Personal Injury

The word Personal Injury is a far-reaching legal term used to describe any situation whereby someone is injured as a result of another person or entity’s careless or reckless actions.

Personal injury may include injuries sustained due to a car accident, slip and fall, dog bite, medical malpractice and any other circumstance wherein a person’s injury was caused by someone or something’s negligent or reckless conduct. If you find yourself in one of these situations, it is very important that you seek legal advice as soon as possible after being treated by a medical professional. Insurance companies will do everything in their control to begin investigating a personal injury case as soon as possible after it takes place, and this includes contacting the injured party to discuss the incident in question. Make no mistake, the insurance company representatives are trained to recognize potential weaknesses in the case in an attempt to reduce their exposure to liability. It is therefore extremely important that you also have legal representation early on in the process to protect your rights, and to preserve your claim against the responsible party so that you may recover full value for your injuries. Often times, there is understandably a great deal of emotion involved when a person is injured as a result of another’s negligence, and one of the most valuable resources your attorney can offer at this stage is to properly handle the legal aspects of your claim without the element of emotion.

Connecticut Car Accident Lawyer

Car Accidents • Tractor Trailer Truck Accidents • Bus Accidents • Motorcycle Accidents

Every day, cars, trucks, motorcyles and buses crash on the streets and highways in and around Connecticut. All too often, motor vehicle accidents are the result of recklessness or carelessness on the part of one driver who is guilty of:

• Speeding and running red lights
• Sudden lane changes without looking (a common cause of motorcycle accidents)
• Illegal u-turns or unsignaled turns at intersections in front of oncoming traffic
• Looking left while turning right (a common cause of pedestrian accidents in intersections)
• Sudden stops and failure to yield right-of-way (common causes of bike accidents)
• Unsecured loads on pick-up trucks and semi-trucks
• Inattentiveness, using a cell phone while driving, fatigue or drunk driving

Insurance coverage is a crucial aspect of each and every case, and one of the first things we do is investigate and confirm every avenue of recovery for our clients. In Connecticut, the minimum coverage that a motor vehicle operator must carry is if there is $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident. Many times, there is not enough coverage available from the responsible driver’s policy to compensate the injured party. In these instances, we determine whether the law allows us to pursue insurance benefits from additional policies, including underinsured/uninsured motorist benefits, homeowners’ insurance or excess/umbrella polices. In some cases, it is necessary to research the personal assets of the responsible party in the event that there is insufficient insurance coverage available to compensate the injured person.

Connecticut Wrongful Death Lawyer

Filing a wrongful death claim can be extremely difficult for families. Not only must they deal with their grief over the passing of a loved one, they must also handle a very complicated legal situation. If you have lost a loved one to wrongful death, then a qualified wrongful death lawyer can handle the litigation while you are given time to recover from your loss. An attorney will help you recover the full value of damages that you deserve. If your loved one was the victim of wrongful death in Connecticut, Potok Law can guide you through the Connecticut Wrongful Death statute, and help protect your rights and the rights of your deceased loved one. Contact us today at 860-348-1500.

What damages can I recover from a wrongful death claim?

A claim for wrongful death may include compensation for the following:
• Reimbursement for all medical expenses incurred as a result of the negligence;
• Reimbursement for the loss of any future income;
• Reimbursement for property damage, if applicable;
• Reimbursement for any future services normally provided to you by the person who has died;
• Reimbursement for loss of consortium, meaning a spouse’s right to the companionship, help and affection from the person who has died; and
• Reimbursement for any punitive damages if the negligence was found to be criminal.

Every state has a “statute of limitations” (the amount of time allotted to file a claim for negligence). You must protect your family’s rights by making sure that the negligent party is held accountable for your loss. Although it is extremely hard, it is crucial that you preserve any supporting evidence and file your claim within the legal time limits. Potok Law is experienced and familiar with the Connecticut wrongful death law and can help with this process. Connecticut Premises Liability Lawyer

Under the Connecticut Premises Liability Law, owners of commercial properties where we shop, work and live are required to keep their property safe and secure. In general, Connecticut law requires that property owners fix and/or alert visitors regarding dangerous conditions which the owner knows, or should have known, exists at the property. This also includes maintaining proper security at all times to protect visitors from dangerous persons. When property owners fail to take these precautions, we as visitors are at risk of serious injury.

Attorney Benjamin K. Potok is an experienced premises liability lawyer, and can help you determine whether you have a premises liability case against the property owner for the injuries you suffered on someone else’s property.

There is a variety of types of premises liability cases, and Potok Law has the experience to handle these types of cases:

Slip and Fall Injury

A slip and fall injury can occur in a variety of places, including a supermarket, restaurant, mall, office building, condominium complex or within the parking lots of any these types of places. Although owners of these types of properties are responsible for maintaining their premises in a safe condition and foreseeing potential hazards which may cause injuries to visitors, often times they address these conditions after the incident, thus eliminating evidence which may have been crucial to your claim. As a result, if you fall and suffer injuries while visiting these places, it is important that you follow a few initial steps to preserve your claim:

• Report the incident to the property manager or other responsible party so that an incident report may be created at the time of the injury, and insist on taking a copy of this report with you;
• Take photographs of the dangerous condition that caused you to fall as soon as practicable following the incident;
• Make a note of any persons who may have witnessed the incident or the dangerous condition that caused you to fall – if possible, write down the name and contact information of the witnesses; and
• Seek medical attention immediately following the incident to address potentially serious and/or permanent injuries, and to properly document said injuries. You should seek medical attention even if you believe that you may have only suffered a minor injury.
• After seeking medical attention for your injuries, contact Potok Law to discuss how we may help you recover damages for your slip and fall injury.

Swimming Pool Accidents

Swimming pools are a tremendous source of fun and entertainment throughout the summer season in Connecticut. Owners of swimming pools must exercise caution and take measures to protect their guests from injuries in or around the pool. Every year, many adults and children alike suffer injuries in and around swimming pools due slippery surfaces and puddles around the pool, diving board injuries, drowning accidents, lack of proper supervision, improperly marked depths or malfunctioning drains. Private swimming pools, unlike public pools, do not require the use of lifeguards and, consequently, guests are often allowed to swim without the appropriate supervision and management. Pool owners may be liable for injuries to their guests pursuant to Connecticut premises liability law. If you or someone you know has suffered any one of these swimming pool injuries, contact a swimming pool accident lawyer at Potok Law.

Porch Collapse Injury

Connecticut residents take full advantage of the beautiful spring, summer and fall seasons, spending their time at outdoor gatherings and back porch barbeques. Poorly built or maintained porches and porch steps can be an extreme hazard to unknowing visitors. Porches may become structurally compromised over time, and some are not initially built properly, or within the requirements of the building code. Some causes of porch collapse injuries include:

• Aged and worn/rotted material;
• Faulty construction or workmanship; and
• Non Code-Compliant construction.

Property owners are responsible for ensuring the safety of visitors, and if they are negligent, they may be liable for the injuries to their guests. Potok Law can help determine whether you are entitled to recover damages for your porch collapse injury.

Connecticut Dog Bite & Animal Attack Lawyer

Estimates suggest that over 2 million citizens are injured or killed by dog bites or other animal attacks every year. Children are the most common victims of dog bites, accounting for 60% of all reported dog bite injuries.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog bite or animal attack, then Attorney Potok, a Connecticut dog bite lawyer, can help you recover the damages you deserve. Contact us today at 860-348-1500 for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights and options. The Dangers of Dog Bites

A dog bite is an unexpected and traumatic experience for any person to go through. Anyone who has been bitten by a dog may experience post traumatic stress disorder, emotional problems, fear of dogs, and be forced to undergo physical rehabilitation and reconstructive surgery. Approximately 44,000 facial injuries to children are caused by dog bites. If the dog has a disease such as rabies, then you run a high risk of suffering from it, as well. Connecticut Dog Bite Law

There is not one specific breed of dog that is the most dangerous; any type of dog is capable of attacking a human. Even the dog of a family member or friend may attack a familiar face. It is the responsibility of the dog owner to be in charge of his or her animal at all times. This includes having the control to prevent an attack. Unlike the law that applies to motor vehicle accident cases, the Connecticut dog bite law holds the dog owner to “strict liability”, meaning that the injured dog bite victim must only prove that his/her injuries were caused by the dog bite. The Connecticut dog bite victim does not need to prove that the dog owner was negligent. The Connecticut dog bite law holds all dog owners responsible for any injury or loss that their animals cause to others, even if the canine had never before exhibited dangerous behavior.