A five-vehicle crash on Interstate 84 in Hartford on Sunday night killed two people and led police to close all westbound lanes between exits 45 and 44.? The two victims were killed after they got out of their cars.? It is unclear as to why they left their cars.? Police suspect that the freezing rain and icy roads contributed to this fatal car accident.?
Injured in a truck accident, contact our Connecticut truck accident lawyers. Every year in the United States, some 500,000 tractor trailer trucks or “semis” are involved in traffic accidents resulting in approximately 5,000 fatalities. In fact, one out of every eight traffic fatalities is caused by a collision with a tractor trailer or large truck.
Not surprisingly, most of the deaths and injuries involve the passengers of the vehicles struck by tractor trailers. Such victims, or their survivors must often seek out the legal services of an expert tractor trailer accident lawyer in order to recover the compensation rightfully due to them by law.
The Federal government requires tractor trailer and other large truck operators to acquire a commercial drivers license and undergo limited drug and alcohol testing. Tractor trailer accident lawyers often ask for proof of such such testing in the course of a lawsuit.
Frequently a tractor trailer accident lawsuit will focus on the issue of truck driver fatigue.
New tractor trailer laws implemented by The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in 2003 allow drivers to drive 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off-duty. Also, drivers may not drive beyond the 14th hour after coming on-duty, following 10 hours off-duty.
Similar to existing rules, tractor trailer drivers may not drive after being on-duty for 60 hours in a seven-consecutive-day period or 70 hours in an eight-consecutive-day period. This cycle may be restarted whenever a driver takes at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty.
If a tractor trailer accident lawyer is able to prove that any such regulations were breeched,or adhered to in negligent fashion, a lawsuit can often be won in favor of the victim or his / her survivors.
Likewise in tractor trailer lawsuits involving short haul tractor trailer drivers:
Short-haul truck drivers–those drivers who routinely return to their place of dispatch after each trip and then are released –may drive one additional period of 16 hours during any seven-consecutive-day period. Once again, if the tractor trailer accident lawyer is able to prove that such regulations were ignored, driver fatigue can be easily introduced as the probable cause of the accident and compensation claimed for the victim / survivor.
The current rules allows 10 hours of driving within a 15-hour work period after eight hours of rest. Also, drivers may not drive after their 15th hour on duty in a workday or after 60 hours on-duty in seven consecutive days or 70 hours on-duty in eight consecutive days. Any or all of these factors may come to bear in a tractor trailer accident lawsuit.
If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in an accident involving a tractor trailer or other large truck, it is important to consider your legal options. Many truckers are employed by large corporations that may put delivery of their goods ahead of your safety. Don’t pay for the transportation industry’s greed.
A pedestrian was killed by a car in an accident late Monday night near the ESPN property along Route 229, police said. The victim was walking north on Route 229 between Enterprise Drive and Ronzo Road around 11:30 p.m. when she was hit by a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer, police said.? The female victim?died soon after arriving at Bristol Hospital. The driver was not injured, and no charges have been filed so far. There was heavy rain at the time andit is suspected that the heavy rain played a factor in this fatal accident.
If you have been injured in a Connecticut car accident it is important that you contact one of our Hartford personal injury lawyers as soon as possible. There are important time deadlines in which to file a car accident lawsuit and if the deadline has expired you will be prohibited from recovering compensation for your injures and losses. Under Connecticut law, you have two years from the date of the car accident to file a lawsuit. Please also keep in mind that by retaining one of our Connecticut trial lawyers to represent you soon after the car accident, we can more easily obtain crucial information such as photographs of the car accident scene, photographs of damage to the cars, statements from eye witnesses, and to ensure that you are receiving appropriate medical treatment for your injuries. By taking these steps on your behalf, our trial lawyers will be building your case to maximize your financial recovery.
If you have been injured by a drunk driver, it is vital that you contact one of our Hartford personal injury lawyers as soon as possible. Why? – because not only is the drunk driver liable for your injuries and losses, but the establishment that served the alcohol to the drunk driver. You have 120 days to put the dram shop on written notice of your intention of filing a claim against it. If written notice is not given within the 120 days, you will be prohibited from bringing a dram shop claim against the establishment.