Your Trusted Personal Injury Lawyers in Waterford, CT
When an impaired driver is operating a tractor-trailer at highway speeds, the results can be devastating for everyone else sharing the road. These huge commercial trucks outweigh all other vehicles around them, and smaller passenger cars can only try to get out of the way.
Federal regulations limit truck drivers to a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.04, half that of ordinary drivers. Unfortunately, too many drivers still think that just one beer will not cause any problems when they get behind the wheel. If you were injured in a crash caused by one of these drivers, Polito & Harrington, LLC is here to assist you. Our semi-truck wreck attorneys help clients get the justice and compensation they need after serious drunk driving truck accidents in New London.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets standards for the licensing of commercial driver licenses. The national standard for BAC for commercial drivers is 0.04 percent, half that permitted for ordinary drivers. Driving with a higher BAC is grounds for suspension or permanent loss of license, even if the driver did nothing else wrong.
After an accident, you should take these steps:
Our attorneys may obtain other information, such as the electronic logging device in the driver’s truck. This device contains information about how the truck was driven, such as whether the driver was speeding or making erratic maneuvers. Witness statements can confirm whether the driver seemed to be impaired.
If law enforcement does a field sobriety or breathalyzer test at the scene, your attorney may be able to obtain those results. All that information becomes part of your insurance claim when you file for damages after an impaired driving tractor-trailer wreck in New London.
Injured victims can request economic and non-economic damages after a New London collision involving a drunk semi-truck driver.
Economic damages, sometimes called special damages, are those that have a quantifiable amount, such as medical costs, lost wages, rehabilitation expenses, and other monetary losses.
Non-economic damages, or general damages, include harm that is not as easily calculated but still causes an impact on your life. Emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life are all non-economic damages.
Punitive damages are allowed if the defendant’s actions were unusually reckless or outrageous. Although punitive damages are often capped at the plaintiff’s fees and costs, in some cases, such as drunk driving, a court may award a victim more.
After drunk driving truck accidents in New London, victims should consult an attorney before making any legal decisions. The lawyers at Polito & Harrington, LLC are here to give you the advice you need to file your insurance claim and get compensation for your injuries and property damage.
Our attorneys have been helping clients get justice for their injuries for more than 40 years. We are an award-winning firm recognized throughout Connecticut for our ability to fight and win for our clients. Let us help you get the compensation you need for your personal injury case. Call today for a free, confidential consultation.
We are committed to provide personalized attention to each and every client’s case – no matter how large or small– because that is each client’s only case. We are proud of our firm’s reputation of combining integrity and compassion with an unflinching dedication to getting the right result. We will do what we say.
