How To Fight Back After A Serious Hit-And-Run
After a sharp decline during the pandemic shutdown, hit-and-run car crashes are once again on the rise in Colorado. Denver alone has had 3,541 hit-and-run accident reports filed in the first seven months of 2021, an average of 505 per month — slightly more than 16 a day.
Behind those disturbing numbers are a lot of Colorado automotive accident victims who’ve been left in the lurch by irresponsible drivers. Many hit-and-run drivers are intoxicated, speeding and (as their behavior demonstrates) reckless, so the likelihood is greater of sustaining serious injuries from the encounter — including fractures, lacerations, traumatic brain injury, and concussions. With no one around to exchange information or render aid (as required by law), those who’ve been in a car crash with a hit-and-run driver are left to pick up the pieces by themselves. Here are a few tips that can help guide you through what can be a challenging time.
Steps To Take After The Accident
Seek medical care. Your first priority should be to call 911 and check for injuries to yourself or others in your vehicle. Many people decline to get checked out by paramedics after an automobile accident, insisting they’re fine or were just “shook up.” But certain injuries from a traffic collision, such as a head injury or whiplash, may not be apparent right away. Even if you turn down an ambulance trip, it makes sense to go see a doctor — preferably that same day — to receive proper care.
Document and report the accident. After checking for injuries, and if necessary moving your vehicle to a location away from dangerous traffic, it’s time to get the police involved. The report you file with them is a crucial aid to their investigation and may help them in locating the driver who left the scene. If you can, you should do some evidence-gathering of your own: writing down everything you remember about the hit-and-run vehicle and its driver, gathering contact information of witnesses before they leave the scene, and taking photos of the damage involved and the scene surrounding the accident.
Check your coverage. In Colorado, a hit-and-run motorist is also typically an uninsured motorist. When a crash in Colorado is caused by an uninsured driver, several auto policy coverages may help protect you. Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI) helps pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and related injury costs for you and your passengers when the at-fault driver has no insurance. Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) helps cover repairs to your vehicle and other damaged property if an uninsured driver causes the crash (though drivers often choose collision instead). Collision Coverage pays to repair or replace your vehicle after a crash, regardless of who is at fault, including when the other driver is uninsured. Comprehensive Coverage protects against non-collision losses—like theft, hail, fire, or hitting an animal—and isn’t tied to who caused a crash. Medical Payments (MedPay) helps pay medical bills for you and your passengers, no matter who is at fault, and is automatically included in Colorado policies unless you reject it. A Denver car crash attorney can help you determine coverage.
Contact an experienced hit-and-run victim attorney. Pursuing a hit-and-run case can be complicated in Colorado. Your claim may be best handled by an experienced hit-and-run accident attorney and a legal team with appropriate resources. A knowledgeable Colorado attorney can walk you through the questions and issues arising from the incident, help you evaluate the situation and your options, and help you recover the compensation you deserve for your damages.
Why You Want a Lawyer If You’re Hurt in a Multi-Car Accident
A multi-car accident can be a terrifying moment. The effects can impact your life for months or years. Hiring an experienced car accident lawyer may be necessary to ensure that you get the compensation you actually deserve, not just what the insurance companies will try to get you to take.
At Frank Azar Car & Truck Accident Lawyers, we know how to win. Our experienced team of injury attorneys represents victims of multi-vehicle pileups throughout Colorado. We understand the challenges that arise when multiple parties may share liability, and we know how to push back against insurers who claim you deserve a greater proportion of the blame than you actually do.
What Is a Multi-Car Accident?
A multi-car accident is any type of collision involving at least two other vehicles. Most of the time, they are chain reaction crashes: Car A hits Car B, who then hits Car C, and so on.
Chain reactions are one type of multi-car accident, but they’re not the only kind. You can be in a multi-car pileup because of a truck jackknifing and hitting multiple vehicles. You can be in a crash if multiple cars and trucks hit patches of ice and end up smashing into the same spot, like a building or a guardrail. No matter how or why the accident occurs, a Colorado car accident lawyer from our firm can help.
What Are the Causes of Multi-Vehicle Collisions?
Some reasons why a multi-vehicle accident happens include:
- Driver impairment due to the use of alcohol or drugs, or other substances
- Driver distraction
- Dangerous road hazards (think of US 160 and US 50, which are known for their slick conditions and potholes)
- Speeding or other reckless behavior
- Driver inexperience
- Defective auto or truck parts
- Poor road design
- Inadequate warnings about dangerous conditions
There are many other potential reasons why a multi-vehicle accident happens. A car or truck accident lawyer from our firm can determine the underlying cause of the accident as part of their review.
Who Is Liable for a Multi-Vehicle Pileup in Colorado?
Here is an example. You are at a red light patiently waiting for your turn when a driver (A) slams into the back of your car (B), causing your car to smash into the car in front of you (C). The force of impact then pushes Car C into the intersection, where a speeding and distracted truck driver (D) strikes the car. Who is financially responsible in a multi-car accident like this?
Driver A is likely to be considered negligent, as he or she was the first to crash. But the truck driver (Driver D) is also likely to be held negligent, which means he or she may share liability. The most important thing we do as your lawyer is argue that even though your car hit Car C, you were not at fault, and therefore should not be held liable.
These cases can be complicated and require significant resources. Our firm has those resources, and we have experience with these types of cases. We gather evidence, use accident reconstruction tools, and use every type of evidence a car or truck offers to establish liability.
Why Pileups with Tractor-Trailers Can Be Harder Cases
All vehicle accidents can have challenges. Truck accidents, however, can be particularly tough. There are several reasons for that:
Liability Is Different in Cases with Commercial Trucks
Trucking companies follow different rules. They’re subject to different regulations. Because of that, liability may be different. Sometimes, the truck driver is solely responsible, but usually it’s the trucking company that bears liability. Other times, the broker or shippers employing or using that driver’s services are partially to blame, and they can be held partially liable. We may need to sue multiple people to get the fair result you deserve, and that can make things more complicated.
Injuries Stemming From Multi-Truck Collisions Can Be Life-Altering
Multi-truck accidents can result in life-threatening and life-changing injuries. Our team has experience representing folks with catastrophic injuries such as:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Serious lacerations
- Amputations
- Disfigurement
- Permanent disability
- Wrongful death losses
- HAZMAT-related injuries, including toxic chemical and material exposure
These types of injuries are difficult to heal, if they ever fully do, with some people sustaining secondary injuries related to initial harms. All of these scenarios make truck-related pileups more challenging.
You May Be Dealing With Federal Agencies and Investigations
Criminal charges may be filed by the District Attorney, and as a victim, you have rights in those actions that a Denver car accident attorney can help with.
All of this means that your multi-car accident may take much longer. And the longer it takes, the more memories fade and the more likely it is that evidence may be lost.
Whose Insurance Pays in a Multi-Car Accident?
The at-fault party(ies) pays for the accident-related losses. That includes truck insurance companies when trucks are involved.
How Our Truck Accident Lawyers Throughout Colorado Can Help
At Frank Azar Car & Truck Accident Lawyers, we prioritize your rights. After a formal conversation about what happened and how it impacted your life, we investigate your case thoroughly. That means going beyond the police report to review evidence, such as the driver’s chemical test or commercial truck logs, to find out what was really behind the incident.
We also talk to your doctor, medical experts, and others who can demonstrate what has happened to you. Then, our firm starts the fight for fair compensation for you from the accident. We are not going to let the insurance company deny valid claims. We will negotiate and, if they do not treat you fairly, we will file a lawsuit.
With our team, expect:
- A fast response to your request for help. We value your time.
- Clear expectations and transparency. We do not overpromise.
- Aggressive legal representation. We keep the insurance companies at bay.
Box & Delivery Truck Dangers
THE CAR ACCIDENT LAWYERS AT FRANK AZAR CAR & TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS
For nearly forty years, the attorneys at Frank Azar Car & Truck Wreck Lawyers have helped thousands of injured people obtain complete and timely compensation for their losses. Our proven track record and expertise in serious injury cases have allowed us to grow into the largest personal injury law firm in Colorado, with offices in Aurora, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Cheyenne, Denver, Fort Collins, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Greeley, Lakewood, Littleton, Longmont, Loveland, Pueblo, and Thornton. If you’ve been injured in a bus, car, rideshare, truck, or motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Please call the car accident attorneys at FDAzar day or night at 800-716-9032, or contact us here for a free consultation and no-obligation evaluation of your case.
