New Haven Connecticut Legal Blog

Pedestrian crashes on highways can complicate to litigation

On behalf of Gillis Law Firm posted in Personal Injury on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

Though it can happen, it is not common for Connecticut residents to see pedestrians on the state's interstate highways. When individuals are spotted out of their vehicles and on or near high speed roads it is usually because they have been involved in accidents or because their vehicles have become disabled and they are not able to drive. More rarely, individuals may enter on to highways to cross them or because they provide a direct route to the pedestrians' destinations.

It is generally against the law to walk along a highway or freeway since it is very dangerous for individuals to be that close to fast moving automobiles. When accidents happen or vehicles become disabled it is generally recommended that motorists stay out of the roads and in or near their vehicles so that they may remain visible to others. However, just as accidents between vehicles can happen on highways, so too can collisions between cars and people when pedestrians are present.

Why is excavating so dangerous to workers?

On behalf of Gillis Law Firm posted in workers' compensation on Thursday, November 8, 2018.

In order to build a tall structure, a construction project may begin with the digging of a hole. This is because many buildings require foundations and sufficiently stable bases in order to bear the weight of the structures that will be built on top of them.

In Connecticut, construction crews may have to take on significant excavation work before they can even think about putting up the walls of the buildings they are hired to construct.

External factors that contribute to dangerous truck accidents

On behalf of Gillis Law Firm posted in Personal Injury on Thursday, November 1, 2018.

Many of the truck accidents that happen on Connecticut roads are caused by drivers who are simply negligent in the operation of their vehicles. Like the drivers of small vehicles, truck drivers can succumb to distractions, exhaustion, and frustration while behind the wheels of their rigs and can make poor choices that cause them to put the lives of themselves and others in danger.

Truck accidents, though, can be caused by external factors as well. These factors, if present, may give truck accident victims additional defendants to include in their lawsuits for damages and greater opportunities to seek the recovery of their losses. For example, one external factor that can cause truck accidents is the unrealistic expectation of companies that drivers will be able to make speedy deliveries.

What should I do after a slip-and-fall accident?

On behalf of Gillis Law Firm posted in Personal Injury on Thursday, October 25, 2018.

A serious slip-and-fall accident can leave a Connecticut resident with broken bones, pulled muscles and lingering discomfort and pain. Whether their incident occurs inside of a building or outdoors, there is a good chance that if negligence played a role in their fall that the victim may have rights to seek compensation for their losses through a civil personal injury lawsuit. In the wake of a slip-and-fall accident, there are some steps that victims can take to help their cases when they go to trial.

One of the most important things that a victim should do is seek medical help for their accident-related ailments. A slip-and-fall accident can leave a victim with injuries that do not become apparent immediately and that may get worse over time. In addition to helping a victim recover, a doctor can also create records of the harm the victim suffered shortly after their accidents happened which may later help them demonstrate their losses and suffering.

Driver demonstrates how many can be in danger of one hit-and-run

On behalf of Gillis Law Firm on Wednesday, October 24, 2018.

Standard procedures for a car accident in every state requires both drivers to pull their vehicles over to the side and let other drivers pass as they attempt to sort their mess out. If the damage is too much, they will have to stay in place and wait for the police and possibly ambulance to show up to help clean up the crash. Unfortunately, some people who still have a moving car after a crash may have a different idea in mind.

Guilty motorists that flee the scene after crashing into someone put multiple people at risk. The victim did not get their insurance information and will have to endure a tedious process of acquiring coverage through a different method. However, drivers that flee a crash have a higher chance of creating more victims in the process. Evidence of this is present from a reckless driver’s failed escape attempt in Hartford earlier this week.

Distracted driving can be fatal for motorcyclists

On behalf of Gillis Law Firm posted in Personal Injury on Thursday, October 18, 2018.

Distracted driving is often thought of as just texting and driving. However, individuals can suffer from driving distractions in a myriad of different ways. On the roads and interstates that cross through Connecticut, individuals are put in danger each and every day by individuals who would rather focus on tasks besides the operation of their vehicles.

Drivers can become distracted because they are using handheld devices like cell phones, but they may also become distracted if they choose to talk to passengers or fiddle with their vehicle sound systems. A driver can become distracted by the meal they are trying to eat as they drive or by the makeup, razor or brush they are holding while they try to get ready as they travel down the road.

What is an inhalation injury?

On behalf of Gillis Law Firm posted in workers' compensation on Thursday, October 11, 2018.

Thousands of times each day, Connecticut residents engage in breathing even when they are not aware of doing so. The body of a healthy individual prompts the person to take inhalations and exhalations to provide the system with the oxygen it needs and to rid it of the substances it must release. Breathing is a necessary part of maintaining life, and when it is compromised, a person's health can quickly deteriorate.

One of the most devastating ways that a person can suffer breathing problems is through experiencing an inhalation injury. An inhalation injury can happen when harmful substances are breathed into the body during respiration. Examples of harmful substances can include but are not limited to chemicals, smoke, fine particles and gases.

Representation after a life-altering motorcycle accident

On behalf of Gillis Law Firm posted in Personal Injury on Thursday, October 4, 2018.

Connecticut residents may equate riding a motorcycle with experiencing a feeling of freedom on the state's highways and roads. With no vehicle structure surrounding them and few if any passengers distracting them, a motorcycle rider is in a real sense one with the road that they are traveling.

Motorcycles can be effective modes of transportation but it is an unfortunate truth that motorcycles can also be dangerous when other drivers fail to respect their presence on the roads.

The role of vicarious liability in personal injury accidents

On behalf of Gillis Law Firm posted in Personal Injury on Thursday, September 27, 2018.

A vehicle accident between two private individuals may leave few questions regarding liability for the resulting crash. For example, if a driver runs a red light at a New Haven intersection and collides with another car, the negligent driver will likely be held responsible for the victim's damages and losses.

However, more questions may arise if the mentioned scenario is changed to make the negligent driver a trucker carrying a load for their employer.