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Hit-and-run in Denver

What to Do After a Hit and Run Accident in Denver?

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Every day in Colorado and throughout the United States, a pedestrian is involved in an auto/pedestrian accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that there were nearly 6,000 pedestrian fatalities in 2016 – which made up 16% of traffic deaths that same year. The severity of an accident may vary from minor injuries to fatal. If death is the result, this may be a case for a wrongful death action. Regardless of whether you are a pedestrian, bicyclist, or driver, a hit and run is an issue that requires serious attention.

Colorado does not take a hit and run lightly

Unfortunately, in recent years, the number of drivers fleeing the scene of an accident has increased. Fortunately, however, Colorado has become increasingly serious about prosecuting and charging individuals involved in a hit and run. Under the Colorado Revised Statute §42-4-1601, a hit and run may result in any of the following:

  1. A Class 1 misdemeanor conviction, punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine;
  2. If the victim suffered serious injuries, the driver may face up to a Class 5 felony, punishable by 1 to 3 years in prison, and fines that can reach up to $500,000;
  3. If the accident results in death, the driver may face a Class 3 felony and up to 12 years in prison and fines.

The severity of the punishment depends on the facts of the situation.

To further reduce the number of hit and run accidents for pedestrians, aside from enacting strict hit and run laws, Colorado has enacted right-of-way laws that require Colorado drivers to stop and yield for pedestrians. Many other states have followed suit in implementing such laws. According to the Colorado Driver Handbook at section 10.2, the most important points to take away regarding pedestrians are:

  1. When driving, you should yield the right-of-way to pedestrians under all conditions.
  2. Be particularly watchful for children, elderly and blind persons.
  3. Pedestrians have the right-of-way at all intersections and crosswalks.
  4. Drivers must come to a complete stop and let the person pass safely.

The law states who must yield the right-of-way. It does not give a driver the right-of-way, even if the driver’s traffic signal is green.

What if a car hit me and fled the scene?

If you have been involved in a hit and run in Colorado, try to remain calm, stay at the scene immediately following the accident, and do the following:

  1. Contact emergency medical services if the injury is serious or you think you may require medical attention or seek medical attention as soon as possible even if you think your injuries are minor;
  2. Contact the police. It is the law to remain at the scene of the accident. It will also be important to file a police report of the incident for your insurance company. Provide the police with as much information about the driver, vehicle, license plate, etc. as possible. This information may help police locate the hit and run driver.
  3. If possible, try to move your vehicle out of traffic to the side of the road.
  4. Take pictures of the scene of the accident. Any damage to your car, the weather conditions, the intersection, and anything that may be relevant to the accident.
  5. If any witnesses were present, ask whether they can provide you their contact information and any information they may have regarding the accident.
  6. Write down every bit of information you can recall shortly before or during the accident. It will be much harder to recall this information at a later time.
  7. Contact your insurance company to file a claim and see what your insurance policy covers. If you have underinsurance and uninsurance coverage, it may help you cover some damage that resulted from the accident.
  8. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney to handle your case. Call the experienced personal injury attorneys of Alhasoon, Glidden and Glidden for a free consultation to see how we can get you the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

If you are a witness, it is important to provide support and help to an individual who has been harmed. Providing any information that may be useful for a hit a run will greatly help to hold those who may be responsible for an individual’s injuries and harm.

A hit and run is a serious crime – the law treats it as such and we certainly do, too! If you are a pedestrian, bicyclist, or driver in Colorado that has suffered damages or injury from a hit and run, call the experienced personal injury attorneys of Alhasoon, Glidden and Glidden for a free consultation on your options for compensation We get paid only when we recover compensation for you!

Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

Are You a Victim of a Pedestrian Accident?

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Every year, hundreds of Colorado pedestrians are injured and, in some cases, die due to careless or reckless drivers. Denver Public Works reported 416 pedestrian accidents in 2015 – an increase from the incidents reported in the last 4 years. These figures suggest that pedestrians should be even more vigilant than ever when crossing the street. These figures also suggest that drivers should pay extra careful attention when driving through school zones, neighborhoods, or packed and congested streets.

The experienced injury lawyers at Alhasoon, Glidden and Glidden have handled many pedestrian injury cases and know how to investigate your case and evaluate your claim. Although there are many laws in place to protect pedestrians from automobile accidents, drivers still breach their responsibility to exercise reasonable care by exceeding the speed limit, ignoring traffic signs, driving recklessly, or losing control of their vehicle, causing an accident. In such an event, the driver may be held liable for any resulting injuries.

What Should I do if I am Hit by an Automobile?

If you are a pedestrian that has been involved in an accident, keep the following four steps in mind:

First, contact the police to report the accident. It is important to file a police report of the incident as soon as possible, regardless of whether the driver has fled the scene or remained present. You want to be sure to get your side of the story documented right after the accident. It is also important for the police to document who was at fault for the accident, as this can be very important to your case later on. If there are any witnesses, have them volunteer a statement.

Second, exchange contact and insurance information with the driver. You may not feel any pain right after the accident, but it is important that you have the driver’s insurance information in case you need to file a claim for future medical expenses. If the driver has fled the scene, see if any witnesses were present to identify the vehicle make or the license plate. A hit and run is a serious offense and should certainly be reported – such drivers are a danger to people on the road.

Third, seek immediate medical attention to document any injuries or pain. This is important in case any injuries manifest from the accident weeks or months down the road. Be sure to keep all the records, expenses, and a journal of any pain that may have manifested from the accident.

The final step is to contact the experienced attorneys at Alhasoon, Glidden, and Glidden who regularly deal with pedestrian injuries to consult with them on your options. These steps are necessary if you need to later go to court to seek recovery for any damages resulting from the accident.

Get the Care and Attention You Deserve!

Our attorneys have years of experience representing clients in a variety of personal injury cases and investigating pedestrian accidents throughout Colorado. Contact the attorneys at the Denver-based firm of Alhasoon, Glidden, and Glidden to help you fight to recover every dollar you deserve.

If you have lost a loved one unexpectedly in a pedestrian accident to a careless or reckless driver, Alhasoon, Glidden and Glidden extends its deepest condolences, and is here to fight for you!

Pedestrian Auto Accident Attorneys

What to Do If You’ve Been Injured in a Pedestrian Auto Accident

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Every year thousands of people involved in pedestrian auto accidents are injured, and tens of thousands of people die. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported in 2015 that approximately 70,000 pedestrians were injured by an automobile, and 5,376 pedestrians were killed. Such injuries can be very serious and often life threatening. In 2017, Colorado had 93 pedestrian fatalities.

As the population in Colorado continues to increase, the chances of being injured in a pedestrian auto accident have also increased. All too often, the driver’s conduct is to blame. Most pedestrian auto accidents are caused by distracted drivers using a mobile device, eating, drinking, or several other distractions while driving. Even worse, alcohol is sometimes involved. Here are some things to keep in mind if you become the victim of a pedestrian auto accident.

What to do after a pedestrian auto accident

If you’ve been involved in a pedestrian auto accident, follow these steps:

  1. Contact the police and wait for them to arrive at the scene
  2. If the driver did not flee the accident, exchange contact information, but do not try to discuss or establish fault
  3. Collect contact information from any witnesses that were present during the accident

Next, and most importantly seek immediate medical attention. It is important to remember that even if you do not feel pain immediately after the accident, it often takes some time for injuries to materialize. Seeking immediate medical attention ensures that a qualified medical professional can identify issues before they become worse. Also, waiting to see a doctor after an accident may not work to your favor if you need to go to court to seek compensation from a negligent driver.

Colorado’s Duty of Care

In pedestrian auto accidents, drivers must exercise “reasonable care under the circumstances” when operating a vehicle. This means the driver must obey the customary rules of the road – stopping at stop signs and red lights, signaling before turning, obeying posted signs, yielding to pedestrians crossing cross walks, and obeying the speed limits, among other rules. A driver that fails to follow these rules may have breached their duty of care and may be found liable for negligence.

Can a pedestrian be held liable for a pedestrian auto accident?

Yes. Colorado Tort Law allows the court to find a party contributorily negligent. This means that if a pedestrian was at fault in causing the accident or contributing to their own injuries in some manner, they can be found liable for the percentage of their own negligence and can potentially be barred from recovering. It is important to contact Alhasoon, Glidden & Glidden, LLC immediately following a pedestrian auto accident so we can investigate your case and help gather evidence.

Consult an Attorney

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an auto pedestrian accident, reach out to an experienced attorney that can help you investigate your case, evaluate your claims, and protect your rights. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and expenses. Contact the experienced lawyers at the AGG Law Firm for a free case consultation today.

denver fatal crash

What You Should Know After You Get into an Auto Accident

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A serious car accident is almost always a traumatic experience. You are likely in pain, and are overwhelmed with emotions and questions – What should I do? Who should I call? Am I ok? How bad is the damage? How will I pay for this?

If your car is badly damaged, chances are, your body will feel the residual affects of the accident – eventually, if not immediately.  Although some injuries may not be felt right away, it’s important to keep calm in the moment and follow these six steps immediately after a car accident.

1. Call the police and take pictures of everything

If your vehicle is drivable after an accident, go to the side of the road where you are safe from oncoming traffic. Next, call the police to report the accident. Having the police come out and document the accident and issue a citation to the at-fault driver can significantly help your case later on.

Finally, if your injuries permit, take pictures of the scene of the accident.  This ensures that your series of events are backed-up by photographs of the damage, angle of the vehicles, and positions of the vehicles in the street. This will be important not only to show your insurance company who was at fault but may be necessary if you need to go to court sometime in the future to seek compensation.

2. Seek medical care immediately

Regardless of whether you are feeling the effects of the accident, you should seek medical attention immediately.  A car accident can get your body excited, releasing endorphins that mask an injury or pain that the accident may have caused.  The results of the accident, and any injury, may not surface for a few days or even weeks after.  Some common injuries that individuals may suffer are whiplash, back injuries, and concussions.

The longer you take to seek medical treatment, the more the other insurance company’s defense attorneys will try to use this against you – to show that you were not in fact seriously injured and waited for some time before seeking care.  Start the paper trail right away and consult a doctor for a medical evaluation.

3. Colorado has time limits following your car accident

According to Colorado law, you have three years from the date of the auto accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. That time will run out after three years, and you will not be able to seek compensation for any injuries resulting from the accident.

By consulting an attorney immediately after your accident, you are giving yourself ample time to investigate the crash and negotiate a fair settlement. Aside from the statute of limitations, here are some other Colorado laws on damages to keep in mind:

  • Colorado has a comparative fault rule – If you were partially responsible for the accident, you may only collect damages for the percentage of fault the other driver had for the accident.  In Colorado, an injured party that is 50% or more responsible for an accident is barred from recovering. In cases where fault is not clear or questionable, it is important to have the attorneys at Alhasoon, Glidden and Glidden on your side.
  • Colorado Legislation has placed a cap on non-economic damages available to injured victim in certain cases. Examples of non-economic damages are pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of companionship, inconvenience, loss of enjoyment of life, etc.

4. Document Everything

Following the car accident, make sure you keep detailed notes, pictures, and records of anything related to the accident. This may include things such as:

  1. Doctor and medical visits,
  2. Medical bills,
  3. Out of pocket medical expenses,
  4. Cost of insurance coverage,
  5. Lost time at work due to the accident, and
  6. Any pain or discomfort due to injuries

It is always helpful to have as many notes as possible documenting the day to day difficulties the accident may have caused.  This will be useful should the matter ever go to trial. Also, if the pain has reached a high degree of discomfort, it may be wise to keep a journal, noting the types of pain and when it occurs.

5. Limit communication with the other driver’s insurance company

Typically, one day after a serious accident, an adjuster from the other driver’s insurance company will reach out to you to discuss the accident. In situations where they know their driver is at fault, the other company may attempt to offer you an amount for settlement of the accident – to get themselves off the hook easily.

Don’t fall for it. Insurance companies will also try to ask you questions or get recorded statements to trap you into saying something that can be damaging for your case. For this reason, it is important to limit communication with the other insurance company and hire a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Until you can truly determine the full extent of your vehicle’s damages, and any bodily injuries, you need to limit future communications.  You may consider requesting that all future communication is done in writing, or once you have retained an attorney, your attorney will ask that all communications with the adjuster be  directed to your attorney.

6. Contact a lawyer

If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, contact us for a free consultation. Car accidents can be a traumatic experience, but if you follow these 6 steps, you’ll be on the road to recovery and putting this all behind you!

The experienced attorneys at Alhasoon, Glidden and Glidden, LLC are here to provide you a free consultation. Contact us today!