An accident can change your life in seconds. One moment you are driving home or walking into a store, and the next you are facing pain, medical bills, and an insurance company already looking for reasons to pay you less. You do not have to face that alone.
The Connecticut personal injury lawyers at Gould Injury Law can help you understand your rights and go after the money you deserve, and we move fast to do it. That is why people across the state know us as The Fast Firm.
If someone else's carelessness caused your injury, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical care, lost income, and more. Your first consultation is free, and you pay us nothing unless we get money for you. Contact us today to talk through what happened.
How a Connecticut Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
After an accident, the insurance company will call quickly, and the person on the phone will sound friendly. Their job is not to help you. It is to close your claim for as little as possible, sometimes before you even know how badly you are hurt. A personal injury lawyer levels that playing field.
Here is what our team can do for you:
- Investigate What Happened: We gather the police report, photos, video from nearby cameras, and statements from witnesses while the details are still fresh.
- Handle the Insurance Company: We deal with the adjusters so you do not have to, which keeps you from saying anything that could be used against you later.
- Calculate the Full Value of Your Claim: We add up not just today's bills but the future costs of your injury, so a fast lowball offer does not leave you short.
- Prepare for Court When Needed: Most cases settle, but we build every case as if it could go to trial, and that preparation matters at the negotiating table.
You focus on healing. We can handle the rest.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle
Personal injury law covers far more than car crashes. Our lawyers help people across Connecticut who were hurt in many kinds of accidents, including:
- Car Accidents: From the I-91 corridor to the I-95 shoreline, our Connecticut car accident lawyers help injured drivers and passengers recover.
- Truck Accidents: Crashes with tractor-trailers on routes like I-84 often cause severe injuries and involve more than one at-fault party, and we handle these complex truck accident claims.
- Motorcycle Accidents: Riders have little protection in a crash, and our motorcycle accident lawyers push back when insurers unfairly blame the rider.
- Slip and Fall Accidents: When a property owner ignores a hazard like ice or a broken stair, we help you pursue a claim for your slip and fall injuries.
- Dog Bite Injuries: Connecticut holds owners strictly liable in most cases, which strengthens many dog bite injury claims.
- Workers’ Compensation: If you were hurt on the job, you may be able to recover Workers’ Compensation benefits for your care and lost wages.
- Wrongful Death: When a family loses someone to another party's negligence, we help them bring wrongful death claims and seek accountability.
We also handle bicycle accidents, bus accidents, medical malpractice, and nursing home abuse. Not sure whether you have a case? Ask us. The consultation is free.
Damages You May Be Able to Recover
No two injuries are the same, so no two claims are worth the same. The value of your case depends on how the injury has affected your health, your finances, and your daily life. When we build your claim, we look at the full picture, not just the bills sitting on your kitchen table today.
Depending on your situation, you may be able to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses: Emergency care, surgery, hospital stays, physical therapy, and the future treatment your injury will require.
- Lost Income: The wages you missed while recovering, plus reduced earning capacity if your injury affects your ability to work going forward.
- Property Damage: The cost to repair or replace your vehicle or other property damaged in the accident.
- Pain and Suffering: The physical pain and emotional strain that do not show up on a bill but are just as real.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: The hobbies, routines, and moments an injury can take away from you.
Insurance companies are quick to ignore losses that are harder to quantify, but we’re not. Our goal is to get you money for everything you have been through.
Connecticut's Comparative Negligence Rule
You might be worried that the accident was partly your fault. That does not automatically end your claim. Connecticut follows a rule called modified comparative negligence, written into state law at CGS Section 52-572h.
Here is what it means in plain terms. As long as you are not more than 50% responsible for what happened, you can still recover money. Your award is reduced by your share of the fault.
If your damages add up to $100,000 and you are found 20% at fault, you would receive $80,000. But if you are found 51% or more at fault, the rule bars you from recovering anything.
That 51% line is exactly why insurance companies work so hard to pin blame on you. Every percentage point they shift onto you saves them money. Our lawyers can gather the evidence needed to push back and help protect your share of the recovery.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, you generally have two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline comes from CGS Section 52-584, and missing it usually means losing your right to compensation for good.
Two years can feel like plenty of time, but it goes fast once you are dealing with treatment and recovery. Some situations have even shorter deadlines.
If your claim is against a city or town, for example, you may have to file a written notice within 90 days. Claims involving the loss of a loved one follow their own two-year wrongful death deadline under CGS Section 52-555.
There are exceptions. The safest step is to talk with a lawyer early, so evidence can be preserved and your claim is filed on time. The sooner you call, the more we can do.
What to Expect When You Work With Gould Injury Law
People call us The Fast Firm for a reason. When you reach out, you get a fast response, not a runaround. After an accident, waiting is the last thing you need.
From our offices in New Haven, Hartford, and Waterbury, we help injured people across Connecticut, whether your accident happened on I-95 near the shoreline, on I-84 heading toward Waterbury, or on a snow-covered sidewalk during one of our hard New England winters. We know these roads and this state, and we know how insurance companies here operate.
Your first consultation is free, and we work on a contingency fee. That means you pay us nothing up front and nothing at all unless we get money for you. You should not have to worry about legal bills while you are trying to heal. Let us fight for the money you deserve while you focus on getting better.
Frequently Asked Questions
What questions should I ask a personal injury lawyer?
Ask how the lawyer charges, whether the first consultation is free, and who will actually handle your case. It also helps to ask how the firm communicates and how it approaches a claim like yours. At Gould Injury Law, consultations are always free, and we are happy to answer these questions before you decide.
What should I bring to my free consultation?
Bring anything you have related to the accident: the police report, photos, medical records or bills, and the insurance information for everyone involved. If you do not have all of it, come anyway. We can help you track down what is missing, and there is no cost to meet with us.
Can a personal injury lawyer help with my insurance claim?
Yes. A lawyer can deal directly with the insurance company so you do not have to, which protects you from tactics designed to shrink your payout. We handle the calls, the paperwork, and the negotiation, and we push back when an adjuster offers less than your claim is worth.
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
At Gould Injury Law, you pay nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee, which means our fee comes out of the money we recover for you, and you owe us nothing unless we win. The first consultation is always free.
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Connecticut?
You generally have two years from the date of your injury, under CGS Section 52-584. Some claims have shorter deadlines, such as the 90-day notice required for many claims against a city or town. It is best to talk with a lawyer as soon as possible so your claim is filed on time.
What is my personal injury case worth?
It depends on the specifics of your injury and how it has affected your life, so there is no single answer. The value can include your medical costs, lost income, and the pain and suffering you have experienced. We can review the details of your accident and explain what your claim may involve during a free consultation.
Contact The Fast Firm for a Free Consultation
You do not have to sort this out on your own, and you do not have to wait. If you were injured because of someone else's carelessness anywhere in Connecticut, the personal injury lawyers at Gould Injury Law can help you understand your options and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Your consultation is free, and you pay us nothing unless we get money for you. Contact us today to get started. The sooner we hear from you, the sooner we can get to work. That is what The Fast Firm is here for.
