When someone else’s negligence causes an injury, the other party should be held financially liable to compensate you for damages. A personal injury attorney can help protect your rights and seek maximum compensation for your case.

The Connecticut personal injury attorneys at Messier, Massad, Burdick & Assoc. LLC, have a successful track record in pursuing justice for clients in New London, Connecticut and throughout the state.

Messier, Massad, Burdick & Assoc. LLC for Personal Injury Cases

Our Connecticut personal injury attorneys provide legal representation for personal injury victims in a variety of practice areas, including:

We also represent clients in other practice areas, including:

How a Personal Injury Attorney Helps Victims

Because personal injury law encompasses a variety of incidents, victims can be left with physical injuries, emotional trauma, or both. Typically, the negligent party has insurance, and the insurance company pays the claim to the victim(s).

However, complications tend to arise because the insurance company’s interests are different from a person who has suffered an injury. Specifically, insurance companies aim to pay as little as possible for a claim, while the victim wants maximum compensation to offset the pain, inconvenience, and life-altering effects the accident or incident caused.

Going up against an insurance company can feel like a David versus Goliath situation because you have to battle a big company with teams of claims adjusters and lawyers. These companies may exploit any loophole to prevent paying you what your case is worth.

In an attempt to avoid writing a fair settlement check, an insurance company could potentially dispute your evidence and go as far as to make it appear that you were the one at fault or share the blame.

A Connecticut personal injury attorney can be an extremely beneficial advocate to have on your side. At Messier, Massad, Burdick & Assoc. LLC, we have years of experience dealing with insurance companies in Connecticut and beyond. The attorneys have an excellent background in understanding how insurance companies value claims and seek any possible excuse to deny a claim or attempt to shift fault to a victim.

It’s the role of personal injury attorneys to protect your rights and fight for maximum compensation for your injuries. In many circumstances, an injury happens because of the other party’s negligence, and it’s unfair to shift the financial burden of recovery to the victim. A personal injury lawyer seeks to ensure the burden is allocated to the careless or negligent party.

Potential Damage Awards Available in Personal Injury Cases

No two personal injury cases are exactly alike, and our attorneys will explore all possible avenues of compensation, including:

  • Property damage: If your vehicle, home, or personal property is damaged, we will seek compensation to have the item repaired or alternatively, collect fair market or replacement value.
  • Medical bills and ongoing treatment: Any medical expenses you incur due to someone’s negligence should be compensated. This includes immediate and long-term care, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and other medically related expenses.
  • Lost wages: If your injury prevents you from being able to work, you should be compensated for any lost wages.
  • Lost earning capacity: Long-term or permanent injuries could prevent you from earning the same income you earned prior to the incident. The difference may potentially be compensated by the other party.
  • Pain and suffering: There’s no question that accidents and injuries are traumatic, both physically and emotionally. Hence, a personal injury attorney can argue that you should receive compensation for your pain and suffering.
  • Mental anguish: Not all wounds are physical. Accidents and other personal injury claims can also cause a victim to experience emotional distress, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep loss, and more.
  • Diminished quality of life: Also referred to as loss of enjoyment, you could receive compensation for not being able to enjoy activities that had been a significant part of your lifestyle.
  • Wrongful death: If a family member has died due to someone’s negligence, the surviving estate can file a wrongful death claim.

How a Personal Injury Claim Works in Connecticut

The overwhelming majority of personal injury claims are settled out of court. In fact, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, up to 97% of these cases are resolved without going to trial.

When your attorney and the insurance company can reach an agreement, the claim is resolved, and you are one step closer to resuming your normal life.

To get to this resolution, an attorney will undergo an in-depth investigation of the facts of your case. This initial step involves gathering evidence, collecting medical records, and securing expert witness testimony when applicable to strengthen your case and determine how much compensation you could be entitled to.

The insurance company may present a settlement offer to you early in the claims process. It may be tempting to accept this number at face value, but it is likely to be a “lowball” number that the insurance company thinks you’ll take out of desperation or a desire to resolve the matter as soon as possible.

Your personal injury attorney will already have a number in mind and will negotiate aggressively on your behalf to work toward securing a favorable settlement. If negotiations are unsuccessful, we can file a lawsuit and take the matter to court.

Frequently Asked Questions of Personal Injury Attorneys

If you’ve never filed a personal injury claim, you probably have a lot of questions about how things work. Here are a few of the most common questions people ask.

Can anyone file a personal injury lawsuit?

In general, only the victim can file a personal injury lawsuit. The rationale behind this policy is that the person must have “standing” to sue someone. To have standing requires that the person has a recognizable injury caused by the defendant, and that injury can be redressed by the court.

There are some exceptions to this standing requirement for wrongful death lawsuits, minors, and limited other circumstances.

When should I contact a personal injury lawyer?

We recommend contacting a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. There are two reasons for this logic:

  1. As your case gets stale, it can be difficult to collect evidence, including witness testimony.
  2. There is a statute of limitations for lawsuits. If you attempt to file a lawsuit outside of this period, it will be dismissed, so it’s important to begin the claims process as early as possible.

Contact Our Connecticut Personal Injury Attorneys Today

At Messier, Massad, Burdick & Assoc. LLC, we are staunch advocates for the rights of personal injury victims, and our goal is to provide you with a favorable outcome. As experienced negotiators and legal professionals, we also pride ourselves on proactive and compassionate client communication.

We understand you are going through a tough time, and we want to ease that burden and provide you with peace of mind as you navigate healing and getting your life back. For a complimentary consultation, contact Messier, Massad, Burdick & Assoc. LLC today.

Connecticut

Messier, Massad, Burdick & Assoc. LLC
107 State Street
New London, CT 06320
Office Phone: 860-443-7014

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