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Every day, careless and reckless drivers cause serious car accidents in Denver and throughout Colorado. Distracted driving, such as texting and driving, is a major problem that contributes to thousands of fatal auto accidents each year.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a distracted driving crash in Denver County, the attorneys at Dormer Harpring can help you explore your rights. Our car accident lawyers in Denver are dedicated to helping injured accident victims and their families fight for justice and fair financial compensation.
Being involved in a distracted driving accident can result in a complicated car insurance claims process. You will have to prove that the other driver was not paying enough attention to the road and that this is what caused your accident. You will need to demonstrate this to a car insurance company using clear and convincing evidence.
Unfortunately, a car insurance company will not want to offer you a fair payout. It may employ tactics such as making a low settlement offer in the hopes of pressuring you to accept right away. A Denver personal injury attorney can take over the insurance claim process for you while you focus on healing from serious injuries.
A lawyer will know how to deal with insurance claims adjusters to ensure you are treated fairly. An attorney will investigate your car accident, search for evidence of distracted driving and strengthen your case by hiring experts, if necessary. An experienced attorney will have the power to negotiate for maximum compensation on your behalf.
It is dangerous to operate a motor vehicle without 100 percent of your attention on the driving task. If a driver is guilty of distracted driving, it means that he or she is focused on something other than driving. The three types of driver distraction are visual (the eyes leaving the road), manual (the hands leaving the steering wheel) and cognitive (the mind leaving the driving task).
While Colorado does not have a law specifically against distracted driving, it does have a cell phone law. Drivers are prohibited from manual entry on a cell phone while driving. This includes manipulating a handheld device to text or email. Adult drivers can use their cell phones to make phone calls while driving, but any driver under the age of 18 cannot (except in an emergency). If a distraction leads to traffic violations, the driver can also face legal consequences for reckless driving.
Distracted driving is a significant public safety concern. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed 3,308 lives in 2022. All types of distractions can be dangerous and result in serious automobile accidents in Denver.
Common driver distractions that may cause car accidents include:
Distractions related to cell phones are the most dangerous, as they present a visual, manual and cognitive distraction simultaneously. The NHTSA states that looking at a cell phone for the amount of time it takes to read or write a single message while traveling at 55 miles per hour is the equivalent of driving across a football field blindfolded.
Determining who is liable, or legally and financially responsible, for your car accident requires an understanding of Colorado’s car insurance laws. Colorado is a fault state, which means that the driver or party at fault for causing a vehicle collision must pay for a victim’s losses. All drivers in Colorado are required to carry liability car insurance to pay for at-fault accidents.
The injured victim must prove fault to recover compensation from another driver’s car insurance company. If you file a claim against someone for distracted driving, you or your car accident attorney must prove that the other driver was not paying enough attention to the driving task and that this is what caused the wreck. If fault can be established as more likely to be true than not true, the other driver’s car insurance company will have to pay for your losses.
As a car accident victim in Denver, you may be eligible for several different types of financial compensation from a distracted driver’s insurance company. Obtaining a fair settlement or judgment award can make it easier for you to move forward with your life.
Available compensation (also known as damages) may include:
If you are curious how much your distracted driving accident case might be worth, consult with an attorney at Dormer Harpring. We will give you an accurate case value estimation based on your unique circumstances.
It is important to protect your rights after a distracted driving accident by consulting with a personal injury lawyer early on in your case. Your lawyer can provide the information and assistance you need to hold a distracted driver accountable for the crash and recover fair compensation.
The attorneys at Dormer Harpring are committed to helping Denver car accident victims achieve justice. We will help you hold a distracted driver responsible for your serious injuries or the tragic loss of a loved one. Start your case with a free, no-obligation consultation with an attorney at our law firm. Contact us online or call (303) 747-4404 today.