The allure of Colorado’s scenic highways and bustling cities brings millions of motorists onto the state’s roads every year. Unfortunately, this motor vehicle traffic also produces a concerning number of car accidents statewide. Many of these crashes upend lives by causing severe injuries, emotional trauma, and financial stress.
Colorado averages approximately 100,000 car accidents on its roadways annually as the state is seeing increasing dangers. In 2022, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) reported 754 deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents, the most in more than four decades.
Car accidents can devastate the lives of victims and their families due to the physical, emotional, and financial burdens that often accompany these incidents. As the leading Colorado car accident law firm, Levine Law supports victims in their time of need.
We help you understand Colorado’s unique car accident laws and fiercely advocate to protect your legal rights.
Understanding Colorado’s Fault and Liability Laws
Understanding liability in car accidents is essential to your legal rights in Colorado. The state operates on a fault-based insurance system. This means the driver who caused the accident is liable for damages. Injured parties can pursue compensation through the at-fault driver’s insurance, their insurance, or a personal injury lawsuit.
Additionally, the state features a comparative negligence rule that says that if you are partly at fault in the accident, your damages may be reduced by the amount you are deemed to be at fault. For example, if you are 25 percent at fault, you can claim 75 percent of the damages. You must be less than 51 percent at fault to collect any damages.
As the leading car accident attorney in Colorado, Levine Law helps you make sense of these nuances to pursue the maximum compensation you are entitled to.
Colorado’s Statute of Limitations
Colorado law requires victims to file personal injury claims within three years from the accident date according to the state’s statute of limitations. This deadline highlights the importance of contacting a top-rated car accident lawyer in Colorado as soon as possible to start building your case.
While the three-year window may seem long, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and working with crash reconstruction experts is often time-consuming. Knowing that a car accident lawyer near me is ready to assist you immediately offers you peace of mind following the chaotic aftermath of a crash.
Colorado’s Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage Laws
Colorado requires all drivers to carry liability insurance. However, some motorists don’t follow this law and either have no insurance or have a policy that does not provide enough coverage to pay for the damages they cause. The Insurance Research Council found that over 14 percent of Colorado drivers were uninsured.
Due to the prevalence of uninsured and underinsured motorists, Colorado requires insurance companies to offer uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, though motorists can decline this coverage. UM and UIM coverage offers compensation from your insurance company if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
A top-rated car accident lawyer in Colorado can help you understand your legal options after an incident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist while helping you pursue the maximum compensation you are entitled to.
Colorado’s Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay)
Also unique to Colorado car accident law is the state’s MedPay insurance requirement. This regulation stipulates that insurers must include $5,000 in MedPay coverage in all automobile insurance policies unless the policyholder opts out. MedPay covers medical expenses after an accident regardless of who was at fault and can be applied in addition to health insurance.
Unlike other states, Colorado does not allow insurers to subrogate MedPay payments, meaning insurance cannot seek reimbursement for MedPay benefits from your personal injury settlement. This critical nuance enables you to keep me or your compensation.
As Colorado’s most trusted car accident attorney, Levine Law helps you understand all your legal options after an accident.
Hit-and-Run Cases in Colorado
Hit-and-run accidents present unique challenges to victims and insurance companies. Colorado law states that leaving the scene of an accident is a criminal offense, punishable by fines or imprisonment.
Victims of hit-and-run accidents are often unable to identify the at-fault driver in these cases, though they may be protected by UM or UIM insurance coverage. Knowing a car accident lawyer near me who will advocate for your rights offers peace of mind, understanding that valuable legal guidance is just a phone call away.
Colorado’s Distracted Driving Laws
Distracted driving is an increasingly significant problem on Colorado’s roadways, causing more than 15,000 crashes each year, according to CDOT. State law prohibits texting while driving for all motorists and bans cell phones completely for drivers under 18.
The experienced team at Levine Law will thoroughly investigate your accident by examining evidence, police reports, and medical records and interviewing witnesses and experts to determine precisely what caused the crash. If we find evidence of distracted driving, we will leverage it to hold negligent parties accountable to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Levine Law is Ready to Assist You
The aftermath of a car accident is often chaotic and challenging. Victims face the prospect of a long and difficult recovery from their physical injuries while also being burdened with emotional trauma and mounting financial pressures. Many times, they endure these hardships through no fault of their own.
Here at Levine Law, our Denver car accident lawyers strive to make your recovery easier by handling the legal complexities of your case so you can focus on your physical and mental well-being. Our dedicated team fights on your behalf to protect your legal rights and hold negligent parties accountable while obtaining victims the compensation that allows them to move forward with their lives.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident in Colorado, call us today to learn more about how we can assist you.
