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Personal Injury

Dog Bites

"No dog is entitled to a free bite" which means that under Connecticut's strict liability dog statute if a person is bitten (or in some other way damaged) by a dog, that person is due money damages even though the dog may not have bitten before. Owners and keepers of dogs and other pets are held under Connecticut law to be responsible for the damages the animal causes.

This type of case is helped by our firm being hired early so that we can take legal photographs of the injuries as well as conduct a prompt investigation to identify those persons who are responsible for the dog, witnesses to prove the dog was not provoked in any manner, and any insurance coverage issues. Later on, further photography is key to show how the injury heals over time. Unfortunately, dog bites or attacks often lead to visible scars and we can assist with obtaining necessary medical consultations concerning whether scar revision surgery or other procedures could help to minimize the appearance of any scarring.

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Animal Attacks

Pet ownership comes with legal responsibility. When a horse leaves the barn and ends up on the road causing an accident and injury, the owner is responsible. When a cat becomes aggressive and seriously scars a child, the owner may be held accountable. Connecticut has various laws dealing with the liability of owners and keepers of any animal for any injuries the animal may cause. As explained in the Dog Bites section, thorough investigation and photographic evidence is valuable in the handling of these matters.

Pharmacy Errors

It is entirely improper for a drug store customer to be given the wrong prescription by a pharmacist. Unfortunately, this occurs too often. We have been retained in many of these cases and have been successful in recovering for our clients.

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School Accidents

Unruly behavior, bullying, falling in the hallway, or defective playground equipment can result in injury. The law requires that children attend school. As a result kids should be protected from harm while in school. Two examples of cases where we have recovered on behalf of our clients: (1) A young child knocked down by his own school bus that he had just exited; and (2) an adolescent severely injured by a javelin during athletic practice.

While schools may be run by a town or city or by the state, they also may be privately owned and operated. Either way, early consultation and investigation of these types of matters is strongly recommended as there are certain legal notice requirements that may need to be made within as little as 3 months of the incident date.

Sports Related Injuries

Sometimes the equipment provided is not safe or the supervision by a coach is inadequate. On occasion, another player can be overly aggressive and at fault. Negligence or recklessness in sports often results in injuries and a claim may be proper. Early investigation is critical, especially for school related sports injuries, as certain legal notice requirements must be met within a short period of time.

Did you sign a waiver? Participants are frequently asked by the organizer of an athletic event or team to sign a waiver of liability stating that they assume the risks of the activity and that the organizer is not responsible. You should be aware that these waivers are not always legal or applicable to the accident in question. We have handled many cases like this, our experience can help.

Sexual Assault or Abuse

Unwanted conduct of a sexual nature is an assault and battery under the law. The conduct can be physical or improper threatening language. Either way, a claim arises.

Claims Against Government

We have handled many different types of cases brought against the government, city, state or federal. Anyone who has suffered loss due to the negligence of a government employee or official should seek legal consultation quickly. Various laws dictate the time within which claims must be made, the procedure for bringing the claim and whether the claim may be brought in the court system or must be brought through some other administrative process.

Here are just a few of the types of claims that might arise:

Roads and Sidewalks

Pot holes in the roads and cracked or ruptured sidewalks frequently cause injury. The State or Town may be responsible. This type of claim must start with the State or Town receiving a legal notice within a set period of time. That's an important reason for hiring us as soon as possible.

Post Office and Postal Workers

The United States Post Office is responsible when a fall at the post office is caused by an employee's negligence or fault. Drivers of postal vehicles must drive safely and when they are negligent, the United States government is responsible. Two case examples: A serious injury resulted when a postal truck backed over a man who was retrieving his mail at his mailbox; A multi-car collision occurred when a postal worker driving a federal mail truck cut-off an oil tanker truck on the highway.

State and Town Vehicles

When a State or Town vehicle is driven carelessly and someone is hurt, the State or Town is responsible. The same requirement that private drivers adhere to the rules of the road applies to government drivers. When the driver of a Town truck ran into a light pole in the middle of a parking lot, his passenger, a co-worker recovered from the Town with our help.

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Workplace Injuries

If you are injured at work, you are entitled to receive worker's compensation benefits. At a minimum, these include payment of medical expenses and lost wages. Generally speaking, an employee is not allowed to recover against their employer or co-workers beyond those benefits provided under the various statutes that make up the Worker's Compensation Act.

Some work place injuries, however, involve the negligence or recklessness of a third party, such as a general contractor or subcontractor. When this occurs, you may be entitled to bring a lawsuit outside the worker's compensation system to recover other types of damages that worker's compensation does not allow for. Early investigation can be important in identifying responsible parties and their roles. For example, a man working as a "temp" was allowed to bring suit against the facility he was assigned to by the temp agency after an explosion occurred causing him severe burns to his face and body. A subcontractor recovered against the general contractor and other subcontractors for injuries suffered in a fall on ice in the employees designated parking area at the worksite.

Also, certain statutory exceptions exist which permit a worker to bring a lawsuit. One important example is the "motor vehicle exception" that allows a worker to sue a co-worker if injuries result from the negligent operation of a motor vehicle by the co-worker.

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Drowning Accidents

About 11 people die each day from drowning in the United States, according to the CDC. There are many standards, rules and accepted practices to prevent children and adults from drowning and near drowning. Pool owners and management companies do not, however, always follow the best practices. Or a lifeguard may have received inadequate training or simply may not be paying attention. And while a near drowning victim may survive, the lasting effects of oxygen deprivation may cause severe brain damage. We are experienced in handling drowning and near drowning cases and have obtained monetary compensation for victims.

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