“Simon explained every letter the insurance company sent before I had time to worry about it.”
Marisol T.Car crash on Route 44
Injury lawyers, Hartford
An injury happens in a moment. Your case should be a careful one.
We're three lawyers who represent people hurt by someone else's carelessness: on the highway, in a nursing home, or in a loss no claim can make right. Tell us which door is yours.
- No fee unless we recoverCosts set out in writing first
- Free first meetingHere, at home or at the hospital
- One attorney, start to finishThe lawyer you meet keeps your file
- A written update each monthEven when nothing has moved
No attorney fee unless we recover money for you. Case costs, such as filing fees, medical records and expert reports, are separate; your written agreement says how they're paid, including if there's no recovery.
For injured people
Start with what happened
Our work falls into four kinds of cases. Each page says what the claim involves, what to keep, and what we'll ask you when we first meet.
- Highways and city streets
Car crashes
Rear-end and intersection crashes, uninsured drivers, rideshare cars and hit-and-runs, from I-84 to Farmington Avenue.
- Commercial vehicles
Truck crashes
Tractor-trailers, delivery vans and work trucks, where the driver's hours, the company's maintenance and its insurer all matter.
- Care facilities
Nursing home neglect
Bedsores, falls, weight loss, missed medication and injuries nobody can explain, in a home or an assisted living facility.
- For families
Wrongful death
Claims brought for a family after a death caused by a crash, a fall, or care that fell short. We go at the family's pace.
The firm
Three lawyers, and one of them on your file
Every case has a named attorney from the first meeting to the last signature.
Walter Ostrander opened the office on Trumbull Street after years of trying injury cases for other firms. Simon Vale and Clara Benedetti joined him, and between them they cover the roads, the care homes and the courtroom.
We take fewer cases than a large firm would, so we can read every record ourselves.
“Most people who call us have never needed a lawyer before. Our first job is to explain, in plain words, what happens next.”
Walter Ostrander
Founding partner
How a case moves
Five steps, in the order they happen
Most cases settle before trial. We prepare every one as if it won't.
- 01
Step 1: We meet
A free first meeting, at our office, your home or the hospital. You tell us what happened; we tell you honestly whether we can help.
- 02
Step 2: We investigate
Police reports, photographs, witness statements and, for trucks and care homes, the company's own records, gathered before they disappear.
- 03
Step 3: You recover
Your job is your health. We collect the medical records and bills as your treatment goes on, and deal with the insurers so you don't have to.
- 04
Step 4: We make the claim
When we know the full cost of the injury, we send a written demand and negotiate. You decide whether to accept any offer.
- 05
Step 5: We file, if we must
If the offer isn't fair, we file suit and take the case toward trial, with the same attorney still beside you.
From clients
What clients said when it was over
“Clara read my father's chart line by line and found the week the turning schedule stopped. Nobody at the home had told us.”
Peter K.Nursing home case
“Walter never rushed us. When we were ready to talk about the case, he was ready too.”
Angela R.Wrongful death claim
Sample comments. Every client's case is different, and these don't predict the result of yours.
Questions
Before you call
Does it cost anything to talk to you?
No. The first meeting is free, and you're under no obligation to hire us afterward.
How are you paid?
On a contingency fee: a share of what we recover, set out in a written agreement before any work starts. Case costs are separate, and the agreement says how they're handled, including if there's no recovery.
The insurance company already called me. Should I talk to them?
You can give your name and the basic facts, but it's wise to speak with a lawyer before giving a recorded statement or signing anything.
Is there a deadline to bring a claim?
Yes. Every claim has a time limit, and some, like claims against a city or a state agency, require notice much sooner. Call us early so the deadline isn't the thing that decides your case.
Can you come to me?
Yes. If you're in the hospital, in rehab or at home recovering, one of us will come to you.
Tell us what happened
Call, or write a few lines. An attorney will call you back to arrange a free first meeting.
Please don't send confidential details until we've spoken.