Fort Collins and the surrounding areas have some gorgeous areas for those who enjoy boating. Whether you are looking to go fishing, water skiing, kayaking, or just enjoy a leisurely cruise, boats are welcome at  Horsetooth Reservoir, Boyd Lake State Park, Carter Lake, and Lonetree Reservoir. Unfortunately, boating activities also bring the risk of boating accidents. Last year, the state of Colorado reported 34 recreational water-related deaths. The state is already reporting four deaths so far this year, with two in Larimer County, with the warm weather season just beginning.  

Boating Accident Statistics

According to data collected by the U.S. Coast Guard, there are approximately 4,000 boating accidents that occur nationwide each year, resulting in more than 600 deaths and leaving thousands more injured. Around 80 percent of those fatalities are caused by drowning, and the Coast Guard reports that more than 85 percent of those victims do not have life jackets on at the time of the accident.

Just like car and other vehicle accidents, alcohol is a significant factor in fatal boating accidents, responsible for almost one-fourth of all incidents. Colorado law enforcement report that there have already been numerous arrests for BUI (boating under the influence) already this season. Other frequent causes of boating accidents include:

Memorial Day is traditionally known as the official summer kickoff. It is also in the middle of the annual Click It or Ticket campaign sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It has been well documented for decades that seat belts save lives in the event of a vehicle accident. While at one time, wearing a seat belt was up to the individual, today, every state has some form of seat belt law in place.

In Colorado, all front-seat occupants must wear a seat belt. Passengers 15 years or younger must be secured with an appropriate safety restraint system no matter where they are sitting in the vehicle. Yet, despite the overwhelming evidence they save lives and the fact that it is the law, there are still many people who refuse to buckle up.

Seat Belt Usage

According to national statistics, at least 27 million people admit to not wearing a seat belt. In 2019, almost 18,000 fatal car crash victims were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. It is estimated that over 15,000 lives are saved because of the use of seat belts.

Each year, the month of May is designated as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Colorado and throughout the country. Traditionally, May has been the month chosen for this safety campaign since May is the beginning of warm weather and riding season in many states. In keeping with this theme, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has also chosen May to launch its new Aftermath campaign to help spread how important it is for motorcycle riders to wear helmets. Wearing a helmet can save a rider’s life in the event of a motorcycle crash.

Deadliest Year

According to statistics from the CDOT, 2020 was the deadliest year on record for motorcyclists. There were 137 riders killed in motorcycle accidents last year, a 33 percent increase over the previous year’s fatalities. The ratio of the number of motorcycles in the state and the number of fatalities demonstrates just how dangerous riding can be. While motorcycles made up only 3 percent of the total number of registered vehicles in Colorado, motorcycle crashes made up 22 percent of all traffic deaths last year.

Motorcycle Helmets

Colorado law does not require any motorcycle operator or passenger who is 18 years or older to wear a helmet, despite the proven fact that helmets protect a rider from catastrophic injury and death. In fact, out of all the protective gear a rider can wear, their helmet is the most important piece of gear in determining whether they survive a crash or die.

The construction industry has been labeled one of the most dangerous industries to work in by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In fact, according to national statistics, at least two construction workers die from work-related injuries each day. While there are many different types of construction site accidents, one of the most dangerous is trench collapses.

Trench Collapses

Trenches are dug for a number of reasons on construction sites. Trenches are also used in the agricultural industry, as well as for installing utilities and pipelines. Employees who are working around and in trenches are at a high risk of becoming injured or killed in trench collapses, side-wall collapses, and cave-ins. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that approximately 25 workers are killed each year in trench accidents. The most frequent cause is cave-ins, which kill three out of every four victims. The other fatalities are caused by electrocutions and struck-by accidents.

Local Worker Killed

Fatal trench accidents can also occur from drowning, which happened in a recent tragic accident on a job site in Larimar County that resulted in the death of a 50-year-old worker.

It has been well documented that even a minor brain injury can result in major issues, leaving a victim dealing with confusion, headaches, coordination issues, and even seizures. Multiple studies reveal that years after the injury has healed, a victim could have new medical problems that are triggered by that brain injury. In one new study, researchers in the U.K. have determined that victims who sustain a traumatic brain injury have a significantly increased risk for stroke years after the initial injury.

The Study

The study was done by researchers from the University of Birmingham's Institute of Applied Research, using data collected from 18 different studies conducted in four countries. The compiled data revealed that people who had sustained brain injuries had an 86 percent higher risk of suffering a stroke than people without brain injuries. That risk is highest during the first four months following the injury, but a victim still has a significant risk of stroke for up to five years later. Even more alarming, the studies show that the severity of the brain injury made no difference in a victim’s stroke risk. Since more than 70 percent of brain injuries are considered “mild,” the study team suggests that any brain injury should be deemed a “chronic condition” even if the victim has recovered.

Long-Term Effects of Brain Injuries

This study is not the first to reveal that brain injuries have a significant long-term impact on victims’ lives. Prior studies have found brain injuries increase the risk of many neurological conditions, including dementia, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that approximately 2.5 million people suffer brain injuries each year. Vehicle accidents and falls are responsible for almost half of these injuries. When a victim suffers a brain injury, the recovery and rehabilitation process can be a long and painful one. Many victims are left with high medical bills and are usually unable to work while they recover. The brain injury may also leave them with life-long disabilities, and as many of these studies show, at risk for dangerous medical conditions later in life.

According to national statistics, approximately six million car accidents occur in this country each year. These accidents are responsible for more than three million injured victims, with two million of these victims left with permanent damage or disability.

While the circumstances of each crash may be different, there are common factors that show up in case after case. One of these factors is the cause. The following is a brief overview of some of the most common reasons why crashes occur. For more detailed information if you have sustained injuries in a car accident, call our office to speak with a Fort Collins personal injury attorney.

Common Causes of Car Accidents

When our firm represents a client in a car accident claim, one of the first things we determine is what was the cause of the crash. What type of negligent behavior was the other driver engaged in that resulted in our client’s injuries? The following are some of the top causes that we see in case after case:

The national statistics for deadly truck accidents are alarming. According to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there are almost 500,000 truck crashes that occur each year in the United States, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths and almost 110,000 injured victims. The majority of those injuries range from serious to catastrophic.

In fatal truck accidents that involve a passenger vehicle and a semi, more than 95 percent of the victims who are killed are the occupants in the passenger vehicles. Truck accidents account for more than 10 percent of all fatal vehicle accidents each year.

Colorado State Patrol Set Up Mobile Check-Ins

These ever-increasing numbers of truck accidents have led the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) to be on the lookout for truckers who try to evade weigh stations that the state has set up to ensure that trucks that travel on Colorado roads are in good working order and are not over the weight limit. These check-ins also are an opportunity to make sure that truck drivers operating these massive vehicles are properly licensed and are adhering to federal regulations regarding hours of service that truckers are allowed to operate.

One of the essential tools on a construction site is a ladder, but it can also be one of the most dangerous. In fact, ladder falls are one of the leading causes of death for construction workers, with the majority of fatal falls occurring at 10 feet or less. In the past 10 years, the number of victims who have died from ladder falls has tripled. Ladder falls kill more than 300 people in the U.S. each year. Another 164,000 people end up at emergency rooms with injuries.

Victims often suffer serious physical injuries that can have long-lasting or permanent effects, but a recent study found that victims of ladder falls often deal with long-lasting emotional problems as well.

Ladder Fall Study

The study looked at victims who had suffered falls from ladders and were treated at two different hospitals. More than half of the victims were males, and some of the accidents had occurred while the victim was doing chores at their own home and not on a job site. The average hospital stay for these victims was five days. Some of the most common injuries these victims had suffered included:

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. According to national statistics, more than 700 people are injured every day in accidents caused by distracted drivers. More than 3,000 of those victims die every year, and despite all of the education and warnings about how dangerous engaging in distracted driving behaviors is, these numbers continue to increase each year.

In Colorado, distracted driving is responsible for more than 40 car accidents every day, resulting in thousands of injuries and death each year. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is joining the nationwide campaign, announcing its own Distraction Reactions campaign.

Colorado Distracted Driving Statistics

While the COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to stay home and off the roads, vaccine rollouts are easing restrictions, meaning more drivers will be back on the roads. And, many of those drivers will be on their smartphones or doing some other activity that takes their focus off the road. In a 2020 survey conducted by the CDOT, 92 percent of drivers admitted to engaging in distracted driving. This was up by two percentage points from the 2019 survey.

Spinal cord injuries are one of the most catastrophic injuries a victim can suffer, significantly impacting their quality of life. The spinal cord is the body’s message center, responsible for sending messages from the victim’s brain to other parts of the body. If there is an injury to the spinal cord, this can stop the messages from being delivered, causing great physical limitations for the victim. Up until recently, there have been limited treatment options for victims. There may be new hope, however, with early research finding that stem cell infusions may help victims regain lost sensation and movement.

The study was conducted by Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn. The researchers took mesenchymal stem cells from the 13 study participants’ own bone marrow and multiplied them in the lab. The stem cells were then intravenously infused back into the participants at approximately 40 days after they had sustained their injuries.

It has been several weeks since we set our clocks one hour ahead for Daylight Savings Time (DST). While many Illinois residents are enjoying that extra hour of daylight each day, many may also have felt tired after the change due to the havoc “springing forward” does to the body’s internal clock. Multiple studies have shown that this fatigue is responsible for an increase in motor vehicle accidents for the first week or two after the change. One major study found that fatal crashes increased by almost 10 percent due to the loss of an hour’s sleep. According to one of that study’s co-authors, moving the clocks ahead causes people to go through a process similar to jet lag. While this fatigue is more severe the first couple of days following the change, some people are affected by it for up to two weeks.

Study: DST Transition More Dangerous Than Previously Thought

The traffic study was conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and published its findings last year. Researchers used data from the U.S. Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), examining 732,835 car accidents that occurred between 1996 and 2017. The study did not include the accidents from Arizona or Indiana because DST is not consistently observed in those states.

National statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have reached nearly epidemic proportions. According to the CDC, more than 50,000 people die every year from causes associated with TBI. Almost 2.2 million people are treated at emergency rooms for an injury to their brain, and approximately 280,000 people end up hospitalized because of serious TBI. Many of these injuries are the result of accidents caused by the negligence or recklessness of another party. 

These statistics do not include people who develop a concussion from their head injuries but do not seek treatment, or, if they did see a medical professional, the TBI was a secondary diagnosis. If all those victims were included, then the CDC puts the number of people in this country who sustain brain injuries every year at over 3 million. 

Shortly after taking office in January, President Joe Biden signed a series of executive orders that addressed COVID-19 worker protections. According to information provided on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website, the protocols outlined in the executive orders are currently just guidelines; however, it is anticipated that these guidelines will soon become enforceable, thus affecting Colorado employers.

One of the directives given by President Biden to OSHA was to come up with the COVID-19 guidelines and another was to possibly implement emergency temporary standards to address the hazards that workers face in the workplace if needed. If these guidelines become standards, they will then be enforceable. The deadline set in the executive order to make these changes is March 15, 2021.

Construction workers are exposed to a wide variety of safety risks on a regular basis due to the nature of their work. As a result, they often suffer injuries related to falls from scaffolding, machinery and vehicle accidents, electrical and fire hazards, exposure to dangerous substances, and physical exertion. Fortunately, construction workers who are injured on the job in Colorado often have multiple options for recovering compensation, and with the guidance of an experienced attorney, they can decide on the best course of action.

Construction Employee Workers’ Compensation Claims

In Colorado, construction workers who are classified as employees are typically able to file a claim with their employer seeking workers’ compensation benefits for work-related injuries. Workers’ compensation is often available regardless of who is at fault for the injuries, and if liability lies with either the employer or the injured employee, it is usually the best option for obtaining financial assistance for the employee’s injuries.

Safely transporting semi-truck cargo can be a precarious balancing act, especially throughout the varied terrain of the Colorado Front Range. A truck driver must be skilled at maneuvering their vehicle’s large size and weight as they accelerate and decelerate, navigate turns and curves, and traverse inclines of varying grades. However, everyone who is involved with loading and unloading truck cargo also must take care to do so properly to make sure that the truck is ready for the road. When cargo is loaded or secured improperly, serious truck accidents can occur.

Accidents Involving Truck Cargo

In most cases, when a truck’s cargo contributes to an accident, it is due to one of the following reasons:

For some car accident victims, physical injuries and their effects are just the beginning of the many challenges they will face in the weeks and months following the incident. Mental health struggles are another common outcome of a car crash, and they can be just as costly as physical injuries from a financial standpoint and when it comes to their overall impact on the victim’s life. Fortunately, it is possible to pursue compensation for damages related to mental health as part of a personal injury claim.

Mental Health and Car Crashes

A car accident can impact a person’s mental health in a variety of ways. Some of the most common include:

When you think of a work-related injury, the situations that first come to mind are likely immediate injuries resulting from a one-time accident such as a fall, a fire, or an incident involving machinery or equipment. Certainly, these types of injuries are covered under Colorado workers’ compensation law, but they are not the only injuries for which an employee may be granted benefits. Colorado workers can also file a claim if they have developed a repetitive stress injury through the course of their work.

What Is a Repetitive Stress Injury?

Commonly abbreviated as RSI, repetitive stress or repetitive strain injury is one that accumulates over an extended period of time due to the repetition of similar physical movements. RSIs are common in occupations that involve physical exertion, such as in the construction and manufacturing industries, as well as occupations that require the employee to maintain a posture for a long period of time, such as a truck driver or even an office worker. Examples of repetitive stress injuries include:

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), more than 25 percent of all car accidents in the state over the past 15 years have occurred during dawn, dusk, or the dark hours of the night. Nighttime driving comes with a variety of additional hazards when compared to driving during the day, and many of these are related to the negligent or reckless actions of drivers that threaten the safety of others on the road. If you have been injured in a nighttime vehicle crash, look for evidence of negligence that can justify your case for compensation.

What Causes Car Crashes at Night?

Some contributing factors in nighttime accidents are related to the environment, while others are related to driver behaviors that tend to be more common in the late-night hours. Examples include:

Work-related injuries often have long-term effects that go far beyond the initial costs of medical treatment, and in many cases, employees are left with permanent disabilities that limit their income and earning capacity. Colorado workers’ compensation includes permanent disability benefits in these cases, with the amount determined based on your previous income and an impairment rating assigned by your treating doctor. Because this impairment rating is so important for determining permanent disability benefits, it is crucial to ensure that your doctor’s assessment is accurate. If you disagree with the doctor’s recommended rating, you have the option to dispute it, and an attorney can help you do so.

How Are Impairment Ratings Assigned in Colorado?

When you are injured at work in Colorado, you will usually have to choose a doctor from a list provided by your employer. This doctor is responsible for assessing your condition and recommending and providing treatment, and as time passes, your doctor will also assess the progress of your recovery. When you reach a point at which your doctor no longer expects your condition to improve, he or she will report that you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) and give you an impairment rating based on any remaining physical and mental limitations.

Rear-end collisions happen all of the time in Colorado and throughout the United States with varying degrees of severity, but they have the potential to be just as dangerous as any other type of car accident. A rear-end crash can result in a wide variety of injuries that require medical attention and may have long-lasting effects. Fortunately, it is often possible to pursue compensation for your damages and expenses through a personal injury claim.

Types of Rear-End Crash Injuries

If you have been struck from behind by another driver, you may be suffering from any of the following injuries: