The aftermath of a motorcycle wreck can be hard to deal with, particularly if you have severe wounds. If you or a family member has been involved in an accident, a motorcycle accident attorney in Colorado Springs can help. Rather than dealing with the insurance agencies alone, our experienced legal team will walk you through the claims process. We will also help you get the maximum compensation available under Colorado law. Contact McCormick & Murphy P.C. today for a free consultation: (888) 668-1182
Motorcycle Accidents In Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is an excellent spot to get around on a motorcycle.
Undoubtedly, a motorcycle is more eco-friendly than a vehicle and less expensive to ride and maintain.
Additionally, it gives you a chance to feel the breeze against your face on your regular or leisurely rides.
Sadly, as much as motorcycling is beneficial in many ways, it often turns dangerous for riders. Every now and then, drivers neglect to look for motorcyclists the same way they watch out for other vehicles. Some drivers even purposefully attempt to hurt motorcycle riders.
Serious accidents may occur when drivers fail to respect motorcyclists on the road. The biker is usually the person who sustains the most serious wounds. The injuries sustained are often painful and expensive to treat.
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle crash in Colorado Springs, you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
The Colorado Springs motorcycle accident lawyers at McCormick & Murphy take incredible pride in helping victims recover from bike accidents.
We will pursue the fair compensation you deserve. Contact or call our motorcycle injury firm today at (888) 668-1182 for a free consultation.
Common Types of Motorcycle Accidents In Colorado Springs
Drivers frequently accuse motorcyclists after a crash. However, most motorcycle accidents are caused by a driver’s negligent actions.
The most widely recognized types of motorcycle accidents in Colorado Springs include:
“Dooring” Accidents
Doorings are a major cause of accidents in the United States. They happen when a driver suddenly opens the door of their parked vehicle into the way of an approaching motorcyclist. The oncoming biker may run into the car door and get knocked off of their motorcycle. This can result in serious injuries.
Side-Swipe Collisions
Some drivers pass motorcycle riders and fail to give them enough room on the road. That often results in the vehicle hitting the side of the motorcyclist and running the motorcycle off the street.
Rear-End Crashes
At times, drivers don’t look out for motorcyclists on the road. That leaves riders with insufficient time to stop in case a car changes route. The end result is a vehicle rear-ending a motorcyclist and tossing them from the motorcycle.
Left-Turn Collisions
Many drivers turn right at a road intersection without taking the time to ensure the way is clear. Motorcycles using the same intersection frequently get hit.
Speeding Crashes
Excessive speed is often a factor in many vehicle collisions, including those with motorcyclists. Driving too fast not only leads to an accident but also raises the seriousness of injuries from the crash.
Distracted Driving Collisions
Numerous drivers in Colorado Springs look down at their smartphones or attempt to multitask behind the wheel. Subsequently, they neglect to see a smaller motorcycle on the road alongside or in front of them.
Impaired Driving Collisions
When motorists drive when drunk or high, their response is impaired. They frequently neglect to see bikers on the road.
It’s essential for road users to know the most common reasons for accidents, so they can evade them and protect everybody.
Why Motorcycle Accidents Are Different from Car Accidents
There are a couple of ways that motorcycle accidents differ from typical auto accidents.
One of the main differences is the severity of the injuries sustained. Unlike cars, motorcycles don’t have a physical buffer to protect the driver from a collision. As a result, many motorcycle accidents involve serious injuries such as broken bones, road rash, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries.
Unfortunately, motorcycle accident victims also face more issues involving bias than those in a car accident.
Many people, including potential jurors, automatically assume that motorcyclists are reckless drivers. They don’t understand what it’s like to operate a motorcycle on the road, so they base their assumptions on the few reckless drivers they’ve encountered.
This is why it’s important to have a Colorado Springs motorcycle accident lawyer who knows to select jurors that hold no bias against motorcyclists.
Injured in a Colorado Springs Motorcycle Accident? We are Here to Help.
A qualified Colorado Springs motorcycle accident attorney from our law firm will review your case and explain your legal options. Get a free case evaluation now.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Crash in Colorado Springs
The first few moments after a bike accident are very critical. It’s essential to know what to do and what to take with you to protect your rights.
Right after a Colorado Springs motorcycle collision, you should call 911 if you’re able to do so. Police officers will come to the scene, contact emergency medical responders, and quickly start to investigate the matter.
You should adhere to basic facts when you speak with the police. At McCormick & Murphy, we can help you get a copy of the Colorado Springs traffic accident report.
When emergency medical personnel arrive at the scene, make sure you provide a full record of your injuries. If an ambulance does not come to the location of the accident, be sure you see a doctor as soon as possible for treatment.
If you are physically able, try to retrieve as much data from the driver as possible, such as a driver’s license number, plate number, insurance details, and contact data. On the off chance that others saw the mishap, it may be helpful to get their contact information too.
Take photographs of your wounds, damages to the motorcycle, and damage to the other car. If you’re not able to take those photos, ask a friend or family member to do that for you. The pictures can give an account of what occurred. The odds are also high that you’ll want to fix your motorcycle soon, but it is essential for you to wait until you talk to a qualified personal injury trial lawyer first, since that may become important evidence.
Eventually, you’ll also need to talk with the driver’s insurance agency. You ought not to do this without consulting the Colorado Springs motorcycle accident lawyers from McCormick & Murphy first.
An attorney will ensure to guard your rights and assist you in avoiding mistakes when confronting the insurance agency.
Should I Speak with Insurance Companies After an Accident?
While it’s important to contact the insurance company to file your claim, you should avoid speaking with them about the accident until you consult with your qualified motorcycle accident lawyer.
In many cases, insurance companies ask for a recorded statement about your injuries and the incident. However, the insurance adjuster often uses this information to limit or deny the claim.
An experienced Colorado Springs motorcycle accident lawyer knows the tactics used by insurance companies to minimize compensation, so it’s best to let your attorney speak with them on your behalf.
Demonstrating Liability in Colorado Springs Motorcycle Accident Claims
You may know precisely what occurred before and during the accident.
Also, you may know that you were not to blame. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney in Colorado Springs will be able to use the evidence surrounding the crash to establish the fault of the other driver.
The evidence you gathered at the scene, including pictures and witness articulations, will be useful in proving liability.
An experienced lawyer will collect other significant proof. For example, the lawyer can subpoena the driver’s mobile phone records if you’re sure the driver was distracted at the time.
Likewise, the attorney can get the motorist’s test results if the driver was intoxicated when the accident happened.
An experienced lawyer for motorcycle accident injuries can also recreate the crash scene to establish how the incident occurred if necessary. At McCormick & Murphy, we often work with accident reconstruction specialists and use displays to demonstrate collisions. It’s possible that there were intersection cameras at the scene that recorded the events on tape.
Comparative Fault In Colorado Springs
Colorado has a comparative fault framework for determining liability. If you’re over 50 percent to blame for the collision, you cannot receive any compensation.
Otherwise, the damages will be decreased in proportion to the level of blame attributed to you.
As a result of this law, you can expect an insurance company to try to put the fault on you for the crash. Our Colorado Springs motorcycle accident lawyers will aggressively challenge those attempts and work to obtain the maximum financial compensation on your behalf.
Insurance Benefits
In addition to the other driver’s insurance, you may be entitled to additional insurance benefits through your own insurance company. The experienced lawyers at McCormick & Murphy can help with this.
How Much Money Should I Expect?
The value of your claim depends on the unique circumstances of your accident.
In total, there are three types of damages used to calculate your settlement or award: economic, non-economic, and exemplary.
Economic Damages
Economic damages, also known as special damages, are any tangible losses associated with your injury.
This includes medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage, and more.
Generally, most calculable monetary expense falls under the economic damages category. For example, if you have $30,000 in medical bills, $8,000 in vehicle damage, and $2,000 in lost wages, your total economic losses are $40,000. If your case goes to trial, this can be increased by interest on those losses.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic or general damages are any intangible losses you incur as a result of your injuries.
While these losses don’t have a standard dollar value, they still may count toward your overall settlement.
This includes things like loss of quality of life, emotional distress, and pain and suffering.
Exemplary or Punitive Damages
In specific situations, the court may also decide to award exemplary damages, also known as punitive damages, to the victim.
The court reserves this type of compensation for cases where the defendant acted in a willful and wantonly way, or was grossly negligent.
The purpose of exemplary damages is to punish the wrongdoer for outrageous conduct and deter others from acting in a similar bad way.
Do I Need to Hire Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
It depends on how serious the accident and your injuries are.
However, if another person’s negligence caused your accident and your injuries, you should contact a Colorado Springs motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible.
We can determine if our involvement is needed.
Trying to pursue a claim while recovering from serious injuries will most likely be too difficult to bear alone.
Hiring an attorney not only relieves the burden of managing the claim but also evens the odds against the insurance company.
Our lawyers know the laws regarding motorcycle accident claims and have the negotiating experience necessary to take on insurance companies both big and small.
Why Work With McCormick & Murphy?
At McCormick & Murphy, our Colorado Springs motorcycle accident attorneys have over 60 years of combined experience representing personal injury victims. We use an empathetic, individualized approach for every client and passionately fight for the compensation they need to recover.
Our goal is to protect your best interests and hold the responsible party accountable for their negligent actions by:
- Gathering evidence for your claim,
- Hiring expert witnesses,
- Calculating your damages,
- Negotiating settlements, and
- Providing a free case review.
We know that bringing a motorcycle accident claim can be challenging while recovering from your injuries. That’s why we manage every aspect of your case from start to finish.
Are Your Free Consultations Actually Free?
Absolutely.
We realize that not every case may be right for us, so we offer a free, no-obligation consultation to every potential client.
During this consultation, we examine the facts of your case to determine if it’s in your best interest to hire a lawyer. We also go over our fee structure and the scope of the services you need.
Even if you decide to not retain one of our experienced attorneys, you owe us nothing.
Contact a Colorado Springs Motorcycle Accident Lawyer for Help
If you’re a victim of a motorcycle crash that wasn’t your fault, you might have the option to pursue substantial compensation.
The losses that are usually compensable include medical costs, lost pay, loss of enjoyment in life, emotional distress, physical impairment, and disfigurement.
We’ve been representing innocent accident victims since 1995. Call us at (888) 668-1182 or send us an email through our online contact form for a free initial consultation.