WHO CAUSED MY CAR ACCIDENT IN COLORADO SPRINGS?
Car accidents may occur in a variety of locations around the valley metro region. The nature of the accident might change depending on where you are. On the highway, for example, there would be no stop signs or junction incidents.
On a highway, you’re more likely to encounter car accidents caused by speeding, following too closely, and making unlawful lane changes. Regardless of how the car accident occurred, you deserve an experienced car accident lawyer on your side to protect your right to fair compensation.
The car that makes the first contact is not usually the one that causes the car accident. After an investigation determines the cause of the car accident, blame is allocated. This is why you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible after the motor vehicle accident to defend your legal rights.
Personal injury cases are complex. Simply making a car accident claim can be made difficult by the insurance company and insurance adjuster. This is done to convince you the process of a car accident claim will be difficult the entire time.
Here are some of the sites in Colorado Springs where collisions occur, as well as who may be to fault.
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Common Car Accidents in Colorado Springs
Crashes involving left-hand turns — Colorado Springs is home to a number of busy and hazardous junctions. As experienced car accident lawyers, we see these types of motor vehicle accident very frequently. We help accident victims like this all the time.
A left-hand turn collision may be caused by either motorist. When making a turn, the motorist must wait until the way is clear before proceeding. They often result because the oncoming driver was speeding.
They will be held responsible if they attempt to beat the signal and come in the path of a car that is already stuck in traffic. If, on the other hand, the motorist making the turn has the right of way due to a traffic signal, the car that struck them is liable.
Colorado has the greatest incidence of red light running-related car accidents in the nation, according to the American Car Association. Nearly the last 10 years, over 350 drivers in the state have been killed in car accidents caused by running a red light.
The death happens half of the time in the car they collide with. When drivers run a red light, culpability for the collision is typically obvious. The motorist was the one who disobeyed the law and caused the car accident.
COLORADO SPRINGS’ DOWNTOWN AREA
Running Stop Signs
In Downtown Colorado Springs, not every intersection has a traffic light. Instead, many junctions have stop signs. Because the right of way is sometimes ambiguous, four-way stop signs are especially risky.
Some drivers, on the other hand, do not bother to attempt to figure it out and fail to stop at a stop sign. According to statistics, around 70% of drivers will knowingly run stop signs when no other cars are present.
This instils in them the habit of not stopping, even when there are other cars on the road. When a motorist fails to stop at a stop sign, they are to blame for the car collision.
Even if there was a two-way or four-way stop sign, you’ll need documentation to establish which motorist had the right of way.
Distracted Driving
While activities like texting while driving are dangerous in any situation, they tend to cause considerably more car accidents when other drivers are present. Stop signs and traffic lights will be missed by drivers who are staring down at their phones.
They may also fail to see other motorists who have stopped in front of them, resulting in rear-end collisions. Distracted driving usually presents itself in the driver’s irresponsible behavior. Even if you can’t show they were looking at their phone when the accident happened, they would have been irresponsible in some way.
T-bone collisions
T-bone collisions are prevalent when cars disregard traffic signals or stop signs. This is particularly common in crowded metropolitan locations, such as Downtown Colorado Springs, where there are several traffic lights and stop signs.
On the side, one car will collide with the other. If the collision occurs on the driver’s side, the driver may get significant injuries. Because t-bone accidents only happen when one motorist progresses when they shouldn’t, who is to blame for this collision depends on who had the right of way.
The car that collides with the other is not always to fault for the accident. The motorist who did not have the right of way is the one who is to blame.
While some people depict rideshare drivers as the source of all risks on Colorado Springs roadways, many of them adhere to strict traffic laws. The same rules apply in these collisions as they do in any other car accident.
While a rideshare driver reenters traffic without signaling or when another driver has already established themselves in traffic, this is a regular occurrence. Because rideshare drivers often pull over to pick up or drop off passengers, illegal turns are a typical cause of these sorts of accidents.
If the Uber driver did not observe traffic regulations, they will be held responsible for the collision. However, if the other motorist was speeding or failed to respect the rideshare driver’s right of way, they might be held liable.
Freeways in the City
In the whole nation, Colorado Springs has one of the highest mortality rates on metropolitan highways. It exceeds the national average by more than 60 percent.
Surprisingly, many major motor vehicle accidents occur outside of peak hour on Colorado Springs freeways. I-17 is regarded as one of the most dangerous highways in the country.
Drunk driving is a prevalent occurrence on Colorado Springs roadways, particularly during the evenings and weekends. Drunk drivers often miss highway signs and are unable to comprehend traffic regulations. They may even drive the wrong way down the highway, resulting in head-on crashes in certain situations. Because of the high number of intoxicated drivers on I-17, there are even signs warning cars against going the wrong way.
Reckless Driving
Compared to other major urban areas, Colorado Springs has less highway traffic. This is due in part to the fact that Colorado Springs is a newer city with broader city roadways.
The many lanes, on the other hand, sometimes encourage irresponsible driving by allowing cars to weave dangerously in and out of traffic. When drivers invade the motorist’s space, they have the potential to sideswipe other cars or run them off the road.
On highways, rear-end collisions occur when inattentive or fast drivers fail to maintain a safe following distance from the car in front of them. When that car slows down, they will collide with it from behind. T
his might result in catastrophic damage to the head and neck. When two cars collide in a rear-end collision, the tailing car is presumed to be at fault unless there is substantial proof to the contrary.
Motor Vehicle Accidents involving Commercial Vehicles
truck drivers are not always to fault for all accidents in which they are involved. However, since the truck is so enormous and difficult for the driver to manage, the truck driver is more likely to be at fault for the collision than the other motorist.
Misjudging a bend on a turn
Changing lanes and striking a car in their blind spot
Not giving adequate distance to bring the truck to a halt (fully loaded)
Speeding to make up time or maximize their allotted shift (18-wheelers may take hundreds of feet to halt).
Identifying the cause of truck accidents generally requires a thorough study. As a result, it’s in your best advantage to get a lawyer as quickly as possible following a car accident.
Driver Speeding
On Colorado Springs roadways, motorists may normally travel freely unless during rush hour. Rear-end collisions and accidents when drivers lose control of their cars are caused by speeding. Speeding may not necessarily imply exceeding the posted speed limit. It suggests the motorist was driving too quickly for the circumstances. This is significant because, because Colorado Springs rainstorms are rare and intense, accidents can occur.
When law enforcement arrives to file a police report, they may issue a ticket after the accident. If a motorist is speeding, or if witness evidence proves that they were driving too fast for the conditions, they will be held accountable for the accident.
Parking Garages – Backing Out of Mistakes
When backing out of a parking spot, drivers must be very cautious. When they are already in traffic, other cars passing by (or pedestrians) have the right of way. When a car pulls out of a city parking spot, the same thing happens.
They must signal and wait until it is safe to enter traffic before proceeding. When a motorist backing out or vacating a parking place pulls into the path of an incoming car, they are accountable. When two drivers back up at the same moment and collide, the outcome may be different. Then both of them might be equally responsible for the accident.
Identifying Who is to Blame for the Accident
Of course, in terms of responsibility, we presented the foregoing situations as known facts. This isn’t always the case in every car collision. Many collisions will need a lengthy investigation to determine what transpired. Even though you have your version of events, the other motorist may have a different narrative to tell. It’s up to you to gather the evidence you’ll need to establish your point of view.
For a car accident victim who is already coping with major injuries, this is not always simple. They don’t have the time or resources to investigate their car accident, particularly if they are injured. In addition, the proof they’ll need to prove responsibility might be lost or destroyed.
As a result, you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible following your accident. They’ll go straight to work, and you can worry about the specifics. Your car accident attorney can assist you in determining who was to blame for the accident and presenting your case to the insurance company.
In order to force the production of evidence in preparation for a lawsuit, personal injury attorneys might employ a legal procedure called as discovery.
The following are some samples of evidence that your lawyer may request when examining your case:
- Surveillance video from the scene of the collision
- Onboard car computer data
- Medical records of the other driver
- Cell phone information
Your lawyer may utilize interrogatories or depositions to get information from the opposing party in addition to gathering evidence that may assist support your case. In addition, your lawyer may consult with professionals such as accident reconstructionist. The more proof you have, the better your case will be – and the more probable you will be able to get a reasonable payment from the other driver’s insurance company.
Why Do You Need a Lawyer After a Car Accident in Colorado Springs?
Free Consultation with a Colorado Springs Car Accident Attorney
Because there is so much at risk, you should always consult a lawyer following a car accident in Colorado Springs, no matter what occurred. Your lawyer might examine the collision and assist you pursue a claim if the other motorist was even substantially to fault.
You should never make any assumptions regarding the cause of an accident before consulting with a lawyer. Don’t jump to conclusions about who’s to blame for an accident. In fact, you should never assume blame for anything since it will damage you throughout the claims procedure.
Furthermore, you should retain a lawyer after an accident even if the other driver’s insurance company accepts culpability. An experienced personal injury attorney may help you collect the amount you are entitled to.
There are several reasons to retain the services of a personal injury attorney after an car accident. The first is that you need someone to protect your interests while others are seeking to damage them in order to enrich themselves. You’ll need a legal team that has a lengthy history of fighting for its clients to the utmost degree allowed by the law.
Your insurance company deals with claims like yours on a daily basis and will do everything in its power to settle your case for less than you deserve.
