Anyone who’s injured because of another person’s negligence will likely have costly medical bills. They may have to miss time from work, which can reduce their income. Some people may opt to pursue a claim for compensation to help offset the financial damages related to the injuries.
In Connecticut, liability in personal injury cases is determined using modified comparative negligence. This means that the victim in these cases can receive compensation even if they were partially at fault, but there are limits to the amount of fault they can be assigned before they lose their right to receive compensation.
Fault threshold
In this state, the fault threshold for a victim is 51%. If the victim is found to be 51% or more at fault for the accident, they can’t receive compensation for their injuries. The percentage of fault that’s assigned to the victim corresponds to the reduction in the amount of compensation a victim receives.
For example, a person who receives a $200,000 award but is 25% at fault would receive $150,000 because the award is reduced by the amount of their assigned fault. Because of this, both sides often try to minimize their liability for the incident.
These cases often hinge on evidence and testimony. Because of this, it’s critical for individuals who are injured to work with someone who can help them to build their case as strong as possible. This can include things like expert analysis, accident reports and surveillance footage.