The latest litigation affecting the victims of the 2005 Avon Mountain crash has come to an end. The Connecticut Supreme Court dismissed two lawsuits this past week, which had alleged the state was negligent in its construction and maintenance of the steep stretch of Route 44.
The separate lawsuits had been brought by a crash survivor and the wife of a man killed in the accident. In total, four people died and 19 were injured after a dump truck went out of control and careened down the hill. The fiery truck accident resulted in numerous lawsuits and years of litigation between the victims and those blamed for the crash.
While the state’s highest court may not be allowing lawsuits to be brought against the state itself, the victims were not barred from suing the truck company or the driver of the dump truck. In fact, victims of motor vehicle accidents can bring lawsuits against any person whose negligence contributed to the accident.
For instance, while state employees did not directly cause the Avon Mountain crash, attorneys for certain victims argued that their failure to implement proper safety measures on the steep road contributed to the terrible accident. While not necessarily untrue, governmental entities have special protection against lawsuits which help shield them from liability in these cases.
Such immunity, though, may not exist in every case. Moreover, numerous persons not including a governmental representative may be liable for a crash. Local Hartford attorneys specialize in identifying responsible parties and ensuring they contribute to the damages they caused to the victim.
Source: CBS Connecticut, “Court Dismisses Lawsuit in Avon Mountain Crash,” Dave Collins, Aug. 11, 2014
