A car accident may be more than one person’s fault. Connecticut law recognizes this fact and allows a jury to apportion blame among multiple negligent defendants. But what happens when a defendant’s negligence precedes a third party’s criminal act? Does the intervening crime absolve the negligent defendant of responsibility for the accident victim’s injuries? Stamford-Norwalk […]
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Attorney James Harrington Participates in Charity Race to Help Kids with Autism
This past weekend, Attorney James Harrington of Polito and Harrington participated in an Ultra Ragnar Race, a 200-mile relay race across Cape Cod; personally running over 35 miles over the course of a day. Attorney Harrington was racing to raise money for Dylan’s Wings of Change, a foundation established to honor the memory of Dylan […]
What Are the Minimum Damages Available in a Rhode Island Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
A wrongful death claim enables the estate or family of a person killed because of negligence the ability to recover damages from the responsible parties. Wrongful death lawsuits are a function of state law. In Rhode Island, for instance, the law states that when a wrongful death claim succeeds against “any person or corporation,” the […]
Supreme Court: Tribal employee can be sued
A U.S. Supreme Court decision earlier this week involving a Mohegan Sun limo driver will make it a bit easier to sue employees of Indian tribes in state courts. In an opinion written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the unanimous decision overturns a state Supreme Court ruling that said William Clarke, the limo driver, could only […]
Victory in the United States Supreme Court!
Congratulations to James Harrington and our clients as a result of their victory in the United States Supreme Court today. In a unanimous 8-0 decision, the United States Supreme Court reversed the Connecticut Supreme Court in Lewis v. Clarke1, holding that a tribal employee sued in an individual capacity suit for a tort committed off […]
Texting While Driving Often Leads to Fatal Auto Accidents
Although drunk driving tends to get most of the attention, distracted driving is rapidly becoming a more significant threat to public health and safety. The ubiquity of smartphones makes it far too easy for a driver to divert their attention from the road. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every day there […]
Is the State Liable for Defective Road Maintenance?
Not all car accidents are the result of driver negligence. Sometimes there is a defect in one of the vehicles that causes the driver to lose control. And sometimes there is a defect in the road itself. CT Court Rejects State’s Attempt to Quash Accident Case Since the State of Connecticut maintains most public roads, […]
What If Multiple Drivers Are Responsible for a Car Accident?
A car accident may be the fault of multiple parties. An injured third party has the right to seek compensation from anyone whose negligence contributed to the accident. Of course, multiple defendants may try blame one another in an attempt to avoid any personal liability. Green Light Not an Automatic Defense to Negligence For example, […]
Not Getting Adequate Sleeps Leads to Dangerous Driving
You probably already know that not getting enough sleep is bad for your health. At the very least, you know how it makes you feel – tired, grouchy, and lethargic. A new study suggests that by not getting adequate sleep, you may be doing more than just putting your health at risk, though; you may […]
Who Is Liable for a Drowning Death?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly ten people die in the U.S. every day due to unintentional drowning. In many cases, drowning deaths are the fault of negligent pool operators who fail to maintain proper safety standards. Unfortunately, establishing a premises owner’s liability is often difficult when it is not exactly […]