After a single-car accident, you may be wondering how you will handle all the expenses associated with the car crash. If another driver did not hit you, it may not be clear who you could seek compensation from and how you will recover damages. Depending on who or what caused your accident, it may still be possible to be compensated. Another person could have contributed to your accident, even if they did not directly crash into you. If you were hurt in a single-car accident that may have been caused by another’s negligence, it is best to speak to an attorney as soon as possible. Proving this type of claim can sometimes be a challenge.

Who May I Have a Claim Against if Only My Vehicle Crashed?

There can be situations where a single-car accident is not only not the driver’s fault, but the fault of a third party. It is important to look into the circumstances of a single-car crash to determine who may be liable if someone other than the driver contributed to the accident. The driver of a lone crashed vehicle may still have a claim against another person in these situations:

• Miss-and-run - A miss-and-run is similar to a hit-and-run. However, instead of hitting you, a miss-and-run driver forces you to crash without actually making contact. This commonly happens when one vehicle gets “run off the road” trying to avoid a negligent driver. These accidents often happen on the highway, where drivers may be changing lanes frequently and without looking.
• Defective part - If your accident happened because a part of your vehicle malfunctioned, the manufacturer of the part could be liable under a products liability theory. Alternatively, if the part itself was fine but was not installed correctly, your mechanic or body shop could be to blame. If this is the case, a skilled investigation into the accident will need to take place in order to prove the mechanical failure.
• Object in the road - Some single-car accidents happen because a driver was forced to swerve abruptly to avoid an object in the roadway. Sometimes this is the result of a storm and is no one’s fault. However, debris in the roadway could also have been left by a careless person, for example, if an unsecured item falls off a truck and is left in the street.

It may feel very unfair if you and only you suffered a car wreck because of another person’s carelessness. Fortunately, recovery may be possible depending on the circumstances. However, because proving the cause of this type of accident can be tricky, it is especially important that you work with an experienced lawyer.

After an accident, you may easily be able to tell that the other driver is impaired. They could be slurring their words, not making much sense, stumbling around, or even nodding off. In that case, it will generally be obvious to the police as well. Other times, it may not be immediately obvious that drugs or alcohol were a factor, such as if the intoxicated driver is badly injured and quickly transported to the hospital. In these cases, the accident scene itself may offer a few clues as to the at-fault driver’s sobriety.

If you think the driver who crashed into you may have been drunk, calling an attorney when the police are done can be to your benefit. A lawyer may be able to help you later prove that the responsible driver was intoxicated at the time.

What Signs Suggest that Drugs or Alcohol Were Involved in a Crash?

It is important to remember that none of these signs are definitive. Any number of things other than drug or alcohol impairment could cause a driver to have an accident that resembles a DUI crash. A person who has a seizure while driving, for example, could leave behind a similar accident scene. However, if you notice that multiple clues are present, it may be worth a closer investigation to determine whether drugs played a role. Keep an eye out for:

Rideshare services are a popular and often convenient way to get around. They are less expensive than traditional cabs and often easier to find, but there are some drawbacks. Rideshare drivers do not have any special training or licensing. Very few qualifications aside from having a valid driver’s license are typically required. So, it is no surprise that some rideshare passengers become involved in car accidents caused by careless drivers. If you were hurt in a rideshare accident, you will want to call a qualified lawyer as soon as you can, as claims against rideshare services can be quite complicated.

Why Rideshare Drivers Crash

It is important to remember that rideshare drivers are not trained professionals. Many drive in their spare time occasionally and have other priorities. Reasons rideshare drivers may cause accidents include:

• Distraction - Drivers may be focused on using their rideshare app to navigate or manage the ride. Those who have other jobs may simply be focused on something else going on in their life, possibly using their cell phone for another purpose such as sending emails or checking messages.
• Inexperience - Young people often drive for rideshare services because it is a convenient way to bring in extra money. However, drivers in their early twenties may not have much driving experience. Some rideshare companies only require drivers to have held a license for one year. Inexperienced drivers are more likely to make a mistake and have an accident.
• Fatigue - Many people work multiple jobs to get by in this difficult economy. A driver who is already exhausted from working long hours elsewhere may not be able to use good judgment or stay awake on the road.
• Speed - For rideshare drivers, more rides mean more money. This can motivate drivers to speed, ignore other rules of the road, and make reckless decisions that lead to crashes. This is particularly dangerous in the winter, especially in Colorado’s mountainous regions.
• Intoxication - Rideshare companies typically do not drug test their drivers, who are independent contractors rather than employees. There is little to no oversight ensuring that people with drug or alcohol issues do not become rideshare drivers. It is not uncommon for a rideshare driver to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In rideshare accidents, multiple parties are often involved, including the driver’s insurance company, the rideshare service’s insurance company, and the rideshare service itself. You will need competent legal counsel to guide you through the process of filing a claim against a rideshare company.

Electrocution injuries can be extremely serious, or even fatal. Electrical burns can cause permanent disfigurement and lead to long hospitalizations. Cardiac complications can result. Most workplace accidents are avoidable when reasonable precautions are taken. Employer negligence is often the cause of electrocution accidents on job sites. If you were electrocuted at work, you should speak to a workplace accidents lawyer immediately. Your attorney will want to conduct a complete investigation aimed at proving the cause of your accident so that you can recover compensation for your injuries, whether through workers’ compensation or another legal recourse.

What Types of Employer Negligence Cause Workplace Electrocutions?

Employers have a duty to keep their workplaces reasonably safe. Although certain industries, like construction, come with an increased level of risk, the employer must still take reasonable precautions to reduce the risk of injuries. Your workplace electrocution could have been caused by:

• Lack of safety gear - If you are working around any exposed wiring or electrical dangers, your employer should provide you with appropriate safety equipment.
• Improper insulation - Improperly insulated electrical wiring is extremely dangerous. Naked wires can cause serious injuries to anyone who comes in contact with them.
• Damaged equipment - Employers should have procedures in place for securing damaged and dangerous equipment until it can be restored to a safe condition in a timely fashion. Broken or worn-out electrical equipment may behave unpredictably and shock unsuspecting employees.
• Overloads - Overloading a single source of power can cause anyone using it to get electrocuted or can spark electrical fires. Extension cords, outlets, and other gear is only built to handle a certain amount of electrical current - beyond that, it becomes dangerous and can cause serious harm to workers.
• Negligent training - If you are going to be working around exposed electrical currents or other electrocution hazards, your employer must have ensured that you are adequately trained to perform the job safely. Allowing untrained employees around exposed wiring may put them at an unreasonable risk of harm.

If you got electrocuted at work, you will need to contact a qualified workplace accidents lawyer promptly. A thorough investigation may need to be undertaken promptly, while the accident scene is still largely untouched and the evidence is well-preserved. Waiting too long to call a lawyer can result in critical evidence being lost, hurting your odds of receiving compensation.

Recreational and medical cannabis use has been legal for adults 21 and over in Colorado for years. Detecting an odor of cannabis from a residential property is no longer grounds for calling the police, but the same smell emanating from the vehicle that just hit yours is. Driving under the influence of marijuana is a crime in Colorado - and it may be an easy way to establish negligence. Drugged driving is a crime because it is dangerous. When someone chooses to drive despite feeling the effects of cannabis, they are being careless with the safety of others. If you were hurt by a driver who may have been under the influence, you should get in contact with a personal injury lawyer who can set you on the path to recovering compensation.

How Cannabis and Alcohol Use Affect Accident Claims

Driving under the influence of cannabis is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol, and just as illegal. Colorado treats alcohol and cannabis DUIs in much the same way. If the driver who caused your accident was “high,” he could be subject to arrest on top of being liable to you in a lawsuit. Because driving while impaired - whether by alcohol, cannabis, or another substance - is illegal and highly dangerous, the presumption is that a drunk or drugged driver is liable.

If you can demonstrate that the driver who crashed into you was impaired, you have almost certainly proven that the other driver was negligent. While it helps if he was arrested and charged with DUI, there are other ways of showing impairment in court if this did not happen for whatever reason.

Driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of crashes involving large trucks. Commercial truck drivers work long hours - sometimes longer than they are supposed to. A series of federal regulations govern how long a trucker can drive without stopping, and how long his breaks must be. When drivers ignore those regulations - sometimes with their company’s blessing - devastating crashes can result. The difficulty can be in proving that driver fatigue contributed to the crash. If you were hurt in a trucking accident, it would be wise to contact an attorney as soon as you can. Important evidence can be lost or destroyed very quickly after an accident, so you will want to have your own attorney start investigating right away.

How Can it be Proven that Driver Fatigue Caused the Accident?

A truck driver may be quite literally asleep at the wheel one moment and wide awake the next. In the aftermath of a crash, an adrenaline-fueled driver may not show any signs of drowsiness when the police come to take their report. Officers cannot use roadside drowsiness tests as they would use roadside sobriety tests for a drunk driver. Personal injury lawyers must instead rely on other means to prove that driver fatigue contributed to the accident.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration strictly limits the “hours of service” for commercial truck drivers. Exceeding the limits can result in exhaustion that leads to poor decision-making, slow reaction time, and even falling asleep while driving. Truck drivers are meant to keep logbooks showing the hours they were driving and the hours they were stopped. Unfortunately, truckers can and frequently do forge their logs to fake compliance. Skilled legal investigations do, however, sometimes reveal mistakes or inconsistencies that help demonstrate that a logbook may not be truthful.

On October 21, tragedy struck the set of actor Alec Baldwin's movie “Rust” when a prop gun went off, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Negligence-based lawsuits are expected to be filed on behalf of the victims, and Santa Fe County Prosecutors are investigating to determine whether criminal charges should be filed. The incident took place in New Mexico, and so will any resulting lawsuit. This blog will consider how the lawsuit may play out if the incident had occurred in Colorado.

How Did the Shooting Happen and How Does Colorado Law Apply?

Facts and details about how a live round found its way into what was supposed to be a “cold” prop gun are still emerging. Clearly, a lot of important industry safety protocols were missed somewhere along the line. Ammunition is generally forbidden on movie sets for this exact reason. Attorneys for the film’s armorer have stated that she did not know where the bullet came from, however, veteran armorers have stated in multiple interviews since the tragic event that the ultimate responsibility for all firearms and ammunition on a film set lies with the armorer.

There is also the issue of the assistant director admitting he failed to check the gun for ammunition when he called "cold gun" and handed the weapon to Baldwin during rehearsal because the armorer was nowhere to be found on set. According to production protocols, no one, including the assistant director, except for the armorer should ever pass a gun to an actor.

Commuting by bicycle is becoming more and more popular. People may opt to ride a bike to work or other locations because they want to increase their activity level, save on gas, or maintain an eco-friendly lifestyle. Few people rarely consider the risk that comes along with that type of transportation. Riding a bicycle on a busy road leaves cyclists exposed to large vehicles traveling at high speeds, some of which are driven by individuals who are not always as attentive as they should be.

When bicyclists are involved in an accident, they may have legal options available to pursue compensation in court. However, an injured bicyclist should take the time to consider what party is responsible for their injuries and the possible outcomes that may arise in a Colorado courtroom.

Motor Vehicle Driver Liability

All drivers using the road are obligated to uphold a basic duty of care to everyone using the roadways, including other drivers, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. When this duty is breached, the driver may be found negligent in an injurious road accident. When an accident involves a bicyclist, negligence may arise in many forms including speeding, drifting into the bike lane, reckless driving, and running a stop sign. If the driver was already violating traffic laws at the time of the accident, such as speeding, the violation will likely be used as evidence for negligence in the accident.

Truck drivers face high standards for the number of miles they are expected to drive each day. With the desire to return home to their families as soon as possible, truck drivers often push themselves to drive for much longer and farther than they should. When truck drivers feel pressure to continue driving despite the immense fatigue they are experiencing, catastrophic truck accidents are more likely to occur.

When a driver’s mind and body are fatigued, they are more likely to fall asleep behind the wheel and cause an accident. But even in cases where the driver is able to stay awake, they will likely struggle to properly control the vehicle and maintain focus. Drowsiness can result in slower response time and failure to notice other vehicles in their blindspots.

Truck drivers are often under pressure to cover great distances in a short amount of time. However, that is not the only reason that a driver in this industry may suffer from fatigue while on the job.

Workplace injuries can be sudden and catastrophic. In other cases, they can occur over a long period of time. Employees are subject to potentially serious damage to their bodies, specifically neck and back injuries. Employees should know what symptoms to look out for, and what professions are most susceptible to neck and back injuries.

The Most Common Types of Workplace Back and Neck Injuries

Work-related injuries can result in debilitating pain that makes completing regular actions an arduous task. Suffering a back or neck injury at work can lead to months spent rehabilitating and possibly even surgeries. These types of injuries are physically draining and can also have an impact on an individual emotionally and financially. Some of the most commonly seen back and neck injuries suffered on the job include:

• Whiplash
• Lumbar spine injuries
• Herniated disc
• Thoracic spine injuries

It is not uncommon for employees to sustain work-related injuries over time. When this is the case, it can be incredibly difficult to pinpoint the true cause of the injury. Employees should be aware of the symptoms often seen in someone who is experiencing a back or neck injury. Along with pain, there may be other symptoms, including:

Losing a loved one unexpectedly can be a devastating and confusing time in a person’s life. When a loved one loses their life in an accident, their family may face many unforeseen expenses and the loss of their loved one’s wages may severely affect their livelihood. If you are considering filing a wrongful death claim after the death of a loved one, you should understand the laws that must be followed in order to seek compensation effectively.

Defining Wrongful Death in Colorado

In the event that an individual loses their life to another party’s wrongful act or negligence, a wrongful death claim may be pursued by the appropriate parties. Wrongful death claims are applicable in situations where the victim would have been able to bring an injury claim against the at-fault party, had they survived the accident. Wrongful death may result from numerous types of accidents including car accidents, defective products, and medical malpractice.

Both economic and non-economic damages may be available during a wrongful death case. In Colorado, economic damages may include funeral expenses and loss of compensation the victim would have earned had they survived, among other losses. Alternatively, noneconomic damages involve less tangible damages such as grief, pain and suffering, and loss of companionship.

Not only does a vehicle get its passengers from one location to another, but it also acts as a form of protection against other vehicles on the road. Unfortunately, in some cases, a vehicle’s components may put its passengers at risk. Tires are a key factor in vehicle performance, and when tires fail, catastrophic accidents can occur. Understanding how tire blowouts are caused and who may be responsible for the blowout can help injury victims start to recover from these accidents.

What Causes Tire Blowouts?

Many tire blowouts are a result of hazardous road conditions. When potholes are present on roadways, tire blowouts are much more likely to occur. Other hazards that may create cuts or small punctures in the tire exist on all roadways, and it is the driver’s responsibility to monitor their tire’s tread for damage. It is also critical for a driver to monitor their tire pressure. It is not uncommon for tire blowouts to occur due to the tires being overinflated or underinflated.

In some cases, tires are sold after they have spent a considerable amount of time on shelves, making them much older than buyers assume. Additionally, high speeds and aggressive braking can lead to tires weakening at a quicker rate. Driving at high speeds can also lead to tread separating from the tire, often leading to severe accidents.

Any type of motor vehicle accident can threaten the safety of those directly involved as well as those nearby. Rollovers, often associated with larger vehicles like pickups and SUVs, are some of the most life-threatening accidents that occur both on and off roadways. After a rollover, it may be very difficult to establish who is responsible for a victim’s injuries and understand how the crash happened. Personal injury attorneys who have experience handling rollover accidents can be a great asset for victims in these cases.

The Dangers of Rollover Accidents

Accounting for 6,358 fatalities throughout the U.S. in 2019, rollover accidents are one of the most dangerous vehicle crashes. When a vehicle tips onto its roof or side during an accident, it is considered a rollover. In the majority of instances involving this type of accident, the vehicle makes an impact with something else prior to the roll. This may include another vehicle or a fixed object. When rollovers take a vehicle off of the roadway and passengers are thrown from the vehicle, fatalities are much more likely to occur.

There are numerous commonalities across individual rollover crashes. The majority of rollover accidents that end fatally involve only one vehicle. Fatal rollover crashes are often associated with high blood alcohol concentrations. Additionally, it is more likely for SUVs and pickup trucks to be involved in fatal single-vehicle rollovers than small cars.

Car crash injury victims may be affected by the accident for the remainder of their lives. Vehicle collisions can stem from a range of causes; however, human error is frequently involved. Head-on collisions are a type of vehicle accident that is often caused by a driver’s negligence. While head-on collisions are fairly uncommon, the results of such an accident are often devastating.

Conifer, CO Head-On Collision Leads to Multiple Fatalities

During the late afternoon of Thursday, August 26, a Colorado man allegedly caused a head-on collision on Highway 285 near Conifer, leading to the deaths of three people, including the driver himself, and serious injuries to others. Other victims included a 55-year-old woman and her 2-year-old granddaughter, who suffered fatal injuries in the collision.

Colorado State Patrol has reported that the man attempted to make an illegal pass before crashing head-on into another vehicle. Eyewitnesses have reported that prior to the crash, they had reported the driver for reckless driving and speeding. At this time, Colorado State Patrol is investigating the possibility of alcohol and excessive speeding being factors in this fatal collision.

The average driver does not expect to get in a car accident. However, when a driver chooses to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol, they are making their chances of causing an accident substantially greater. If you or a loved one has been injured due to another person’s impaired driving, a personal injury attorney can assist you in recovering damages and holding the at-fault parties accountable.

The Dangers of Drunk Driving

The adverse impact alcohol has on an individual’s ability to drive makes drunk driving incredibly dangerous. Alcohol-related car accidents resulted in 192 Colorado fatalities in 2018 according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The consumption of alcohol negatively affects a person’s ability to make rational decisions and react quickly, as well as their overall coordination. Drivers who get behind the wheel when intoxicated are also much more likely to speed or even drive on the wrong side of the road.

This behavior puts everyone on the road, including the drunk driver, other drivers, and all passengers, at risk of some sort of collision. Certain injuries arise more often than others in the event of a drunk driving accident. Some of the more commonly sustained injuries include fractured and broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, lacerations, and internal organ damage.

Every day, first responders put their lives in danger to help those in need. Because their jobs require them to be near hazardous circumstances, it is possible for first responders to sustain injuries, both physical and mental. If you have suffered physical injuries or developed a harmful psychological condition like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to events witnessed while working, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

PTSD And Other Injuries Suffered By First Responders

First responders including firefighters, police officers, and other professionals who provide emergency medical services regularly face dangerous situations while on the job. First responders commonly sustain injuries due to hazards they experience while working including repetitive stress injuries and injuries resulting from exposure to harmful substances, slip and fall accidents, and workplace violence. Other threats frequently faced by first responders include:

• Vehicle crash injuries

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Colliding with a large truck like a semi or 18-wheeler often results in devastating outcomes. Being some of the heaviest vehicles on the road, tractor-trailers can cause very dangerous accidents. Because of this immense threat, truck drivers have a higher level of responsibility behind the wheel. However, Colorado continues to see fatal truck accidents every year, many of which are the result of truck driver negligence. Colorado law provides families the right to pursue a wrongful death claim if their loved one was lost due to the negligence of a truck driver or trucking company.

Semi-Truck and Pickup Collide in Weld County

One recent crash serves as an example of just how dangerous truck accidents can be. On the morning of Wednesday, July 21, a pickup truck and semi-truck collided. The Colorado State Patrol reported to the scene of the crash, where two women were pronounced dead. The fatalities were the two passengers of the pickup truck who were both wearing seatbelts. It was also reported that the semi-truck driver was conscious and walking after the accident, though it is possible minor injuries were sustained.

Colorado Truck Accidents Leading to Fatalities

Accidents involving commercial truck driver negligence are frequently caused by the truck driver running out of the travel lane, losing control of the truck, or rear-ending another vehicle. These events are more apt to occur if the driver is fatigued, distracted, or speeding. Other factors that regularly contribute to truck accidents include prescription drug use, alcohol use, and truck maintenance problems.

When you think of the effects of a serious accident, such as a car crash, physical injuries like broken bones, lacerations, bruises, and head or back trauma may be the first things that come to mind. However, severe accidents can also affect the lives of injury victims in other, less tangible ways. As such, victims are often eligible to recover non-economic damages in addition to compensation for their medical expenses when they pursue a personal injury claim. Appropriate dollar values for non-economic damages can be difficult to determine, and they can also be limited by statutory caps under Colorado law.

What Are Non-Economic Damages?

Non-economic damages compensate for things like the victim’s pain and suffering, stress and anxiety, loss of companionship, and emotional distress. Determining a monetary award for these types of injuries can be very challenging for all parties involved. While the injuries may certainly be very serious, there are many factors that jurors will likely consider when trying to determine adequate compensation for the victim, some of which include:

• The severity of the injury and the extent to which it interferes with the victim’s life

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When people think of car accidents, they likely think of car-on-car collisions. However, accidents involving pedestrians can also cause severe damages and possible fatalities. According to AAA Colorado, since 2009, the number of pedestrians killed on a yearly basis in Colorado has nearly doubled.

Urban areas have seen the highest increase in pedestrian fatalities, which occur most often on sidewalks, the side of the road, and crosswalks. Some of the most common causes for pedestrian accidents include a driver’s failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, to come to a complete stop at a stop sign, or to maintain control of their vehicle. Drunk driving is also a common contributing factor. Colorado has made an effort to combat these tragic accidents, strengthening its state laws and penalties.

Colorado’s Efforts to Minimize Pedestrian Accidents

Colorado has implemented various traffic laws that pertain to expectations for both drivers and pedestrians. It is possible for both the driver and the pedestrian to fail to follow these rules. Right-of-way laws in Colorado dictate when motor vehicles must halt and yield to pedestrians. Specifically, Colorado law reserves the right-of-way for pedestrians at all crosswalks and intersections, requiring all drivers to stop completely and allow the pedestrian to safely cross. This rule is maintained in circumstances when traffic signals are not present or are not working properly.

Two workers were killed and another 42 injured in a work accident after a chemical leak at a plant in La Porte, Texas, earlier this week. According to information released by the company, LyondellBasell, approximately 100,000 pounds of a chemical mixture that included acetic acid was released in the leak. Other chemicals released included hydrogen iodide, methyl acetate, and methyl iodide.

Plant officials say 30 of the workers injured were hospitalized, some with critical injuries. One victim suffered burns, while the 29 others suffered respiratory issues.

What Is Acetic Acid?

Acetic acid is an organic, flammable liquid that can cause serious eye damage and severe skin burns to exposed victims. The acid also produces a hazardous vapor and is very corrosive to metals and tissues. Acetic acid is used to make other chemicals. It is also used as a food additive in extremely diluted amounts.