Plainville & Bristol Personal Injury Lawyers

Many tractor-trailers travel millions of miles to carry goods to consumers. Since trucks are very heavy, often weighing more than 100,000 pounds, injuries in a truck accident are likely to be catastrophic or fatal. It can be very difficult to determine the correct insurance company for the trucking company, since trucking companies are often part of larger corporations. We have the means and know how to locate the proper company. After an accident, our Plainville and Bristol personal injury attorneys can examine all the potentially responsible parties and bring them into a personal injury lawsuit. Parties that may bear responsibility for truck accidents include truck drivers, trucking companies, third-party loading companies, mechanics, and truck manufacturers.

There is no buffer between a motorcycle and another vehicle in a collision. A motorcyclist may suffer catastrophic or fatal injuries as a result, while a person in a larger vehicle may walk away from the crash completely unharmed. Motorcycle accidents may result from careless driver behaviors such as failing to yield, tailgating, drunk driving, distracted driving, or speeding. An at-fault driver may try to claim that a rider was negligent just because he was on a motorcycle. There is often a bias against motorcyclists by insurance companies, and an insurer may try to exploit that bias by lowballing you in a settlement offer. Thus, it is vital to talk to your own attorney before talking to an insurer for another party involved in the accident.

Bicyclists may be catastrophically or fatally injured while operating their bicycles on the road. Bicycle accidents may result from a driver’s failure to yield, drunk driving, speeding, reckless driving, or failure to abide by road rules. They also may result from a driver or passenger opening a car door while failing to check for bicyclists passing the car. It is important for both drivers of larger vehicles and bicyclists to operate their vehicles safely on the road. When a driver fails to follow the Connecticut Rules of the Road, it may help our Plainville and Bristol personal injury lawyers establish the driver’s fault for an accident. If there is a violation of a statute, ordinance, or regulation that causes a bicycle accident, this can provide strong evidence of negligence.

When you go shopping or visit a friend in an apartment complex, you do not expect to be injured. If you are injured on somebody else’s property, you may be able to recover damages by bringing a premises liability lawsuit. These lawsuits may be brought for injuries sustained because of issues such as spilled liquid, broken railings, unrepaired leaks, broken stairs, inadequate lighting, falling merchandise, and loose tiles or cracked surfaces. All property owners and businesses owe a duty of care to customers and invited guests. To recover damages, you will need to show that this duty of care was breached and that the property owner or business had actual or constructive notice of the dangerous condition.

Dog bites can be severe and traumatic. Victims who are bitten may be saddled with significant medical bills and may be unable to work because of catastrophic injuries. Dog owners are supposed to take steps to keep their dogs from harming other people. In Connecticut, pet owners face strict liability for harm caused by their pets. This means that our personal injury lawyers can help Plainville and Bristol residents hold a dog owner liable for a dog bite, even if the owner had no idea that their dog would attack another person, and the dog had not previously shown signs of being vicious.

If you are injured on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system that may also offer benefits in cases of harm due to occupational illnesses. You will need to be able to show that your injury or illness is job-related. Your workers’ compensation claim needs to be filed within a year of being injured on the job. If you are making a claim based on an occupational disease, you need to make the claim within three years of the first manifestation of symptoms. When an employee dies due to a work-related injury or illness, surviving dependents may be able to obtain death benefits.

A criminal conviction can change your life. Before you go to court, you should know your rights. Just because you have been charged with a crime doesn’t mean you should plead guilty. A prosecutor must prove all the elements of an offense beyond a reasonable doubt. This is a difficult standard of proof to meet, and our criminal defense lawyers will fight hard to attack the prosecution’s evidence or develop an affirmative defense. In Connecticut, crimes are classified as either felonies or misdemeanors. Felonies are divided into five classes: Class A, B, C, D, or capital felonies. Sometimes felonies are unclassified, and in that case, the sentence is listed in the statute criminalizing that conduct. A felony conviction is much more serious and can take away your rights to vote and possess a firearm. Misdemeanors, while less serious, still may result in a jail sentence if you are convicted. You should always speak with a criminal attorney to learn your rights.

Being charged with a DUI can be frightening. It may be your first encounter with the criminal justice system. Connecticut General Statute section 14-227a criminalizes driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or while your blood alcohol content is elevated. You are considered under the influence under this law if your ability to drive is notably impacted. Under section 14-227b, you implicitly consent to drug or alcohol testing when you drive, and if you refuse, your license can be suspended.

Real Estate transactions can be stressful. We represent clients in real estate transactions, such as purchases and sales of houses and commercial properties. We also represent parties in real estate litigation, including construction disputes, commercial landlord-tenant disputes, land use disputes, and breach of contract disputes. Our clients include individuals, businesses, and developers. Often, real estate transactions involve large monetary sums. Disputes can threaten each party’s finances, so it is vital to retain an experienced litigator.

Our firm can help you craft estate planning tools, such as wills, advance health care directives, and powers of attorney. If you make your will in Connecticut, it must meet certain criteria to be valid. A valid will must be made by someone who is at least 18 and of sound mind and capable of making decisions. It must be signed before two witnesses, who must also sign the will in your presence. The will needs to name at least one beneficiary. If a will’s validity is not established in probate court or is invalidated through probate litigation, a decedent’s estate will be distributed according to the state rules of intestacy.

At Jainchill & Beckert, LLC, our attorneys have over 60 combined years of trial experience. Our partner Aaron Jainchill has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Connecticut by The National Trial Lawyers and is certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a civil trial attorney. With more than two decades of practice, partner Bill Beckert is also recognized nationally and state-wide as a highly skilled advocate. If you need a personal injury attorney in Plainville or Bristol, or assistance with a criminal case, a real estate matter, a workers’ compensation claim, or an estate planning instrument, you should call Jainchill & Beckert. We also represent clients in Southington, New Britain, Farmington, and other areas of Connecticut. Call us at (860) 351-5254 or contact us via our online form for a free consultation.