Car Accident Lawyer
Even minor crashes can change a person’s life and leave them with serious injuries, both physically and emotionally. Our compassionate Hartford County car accident attorneys in Simsbury and Glastonbury understand the damage that crashes can cause, and we will work with you one-on-one to get you the help and compensation you need to heal. Hassett & George has a proud history of experience taking our clients’ anxieties and turning them into action. Our clients are treated like family and each case gets the personal attention it deserves.
Our Connecticut car accident lawyers will stand by your side to ensure your rights are protected and hold the negligent driver accountable for how their actions have impacted your life. 
Topics
Types of Car Accidents
Do I Need a Lawyer?
What Does a Auto Accident Lawyer Do?
What Types of Auto Accident Cases Does Hassett & George Handle?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire an Attorney?
Connecticut Car Accident Laws
Additional Resources
Types of Car Accidents
The type of car accident you are involved in will have a significant impact on how things ultimately turn out for you. Some accidents are worse than others, so it is good to know what you are dealing with. In this section, we want to highlight the types of car accidents motorists are typically involved in. Learn more about them to understand how dangerous those accidents are.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions are among the most common examples of car accidents. They may occur at traffic stops if the trailing driver cannot stop in time. They also take place due to drivers suddenly popping out of a corner. In some cases, a rear-end collision is the byproduct of brake checking. No matter the cause, you must take rear-end collisions seriously. A rear end accident can cause frame damage, alignment problems, and suspension issues. Even the engine may receive damage during a rear-end collision.
Do not agree to a small settlement because the incident you were involved in was only a “minor rear-end collision.” The other party does not know for a fact that your car avoided serious damage. Take your car to an auto shop and consult with a Connecticut car accident attorney before you decide on any settlement offer.
Sideswipe Collisions
Sideswipe accidents occur when two vehicles heading in the same direction hit each other. The two vehicles may only make contact momentarily, but that may still be enough to leave visible damage. If the two vehicles make contact while both are moving at high speeds, the accident could turn out badly. Once again, you should avoid accepting the other driver’s assessment if they say that the damage is no big deal. Simply exchange information with them and get in touch with them later after you have spoken to your car crash injury lawyer.
Side-Impact Collisions
Next up, we need to talk about side-impact collisions. Compared to rear-end collisions and sideswipe crashes, side-impact accidents are more dangerous because the victim is often more vulnerable. The side portions of car doors typically do not come loaded with numerous safety features. The driver and the passengers are left more exposed to the impact of the crash because of that.
Side-impact crashes commonly occur when one motorist ignores the stoplight at an intersection. As they speed through the red light, they may hit another vehicle that is moving at the right time. The result of that crash can potentially be disastrous.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are notorious for how deadly they are. That should come as no surprise since the drivers and their front seat passengers are close to the point of impact. These types of accidents take place when cars traveling in different directions collide. Drivers who swerve in and out of traffic lanes are more likely to be involved in these accidents.
Rollovers
A rollover accident is often the result of a driver taking a turn at an excessively high speed. If they bump into a car while trying to take that turn, they are likely to roll over onto their roof. Taller vehicles like SUVs are especially susceptible to rollover crashes.
Multi-Vehicle Collisions
Multi-vehicle collisions may begin with one accident and spiral out of control from there. The initial incident could be one vehicle rear-ending another. The rear-ended vehicle may then hit the car in front and cause a chain reaction. Other types of car accidents can also cause multi-vehicle collisions. Collisions involving multiple vehicles can be difficult to parse through.
You may have a tough time figuring out who to hit with a personal injury lawsuit following that type of accident. Determining fault in that scenario will be easier if you have a car collision lawyer helping you out.
Single-Vehicle Collisions
Finally, we should also discuss single-vehicle collisions. A single-vehicle collision takes place when a driver crashes into a fixed object like a wall or other type of structure. You can attribute these accidents to various factors. A single-vehicle crash could be related to a car defect or a road hazard. It could also be an accident caused by the driver being distracted or drunk.
Other drivers can also cause single-vehicle crashes. A fellow motorist may drive in such a way that they essentially force you off the road. If that is the case, you should sue the other driver for damages.
Is It Necessary to Hire an Attorney?
Following their involvement in a car accident, many victims commonly ask if they need to hire a car crash injury lawyer. The reasons below should clearly illustrate the importance of hiring a car crash attorney.
They Can Help You Obtain Substantial Compensation
There are some cases where drivers and their insurers can agree to a settlement. However, settlements like that may only happen if both sides agree to a relatively small payout. If one of the parties involved asks for something more, the other side is less likely to agree to a deal right away. Negotiating will be necessary at that point, and you want a lawyer on your side during that process.
Having a lawyer is even more important if you need to take the defendant to court to get your compensation. Your attempt to land substantial compensation will be harder to pull off without an auto accident attorney. Their ability to negotiate and emphasize your losses will prove crucial as you fight for the compensation you rightfully deserve.
They Can Manage the Legal Filings on Your Behalf
Most people are not familiar with filing legal paperwork for a lawsuit or an insurance claim. That is understandable because that is not something people do regularly. If you are injured or need to get back to work, you probably want nothing to do with all that paperwork. It would be best to leave those legal filings up to your attorney. That way, you can rest assured they will handle it properly.
They Can Deal with the Other Party’s Lawyer
Many defendants in car accident cases rely on pressure to coerce plaintiffs into unfair agreements. They will use constant pressure to trick you into thinking that you must agree to their terms. In your injured state, seeing through their obviously bogus claims may be difficult. You need the services of an auto accident attorney because they already know all the tricks in the book.
The tactics deployed by the other side will not work on them, and that should help you avoid making a bad deal.
What Does an Auto Accident Lawyer Do?
A car accident lawyer from Hartford County can provide invaluable assistance. Notably, the assistance they provide can prove useful beyond the courtroom. Learn more about the different services that a good lawyer can provide by continuing below.
Provide Legal Representation in Court
Let’s get to the most obvious benefit car accident attorneys provide. You should consider partnering with an auto accident lawyer because they can represent you in court. If the defendant is adamant that they did not cause the accident, they may drag the case to court to avoid a payout. Make sure you are ready to handle that courtroom date by hiring a car crash lawyer beforehand.
Communicate and Negotiate with the Other Side
If the defendant knows they are in the wrong, it will not take long before they start reaching out to you to negotiate a settlement. However, they may attempt to do more than negotiate a settlement because they may also try to get you to share some of the blame for what happened. Your compensation may be affected greatly if you admit that your actions contributed to the accident. Avoid that potentially disastrous outcome by having your attorney deal with the other side.
Gather Evidence to Bolster Your Case
Whether you are aiming for a settlement or willing to take your lawsuit to court, you will need substantial evidence to back up your claims. Your car crash attorney can collect evidence for your case. They can speak with witnesses, obtain camera recordings, and speak with police to gather as much evidence as they can. When the time comes for you to present your side to the court or the defendant, you can be confident that you will have solid evidence for your claims.
Secure the Compensation You Deserve
The compensation awarded in car accident cases changes based on the injuries sustained by the victim. If you sustained a brain injury from the accident, you may be entitled to receive more compensation compared to the average plaintiff. A good brain injury lawyer will ensure that you receive adequate compensation for all the losses and injuries you sustained in the accident so you can pay for your injury treatment without worries.
Give You Time to Recover
The days and weeks following your car accident can be rough. You may be in the hospital because moving around is too painful for you currently. Staying in the hospital for an extended time will not be an issue if you have a legal representative. They can handle all the legal matters while you continue to recover.
What Types of Auto Accident Cases Does Hassett & George Handle?
Understanding what negligence is and what you can do about it will allow you to know when you should contact a personal injury lawyers and take action. We have successfully helped drivers to obtain maximum compensation in auto accident cases involving:
- Texting and driving
- Reckless driving such as speeding
- Road violations such as failing to yield
- Accidents involving commercial vehicles
- Lyft Accidents and Uber accident lawyer
- Hit and run accidents
- fatal car accidents
These are just a few of the many motor vehicle cases we take on. Every case is different and the best way to learn if you have a case is to speak with one of our seasoned car crash lawyers directly.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Attorney?
Many people involved in car accidents shy away from hiring lawyers for one reason. That reason is their lack of desire to pay the attorney’s fees. It is easy to understand why people balk at the idea of paying for a lawyer, but you may think differently once you grasp how payments actually work. Detailed below are the different payment methods for personal injury lawyers, as well as the costs associated with hiring one.
Contingency Fee
More often than not, personal injury lawyers will charge a contingency fee. So, what is a contingency fee? If your attorney works on a contingency fee, that means you will only pay them if they manage to secure compensation in your case. You will not need to worry about paying them until the case is over. Lawyers typically ask for 25 to 40% of your compensation package as their contingency fee.
The final rate often depends on how long the case goes. Expect your lawyer to charge more the longer a case drags on. Note that they may not include witness and filing fees in the contingency fee. Some lawyers may ask you to pay those fees right away, while others may wait until the courts decide the case. If your lawyer opts for the latter setup, you must deduct the legal fees from the financial award before they take their percentage of the payout.
Retainer and Contingency Fees
Personal injury attorneys who do not work purely on a contingency basis may instead use a setup where they receive both a retainer fee and a contingency fee. You pay the retainer fee upfront while the contingency fee becomes settled if the outcome of your case turns out in your favor. Crucially, this setup does not necessarily mean you will be paying more. The retainer fee will be deducted from the contingency fee if you receive compensation.
Connecticut Car Accident Laws
Whether or not you will take home compensation in your personal injury case will largely depend on two important Connecticut laws. The laws that Glastonbury, CT, Hartford, CT, and Simsbury, CT residents will need to become familiar with are related to the modified comparative fault principle and the statute of limitations. Let’s discuss them in greater detail below.
Modified Comparative Fault
Since Connecticut follows the principle of modified comparative fault, that means the plaintiff can recover damages as long as they do not share most of the blame for the accident. However, the fact that they share blame for the accident will still affect the outcome of the case for them. To be more specific, the courts will reduce the compensation they receive based on the percentage of blame they bear.
Statute of Limitations
Connecticut residents looking to file a personal injury lawsuit should do so quickly. That is because the Connecticut personal injury statute of limitations for those types of cases is only two years. Go beyond that two-year time limit, and they may dismiss your lawsuit before discussing its merits. Work closely with a Connecticut car accident lawyer in Hartford County so you can meet that deadline. Contact us at Hassett & George, P.C. if you need a dependable attorney. Let us handle your case so you can take home substantial compensation when it is ultimately settled.
Contact Hassett & George, P.C. Today
For 30 years, we have been protecting clients who have been injured in a car crash all over Connecticut with all their legal needs. Our attorneys take the lead in car accident claims and litigation with empathy, integrity and dedication to getting the right results for you.
Meet the team who will be fighting for you…
Louis George, a founding partner of the firm, has been litigating cases for over 30 years. Lou oversees our Personal Injury Team and gets personally involved in each case to make sure we’re doing the very best we can for each and every client. He has a passion for representing plaintiffs, especially those who deserve compensation for their suffering.
Having managed hundreds of personal injury cases in his career, Lou knows how to implement strategies that will secure the most money for our clients. Lou and the other attorneys at Hassett & George are not afraid to try cases. While we do our best to settle cases, if we don’t feel that our client isn’t getting what he/she deserves, we’re off to the courtroom.
An avid UConn fan, you can find Lou at football, basketball and hockey games in his spare time.
Michael Conroy has tried dozens of cases to verdict in the state and federal courts of Connecticut. Mike began his career as a property and casualty claim adjuster for a major insurance company, which provided him with in-depth knowledge and understanding of insurance policies.
Mike has been the lead attorney in all types of personal injury cases, ranging from car accidents to medical malpractice to slip and falls to wrongful death cases. He has a long track record of obtaining favorable results for his clients.
When not in the office, Mike is playing lacrosse or spending time with family in Vermont.
Jeffrey McDonald has spent much of his career in the courtroom. Having extensive experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants, he has a knack for seeing both sides of a case. Jeff represents clients in a myriad of personal injury matters including car accidents, slips and falls, dog bites, incidents occurring in bars and restaurants, and sexual assaults. He recently settled a $1.4M wrongful death case.
Jeff spends his spare time golfing, playing poker, and coaching his kids’ sports teams.
Katey Smith, paralegal extraordinaire, will be with you every step of the way. With her cheerful personality, Katey has a way of making our clients feel right at home. She’s always around to answer your questions and explain to you where we are in the process. You can count on Katey to be following up with you regularly to see how you’re doing.
As a team, we’ve recovered millions of dollars for our clients. You can trust our team to fight for you. In addition to Simsbury and Glastonbury our lawyers also serve Hartford, New Britain, Bridgeport, Waterbury, and more. Call us today for a free consultation at 860-651-1333.
Additional Resources For Car Accident Victims
Connecticut Car Accident FAQs
Determining Fault in a Left Turn Car Accident
Who is at Fault in a 3-Car Accident?
What To Do If You Were Rear-Ended in Connecticut
What Happens When a Pedestrian Causes An Accident?
Wrong Way Car Accidents on the Rise in Connecticut