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:

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:

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:

If you have been injured in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, you have the right to pursue compensation for your medical bills, property damage, and other economic and non-economic damages through a personal injury claim. However, in order for your claim to succeed, you will need strong evidence to both to establish the at-fault party’s negligence and to support the amount of compensation you are pursuing. In Colorado, civil trial juries are instructed to decide for the plaintiff based on a preponderance of the evidence, meaning that if your case goes to trial, you will need to show that it is more likely than not that the defendant’s negligent behavior was the cause of your injuries. Even if your case does not go to trial, evidence can provide the leverage you need to reach a fair settlement.

Evidence of Another Party’s Negligence

For another party to be liable for your damages, you will need to show that the person failed to uphold their duty of care to you and that this failure was the direct cause of your injuries. Evidence of driver negligence can come from a variety of sources, including:

Thanksgiving weekend is often a time for celebration and family togetherness. However, it also tends to be a period of increased risk of getting in a car accident. Although not as many people may have been traveling for Thanksgiving this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was likely still greater traffic than normal. It is important that you are aware of how another driver’s negligence can affect you and your family’s safety on the roads. In the event of a collision, an experienced personal injury attorney can help you seek compensation for your damages.

The Risks of Thanksgiving Driving

Thanksgiving weekend driving in Colorado can be risky for a number of reasons, including:

If you have been injured in a car accident, your chances of obtaining compensation usually rest on the ability to demonstrate that another person was responsible for the crash due to his or her negligent behavior. Recent data published by the Colorado Department of Transportation (DOT) points to the prevalence of driver negligence in automobile collisions, indicating that from 2005 to 2018, more than half of all car accidents throughout the state involved an apparent “human contributing factor.” Many of the common factors noted can form the basis of your personal injury case.

Human Contributing Factors in Car Accidents

The Colorado DOT’s report further breaks down some of the specific behaviors involved in crashes that had a clear human contributing factor. Some of the most common were:

According to estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), driver distraction was a factor in 8 percent of fatal car accidents and 15 percent of injury accidents in 2018, affecting more than 400,000 people in total. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle collision, there is a significant chance that some form of distracted driving was involved. The good news is that you can often use this as evidence of another driver’s negligence as you seek compensation through a personal injury claim.

Examples of Distracted Driving

The primary example of distracted driving that may come to mind, and the only one that is specifically restricted under Colorado law, is the use of a cell phone while behind the wheel. Sending a text message or otherwise reading or typing a message on a phone is especially dangerous, as it can remove a driver’s eyes and attention from the road for several seconds at a time.

The number of Coloradans who are killed in car accidents involving alcohol is increasing in recent years, accounting for more than 25 percent of all crash fatalities in the state. With the recent legalization of marijuana in Colorado, it too is becoming a measurable factor in traffic accidents, injuries, and deaths. If you have been injured by a driver who was impaired by alcohol, marijuana, or any other controlled substance, an experienced attorney can help you seek compensation for your damages.

The Dangers of Driving Under the Influence

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) identifies several ways in which alcohol can impair a driver’s abilities. These include reduced attention, concentration, perception, information processing ability, coordination, and motor and visual abilities, and the effects increase along with a higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

Any time you are traveling on the road, you run the risk of being involved in a car accident, and if your job requires you to drive on a regular basis, you may be at greater risk. If you are injured in a car accident while on the job, you may fear that your only options for compensation are a claim through your car or health insurance provider, or a personal injury lawsuit against another driver. Fortunately, this is usually not the case, as you can likely obtain recovery through your employer’s workers’ compensation policy.

Employees at Risk of Vehicle Collision Injuries 

Many employees must regularly drive as part of their job responsibilities. Commercial truck and bus drivers may spend the most amount of time on the road, but delivery drivers, postal workers, and first responders including police officers, firefighters, and EMTs all drive frequently as well. The same may be true for employees of any business that provides a traveling service, as well as employees who simply run occasional work-related errands. Any employee who is injured in a car accident during the course of his or her workday may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, whether the accident was the fault of another driver or the employee him or herself.

Over Labor Day weekend, Fort Collins experienced its earliest snow accumulation in over 130 years, reminding Coloradans once again of the state’s extreme weather fluctuations and the possibility for hazardous road conditions at almost any time of the year. It is never too early to start preparing for the necessary safety precautions when driving on snowy and icy roads so that you can avoid being injured in a car accident or causing a crash that injures someone else.

Precautions for Driving in Snow in Colorado

As a driver, there are many ways that you can take responsibility for preventing accidents in snowy weather, including:

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), there were more than 500 fatal vehicle crashes in Colorado in 2018. Not all car accidents lead to fatalities, but they can cause serious to permanent injuries. If you are injured in a car accident caused by another driver, seeking compensation through a personal injury claim is often a clear decision. However, if you believe you were partially at fault for the accident, your options may seem more complicated, and you may wonder if it is even possible to receive any financial relief for your injuries. The good news is that because of Colorado’s negligence laws, you can still be eligible for some compensation as long as your negligence is determined to be less than that of the other involved parties.

What Constitutes Negligence in a Colorado Car Accident?

Negligence occurs when a person or entity fails to uphold their duty of care to another, and if this negligence results in injuries, the person impacted can seek compensation for his or her damages. In the case of a car accident, negligence can include violations of traffic laws or regulations and any other unsafe driving behavior that endangers other users of the road. Common examples include speeding, following too closely, failing to signal or obey traffic signs, drunk or impaired driving, and distracted driving due to texting, eating, or anything else that removes a driver’s attention away from the road.

Everyone hopes to avoid being injured in a car accident, but in the unfortunate event that it does happen, one would hope that the other driver’s insurance would at least cover medical bills for any injuries he or she causes. However, recent statistics show that 13 percent of Colorado drivers are uninsured, and many more have policies with the state’s minimum required bodily injury coverage of $25,000 per person injured and $50,000 total, which may be insufficient in cases of severe injuries that result in long-lasting consequences. That is why it is important to seek professional legal advice after being involved in any type of vehicle collision. 

Steps to Take After a Crash

If you are injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver, you may feel stress, fear, and uncertainty as to how to proceed, but fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to protect yourself even in this difficult situation. Follow these four tips for ensuring that you receive adequate compensation:

Even though lockdowns and quarantines as a response to the coronavirus pandemic have kept many Coloradoans off the roads, the number of driving citations issued by law enforcement for speeding has not reflected this change. In fact, traffic tickets issued by police for exceeding the speed limit have actually increased with the implementation of statewide isolation orders.

While fewer people are currently on the road, incidents of reckless driving have paradoxically increased, according to the Denver-based news agency, FOX31. Not only do they report a rise in the number of speeding citations issued since 2019, but the number of car accidents has also spiked. The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) reported 6,550 car accidents in the first four months of 2019. Just one year later, this number skyrocketed to approximately 9,600 crashes in the same amount of time — a 70 percent increase in one year.

How You Can Protect Yourself

As restrictions begin to ease and lockdown orders come to an end, the roads will gradually begin to fill again. Since many drivers have not been on the roads for the past few months, there will be even more opportunities to get caught in an automobile accident. Cultivating strong, defensive driving habits now may keep you and your family safe even as the rate of accidents grows.

Following a motor vehicle collision, the drivers involved are required to remain at the scene, render any necessary aid to those who have been injured, and exchange contact information with each other. Unfortunately, some drivers choose to flee the scene of a collision, and these hit-and-run car accidents can leave victims suffering from severe or fatal injuries. The Denver Post reports that, as of Thursday, May 28, 2020, the city of Denver has recorded 1,899 hit-and-run accidents since the beginning of the year, averaging approximately 390 incidents monthly. Drivers who have been involved in these types of accidents will want to understand the steps they can take to pursue compensation if the other person leaves the scene.

Four Steps to Take After a Hit-And-Run

An automobile accident is enough to leave anyone dazed, and doubly so if the other party has left the scene. Here are four things you should do in the event you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident:

Although other drivers’ actions are unpredictable, there are two things all motorists can do to help avoid auto accidents, including driving safely and properly maintaining their vehicles. Typically, people are often reminded to obey traffic laws, pay attention at all times, and to stay sober when driving. However, faulty or worn-out auto parts can also cause collisions with minor to serious injuries. Since Colorado is an “at fault” state, a driver who does not properly maintain his or her vehicle can be deemed at fault for negligent maintenance and upkeep. If you have been in an accident that involves broken or faulty vehicle components, you should work with an experienced personal injury attorney to determine your legal options, especially since these types of cases can be more complicated than your average fender-bender.

Essential Vehicle Maintenance

Although many people wait for warnings to appear on the dashboard or for other obvious symptoms before bringing their cars into a repair shop, some preemptive maintenance goes a long way. At least once a year, every motorist should make sure to have a skilled mechanic check the following:

If you have been in a car accident there are a variety of steps you should take to protect yourself in the immediate aftermath. You must first seek emergency medical attention if necessary, then report the accident and exchange insurance information with the other driver. You may be wondering what to do next if your vehicle is significantly damaged. The window of time after an accident can be stressful, but taking the right steps during this time can ensure that you are properly compensated for property damage, as well as any injuries you suffered in the collision. By receiving legal assistance from a personal injury attorney, you can be sure that you will be properly compensated for all of your damages.

What Are Colorado’s Total Loss Laws?

“Totaling” or “totaled” are words that often get used as slang for vehicles that are not functional or are undrivable, but drivers may not understand what these terms actually mean. To "total" a car means to declare it a total loss, which dictates how you and your auto insurance provider will move forward. A car does not have to be a complete wreck to be totaled. Instead, the cost of repairs must exceed a certain threshold, which may differ from state to state. In Colorado, that threshold is 100 percent. That is, Colorado legally requires insurers to declare a vehicle a total loss if the estimated repair costs would exceed the market value of that vehicle.  

Every driver in Colorado is required to carry car insurance in case of an accident. If you or a family member are involved in a vehicle collision, it can be difficult to maintain a clear mind and understand exactly what your policy covers. Most policies function similarly, so the guidelines here will likely apply to you in many ways. However, even when you have a general understanding of your auto insurance policy and relative confidence in determining what the other party’s policy covers in an accident, it is imperative that you obtain sound legal advice from a personal injury lawyer to protect your rights.

Legal Aid When Seeking Damages

Before diving into what your and another driver’s insurance policies cover in a crash, it is important to understand how vital legal guidance can be after you or your loved one are involved in a car accident. In many cases, determining which driver is at fault is not that simple. A police report might not accurately describe what happened, or there may be other mitigating circumstances, like a nearby construction zone. Even if there were just minor injuries and vehicle damage, a skilled attorney can help you establish liability for the collision, and they can negotiate with insurance companies and help make sure that you receive the compensation you need and deserve. That is why it is essential that you contact an attorney first before talking to any insurance company, including your own. 

While many people believe that pedestrians always have the right of way when crossing the street, the truth is that pedestrians are not infallible. They can make mistakes just like drivers do, and this probably occurs more often than you might think. In fact, many pedestrian accidents and pedestrian deaths in Colorado over the last few years have been clear cases that illustrate the pedestrian was at fault. In other cases, the collision may involve a combination of fault by both the driver (or drivers) and the pedestrian. Below are some circumstances in which a motorist may not be at fault, and a pedestrian may be liable for any damages and injuries.

When the Driver Is Not at Fault

Pedestrians might believe that if they are hit by a car, it will almost always be the driver’s fault. However, a driver may not be at fault if all of the following can be proven in court:

Studies show that approximately nine people die and 1,000 more are injured every day in the United States from motor vehicle accidents resulting from distracted driving. This is a serious issue, so much so that nearly every state has laws against distracted driving. With that in mind, it is important to know and recognize the types of driving distractions and understand how they can lead to car accidents.

Distracted Driving Categories

Driving distractions can be divided into three categories, with most distractions overlapping in more than one category. The three main types of driving distractions are:

Even for people who have been involved in a car accident before, there can be many unknowns depending on the circumstances of the crash. A fender-bender may not cause too much trouble, but when your car is severely damaged or you need intensive medical treatment, you may not know where to turn for help. If you are hurt in a vehicle collision, a personal injury attorney can assist you in seeking the financial compensation you need and deserve. 

What Are Examples of Negligence on the Road?

Since 2011, fatal car crashes in Colorado have steadily increased. Distracted driving is a leading cause of car accidents. There are no restrictions on talking on a cell phone for drivers 18 years and older. However, texting or any other kind of data entry is prohibited for all drivers. When motorists break these laws, they put others in danger, just as they would when drunk driving or speeding. If a driver's negligence was the cause of an accident, he or she can be held responsible for the injuries and damages suffered by other drivers or passengers. In these cases, an experienced attorney can help you determine your best options for pursuing compensation.