Motorcycle Rider Awarded $130,000 for Hit and Run Accident Involving a Mystery Driver

 Posted on October 30, 2018 in Hartford personal injury lawyer

When you are involved in a hit and run accident, it can be extremely difficult to collect compensation for the damages you incur. If those damages include bodily injury, you are likely to face even greater challenges. It is possible, however, to recover compensation for your injuries after a hit and run accident, as a case out of Waterbury, Connecticut recently demonstrated.

The Accident in Question

The crash took place in August 2016 at an intersection in Waterbury. A 44-year-old man was riding his motorcycle when he was struck by a Toyota—knocking him to the ground and causing injuries to the rider’s back and right leg. According to court documents, the driver of the Toyota stopped briefly and then fled the scene.

A subsequent investigation into the crash determined that the driver of the Toyota was not the owner of the vehicle. In fact, the owner claimed she had no idea who would have been driving her car that day. She had reportedly left the car with an acquaintance for repairs, but an attorney for the plaintiff said that the owner’s account “was very sketchy.” The driver of the vehicle was never positively identified for the purposes of this case. The Toyota owner’s insurance policy through State Farm paid out $20,000, but the payment fell far short of the losses that the rider had incurred.

Battling the Insurance Company

As a result, the rider filed a claim with Geico, the company with which he had coverage. Geico refused to pay the claim on several grounds. First, the company alleged that it did not have sufficient knowledge or evidence of the victim’s injuries. The insurer also tried to shift blame for the crash to the rider, saying that the collision was caused by his “negligence.”

The trial took place in Waterbury Superior court and lasted about a day and a half. However, it only took a six-person jury two hours to return a verdict in favor of the injured rider. The jury determined that the victim was due a total of $130,000, including the $20,000 already paid by State Farm. Geico, therefore, would be responsible for the remaining amount.

The Importance of Gathering Information

Fleeing the scene of an accident in which a person has been injured is a criminal offense that Connecticut courts take very seriously, yet hit and run accidents are not uncommon. Perhaps the most important thing you can do after a hit-and-run is to gather as much information about the fleeing vehicle or driver as possible. Make a mental note of the make, model, and color of the vehicle, as well as any numbers or letter you can see on the license plate. You will probably not be able to get all of the details that you wish you could have, but every piece of information will help law enforcement track down the other vehicle.

An experienced Connecticut personal injury attorney can also assist you in taking action after a hit and run accident. We will work with insurance companies in pursuit of the compensation you need to start putting your life back together. Call 860-290-8690 for a free consultation at Woolf Law Firm, LLC today.

Sources:

https://www.law.com/ctlawtribune/2018/10/26/waterbury-jury-returns-verdict-for-motorcyclist-injured-in-collision/

http://civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov/DocumentInquiry/DocumentInquiry.aspx?DocumentNo=15556742