Building a wrongful death claim
In order for your wrongful death claim to be successful, we will need to prove that the negligent party, most likely the driver, directly caused the motor vehicle crash and death of your loved one. Establishing fault and liability in wrongful death cases can be complex and legally challenging.
At Gould Injury Law, we know how important it is to get started investigating immediately after an accident. It’s imperative to gather all possible evidence before it is lost or destroyed.
Evidence and information gathered for cases involving fatal motor vehicle collisions may include:
- Investigating the car accident thoroughly to determine fault and liability, which is especially important in the case of a multi-car accident or another situation involving multiple parties
- Reviewing photographs that were taken at the crash scene and any available video surveillance or dash cam footage of the incident
- Obtaining copies of important documents from officials and doctors, such as the state police report, local police reports, and hospital records
- Interviewing and recording statements from pedestrians, passengers, and anyone else who was an eyewitness to the car crash
- Consulting with accident reconstructionists, engineers, manufacturers, law enforcement, medical professionals, and other experts
Identifying all liable parties
Generally, in Hartford, Connecticut, fatal accident cases, it is the other driver who is identified as the liable party. However, in some situations, other parties could be responsible for the incident and the loss of your loved one.
Liable parties could include:
- Motor vehicle manufacturers
- Truck drivers and the companies that employ them
- Government entities
- Construction companies
- Vehicle mechanics
After taking on your case, the lawyers of Gould Injury Law won’t rest until we have identified all parties who bear liability for the death of your family member.
Negotiating with the insurance company
The last thing you should have to worry about after a loved one has died due to a fatal motor vehicle crash is communicating and negotiating with the insurance company. The insurance adjusters may take advantage of the stressful days following the death of your family member to try and pressure you into waiving your right to compensation or accepting a low wrongful death settlement.
When you hire a lawyer from our law firm, we will act fast to handle all communication with the insurance company on your behalf. All calls, texts, emails, and conversations with the insurer will be through your lawyer. This means you can have the peace of mind that your legal rights are being protected, and you can receive the maximum compensation you are entitled to recover.
Calculating the value of your case
Insurance companies are not on your side after a collision. The goal of the insurers is to get you to agree to as low of a dollar amount as possible. Sadly, some insurance companies use deceptive and manipulative tactics to try and pressure grieving family members into accepting an inadequate settlement.
A car accident lawyer will know how to accurately calculate the value of your wrongful death claim. The attorneys at Gould Injury Law will take fast action, using legal tools and resources to get you a fair settlement as quickly as possible. We will not only pursue money for medical expenses or funeral costs, but our attorneys will list all other damages that you are also entitled to receive.
Representing you in court
The majority of fatal car accident claims are settled out of court during negotiations with the insurance company. However, if a fair settlement cannot be reached, the next step will be to go to trial.
Filing a wrongful death lawsuit and going to court may seem complicated and intimidating. Fortunately, when you have our law firm on your side, we manage the entire process on your behalf. Your lawyer will help you understand what to expect and guide you through each step.
The amount of time it takes to complete the litigation process varies from case to case. It could depend on how complicated your case is, how busy the court is, and other factors. When you have Gould Injury Law on your side, you can be sure that we will do everything we can to make sure your claim is settled as quickly as possible.
Hartford, Connecticut Wrongful Death Damages Available to Surviving Loved Ones
When you choose Gould Injury Law, you can expect that we will listen compassionately as you explain to us the grief and loss that you have experienced after the fatal car crash. We will use this information to assess which damages you and your family are entitled to recover and then act fast to file a fatal car accident claim on your behalf.
Recoverable losses we may seek compensation for could include:
- The deceased’s medical bills: If your loved one received medical treatment prior to his or her death, we can pursue compensation for those bills. This could include medivac or ambulance rides, surgeries, hospitalization, and other medical services.
- Funeral expenses: Funerals can be extremely expensive. You may be able to recover damages for transportation costs, service fees, use of the funeral home or other facility, embalming, flowers, invitations, and other funeral-related expenses.
- Cremation or burial costs: Similar to funeral expenses, these damages cover all costs associated with the burial of your family member.
- Property damage: If your family’s vehicle or other property was damaged in the collision, we can help you pursue money to repair or replace these items.
- Loss of financial support: If you relied on your deceased loved one for financial support, you can pursue compensation for this loss. Your lawyer can calculate the loss of future earnings based on the fatal accident victim’s age, occupation, and wage or salary at the time of death.
- Loss of benefits: You can seek to recover benefits that your loved one would have received if he or she had worked to the age of retirement. This may include health insurance, pension plans, retirement contributions, and more.
- Loss of household services: If the fatal car accident victim provided services such as childcare or home maintenance, your lawyer can calculate the value of these services and include them in your claim.
- Pain and suffering: The sudden loss of your loved one has likely caused you immense pain. The emotional distress, loss of enjoyment, and other anguish you are experiencing may be part of your wrongful death claim.
Survivors of Hartford, CT Fatal Crashes Often Sustain Serious Injuries
If you were a survivor of a crash where others were fatally injured, it is highly likely that you sustained serious injuries. These conditions may sometimes seem like minor injuries at first but can still have long-term consequences.
Here is a list of some conditions commonly sustained by fatal car accident survivors that count as suspected life-threatening injuries:
- Internal organ damage
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord damage
- Loss of limbs
- Scars or disfigurement
Your main priority after surviving a severe auto collision should be your health. Don’t give either minor injuries or suspected life-threatening injuries a chance to turn for the worse. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Make sure to also get in touch with officials and lawyers right away, who can start investigating your case. If you have serious injuries and high medical bills to face, you will need all the help you can get to achieve justice.
A personal injury lawyer can take care of filing a car accident lawsuit or claim while you focus on your recovery from your serious injuries. The sooner you contact Gould Injury Law, the faster we can get your claim resolved.
Compensation for Survivors of Hartford, Connecticut Fatal Car Crashes
Fatal crashes are traumatic experiences for all involved. Even if you survived a motor vehicle accident with only relatively minor injuries whereas others lost their lives, you could be facing extreme physical, emotional, and mental challenges.
While a financial settlement cannot take away the pain and anguish you are experiencing, it can give you one less thing to be concerned about as you are grieving and healing. With the legal guidance and support of an attorney at our law firm, you can get fast results.
The following compensation may be available for car accident victims who have sustained serious injuries and other significant losses:
- Medical bills
- Loss of income
- Property damage
- Loss of enjoyment
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
Why Choose Us to Represent Your Hartford Fatal Car Accident Case
We understand that after losing a family member in a fatal car crash, you are grieving and do not want to spend your time filing documents or speaking to insurance companies. Nevertheless, you need to have your rights protected while you also take care of yourself emotionally and physically, especially if you have sustained serious injuries yourself.
That’s why you need someone you can rely on. When you choose Gould Injury Law to represent you, we will handle every aspect of your loved one’s wrongful death case and aim for a fast resolution.
The compassionate personal injury attorneys at our law firm make it a priority to spend time talking with each of our wrongful death clients. From loss of companionship to loss of financial stability, we want to fully understand how the death of their family members has impacted their lives.
Once we have an understanding of the losses you have suffered, we will know what damages you are entitled to recover and where to get them from. It could be the driver, his or her insurance, or other liable parties.
Our fast and skilled wrongful death lawyers know how to express our client’s profound loss in terms that get the attention of the insurers or jury members. Therefore, in and out of court, we are prepared to aggressively pursue justice and compensation for you and your family.
Contact “The Fast Firm” Today
If your loved one died in a fatal car accident, we are extremely sorry for your loss. Our wrongful death lawyers will do everything possible to protect you and your family’s legal rights when we take on your case. We take fast action in investigating and are ready to fight to hold all identified negligent parties accountable for their actions.
At Gould Injury Law, our fast and friendly lawyers take all wrongful death and car accident cases on contingency. This means that you will not be charged any upfront costs or fees. We only get paid if your case is successful and you receive a settlement or award.
Learn how our Hartford, Connecticut, fatal accident lawyers can help you get fast financial recovery for wrongful death, serious injuries, and even minor injuries. We can let you know what your rights are.
Get in touch with us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 888-WIN-FAST to schedule a free consultation.
