The nature of the damages that are recoverable in a hit and run car accident case are the same as any other car crash where the identity of the other driver is known; you’re entitled to both economic and non-economic damages, and possibly even punitive damages. As the seasoned attorneys at our firm could further explain, there are no caps on recoverable damages (that are economic or non-economic in nature) in a Connecticut hit and run car accident case.
Let us help you seek the comprehensive financial recovery you deserve. Call D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC today to get started on your claim.
Economic damages are for losses that come with a ready dollar amount attached to them, like medical bills and lost wages. It’s helpful to think of these damages like items with a price tag. For example, going into a grocery store and buying a gallon of milk will cost you X dollars.
It’s the same thing when you’re talking about economic damages following a Connecticut hit and run collision. If you have a medical bill, you can present that to the insurance company, it’s a finite dollar amount. If you’ve lost wages, you can show proof of what you lost, which is also a finite dollar amount.
It’s a little bit more difficult when calculating future medical bills and future wage loss. But it’s still a finite amount. You have to be able to prove that it’s more likely than not that you’re going to incur wages in the future or medical bills in the future, and you’re going to have to present an amount to the insurance company—or if it’s not resolved, to a jury.
Non-economic damages are all of the other ways that an injury can affect someone, such as physical scarring or another type of deformity. These damages can also include an inability to do the activities you used to do because of a disability. They can also encompass how an injury affects you emotionally. Often, people are depressed because of the way an injury changes their life—whether it’s the way it changes their daily activities, their ability to work, or their ability to have intimate relations. In all of the same ways that serious illnesses and diseases can affect someone, serious injuries can have the same effect on people hurt in Connecticut hit and run crashes.
One helpful way to think of non-economic damages is like this: If somebody you know is involved in an incident where they’re injured, what’s the first question you’re likely to ask them? Likely, it’s something along the lines of “Are you alright? How are you feeling?” That’s a non-economic question. You’re probably not going to ask them, “How much will your hospital bill cost you?”
Punitive damages are not designed to compensate the person who’s been injured. Instead, they’re designed to punish the person who caused the injury because of willful or reckless conduct.
Punitive damages are uncommon in Connecticut hit and run accident cases because if you can’t identify the driver, you don’t have anybody to punish. Punitive damages are not allowed in an uninsured motorist claim against your own insurance company.
However, if you can identify the hit and run driver and prove their conduct was willful or reckless in some way, then you would be entitled to punitive damages. For example, a drunk driver smashes into somebody, and they don’t want the police to arrest them for DUI, so they flee the scene. But they’re drunk enough not to realize that there’s all kinds of evidence they left behind, suppose their license plate fell off, for instance. Or there’s a witness who gets a good look at the car and the license plate number, and later on, the police find them because they track their license plate and arrest them for DUI.
In this situation, Connecticut General Statutes § 14-295 allows for a statutory multiplier. This gives the jury the power to award double or triple damages for certain motor vehicle violations. Drunk driving is one of them, and texting while driving is another one. But even if you don’t fall within the confines of a statutory multiplier, you can still seek punitive damages if the conduct was willful or reckless with the help of a dedicated legal professional at our firm.
In the aftermath of a hit and run car accident, understanding the types of damages you can recover is critical. Whether it’s economic damages like medical bills and lost wages, non-economic damages such as emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life, or the potential for punitive damages in cases of willful or reckless conduct, knowing your rights can make a significant difference in your recovery process.
If you’ve been involved in a hit and run in Connecticut, consult our experienced team of lawyers at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, to discuss what kinds of recoverable damages are available in your case. We want to help you pursue the justice and fair compensation you deserve. Call now for a free case consultation.
