Posted on August 06, 2024 in Car Accident

Car and truck accidents can happen for many reasons; sometimes, multiple factors combine to cause a collision. You probably think of things like speeding and distracted driving as car accident causes, but have you thought about the underlying reasons why these negligent actions are so dangerous? 

A driver’s delayed reaction time increases the likelihood of causing a motor vehicle collision. Your Fort Collins, CO motor vehicle accident lawyer from Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. can help you recover damages when someone else’s negligence results in a crash that injures you.

What Is Driver Reaction Time?

When drivers encounter common traffic situations, they need to respond to them to avoid causing accidents. Examples include upcoming yellow or red traffic lights, animals darting onto the road, sudden brake lights ahead, and other vehicles veering into the lane. Seeing these indicators should trigger a driver reaction, such as braking and steering adjustments. Although this concept may sound simple, it is actually a complex set of variables.

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 Posted on August 01, 2024 in Personal Injury

Car accidents are known to cause serious injuries and deaths. Pedestrians, being more vulnerable than vehicles, are at an even greater risk of serious injury and death from car crashes. In 2022, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) recorded over 7,500 pedestrian deaths. This calculates to an average of 20 deaths per day and over 17 percent of traffic fatalities.

However, some pedestrian accidents are more complex than others. If you were hit by a drunk driver while standing on the sidewalk, for instance, your claim is likely to be straightforward in terms of who was at fault. But what if you were hit by a car while jaywalking? If you were crossing against a red light, can you still collect compensation for your injuries?

To answer the above question, it is important to first discuss a legal principle called modified comparative negligence. Remember that a personal injury attorney is your best legal resource. Any questions about car accidents should be directed to a Colorado car accident lawyer.

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 Posted on July 29, 2024 in Workers' Compensation

Suppose you work in a corporate office in Fort Collins. One rainy day, as employees and visitors track water through the lobby, a puddle forms. You alert maintenance, but an hour later the area is neither mopped up nor marked with a caution sign. Crossing through the lobby to your lunch break, you forget about the puddle. You slip and fall hard, suffering a fracture in your wrist and a severely bruised knee. You are outfitted with a brace and crutches, and you are confined to at least two weeks’ bed rest.

You file a workers’ compensation claim with the human resources department, which orders you to take a drug test. You know that you smoked marijuana — which is legal in Colorado — the night before your injury. Still, you wonder: can a positive drug test affect your workers’ compensation claim?

This article will discuss how marijuana use can affect a workers’ compensation claim. Be sure to consult a Colorado workers’ compensation attorney if you were injured at work after using marijuana.

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 Posted on July 25, 2024 in Workers' Compensation

Workers’ compensation is a complex area of law that is often changing and it is important for employers and employees alike to stay abreast of these changes. This is especially true in Colorado, where workplace injuries have been known to surpass the national average.

Last month, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed two bills that modified the state’s workers’ compensation laws. This article will explore those changes and how they might impact Coloradoans who suffer injuries in the workplace. To understand how the new legislation may affect your case, speak with a Colorado worker’s compensation attorney.

Modified Employment

House Bill 1220 made modifications to an existing law that many workers may find welcome.

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 Posted on July 09, 2024 in Personal Injury

Social media is an integral part of our lives. For many people, it is a great way of keeping in touch with family and friends on a regular basis. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) are public spaces where you can share your thoughts and life updates.

However, personal injury victims often forget that because these are public spaces, what they post can affect their personal injury claims. It is common practice for insurance companies and legal teams to comb through the social media accounts of personal injury victims, looking for anything that might contradict the victims’ claims.

If you are claiming compensation for damages, it is a good idea to have your Colorado personal injury attorney review your social media activity. He or she will advise you whether any content should be removed and will guide you on how to post to social media without jeopardizing your case.

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 Posted on July 02, 2024 in Car Accident

Car accidents are traumatic experiences. Even if a car crash victim suffers little to no injuries or damage, it can still be a jarring ordeal. Drivers who are involved in car accidents often suffer confusion, disorientation, and anxiety. This is why some drivers who are involved in car accidents fail to take immediate measures that can help them recover compensation for injury-related damages.

Usually, compensation is recovered by settling with the victim’s car insurance company or the other driver’s car insurance company. However, it is best to first consult with a Colorado car accident attorney who can guide you on what steps to take to increase your chances of an attractive settlement offer.

Here are three ways you can help maximize your settlement after a car accident.

Report the Accident

In Colorado, you must report  any car accidents resulting in bodily injury or death to the police. However, you should report all accidents, even if not required.

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 Posted on June 27, 2024 in Truck Accident

People who are involved in truck accidents often sustain severe injuries. When it comes to personal injury lawsuits, generally speaking, the more severe an injury, the more severe the damages. Victims usually try to claim compensation for those damages by hiring a Colorado truck accident attorney. The lawyer may bring a claim against the truck driver’s insurance company or the trucking company for damages like medical expenses and lost wages.

But what if you were texting at the time of the accident? Can you still claim compensation if you were partly at fault? To answer these questions, it is important to first understand Colorado’s modified comparative negligence law.

What Is Modified Comparative Negligence?

Some states have comparative negligence laws, which means that more than one person can be found negligent, or at fault, for an injury. This includes the victim. If a victim wants to claim compensation for damages, the insurance company or court may find that he or she also contributed to the injury, known as contributory fault. In that case, the amount of the victim’s compensation is reduced by the percentage of his or her fault.

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 Posted on June 22, 2024 in Car Accident

Multi-vehicle car crashes, or pile-ups, are car accidents that involve three or more vehicles. They are known to cause heavy injuries and fatalities. People who sustain injuries from a pile-up car accident sometimes want to seek compensation for damages caused by their injuries.

In order to receive compensation, however, you need to know who was at fault. This is more difficult to prove in a multi-vehicle crash, which involves several drivers. That is why one of the first things you should do if you are injured in a pile-up is contact a Colorado car accident attorney who can walk you through the next steps.

How Do Pile-Up Crashes Happen?

Pile-up car crashes often happen when a driver fails to see an upcoming obstacle or car in time. The driver crashes into the car ahead with enough velocity to cause a “chain reaction,” so that the second car is propelled into a third car. Alternatively, the first driver, after colliding with the car in front, could be hit from behind by a driver who failed to stop in time.

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 Posted on June 17, 2024 in Car Accident

There are certain scenarios in which a driver who has been in a car accident should file an insurance claim. For example:

• If there was damage to either vehicle

• If it is unclear which driver is at fault

• If one of the parties suffered injuries in the accident

If injuries were sustained in the crash, then you might want to take some time before filing a claim. Some injuries, like whiplash, are not immediately visible right after the crash. Other injuries might be visible but you may want to seek medical attention for them first so you know how much it will cost to get treatment. Whatever the circumstances of your car crash, it is best to first speak with your Colorado injury attorney before filing an insurance claim after an accident.

How Long Do I Have to File an Insurance Claim After a Car Crash?

Under Colorado law, a driver typically has up to three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit for damage to property or for personal injuries. If you are filing a claim against the responsible driver’s insurance company, or a lawsuit against the responsible driver, the three-year statute of limitations applies.

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 Posted on June 13, 2024 in Personal Injury

Every driver is legally required to have car insurance in Colorado. However, many drivers do not understand the insurance policies they buy. Even more drivers are not familiar with the clauses in the contracts they sign with the insurance companies. This article will discuss whether a driver has an obligation to talk to his or her insurance company after a car accident.

It is important to remember that while you have a contract with the insurance company and you pay them money, their goal is the opposite of yours: they want to pay you as little compensation as possible, while you want them to pay you as much compensation as possible. Therefore, it is always a good idea to involve a car accident attorney if you get into a collision, and certainly when you deal with insurance companies.

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