Connecticut Car Accident Settlement and Verdict Amounts for 2024

As of 2024, settlement amounts for car accident claims in Connecticut range from $75,000 to as high as $4.5 million. Several factors affect the amount of compensation one can get, such as the type and extent of injury incurred by the victim, their medical costs, the negligent party’s degree of fault, and other losses like lost wages. Connecticut courts also consider noneconomic damages in their verdict, like pain and suffering, mental distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and disfigurement.

It is worth noting that Connecticut follows a modified comparative negligence rule. According to this legal guideline, a plaintiff can recover damages only if their percentage of fault is 50% or less. If they are found to be more than 50% at fault, they cannot pursue any claim. Connecticut courts adhere to this rule when giving verdicts in car accident cases.

Examples of Settlement and Verdict Amounts for 2024 Car Accident Cases in Connecticut

• 2024: In New London, Connecticut, the estate of Kim “Kenny” Weeks received a settlement amounting to $1.15 million after he was killed in a hit-and-run along Route 85 in Waterford. Before the accident, Shirley Langford, the defendant, was allegedly seen driving her minivan erratically, alerting concerned citizens who made phone calls to the authorities. Langford was pulled over by the police, who noticed that her windshield was broken. The defendant failed to recall any memory of having run over the victim, but a test by the Connecticut State Lab would later confirm traces of Weeks’ DNA on Langford’s windshield.

• 2024: The Town of East Haven was sued for $4.5 million in damages by the estate of 58-year-old Elena Laspino, who died as a result of a high-speed police car chase. Laspino, who worked as a nurse in a home hospice, was sitting at a traffic light between Main Street and Hemingway Avenue when she was rear-ended by a stolen SUV that was fleeing from the police. Laspino's sisters filed a lawsuit against the city. They claimed that because the officers were chasing the car at a speed 50 miles over the posted limits, they violated the town's and state’s policies regarding pursuits.
  The town also paid a total of $300,000 to Melody Drinan, another victim of the car chase who sustained bodily injuries.

• 2023: A $575,000 settlement was granted to Melina Pedraza, a resident of Bridgeport, who suffered injuries from a car collision. The accident happened on Fairfield Avenue, where the plaintiff recalled stopping for traffic when Arcadio De Jesus Borja Tapia, the defendant, struck the rear of her car. This collision caused multiple injuries to Pedraza’s upper body, resulting in the need for surgery. Since Pedraza had been in a similar accident three weeks ago, the defendant claimed that her injuries stemmed from this prior incident. However, the plaintiff was able to distinguish and prove that the injuries incurred were from the subsequent accident with Borja Tapia.

• 2023: Grady Bolden, a motorcycle rider, was able to secure a settlement of $1.5 million after a car collision while he was driving along Manchester. According to his complaint, the defendant, Gwen Brooks, was about to make a left-hand turn when she collided with Bolden’s motorcycle. This accident resulted in bodily injuries that prevented the plaintiff from riding a motorcycle again. Brooks’ defense maintained the position that no negligence was involved, indicating that she simply could not see Bolden when attempting to make a turn. The plaintiff’s legal counsel referred to Bolden’s future life care plan to demonstrate the severity of the accident’s impact on his life. The court sided with the plaintiff, resulting in a substantial settlement award.

• 2023: A federal judge awarded Nancy Ernest, a resident of Sterling, over $371,000 worth of settlements for an accident with a U.S. Postal Service vehicle. This incident happened in 2019 when a postal service truck collided with the rear of her car. The accident caused her hip to weaken, leading to the need for a hip replacement a year later. She was also unable to continue her work as a bookkeeper due to her worsened physical condition. This lawsuit concluded in a settlement in favor of Ernest, amounting to $300,000 for pain and suffering, $59,354 in healthcare costs, and $12,580 in lost wages.

• 2022: A settlement worth $167,990 was granted to the estate of a 25-year-old woman pedestrian who died after getting struck by a vehicle. Due to the strong impact of the crash, the woman was flung 25 feet onto a stone wall, causing her to faint and die shortly after. The defendant claimed that he could not focus on the road, which eventually caused the crash.

• 2021: A police officer was able to secure a $75,000 verdict after another driver t-boned her vehicle. According to her account, the other driver was negligent for not yielding the right-of-way and trying to beat the red light. The accident caused the plaintiff’s lumbar radiculopathy and injuries to her right wrist.

• 2021: An accident leading to multiple bodily injuries prompted a 69-year-old woman to sue for damages. She claimed that the at-fault driver was speeding, not paying attention, and tailgating her. The plaintiff suffered several complications, including spinal issues, bilateral arm paresthesia, and a herniated disc. The case concluded with a settlement for the plaintiff amounting to $126,224.

• 2020: In a landmark Connecticut case, a woman in her late 20s received a $1.975 million settlement for a car accident. According to accounts of the incident, a high-speed box truck crossing over the road’s dividing line crashed into the plaintiff. The impact was so severe that first responders had to remove her from the wreckage using the Jaws of Life, an equipment used to open destroyed vehicles.
  The collision caused her to suffer four fractures in her knee, ankle, and two femurs. She needed surgeries as well as plates, rods, and screws inserted in her body to fix these fractures. After a litigation process that spanned many years, the landmark settlement amount was granted in mediation.

• 2020: The estate of Jeffny Pally, a University of Connecticut student, received around $1 million in settlement for her wrongful death case. Pally, 19, attended a party and fell asleep in front of the campus fire department’s garage door while intoxicated. While responding to a call, the department’s SUV ran over her, leading to her death.
  Pally’s parents sued the state, Dana Barrow (the fire department’s driver), and the Kappa Sigma fraternity, whom they claimed hosted the party where Pally drank alcohol. While the civil and criminal charges for Barrow were dismissed, the fraternity members underwent a probation program that expunged their alcohol-related charges.

More discussions about average settlements for car accident cases can be found online. 

Recover the Compensation That You Deserve

Seeking a car accident lawyer can help you through the complicated process of holding a negligent driver accountable. A reliable attorney in Connecticut will help you find and present evidence, construct compelling arguments for your case, and determine the appropriate compensation to help you get back on your feet. They can also represent you in legal proceedings like mediation, arbitration, and trial.