If you are looking for a personal injury lawyer in CT to help you with your claim, look no further than The Law Offices of Ronald I. Chorches. Immediately following a personal injury accident, you may not realize how serious your injuries are. Many people in Connecticut may not believe they need to seek help from a personal injury lawyer or go to a doctor if they do not see obvious signs of injury. However, it can sometimes be impossible to tell how bad your injuries immediately following an accident; this can cause problems if you choose to file your claim at a later date.
Understanding Comparative Fault
Depending on the state, a personal injury lawyer knows that if you are even slightly responsible for the accident, you may have a harder time getting compensation. This is because some states have laws that you must go through your own insurance first. However, Connecticut is known as a “comparative fault” state. This means that both parties may have some degree of responsibility for the accident and thus the party asking for compensation may get only a certain percentage.
So, if the defendant in your personal injury claim hit your car because they rolled through a stop sign, insurance may say they are 100% at fault. However, the insurance company will be looking for anything to get some of that fault knocked down. If you were talking on the phone while driving or going slightly above the speed limit, they may say you were 20% at fault for the accident. Thus, in Connecticut, that means if you win a $10,000 settlement for your personal injury claim, you will be able to collect $8,000.
Understanding the Statute of Limitations
When you work with a personal injury lawyer to file your lawsuit, you will need to keep the statute of limitations in mind. This means that in the state of Connecticut, you have two years to file your personal injury lawsuit from the date you became injured. Insurance companies are all too happy to deny a claim when the person does not file at the right time and there may be nothing left to do if they deny your claim. This is why it is essential to work with a lawyer who knows the details of your case and specializes in Connecticut personal injury law.
