Jury Awards Damages in CT Rear-End Crash Lawsuit

Case Background

This case came out of a rear-end car crash that took place in Woodbridge, Connecticut, on November 19, 2019. Edward Ward, Jr., a Stratford resident, was driving his 2010 Mazda east on Center Road. It was about one o’clock in the afternoon when traffic slowed near the intersection with North Pease Road. Ward stopped his vehicle behind another car that was waiting to turn left.

Behind him, Rachel Elizabeth Luciani of Orange was driving a 2018 Jeep. According to Ward, Luciani failed to stop in time and struck the rear of his Mazda. The impact pushed his car forward into the vehicle ahead of him, creating a chain reaction collision.

Ward later filed a lawsuit against Luciani, saying her negligence caused the crash and his injuries. He pointed to Connecticut’s motor vehicle laws that require drivers to keep a safe distance and operate with proper control. He argued that Luciani drove too close, failed to keep a lookout, and did not apply her brakes in time to avoid hitting him.

Cause

Ward’s complaint stated that Luciani was negligent in multiple ways:

She followed too closely and violated Connecticut General Statute § 14-240.
She failed to maintain a safe distance and keep her Jeep under control.
She failed to keep a proper lookout for traffic ahead.
She failed to apply her brakes or steer away to prevent the collision.
She drove at a speed greater than was reasonable given the traffic and road conditions.

Ward said these acts and failures directly caused the crash and his resulting injuries.