Drivers have a responsibility to respect other people on the road and yield the right of way when necessary. When a driver fails to yield and causes an accident, they could be liable for any resulting injuries.
If you have been hurt in a collision caused by another driver’s negligence, you may benefit from an experienced East Hartford car accident lawyers. Schedule an appointment with an East Hartford failure to yield accident lawyer and learn more about your legal options.
What Are Some Causes of Failure to Yield Collisions?
Drivers must cede the right of way in specific situations. Failure to yield accidents frequently happen at traffic signals, for example, when a driver does not wait their turn at an intersection. If the driver disregards a traffic signal, turns in front of oncoming traffic, or strikes a pedestrian in the crosswalk, that driver may be found negligent in a civil lawsuit.
These accidents are also common on highways and other multi-lane roads. Merging into traffic often requires drivers to move over or allow others into a lane; refusing to do so can cause an accident. Similarly, drivers must allow another person to pass them without speeding up or blocking them from re-entering the lane.
Pedestrians and cyclists are also vulnerable to failure to yield collisions when drivers fail to respect their space. A person who injures a pedestrian on the road or sidewalk can be liable for that person’s injuries just as they can be liable for another driver’s injuries. A seasoned attorney in East Hartford could review the cause of a failure to yield accident and build a case on behalf of an injured party.
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Filing a Negligence Lawsuit
When failure to yield the right of way causes an accident, the person or persons the driver injured may file a lawsuit demanding compensation for their injuries. In a negligence lawsuit, a plaintiff must usually prove that the defendant had a duty to act responsibly, breached that duty with their actions, and as a result caused the plaintiff’s injury.
Proving negligence in a failure to yield case can be difficult without an East Hartford lawyer. Many crashes occur in such a way that the innocent driver ends up colliding with another vehicle or obstacle. For example, if a person is attempting to pass another driver, and the slower vehicle refuses to let them pass, the overtaking driver might be forced off the road or into oncoming traffic by the slower driver’s actions. Someone observing the accident may only see that the overtaking driver lost control and might not realize that their actions were a result of the slower vehicle’s failure to give the right of way.
Compensation in Failure to Yield Cases
When a driver, passenger, cyclist, or pedestrian is injured by a driver who failed to yield the right of way, they may be eligible for financial compensation.
An injured person could be awarded economic damages to cover the actual costs of their medical treatment, hospitalization, lost wages, and other financial expenses. They might also be able to recover non-economic damages for trauma to their mental and emotional health. In some cases, involving extremely reckless or dangerous behavior, an injured person could seek punitive damages as well.
What Happens if the Injured Person is Partially at Fault?
The court will reduce an injured person’s damages according to that person’s percentage of fault. In Connecticut, plaintiffs can still recover compensation even if they were partially responsible for their accident, so long as they do not shoulder more than 50% of the blame. Under Connecticut General Statute §52-572h, a partially at-fault plaintiff will see their compensation reduced proportionately to their share of fault. If a person was 20% at fault for their own injuries, for example, then their compensation may be reduced by 20%.
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Find Out More From a Failure to Yield Accident Attorney in East Hartford
When a person refuses to follow traffic laws and fails to yield the right of way, their actions could endanger others. If someone’s negligent driving harmed you, you might be able to file a personal injury lawsuit and hold that person responsible for their actions. Contact an East Hartford failure to yield accident lawyer today and assess the value of your claim.
