Fort Collins Truck Accident Lawyer
Busy thoroughfares surround Fort Collins. I-25, one of the most dangerous roads in Colorado, carries heavy traffic at all hours of the day and night. On April 14, I-25 was closed down due to a semi-truck accident involving multiple vehicles, as reported by the Coloradoan. But I-25 isn’t the only nearby road with truck crashes. Other major thoroughfares like Highway 287 lead into mountainous terrain that can be especially difficult for heavy semi-trucks to navigate, especially in the winter months.
With so many hazards along major roads, truck accidents can occur in Fort Collins and the surrounding areas. If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, the Fort Collins truck accident lawyers at Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC are standing by to begin your pursuit for compensation. Contact our firm today at (303) 543-1000 to learn more about what we can do for you in a free consultation.
Establishing the Settlement Value of Your Fort Collins Truck AccidentAt least at the beginning of your case, it’s difficult to say how much compensation you can receive at the beginning of your 18-wheeler truck accident claim. But take comfort that your lawyers’ goal is to pursue the largest settlement value for the total losses you sustained in your crash.
When considering losses for a truck accident claim, our personal injury lawyers can account for your financial and non-financial damages.
- Non-financial damages refer to those losses that are difficult to quantify, like pain and suffering, reduced quality of life, emotional anguish, and even physical disfigurement.
- Financial damages are easier to quantify using documentation. They include past and future hospital bills, medical costs, lost income, property damage expenses, and funeral and burial costs.
Our legal team works every day to ensure that you have the financial compensation you need to recover from your injuries and enjoy a good quality of life.
Advantages of Working With Our Truck Accident LawyersWhen you hire Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC, you gain 60 years of experience in Colorado injury law. Our team of personal injury attorneys has secured settlements and verdicts on behalf of truck accident victims throughout Colorado. While most of our clients settle their cases without ever setting foot in a courtroom, we are ready and willing to litigate your case if it is needed to fairly compensate you. Some of our most recent accident settlements include:
- $1.33 million Boulder County truck accident settlement
- $800,000 t-bone crash settlement
- $720,000 rear-end collision settlement
- $565,000 Denver County transport van settlement
Our client testimonials attest to our personalized attention, open communication, and client care services. We do everything we can to reach a positive outcome. Our lawyers also have years of experience helping clients with serious head injures of the kind that is common in a semi-truck crash case.
Our firm also takes truck accident cases on contingency, so you do not have to worry about paying legal fees and costs while you recover. Instead, we handle your case from beginning to end and accept a portion of the settlement once we finalize an agreement or achieve a verdict in your favor. You have nothing to lose when you hire us.
Following Colorado’s Timeline for Filing a Lawsuit After a Truck AccidentColorado places deadlines on filing lawsuits following an accident with a big truck. According to CO Rev Stat § 13-80-101, claimants typically have three years to take action. Whether you qualify for exceptions that shorten or extend the deadline, act quickly. Trying to submit your case after the time limit risks your right to collect compensation from the other party.
However, if you hire our team soon enough, we can help you avoid this negative outcome. To be clear, especially with big truck crashes, the earlier you hire a lawyer the better off you will be. Enlisting our representation promptly also gives us enough time to take care of other aspects of your case, such as:
- Collecting the police report, medical records, and other evidence
- Establishing all negligent parties
- Handling all correspondence
- Fighting for your right to fair compensation in settlement negotiations or a trial
Our team keeps our clients updated about the status of their cases throughout the legal process, so we never leave them out of the loop.
Truck Drivers Have a Duty to Drive SafelyAccording to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), commercial trucks can weigh between 20 and 30 times as much as a typical passenger car. When they collide, a truck can cause significant damage and catastrophic injuries.
Injuries You Could Sustain in a Fort Collins Truck AccidentTruck accident injuries vary depending on speed, weight, and vehicle orientation. Types of semi-truck accidents include:
- Override
- Underride
- Sideswipe
- T-bone
- Head-on
- Jackknife
- Rollover
The resulting injuries can range from broken bones and lost limbs to spinal damage and traumatic brain injury. Such injuries often require years of physical and psychological therapy. Chronic disability is common after tractor-trailer injuries, as are fatalities. Per the NHTSA, 4,965 people were killed in truck collisions in 2020. Seventy-one percent of those fatalities were people in other vehicles.
No matter how severe your injuries are, you should not have to pay for another person’s negligence. When you meet with the truck accident attorneys on our team, they can review your options about moving forward with your claim.
Who Is Responsible for a Fort Collins Truck Accident?The 18-wheeler driver is often at fault for a tractor-trailer accident. However, truck accident cases can be more complicated. Those working in the trucking industry must comply to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations. For instance, if a truck crash occurred because the driver did not have adequate training or licensing, the trucking company that hired them could be responsible.
Also, liability works differently in truck accident cases than in car crash claims. As such, if the driver is at fault for the crash, their employer would most likely pay for the damages because they take financial responsibility for their employees’ negligence.
Other parties who may carry liability in a Fort Collins semi-truck accident include:
- The shipping company
- The truck maintenance company
- The local or state road maintenance
- The manufacturer of defective parts
Our truck accident injury lawyers can help you determine who is at fault. With this information, they can decide where to pursue damages, whether through the trucking company’s insurance or another entity.
Contact Our Fort Collins Truck Accident Team Today for a Free ConsultationIf you or a loved one was injured in an accident involving a big truck, contact Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC today at (303) 543-1000 for a free consultation with one of our specially-trained attorneys.
Our Fort Collins truck accident lawyers want to hear your story and determine your eligibility to seek damages. If we decide to take your semi-truck injury case, we will begin gathering evidence to establish your claim right away.