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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, motor vehicle accidents caused 37,261 fatalities and over two million injuries (2,346,000 to be exact) in the United States during 2008. If you have suffered a serious injury or a loved one has been killed in a motor vehicle accident, you may be able to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim. You may be able to recover financial compensation for medical costs, loss of wages, and pain and suffering if you were injured as a result of the negligent actions of another party. Additionally, if you or a loved one suffered injury in a motor vehicle accident as a result of a manufacturing defect, such as a faulty seatbelt, it may be possible to file a product liability claim. It is important to contact a knowledgeable, experienced lawyer if you have been in a motor vehicle accident in Colorado or Wyoming. With offices serving Denver, Colorado and Greeley, Colorado, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, a car accident lawyer from our firm can help you obtain fair and just financial compensation for your injuries. Contact Jim Gigax today to schedule a free consultation and case review.
- Car Accidents
- Automobile Insurance Information
- Truck Accidents
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Common Causes of Motor Vehicle Accidents
- What to Do Following an Accident
- Accident Investigation and Reconstruction
- Learn More about Auto Accident Claims
If you need a Colorado auto accident lawyer, or Denver auto accident lawyer, or are looking for a Wyoming auto accident lawyer, look no further. f you need a Colorado car accident lawyer, or Denver car accident lawyer, or are looking for a Wyoming car accident lawyer, look no further.
Car Accidents
According to Highway Statistics 2007, published by the Department of Transportation, lights trucks and passenger cars account for over 50 percent of the motor vehicles on America’s roadways. It should come as no surprise then, that accidents involving passenger vehicles are responsible for the majority of traffic accident injuries and fatalities. More than 94% of the 10.1 million traffic accident injuries reported in 2008 involved passenger cars and light trucks.
Car accidents pose a significant risk to the health and well-being of road and highway users. In the event of a car accident, it is important to remember that the driver responsible for the collision is responsible for any damages that occur. If you or a loved one has been injured in a passenger car or light truck wreck, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Our lawyers can help ensure that your legal rights are protected and that the insurance companies fulfill their responsibilities to cover medical bills, wage loss and compensate victims for pain and suffering. Contact our offices in the Denver, Colorado area; the Greeley, Colorado area; or Cheyenne, Wyoming to speak with a car accident lawyer today.
Automobile Insurance Information
Protecting yourself from the consequences of an automobile accident often begins with the purchase of appropriate automobile insurance coverage. This can be a complex undertaking because there are different types of coverage available and frequently they are not well explained.
Coverage varies from state to state, so you need to know what is offered and advisable in your state. Here is a brief primer on protecting yourself in Colorado and Wyoming.
Colorado Auto Insurance Laws
Colorado requires every registered motor vehicle to be covered with automobile insurance of at least $25,000 to cover the damage that you may cause if you are at fault in an accident. There are also coverages that protect you in the event that you are injured by someone who is not insured or who does not have adequate coverage. The categories of coverage are:
- Liability Insurance covers your liability for injury caused to others if you are at fault for the accident. This coverage is mandatory in the minimum sum of $25,000. Although this is the minimum required under Colorado law, an individual can benefit from carrying higher limits. Carrying higher limits will protect a person’s assets in the event of a large claim, and it makes a person eligible for higher uninsured and underinsured coverage.
- Collision Coverage covers damage to your car. Carry enough to cover the value of your car. A lending bank or leasing company will almost always require this coverage if you are financing the car. Even if you are not it is usually good to have unless your car is very old or worth very little.
- Medical Payments are also known as “med pay.” This optional coverage is available from your required in the minimum sum of $5,000. If bills exceed that, then they go to your health insurance coverage. You can purchase more automobile health insurance coverage – and should – if you do not have health insurance as medical bills frequently exceed $5,000. In many instances, the automobile health coverage more readily covers services like physical therapy which can make higher limits worthwhile.
- Uninsured Motorist Coverage is an optional coverage that covers you for your injuries when they are caused by an uninsured motorist. Underinsured coverage is also valuable coverage to have as it covers you for your injuries when they are caused by a driver who has inadequate insurance to cover your losses. You may purchase uninsured and under insured coverage in amounts up to the amount of liability coverage that you buy to cover injuries that you cause to others.
Wyoming Auto Insurance Laws
Wyoming’s mandatory auto liability insurance law requires that anyone driving a motor vehicle must satisfy the state’s financial responsibility limits of 25/50/20. (See below for explanation.)
Wyoming’s law mandates that auto insurance policies provide the following:
- Liability -Minimum required:
- $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury; and
- $20,000 per accident for property.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Insured motorists who are concerned about being in an accident with an uninsured motorist can purchase this optional coverage to ensure their losses are covered.
Medical Payments Coverage or MPC. This optional coverage pays for reasonable expenses you and your passengers incur because of injury in a motor vehicle accident, regardless of fault. Coverage amounts available vary from company to company. You may wish to purchase it if you do not have health insurance, or to supplement any health insurance you do have.
Collision and Comprehensive. Collision insurance pays for damages to your car caused by another vehicle, an object or a rollover. Its not required by law, but most lenders require collision coverage for financing. Comprehensive insurance protects you against damage to your own car from perils like fire, theft, glass damage, hail, wind, flood or vandalism. Comprehensive isn’t required either. If you have an older car, consider dropping these types of coverage to save on insurance premiums.
If you can afford more insurance, carrying more than the mandatory minimum requirement is recommended. Think about the amount of insurance you’ll need when you need it the most. Families should sit down with their insurance agent or company representative to determine the right amount for each individual and family.
Truck Accidents
Large commercial vehicles can pose a significant risk to passenger car and light truck occupants. Large trucks weigh significantly more than passenger cars and require a much greater distance to come to a complete stop. In the event of a crash, the size and weight of large trucks can cause catastrophic injuries or death to passenger car occupants. Handling a claim in a truck crash case requires sophisticated investigation to maximize the value of the claim and to deliver a message to the truckers about safety on the highways. Too often, truckers drive for excessive hours at excessive speeds with reckless disregard for the rights of other travelers on the highway. If you or a loved one has suffered severe injuries in a truck accident, contact Jim Gigax today. We can help you begin the healing process by holding the liable parties accountable for their actions.
Learn about truck accident litigation.
Drunk Driving Accidents
If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in a drunk driving accident, you will most likely be able to recover damages from the drunk driver. Drunk drivers are responsible for a hugely disproportionate number of the serious and fatal accidents. Drunken drivers usually have significantly diminished capacity to properly manage their vehicles and as a result cause many accidents. Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other organizations have fought to hold drunken motorists accountable for their irresponsible conduct. At the Locks Law Firm, we join in that fight by bringing legal actions to force these drivers to be accountable for the harm they cause. Additionally, if a bar or restaurant serves liquor to a visibly intoxicated person who then drives a car and causes injury to others, that bar or restaurant may also be liable in a Dram Shop Action.
Jim Gigax can help you to recover the damages you deserve and is committed to serving victims of senseless DUI accidents. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Common Causes of Motor Vehicle Accidents
Speeding, improper lane changes, left turns while failing to yield the right of way, failing to observe traffic signals, inattentive driving, reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and defective equipment cause traffic accidents. By understanding what some of the more common causes of traffic accidents are, you can get a better idea of the type of lawsuit you can file. To learn more about your rights if you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, contact a car accident lawyer from Locks Law. We can review your claim and determine your case eligibility.
What to Do Following an Accident
It is very important to take certain measures after you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident in Denver or an accident in Wyoming to ensure that anyone needing medical attention receives it and to gather information about the other driver to help guarantee that your legal rights will be protected. If the police are on the scene and prepare a report, you should not need to do more. But in situations where the police are not there, or where the action does not produce serious injuries, you should be sure to get driver’s license and insurance information from the other driver. If you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car, it is a good idea to consider taking pictures of the cars and the accident scene before the vehicles involved. The actions you make after a traffic accident can substantially affect your ability to obtain compensation for any damages that may have occurred.
Accident Investigation and Reconstruction
The police department may perform accident investigation and reconstruction, particularly if an accident is very serious. However, in many accidents, no reconstruction and minimal investigation are done. It is often important to contact an attorney as soon as possible after a serious accident in case it is necessary to do accident reconstruction or investigation before critical evidence is lost.
Many of our clients find that insurance companies will often look for reasons to minimize the amount of compensation they provide or refuse compensation altogether. Be sure to be professionally represented if you are seriously injured in a car crash. We have the resources needed to conduct thorough accident investigations, do reconstruction when necessary, and determine liability in a motor vehicle accident. If your insurance company is attempting to unreasonably limit the amount of compensation you receive, we will help you fight for fair and just compensation. When an insurance company refuses a reasonable offer to settle within their policy limits it may be guilty of bad faith claims handling and can be liable for additional damages. We will advise you of your rights and fight for you when you have a valid claim.
Contact Jim Gigax to Learn More about Auto Accident Claims
If you or a loved one has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, contact Jim Gigax to schedule a free consultation. A Denver, Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, or Wyoming car accident lawyer can review your claim and determine if you should pursue a claim against the other driver, a trucking company, the highway department or an automobile manufacturer. Colorado (303) 534-2277. Wyoming (307) 632-4200