WATERBURY, CT – Multi-vehicle crashes can complicate fault disputes considerably, since percentages of responsibility must be divided among three or more drivers rather than just two. Waterbury multi-vehicle accident attorney Dan Petroskey of DeFronzo & Petroskey, P.C. (https://www.defronzolawfirm.com/how-connecticut-comparative-negligence-multi-vehicle-accidents/) is explaining how Connecticut’s modified comparative negligence rule applies when several drivers share blame for a crash.
According to Waterbury multi-vehicle accident attorney Dan Petroskey, Connecticut General Statutes Section 52-572h allows an injured driver to recover damages as long as their assigned share of fault does not exceed 50 percent, regardless of how fault is distributed among the remaining parties. Once that share reaches 51 percent, recovery is barred entirely. “The 51 percent threshold is absolute, and it doesn’t matter how many other drivers were also negligent,” Petroskey explains.
Waterbury multi-vehicle accident attorney Dan Petroskey points out that in a four-vehicle collision, for example, fault might be split among several drivers with the injured party assigned a smaller share, allowing recovery reduced only by that percentage. Insurance adjusters from each driver’s carrier may estimate fault early on, but a jury or judge makes the final allocation if the case proceeds to litigation.
Attorney Petroskey adds that with more insurers involved in a single crash, each company has an incentive to shift blame toward the injured driver to reduce its own client’s exposure. “When several insurers are each arguing that the plaintiff bears more fault, those arguments can add up and increase the risk of an unfair allocation,” he notes.
The firm explains that each defendant is generally responsible only for that defendant’s proportionate share of recoverable damages, though Connecticut law allows a court to reallocate certain uncollectible amounts among the remaining defendants after judgment and good-faith collection efforts.
Petroskey further advises that statements made at the scene or to any insurer can be used later to increase an injured driver’s assigned fault percentage. “Avoiding any comment about fault until speaking with an attorney protects a driver’s position from the very beginning,” he says.
DeFronzo & Petroskey, P.C. handles multi-vehicle fault disputes in Waterbury Superior Court and throughout New Haven County, working to keep clients’ assigned fault percentages below the statutory bar.
Because fault disputes in multi-vehicle accidents often involve multiple insurance companies, early legal guidance can help protect an injured driver’s right to recovery under Connecticut law.
About DeFronzo & Petroskey, P.C.:
DeFronzo & Petroskey, P.C. is a Waterbury-based law firm dedicated to personal injury representation, including complex multi-vehicle accident claims throughout New Haven County. Led by attorney Dan Petroskey, who has exclusively represented injured plaintiffs since 2004, the firm serves clients across Waterbury and Connecticut. For consultations, call (203) 756-7408.
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Company Name: DeFronzo & Petroskey, P.C.
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Phone: (203) 756-7408
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State: Connecticut 06702
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