Will You Ever Need A Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer?
It’s an uncomfortable question to ask yourself, isn’t it? Understandable.
After all, most people don’t believe that the worst-case scenario could ever happen to them. We like to say to ourselves, “I’m a great driver, so I won’t have to worry about getting into an accident!” While this may be true, and you may be an excellent driver, anything can happen anytime. It would be foolish to ignore this fact.
Still skeptical?
Consider this—Every day, millions of Coloradans take the inherent and unavoidable risk of injury or death by driving a car. It’s not a pleasant thought to carry around with you on a daily basis, but it’s a reality that all Coloradans need to understand and take into account every time we drive a car.
In 2017, 648 people lost their lives in Colorado due to car wrecks, and thousands more were injured or impaired due to an accident. That adds up to more than 10,000 auto accident claims filed every year and over 10,000 Coloradans seeking compensation for their damages and injuries every year. That’s a lot of Coloradans who require a good Colorado Springs car accident lawyer every year, wouldn’t you agree?
At Springs Law Group, our attorneys are dedicated to helping car accident victims back on their feet. Contact us today for a free consultation.
How A Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
Too often, we’ve seen Coloradans try to deal with car accidents on their own. From medical bills to legal battles to stingy, bad-faith insurance companies, it’s an uphill battle that the average person is not equipped to handle on their own. You may have even seen or experienced this firsthand!
Chances are, you or someone you know has already been involved in an auto accident. Maybe it was a fender-bender, or maybe it was a fatal car accident. Either way, it was a stressful process. Even the simplest rear-end accidents can involve numerous hoops to jump through and red tape to cut.
After all, insurance companies are notoriously stingy when it comes to dishing out compensation to car wreck victims in Colorado. With the help of a licensed Colorado Springs car accident lawyer, you won’t have to face this stressful process alone. A trusted Colorado Springs car accident lawyer can help you gather the evidence you’ll need to improve your case and receive fair compensation.
That’s where we come into play.
Talk To A Trusted Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you were involved in a car accident, then you probably never thought it could happen to you. As a result, you feel completely unprepared and unequipped to handle the situation. We completely understand, and we’re here to help!
The Colorado Springs car accident lawyers here at Springs Law Group have seen it all. Our car accident lawyers have dealt with all types of car wrecks all around the city. We’ll help you get the compensation and closure you deserve after a car wreck! Speak with a licensed Colorado Springs car accident lawyer today!
Colorado Springs Car Accident Statistics
- From January 1, 2018, through June 22, 2018, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) has investigated 23 fatal traffic collisions.
- Of the 14 automobile fatalities, seat belts were used in 9 of them. Of the 5 fatalities in which victims were not wearing a seat belt, 4 of them were ejected from their vehicles.
- Speeding has been a factor in several fatalities in 2018. In 3 of the collisions, speed in excess of 100 miles per hour was a factor.
- Of the 3 motorcycle accident fatalities in Colorado Springs last year, 2 were wearing helmets and 1 was not.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Colorado Springs
The most important thing anyone can do following an auto accident is not panic. Panicking will lead to irrational decision-making and a loss of common sense, which could lead to an accident victim either inadvertently admitting fault or not following a critical step in the post-accident process.
A car accident lawyer from Springs Law Group has a list of best practices for everyone in the Colorado Springs area. If you’re involved in a car accident, here’s what you do:
Stay Away From Social Media After a Car Accident!
The advent of social media has made it easier than ever for people to incriminate themselves in multiple ways. Whether it’s an offensive tweet that gets someone fired at work or posting a picture on Instagram breaking an alibi — social media and the law never seem to get along.
Car accidents and social media are no different. Our advice is to avoid social media entirely until the claims process has worked itself out. In general, please don’t:
- Post pictures of your accident or injuries anywhere.
- Rant about the accident or the claims process.
- Post excessively about your regular life.
- Comment about other people’s motor vehicle accidents or injuries.
Follow those rules, and you will have nothing to worry about regarding your accident claim.
Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer Helps In The Claims Process
Once you’ve followed all the best practices post-car accident, there is a whole other set of steps you’ll need to follow for filing the actual claim. Some of the elements in these two sets of steps may blend together, so be careful when reading what you need to do when filing an insurance claim. And remember, a car accident lawyer can help you file the claim.
Filing Insurance
Since Colorado dropped the “no-fault” system for filing insurance claims, if you’ve been in a car wreck, personal injury law requires you to file a claim if you expect to receive compensation. You’ll be expected to stay at the accident scene until the police arrive and possibly arrange for the other party’s hospital transportation.
Your Colorado Springs Car Accident Attorney and the Insurance Adjuster
The car insurance companies will assign “adjusters” to your car accident case who will evaluate and determine what damages arose from the accident. Your car accident lawyer and the adjuster will stay in contact about these details until the insurance company makes an offer.
Submitting an Offer and Negotiations
Once the insurance company has evaluated the accident in full, they will submit an offer to reimburse you for any damages to you personally or the vehicle. Your Colorado Springs motor vehicle accident attorney will work with you to negotiate the best possible offer if the initial bid isn’t enough.
Accepting an Offer or Going to Court
The accident insurance claims process can end in two ways—accepting the car accident settlement offer or taking the case to a Colorado court. Most car accident cases in Colorado settle outside of court, and the state even goes as far as to encourage it with the “offer of settlement” statute.
Colorado Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements
Colorado requires anyone driving on the road to hold the following amounts of liability insurance coverage:
- $25,000 for liability for bodily injuries per person
- $50,000 total for liability for injuries if more than one person is injured
- $15,000 in coverage for liability for others’ property damage
Springs Law Group recommends that its clients ensure their vehicle has more than the legal minimum.
If you buy a Colorado car insurance policy, you’ll have the option to reject the following options:
- $25,000 per person or $50,000 per accident of protection against uninsured/underinsured motorists
- $5,000 per accident of medical payments
These are necessary protections for any driver if they’re involved in an accident. No one can predict whether or not their accident will be with an uninsured driver.
Type Of Car Accidents In Colorado Springs
No two car accidents are created equal. Each one involves a unique kind of negligence from one or both parties in addition to other outside factors. If you live in the Colorado Springs area, you have either experienced one of these yourself or know someone who has.
Distracted Driving
Texting and driving is the most notorious form of distracted driving—leading to thousands of deaths a year across the country. But texting isn’t the only distraction we face on the road. Eating, talking with passengers, or fiddling with the entertainment console all lead to distracted accidents. All of which are very preventable.
Hit and Run
If you’ve read through the insurance and claims section of this page, you’ll know it’s against the law to leave the scene of an accident if you’re at fault, even if the damaged vehicle is unattended. Don’t be the person charged with a crime because they left the scene of a hit-and-run accident.
Driving Under the Influence
Hearing “DUI” normally connotes the idea of drunk driving. In Colorado, we have the added issue of marijuana use while driving (also called drugged driving). Whatever your vice, make sure to do it in moderation. The consequences of a DUI far outweigh the gains of getting home from the bar early.
Rear-end Collision
Rear-end collisions are one of the more common accidents in Colorado Springs and are often the fault of the following vehicle. In Colorado, we have a comparative negligence statute that can assign partial fault if it is found they acted recklessly enough to cause the accident.
Head-on Collision
Two vehicles colliding at high speeds in opposite directions often lead to the more serious injuries we see in car wrecks. Head-on collisions commonly cause whiplash, head injuries, and neck injuries.
T-bone Collision
Referred to as “side-impact collisions” in the industry, these are often the scariest since they happen out of your peripheral vision and go unforeseen. Behind head-on collisions, side-impact collisions have the second-highest fatality rate among car crashes.
Rollovers
On our windy mountain roads here in Colorado, rollovers are common among SUV, truck, and van drivers. If a negligent driver caused your rollover accident, you’ll need an experienced car accident attorney to help you navigate the shared negligence in the accident.
Pedestrians
Even as all Colorado drivers have a duty of care, a pedestrian can still be found at fault in an accident if a court finds they were acting so carelessly that it was impossible for the car not to hit them. There have been instances where a Colorado judge issues 50/50 fault in a pedestrian accident.
Bicycles
Going back to the duty of care statute for Colorado drivers, the law treats bicycles and pedestrians similarly. Both driver and bicycle riders can share fault in a bicycle accident, but the driver will almost always absorb most of the fault.
Proving Negligence Or Fault: A Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
Every car crash happens for a reason. In general, car accident lawyers don’t like to use the word “accident” because it connotes an idea no one was at fault. In reality, there’s always fault in a motor vehicle wreck. Whether it was driver negligence or a crash involving bad weather, the blame will always go somewhere.
The tricky part of being a Colorado Springs car accident lawyer is navigating what share of fault each driver has. The shared responsibility in an accident ultimately decides what kind of compensation a client will receive. In Colorado, certain statutes and laws lay out how to distribute fault in a car wreck. We’ll talk about them more below.
Proving Negligence in a Colorado Court
Anything laid out in the “duty of care” statute can be the basis to prove fault in a car accident. Was the driver/pedestrian/bicycle rider exemplifying a reasonable pattern of behavior in this situation? That’s the question a court or insurance company will ask when reviewing the details of the accident.
No-doubt Liability
These are situations where the accident leaves no doubt as to who is at fault. Failure to yield accidents and rear-end collisions fall into this category, as do drunk driving and distracted driving accidents.
Comparative Negligence
Based on the investigations done by law enforcement and the insurance adjusters, both drivers involved in an accident will share fault in an accident. The fault will divide along percentages, so, for example, a driver can be found 40 percent at fault for an accident. If you’re found to be more than 50 percent at fault in an accident, you will not be able to receive compensation for your accident.
What Damages Can Be Claimed?
The word “damages” can encompass a number of different areas when it comes to accident and injury claims. Recoverable damages can include the repairs made to your car or any suffering you endure from an accident.
These damages are sorted into two categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are any amount of compensation that can be calculated down to the exact dollar amount:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Lost earnings
- Vehicle repairs
Where a Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer can come in handy is fighting for non-economic damages.
These less-concrete damages can be challenging to prove in court because of the unavailable receipts and number figures:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of affection or companionship
- Emotional distress
Injuries Associated With Colorado Car Accidents
The injuries after a car accident range in severity. When dealing with these injuries, the most important thing is listening to your medical professional and following through with all the necessary treatments. Don’t ever put anything in a car accident claim above your personal well-being. Car accident injuries in Colorado come in a variety of forms, but these are the more common and often catastrophic injuries suffered by car accident victims.
SLAP Tears
SLAP actually stands for Superior Labral Anterior Posterior. It refers to the tear that stretches from the front to the back of the cartilage on the inner portion of the shoulder joint. In sports, we see baseball players and quarterbacks suffer this injury because of the repetitive throwing motion in their shoulders. In a car accident, you can damage your labrum by absorbing the accident’s impact while clutching the steering wheel. Those who suffer this injury will immediately feel pain in their shoulder, along with popping noises and the loss of overhead motion.
Concussions/MBTI
Any impact on the head, no matter how severe, can lead to a concussion. That in itself is the definition of a concussion, but the diagnosis and treatment of one aren’t as simple. The headaches, odd sleeping patterns, seizures, and mood changes can take days to become visible, but nausea, ringing sounds in the ear, and loss of consciousness can happen right after the accident. More severe concussions fall under the traumatic brain injury category, which can lead to cognitive dysfunction much longer after the accident.
Back/Spinal Cord
Back and spinal cord injuries are an umbrella for many specific injuries suffered in a car accident. Motor vehicle collisions can lead to facet joint injuries, disc herniation, spinal stenosis, and many problems that can debilitate a victim for months. These injuries often wind up the most costly for those who suffer them. The time spent away from work and the amount of physical therapy needed to recover.
Whiplash
Whiplash injuries are almost exclusively associated with car wrecks. A whiplash occurs when the head moves back and forth at a violent pace. You’ll immediately know you’ve experienced whiplash when you feel the pain sweep over your neck and back along with the dizziness. Most of the time, whiplash injuries heal in a week or two. Other times whiplash can be more severe and cause memory loss, blurred vision, and sleep apnea.
Contact A Colorado Springs Car Accident Attorney Today
Above all, Springs Law Group wants all the drivers around Colorado Springs to be safe. However, we know this is never the reality on American roads. Car Accidents account for thousands of injuries and deaths every year. It’s not a scare tactic — it’s a fact.
Another Fact?
If you’ve been in a car accident in Colorado Springs, there’s a good chance you’ll have to fight a bad faith insurance company to ensure your livelihood and health are protected. Don’t take on that fight alone. Springs Law Group has fought for the people in the Colorado Springs area for more than ten years. Don’t let just anyone fight for your deserved compensation. Call our team for a free consultation today with a car accident lawyer.
Colorado Springs Attractions
Our team at Springs Law Group LLC loves getting out into our community when we are able. As a law firm based in Colorado Springs, we are fortunate to be only a short drive away from many local attractions. Whether you are looking for a museum to take the family to or a park for a morning hike, our beautiful community has a lot to offer. Below are some of our favorite local attractions that we recommend you check out.
Please note that the current COVID-19 pandemic could affect the hours and accessibility of some of these attractions.
Museums
National Museum of World War II Aviation
775 Aviation Way
Colorado Springs, CO 80916
(719) 637-7559
Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
215 S. Tejon St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719) 385-5990
Ghost Town Museum
400 S. 21st St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80904
(719) 634-0696
Peterson Air & Space Museum
150 E. Ent Ave.
Peterson AFB, CO 80914
(719) 556-4915
Penrose Heritage Museum
11 Lake Cir.
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 577-7065
Fine Arts Center
30 W. Dale St.
Colorado Springs, CO, 80903
(719) 634-5581
Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun
4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 578-5367
Pulpit Rock Park
1005 Garlock Ln.
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
(719) 385-5940
Bear Creek Dog Park
S.21st St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80904
(719) 520-7529
Palmer Park
3344-3376 Paseo Rd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
(719) 385-5940
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
10 Cliff Dwellings Rd.
Manitou Springs, CO 80829
(719) 685-5242
U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center & Museum
1 Olympic Pl.
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
(719) 866-4618
Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation
2333 Steel Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
(719) 475-9508
Pikes Peak Cog Railway
515 Ruxton Ave.
Manitou Springs, CO 80829
(719) 685-5401
Glen Eyrie Conference Center
3820 N. 30th St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80904
(719) 634-0808
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
30 W. Dale St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719) 634-5581
A Colorado Springs Personal Injury Attorney May Be Able To Help
Any defendant who causes an injury through negligence or intentional act may be liable to provide compensation to their victims. In all types of civil claims, the process can be daunting without support from legal aid. A Colorado Springs personal injury attorney could help with this complex process by negotiating with the defendant’s car accident attorneys and pushing for appropriate compensation on your behalf. Call today to learn about your legal options.
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