New Haven Connecticut Legal Blog

Unfortunately, a car accident can be devastating, forever changing the lives of drivers, passengers and their families. When the circumstances surrounding an accident point to a head-on collision or one vehicle crossing a center line, the nature of the crash can be horrific, resulting in substantial personal injury or even death. Sometimes such accidents can be avoided, but in other instances, avoidance is not possible, which only served to compound the tragedy.

Once such accident occurred recently on River Road near Shelton, Connecticut. A small car traveling southbound on the road collided with a larger car travelling northbound. Two people and an unborn child were killed in the accident. One other person was transported to a hospital in critical condition, and three other individuals are hospitalized, as well, but with injuries that are not life-threatening.

Residents who are injured doing their jobs generally must rely on the workers' compensation system for medical and financial assistance. In some cases though, the workers' compensation benefits may not be sufficient to cover the lost wages or meet the financial needs of the injured employee. In such instances, an injured or disabled worker may also be able to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) from the federal government.

Social Security Disability (SSD) has received a lot of press lately, due to burgeoning claims, delays and even allegations of fraud. These benefits are administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and are distributed from a trust to which all workers in the United States contribute, while they are in the workforce. Usually, the first threshold a worker must cross to obtain SSD benefits is 10 years of contributions to the fund. The next criteria that must be met is that the illness, injury or disability must affect the worker's ability to hold down a job.

The high-profile collapse of a pedestrian bridge in Miami, which killed six people and injured several others, has caused concern as far as Connecticut. When a construction or design defect results in an accident that causes personal injury and/or death, people are often quick to start pointing fingers. But such accidents typically require an extensive investigation before the culpable party or parties can be identified.

Accidents like the collapsed bridge, which was still under construction, highlight some of the potential risks that poor design or assembly pose to the public, as well as to workers on the job site. Non-workers who are injured in such an accident can attempt to recover for their injuries by pursuing a number of legal remedies. Premises liability, strict liability and negligence could all be used to pursue a claim for such egregious disregard for public safety.

When a nor'easter pounds Connecticut, the hazards extend beyond whipping winds and surging floodwaters. Snow, ice and even fallen branches can create a hazard for members of the public who are trying to negotiate a sidewalk or enter a building. If such a hazard results in an injury, the party responsible for keeping the right of way clear may be on the hook for damages and expenses that arise from the injury.

Building or dwelling owners, as well as businesses open to the public, are under a legal obligation to keep sidewalks, entry ways, aisles, etc. free from hazards so that you can safely navigate them. Some municipalities have ordinances that dictate when a sidewalk must be cleared of snow or ice. Where there is not an ordinance, the legal duty to maintain hazard-free public areas still exists.