Distraction behind the wheel, and especially distraction caused by or related to the use of a smart phone, is one of the leading causes of auto accidents not just in Connecticut but across the country. Unfortunately, commercial truck drivers are not exempt from this trend, even though they are supposed to be better trained and more qualified than the average driver, and their vehicles are several tons heavier than just about everything else on the road.
Proving that a truck driver directly caused a crash because their attention wandered to something other than driving can be very tricky. However, you deserve fair financial compensation for the harm this sort of wreck has caused you. After a distracted driving truck accident in Shelton, reach out to Berkowitz Hanna. Our experienced truck accident lawyers know how to handle cases like yours, and we will fight for the compensation you deserve.
Any driver who gets distracted behind the wheel, breaks a traffic law, or otherwise does something reckless or careless while driving has violated the “duty of care” they have under Connecticut state law. This “duty of care” refers to one’s obligation to act responsibly at all times while driving on public roads. Any breach that directly leads to a crash constitutes “negligence.” In theory, filing a suit over a distracted driving truck crash in Shelton is as simple as that, since driving while distracted counts as a breach of a truck driver’s duty of care.
In practice, though, there may be minimal evidence indicating exactly how a particular truck driver was distracted prior to a wreck occurring or even that they were negligent at all. Support from seasoned legal counsel can be vital to collecting and making effective use of all available information pertaining to a specific wreck. A lawyer can collect things like witness testimony, surveillance/dashboard camera footage, data from a truck’s onboard “black box,” and even input from accident reconstruction experts.
Another thing a skilled truck accident attorney can help with is contesting allegations of “comparative fault” made against someone who was hurt in a Shelton distracted driving truck wreck. It is not uncommon for insurance companies and defense lawyers representing distracted truck drivers to claim that the person suing over a crash was mainly at fault for causing it through their own reckless or careless behavior. If a court agrees with them on that, the injured person may miss out on some or even all of the compensation to which they would otherwise have been entitled.
Personal injury claims have certain deadlines for filing known as “statutes of limitations.” Legal representation can be key to building the strongest and most comprehensive civil claim possible within this deadline. The statute of limitations may vary a bit from case to case, but it is almost always best to start working on a potential claim as soon as possible after a crash occurs, and that process begins with contacting a capable legal professional.
Even though distracted driving can often be just as dangerous as driving while drunk or high, a disappointing number of truck drivers still choose to do it every day across the Nutmeg State. If you were recently injured in a wreck caused by one of these irresponsible drivers, you may have grounds to file suit against them and their employer, but you may also have many questions about exactly how to do that.
The answers and legal support you need are available from the legal team at Berkowitz Hanna. To learn more about your options after a distracted driving truck accident in Shelton, give us a call. Your initial consultation is completely free.
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