Every motor vehicle collision in Connecticut is inherently unique. The type of crash, the model of the vehicles involved and numerous other factors influence the extent of the property damage and injuries produced by any particular wreck. The worst collisions in Connecticut result in death. Some collisions are severe enough to cause a death at the scene of the crash. Other times, wrecks cause injuries that claim lives days or weeks later.
Those struggling with grief after a loved one died in a Connecticut car crash may decide to file a wrongful death lawsuit. When is a wrongful death lawsuit a possible option for those who have lost a loved one in a recent collision?
When negligence or misconduct played a role in the crash
A wrongful death lawsuit could name either an individual or a business as the defendant. The party at fault for the crash will need to have done something illegal or negligent for a lawsuit to occur. A business may have caused the crash through negligence by hiring an unsafe driver or putting out a vehicle that catastrophically failed in traffic. An individual may have engaged in negligent behaviors, like texting at the wheel, or may have openly violated traffic statutes by driving while drunk. Provided that the plaintiffs can establish that the defendant was either negligent or that they broke the law and caused the crash as a result, a wrongful death lawsuit may be an option according to Connecticut state statutes.
When there are losses beyond what insurance covers
Pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit does not just require wrongful acts on the part of the party who caused the crash. There is also a need to prove that there was financial harm generated by the collision. The amount of insurance that someone carries will directly influence whether or not a wrongful death lawsuit is necessary. Individuals with low coverage or no insurance are more susceptible to wrongful death lawsuits than people or businesses with relatively robust coverage.
Provided that there is evidence of both financial harm and an actionable situation, those impacted by a fatal Connecticut collision may have grounds to initiate litigation. Pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit is a primary means of securing legal and financial justice after a tragic collision in Connecticut.
