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Paul Harding

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Paul Harding

Our Burlington car accident lawyers are here to provide trusted advocacy during this difficult time. We’ve helped numerous injured people and their families rebuild their lives, and we’re ready to do the same for you.

Why Choose Harding Mazzotti, LLP After a Car Crash in Burlington

After a serious crash, you deserve a legal team that will stand up to the insurance company and fight for the compensation you’re owed. That’s precisely what our firm brings to the table. We think big, act quickly, and protect your interests from the start—it’s why we’re known as The Heavy Hitters®.

Here’s what else sets us apart when Burlington residents turn to us after a life-altering collision:

  • Decades of focused experience: Our attorneys have spent more than 30 years representing injured people across Vermont and the Northeast. We’re deeply familiar with the insurance companies’ tactics and know what it takes to get fair compensation.
  • Proven results: With $1 billion recovered for our clients, we’ve earned a reputation for securing meaningful outcomes.
  • A full-strength legal team: More than 40 attorneys and 120 staff members support each case we take on. Our clients benefit from the resources of a large firm and the personal attention of a smaller practice.
  • 24/7 availability: You can reach a member of our team at any time, day or night.
  • Accessible advocacy: Our quality representation is within reach regardless of your financial circumstances. We provide a free consultation to discuss your case. If you hire us, you’ll pay nothing out of pocket for our services.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Burlington, VT

Understanding what caused your crash is an important part of determining who’s responsible for your damages. Collisions in Burlington happen for many different reasons, but specific patterns appear again and again. Some of the most frequent causes of car accidents in our community include:

  • Winter weather: Vermont’s heavy ice and snow can create slick roads, reduced visibility, and lost traction.
  • Road congestion: Student pedestrian traffic near the University of Vermont campus and rush-hour congestion on I-89 can cause abrupt stops and sudden lane changes.
  • Tourist traffic: Visitors unfamiliar with Burlington’s roads may be distracted by GPS or drive erratically.
  • Distracted driving: Using a phone, adjusting in-car technology, or eating behind the wheel can take a driver’s attention off the road long enough to cause a preventable crash.
  • Aggressive driving: Dangerous behaviors such as tailgating, weaving in and out of lanes, speeding, and failing to yield the right of way create unpredictable conditions that can lead to catastrophic accidents.
  • Impaired driving: Alcohol or drug impairment limits a driver’s awareness and slows their responses.

Vermont Car Accident Laws That Might Influence Your Case

Several state laws come together to influence car crash claims in Vermont. When you know how the state handles fault and insurance coverage, you can better protect your right to full compensation.

Vermont is a fault-based state for car accidents. That means the driver who caused your crash is responsible for paying your damages. To cover these costs, every Vermont driver must carry minimum liability insurance in these amounts:

  • $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people
  • $10,000 for property damage

You may have the right to recover compensation even if you’re partially at fault for your own injuries. Vermont’s modified comparative negligence law allows you to seek damages as long as you’re less than 51% responsible. Your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault—for instance, if your damages are worth $100,000 and you’re 10% at fault, you’d recover $90,000.

How Long Do You Have To File a Car Accident Claim in Vermont?

How To Prove Liability in a Burlington Car Accident Case

To recover compensation after a Burlington car crash, you must show that the other driver’s negligence caused you harm. This requires proving four key elements:

  • Duty of care: A duty of care must have existed between you and the driver. All drivers automatically have a duty to operate their vehicles with reasonable care, which means they must obey traffic laws and act with others’ safety in mind.
  • Breach of duty: You must show that the driver failed to meet that duty, such as by texting while driving, speeding, or failing to yield.
  • Causation: You must show that the driver’s unsafe actions directly caused the crash and your injuries.
  • Damages: You must show that the accident caused losses, such as medical expenses or pain and suffering.

Winter weather often makes proving negligence more challenging. The insurance company may argue that snow and ice are beyond drivers’ control. However, drivers still have a duty to minimize the risks these conditions create—and failing to switch to winter tires or adjust their driving behavior may still be considered negligent, depending on the conditions.

How Investigation Helps Us Establish Liability

Strong evidence can help you prove the elements of negligence. Police reports, video footage, and witness statements can help you prove that the driver’s negligence caused the crash. Photos, medical records, and expert testimony can also demonstrate how the collision caused your injuries and show the full extent of your losses.

When you turn to our car accident attorneys in Burlington, VT, we’ll launch a thorough investigation into your accident. Our team may interview witnesses, collaborate with independent experts, analyze weather and road conditions, and collect details about the crash scene. By pulling this information together, we can establish what happened and who’s at fault.

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What Damages Can You Recover After a Car Accident in Burlington?

A collision can leave you with significant financial and personal losses. If someone else’s negligence caused your crash, our Burlington personal injury lawyers can help you seek both economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages cover the financial impact of the accident. These include medical expenses, which can be especially high if you received treatment at UVM Medical Center. They also include lost income, a major concern for many Burlington families who rely on steady earnings. Our team fights to pursue the full value of both types of past and future economic damages.

Non-economic damages reflect the ways the crash has affected your quality of life. While these are often less visible than economic damages, we work hard to seek maximum compensation for physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, and the ways your injuries have limited your daily activities.

How To Navigate Insurance Issues After a Burlington Car Accident

The insurance company’s primary goal is to minimize your payout. Adjusters may use a variety of tactics to achieve that objective, including pushing a lowball settlement, shifting unfair blame onto you, or delaying the claims process. They may also encourage you to provide a recorded statement, only to twist your words and use them against you.

Approach interactions with insurers with extreme caution. You have the right to decline a statement request or a settlement offer until you’ve spoken with an attorney. When you turn to our team, we’ll handle all communication with the insurance company on your behalf and protect your right to fair compensation.

Do you have a case? Get your free consultation now.

You can call us at 1-800-LAW1010 or fill out a form. Even if you’re unsure if you have a case, our team is here to help you discuss your legal options at no charge.

Having an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side can make all the difference in your car accident claim’s outcome. Our team’s familiarity with Vermont’s negligence laws and the local court system in Burlington enables us to navigate the claims process efficiently. We don’t let insurers get away with undervaluing your claim, and we’ll push back against their tactics to pursue every dollar you’re entitled to.

You’re dealing with enough stress after a crash. We can take the legal burden off your shoulders and handle every aspect of your Burlington car crash claim while you focus on your health.

While you’re busy rebuilding your life, we’ll be hard at work investigating your accident and negotiating with the insurance company. It all starts with a free consultation, and we charge zero upfront fees to advocate for you.

Get a Free Consultation With Our Burlington Car Accident Lawyers

If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a car crash, you don’t have to handle the aftermath alone. Harding Mazzotti, LLP, is ready to stand with you and fight for the results you deserve. Contact us online or call 844-446-1044 to request a free consultation.

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