Bridgeport Truck Accident Lawyer

If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a commercial truck accident in Bridgeport, hiring a lawyer is a key early step on the road to recovery. Truck accident cases can be extraordinarily complex – far more complex than other types of auto accident cases – and you need to work with attorneys who have the experience necessary to help you collect just compensation.

At Berkowitz Hanna, we work closely with our clients from the moment they contact us. From your free initial consultation through the resolution of your case, our Bridgeport truck accident lawyer and staff will be there with you every step of the way. We will help you obtain quality medical care. We will deal with your insurance company for you. We will help you make smart decisions and avoid critical mistakes, and we will not stop fighting until you are satisfied that you have received the compensation you deserve.

How We Help Truck Accident Victims in Bridgeport

Our practice is guided by a commitment to client service and our sincere belief that our clients deserve nothing less than the absolute best we have to offer. So, here is what you can expect when you choose the attorneys at Berkowitz Hanna for your truck accident case in Bridgeport:

• A Comprehensive Case Assessment – We will work with you to collect as many details about the accident as possible, and we will conduct an investigation to gather the additional information we need to assess your case. We will also examine your medical records and work with experts and specialists, as necessary, to determine how much you may be able to recover.
• Honest and Straightforward Legal Advice – Once we have performed our initial assessment, we will give you our honest thoughts about the viability of your case. With this information in hand, you can then make an informed decision about whether to move forward with pursuing a claim.
• Prompt and Vigorous Pursuit of Your Claim(s) – If you decide to take action, we will promptly begin fighting for just compensation on your behalf. We will pursue claims against all relevant parties, and we will aggressively target a settlement that fully compensates you for your losses.
• Consistent Communication with Our Team – Throughout the process, you will have consistent access to our lawyers and staff. You will receive regular updates, and we will make ourselves available whenever you want to discuss your case.
• The Ability to Decide When Your Case Is Over – Should you accept a settlement offer? Should you take your case to trial? These are not easy questions to answer. If we receive a settlement offer on your behalf, we will sit down with you to discuss your options so that you can decide whether to resolve your case or fight for more.

Common Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents

Due to the complexity of large trucks and the enormous number of things that can go wrong when a 40-ton vehicle is barreling down the road, there is no such thing as a “standard” or “prototypical” truck accident. However, there are certain issues that tend to come up more often than others, and all of these issues can potentially support claims for financial compensation. When we evaluate your case, we will be looking for evidence of issues such as:

• Driver fatigue, which is a common issue in all types of auto accidents. And truck drivers are subject to federal regulations that are supposed to limit their time behind the wheel.
• Talking on the phone, texting, video chatting, watching videos, scrolling social media, navigating, communicating with dispatch, and other types of driving distractions.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (including marijuana, prescription painkillers, over-the-counter sleep medications, and other legal and illegal drugs).
• Truck driving mistakes such as exceeding the speed limit, following too closely, harsh braking, swerving, and driving too fast for road or weather conditions.
• Hiring inexperienced or unlicensed drivers, forcing truck drivers to log too many hours and other forms of trucking company negligence.
• Cargo loading errors such as failing to properly secure cargo, failing to pressurize liquid cargo, and exceeding the truck’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).
• Truck defects and maintenance issues, including faulty brakes and tires, cargo strap failures, and other types of product defects.

Proving Liability After a Commercial Truck Accident

Just as commercial truck accidents can result from a variety of potential causes, there are a number of parties that can potentially be liable for the losses sustained by drivers, passengers, and their families. As your reliable Bridgeport truck accident attorneys, we will seek to hold all of the at-fault parties accountable for your losses. Depending on the circumstances involved in your accident, this may include filing one or more claims against:

• The truck driver’s insurance company
• The trucking company that owns or leases the truck
• The shipping company that loaded the truck
• The truck manufacturer or a manufacturer of a truck component (such as its brakes, tires, or cargo tie-downs)
• A dealership or maintenance shop that performed negligent repair work on the truck
• Another driver who was involved in the accident (or his or her insurance company)
• Another vehicle’s manufacturer, dealership, or maintenance shop
• The government agency or private contractor responsible for designing or maintaining the road where the crash occurred

Due to the often-severe consequences of commercial truck accidents, as a victim, it is critically important that you pursue all available sources of financial compensation. At Berkowitz Hanna, we can use our experience to seek maximum compensation for the current and future costs of your injuries or your loved one’s death.

Recovering Fairly for Short-Term and Long-Term Losses

Even if the injuries you have suffered from a collision with a commercial truck will heal completely, given time and proper medical care, there is only so much that financial restitution alone can do to make up for the immense physical and emotional pain you have already endured and will likely experience in the months to come. 

The goal of a personal injury lawsuit is not to erase what happened, but instead to minimize the lasting impact the accident has on your life. A strong legal claim can cover both economic and non-economic damages, allowing you to seek compensation for measurable financial losses as well as more personal, subjective forms of harm.

While no two cases are exactly alike, common types of damages in truck accident claims in Bridgeport include:

• Medical bills, including expected costs of long-term rehabilitative, maintenance, and disability management care
• Lost work wages/salary, benefits, bonuses, and/or long-term earning capacity
• Personal property damage and related expenses, including car repair/replacement costs and short-term car rental fees
• Physical pain and suffering from injuries
• Emotional trauma and anguish from injuries and/or the accident itself
• Decline in overall enjoyment and quality of life

Our attorneys can help you understand which types of damages may apply to your case during a private initial consultation.

Unique Rules and Restrictions for “Wrongful Death” Cases

If you are seeking to file a lawsuit on behalf of a family member who died in a truck accident, the legal process differs from cases involving personal injuries.  In Connecticut, only the executor or administrator of the deceased person’s estate has the authority to file a wrongful death claim.

Unlike many other states, Connecticut does not allow estate representatives to seek compensation directly on behalf of surviving family members through a wrongful death lawsuit. Instead, any compensation recovered is treated as an asset of the decedent’s estate. These funds may be subject to probate and can be used to pay off outstanding debts before being distributed.

Any remaining funds from a wrongful death settlement or verdict are distributed to beneficiaries according to the instructions in the decedent’s will. If no will exists, distribution follows Connecticut’s laws of interstate succession.  One notable exception involves the spouse of the deceased victim, who may be able to file a separate claim for loss of consortium, a legal term for loss of companionship, affection, and support, under certain circumstances.

How Might Trucking Companies Fight Back Against Truck Crash Lawsuits?

Major transportation companies are frequently sued over traffic accidents and often respond with aggressive defense strategies. One of the most common tactics is to shift the blame by accusing the victim of contributing to the crash through reckless or careless behavior.

Even if the negligent truck driver was primarily at fault, courts in Connecticut apply the rule of comparative fault. This means a victim’s compensation may be reduced in proportion to their share of responsibility.  Under Connecticut General Statutes §52-572h, anyone found to be more than 50 percent at fault is barred from recovering any compensation at all. A seasoned truck accident attorney can work to fight back against unfair allocations of blame after a wreck.

Reach out to a Bridgeport Truck Accident Attorney Today

To find out if you are entitled to financial compensation for your injuries or the loss of a loved one, please contact us to arrange a free initial consultation. To speak with one of our Bridgeport truck accident lawyer in confidence as soon as possible, contact us today.