When a person lends their vehicle to another person, they assume a level of responsibility for ensuring that the driver is capable of safely operating the vehicle. Accidents, of course, will still happen from time to time, and not every crash will result in liability on the part of the vehicle owner. In certain situations, however, an owner may be held liable if he or she knew or should have known that the person borrowing the car would present a risk to others on the road. Such was the point of a lawsuit filed in Hartford Superior Court last year that recently settled for $1.1 million.

Hit-and-Run Rollover Crash

In October 2016, a 42-year-old Colchester man was driving north on Interstate 91 near Windsor Locks when his pickup truck was rear-ended by a Volkswagen SUV driven by a 34-year-old old woman from Newington. The man lost control of his truck, which hit a guardrail and flipped over, killing the driver instantly, reports indicate. The woman in the Volkswagen reportedly fled the scene, but she was apprehended by police in a store parking lot a short time later.

Even the most experienced drivers can become distracted, and the consequences are often dangerous, as one Connecticut man was forced to learn painfully. In many cases, however, distractions may be considered negligence under the law, leaving a distracted driver liable for injuries or damages sustained as a result. Such was the situation in a New Britain courtroom recently, as the jury awarded more than $2 million in damages to a man whose foot had been crushed by a towed trailer.

Anger Over Parking

According to court records, the injured had parked the dump truck he was driving in a Farmington cul-de-sac in connection with a landscaping job for which he was partially responsible. The owner of the landscaping business, who was driving a pickup truck and towing a Bobcat on a trailer, pulled up extremely close behind the dump truck, reportedly to “chastise” the dump truck driver for how he had parked. When the owner finished, he went to drive away, and the 4-ton trailer drove over the dump truck driver’s right foot, causing a crush fracture. Surgery was not performed, but the accident allegedly also caused irreversible nerve damage and significant pain.

After four years of medical bills and legal wrangling, a Connecticut man will finally be receiving just over $1 million in a settlement stemming from an incident that occurred as the man and his friends were helping a disabled vehicle on Route 15 in Stratford. The accident left the man with 13 fractures and a degree of permanent disability due to injuries to his cervical spine and shoulder. The case highlights a number of important concerns regarding personal injury claims, including negligence and contributory fault, which ultimately played a role in arriving at a reasonable settlement.

How It Happened  

In October 2011, the claimant, along with several friends, were traveling northbound on the Merritt Parkway when a vehicle in front of them ran out of gas. Along that particular stretch of the parkway, there is very little room along the shoulder, so the disabled vehicle was forced to stop partially in the right-hand travel lane. The man and his friends stopped to offer their assistance, helping to push the vehicle to a safer location. As the Good Samaritans attempted to get back into their own vehicle, still partially blocking the travel lane, the defendant’s vehicle slammed into their car, seriously injuring the claimant.  The man suffered multiple fractures to his spine and ribs, along with numerous internal injuries.