Intersections help to control the flow of traffic, but they can also dangerous as well. To be sure, intersections are commonplace for car accidents to occur. If you are involved in an intersection accident, you need an experienced intersection accident lawyer in Colorado Springs on your side who can build your case, help you to prove fault, and advocate for the largest settlement award possible. To learn more about working with our Colorado Springs intersection accident lawyers at the law offices of McCormick & Murphy, call us today.
Types of Intersection Accidents
Intersection accidents can be scary and very dangerous. Our Colorado Springs intersection accident lawyers have over 50 years of combined legal experience and are confident in our ability to effectively represent you in your intersection accident claim. Common types of intersection accident cases that we’ve worked on in the past include:
- T-bone crashes. One of the most common types of intersection accidents is that of the T-bone crash. A T-bone crash typically happens when one vehicle is making a left-hand turn at an intersection and another car, coming from the other direction, is traveling straight through the intersection. The vehicles collide, forming a T-like shape upon impact. T-bone crashes can be incredibly devastating, often resulting in long-term, permanent, or even fatal injuries for those involved, especially if vehicles are traveling at high speeds.
- Rear-end crashes. Rear-end crashes are very common. Rear-end crashes typically happen when a rear vehicle assumes that the front driver will proceed, or will continue proceeding, through an intersection, and therefore accelerates as such. However, the front driver does not accelerate or accelerates and then stops, therefore resulting in the vehicle of the rear-driver colliding with the vehicle of the front driver’s rear-end. While the rear driver is usually to blame in these types of accidents, this is not always the case. These crashes are also often caused by distracted driving.
- Pedestrian and cyclist accidents. Pedestrians and cyclists are vulnerable road users, and intersections can be especially dangerous. Common accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists include:
- Vehicle making a right-hand turn into a cyclist or pedestrian proceeding straight through an intersection; and
- Vehicle making a left-hand turn into a pedestrian crossing at a crosswalk or a cyclist proceeding straight through an intersection.
- Side-swipe accidents. Finally, side-swipe accidents typically occur when a driver fails to check their blind spots before lane-changing in an intersection (which is not permitted) or makes a turn too narrowly or too widely, moving into another driver’s line and causing a collision.
Determining Fault for an Intersection Accident
Fault in an intersection accident isn’t always clear. Did one driver run the light or the stop sign, or did the other driver fail to yield? Were drivers distracted, intoxicated, or traveling too fast for conditions? Were traffic lights defective, and therefore failed to work as intended? Are there independent eye witnesses?
These are all considerations when determining fault for an intersection accident. Our lawyers will open a thorough investigation into your case that seeks to discover exactly how the accident happened, who was at fault, and therefore who should be held liable for any damages that you’ve suffered. Our investigation will include:
- Reviewing all physical evidence, including skid marks, damage to vehicles, angle of impact, etc.;
- Talking to the other driver and all eyewitnesses;
- Determining whether or not there is any video or photo evidence of the crash, including recordings caught by intersection traffic cameras;
- Reviewing a police report; and
- Hiring accident reconstruction experts who can build your case by reconstructing the accident.
Will I Have to File an Intersection Accident Lawsuit?
If you have suffered serious injuries as a result of an intersection accident, it’s important that you understand your rights and options. There are traditionally three routes for recovering financial compensation. These are:
- Filing an insurance claim against your own insurance company. This may be appropriate if you have certain coverage types, such as uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance, personal injury protection coverage, medical payments coverage, etc.
- Filing a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance. The most traditional way to have your damages paid for is to file a claim against the at-fault driver’s liability insurance. This type of insurance is designed to pay for your property damage and personal injury expenses. This often requires a lawsuit against the other driver to be filed.
Our intersection accident lawyers in Colorado Springs are skilled negotiators who will work hard to reach a settlement that is fair and just. If a settlement that fully compensates you cannot be obtained, only then will we consider the potential of litigation. Our lawyers have trial experience.
Do I Need an Attorney?
The decision to hire an attorney is a very personal one. That being said, however, working with an attorney typically results in a better case outcome than does representing yourself. Our lawyers will handle 100 percent of your case for you, starting with an investigation and ending with settlement negotiations (or litigation).
Our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means that we will agree upon a percentage of your winnings that we will be entitled to before we start work on your case; if we are unsuccessful in recovering a settlement or a jury verdict, we do not get paid.
Call Our Colorado Springs Intersection Accident Attorneys Today for Your Free Consultation
To schedule a free, no-obligation with our Colorado Springs intersection accident lawyers, please call our law firm directly at (888) 668-1182 today or send us a message telling us more about your case and how we can be of assistance.