Norwich bus accident lawyer on Washington Street.

In this case our client was struck from behind by a bus on Washington Street, in Norwich, Connecticut.  Our client suffered upper back, low back, and an upper arm injury.   

Norwich Bus Accident Lawyer.

In this case our client was stopped at a traffic light in Norwich, Connecticut heading north on Washington Street just south of Westside Boulevard.  While our client was stopped, the bus struck the small truck our client was driving from behind.  This was a SEAT bus, which are the public bus transportation in Connecticut.  The SEAT bus driver did not pay attention to the road.  SEAT stands for Southeast Area Transit authority, and operates public transit in Southeastern Connecticut.

The defendant driver of the SEAT bus was cited with violating General Statute § 14-240, which means he was charged with the infraction of following too closely.  

At the time of the crash our client was on the job, working as a maintenance man for a real estate property company.  Our client was middle aged, and in a good health before the crash. 

As a result of the crash our client suffered neck, and back injuries.  His main problem was a neck injury that caused pain and numbness down his left arm.  He also had some back pain, but the neck pain, and limitations to his left upper extremity caused him serious problems.  He was unable to continue his job as a maintenance person.  

Our client had about $20,000.00 in medical bills, and lost about $20,000.00 in lost wages.  We filed a workers compensation claim to get our client some lost wage benefits from workers compensation.  

Surgery was not a viable option for our client for various reasons.  Not all problems can be cured with surgery.  So, our client was left with the pain, and limitations from his injury.  He had a very difficult time as the case progressed due to his inability to work, and pay his bills.  

Our client was very pleased when his case settled for $300,000.00 before trial.  

Three important things to know if you are in a Norwich bus accident.

1. Get the name, and address of the other driver.
2. Don’t leave the scene until after the police arrive unless you are being brought to the emergency room.
3. Take photographs of the cars, and the scene.  

What is the statute of limitations for a car accident (or bus accident) in Connecticut?   

A statute of limitation is the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit after the event.   If you don’t sue the defendant within the statute of limitation you lose your rights to sue forever.  For example, as of this writing, the statute of limitations to file a car accident lawsuit is two years from the date of the car accident.

Can you file a workers compensation claim, and also bring a personal injury lawsuit against the bus company if you are in a bus accident while on the job?

Yes, you can.  But you don’t receive a double recovery.  This is because all benefits paid by the workers compensation insurance carrier will have to be reimbursed at the close of the personal injury lawsuit.    In this case we pursued a workers compensation claim along with car accident.  The advantage to our client for bringing a workers compensation claim along with his bus accident lawsuit is to get workers compensation benefits quickly rather than wait for the car accident to close.  Our client needed money to pay his bills.  By filing a workers compensation claim, our client was able to promptly receive lost wage benefits from workers compensation.  Additionally, because our client had poor health insurance, he was able to get most of his medical bills paid through his workers compensation benefits.   

What types of damages can your Norwich bus accident lawyer recover from a car accident in Connecticut?

In a case like this, you can expect to recover all or your

Medical bills;

Lost wages;

Physical pain and suffering;

Permanent injury damages; and

Loss of enjoyment of life’s activities.

How can your Norwich bus accident lawyer help you?

Cases with serious injuries, and multiple avenues for recovery are complicated due to subrogation rules.  For a case like this, you need a lawyer to help you.  In this particular case, for example, you need to know how to sue the SEAT bus.  SEAT is a semi-governmental agency, and not everyone knows exactly how to sue them.   Because we have sued SEAT several times over the years on different cases, we were able to navigate that issue easily for our client.  

How long does a typical car, or bus accident case take?

There is no typical amount of time a car crash case takes.  But here are some guidelines.  Some cases can settle quickly for various reasons.  For example, clear liability, a lot of damages, plus limited insurance will probably settle quickly.  Next, if a lawsuit is going to be filed, it must be filed within two years of the car crash.  Many cases are not filed immediately, but after at least several months of case preparation.  After a lawsuit is filed, it takes about a full year before it come up for a pre-trial, and two years for a trial.  Most cases are resolved within three years. 

See additional similar cases we have successfully handled.

Here is a link to a different case that also involved an upper extremity injury that we handled in East Lyme, Connecticut.  The case involved a motorcycle accident in East Lyme, Connecticut.  

Where to find help?