Aurora Car Accidents Involving Bad Weather

Colorado is an ever-changing state when it comes to weather in that it could be sunny in the morning and six inches of snow by the afternoon. Oftentimes the roads freeze quickly and become very hazardous. With heavy snow and ice, they do not plow roads other than emergency routes or main thorough ways with the anticipation that tomorrow will be sunny and the snow will be gone.

As a result, Aurora car accidents involving bad weather are quite common. Warning signs that an accident might occur may mean that there is ice or snow on the road, for example. A person can see ice or snow and other vehicles driving cautiously. There would be advisements put up by news or the media. Skidding, slipping, and sliding are other indicators that an accident may occur. If you have been injured in a car accident during inclement weather, consult an adept car accident lawyer that could diligently in pursuit of a positive outcome for you. En Español.

Steps to Take Following an Accident

Following Aurora car accidents involving bad weather, the accident victim should always call 911 immediately and have the police report, if available. If it is a heavy accident day, they may be put on accident alert where the police will only respond to accidents with personal injuries. In that case, they should contact the other driver, take a photograph, exchange insurance information, and talk to any eyewitnesses if there were any witnesses to the accident. It can also be useful to collect any relevant evidence. Evidence includes witness statements, the police report, weather or meteorologist reports, photographs, and more.

Preventative Measures

In order to lessen the chance of Aurora car accidents involving bad weather from occurring, an individual can make sure that they have the proper tires, snow tires are changed, their brakes are in proper working order, they are aware of the surroundings and people going too fast or following too closely, and they drive slower than the posted speed limit. They should also take extra precautions when going to intersections in case someone else is sliding through it.

Recoverable Damages

There are three types of damages that people can recover following Aurora car accidents involving bad weather, which are economic damages, non-economic damages, and disfigurement and impairment. Economic damages are a person’s hard numbers, like medical bills, wage loss, and out of pocket expenses. Non-economic damages are pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, inconvenience, and loss of quality of life. Disfigurement and impairment are just that, for example, disfigurement from any scarring, a limp, or if a car catches fire and that person has been burned.

Impairment would be if a person has herniated disk that is irreparable, then a person has permanent impairment. However,  comparative fault can also come into play in inclement weather collisions. If the plaintiff is driving too fast for conditions, loses control, and the defendant behind them is following too closely and is unable to avoid the accident, the liability could be split between both parties. If it is split equally, then no one will recover damages for the accident.

Situations of One-Car Accidents Caused by Bad Weather

If it is a one-car accident, unless the injured has uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, the avenue of recovery from an insurance standpoint is unlikely. If someone was driving on the road on those icy conditions and they were cut off by somebody that was not involved in the accident but forced them to lose control, then that could go underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage. That is what lawyers will look at in a single vehicle accident or if a person is a passenger in someone else’s vehicle and not a family member because a person cannot sue one’s family members. If a person is a passenger in someone else’s vehicle and they caused the accident, they would have a right of recovery against the driver.

How an Aurora Car Accident Attorney Can Help

First of all, lawyers can help by gathering all the evidence that is needed to prove liability. They can make contact with witnesses and the police officer. They work with the insurance company to establish that the other vehicle was at-fault or was not obeying the hazards that were on the road. A lawyer helps to set up the medical treatment, if necessary either through a chiropractor, neurologist, or whoever it may be and work on resolving the property damage claim. Sometimes it could be the worst part of any accident. If you want to know more about Aurora car accidents involving bad weather, and the damages you can potentially expect to recover, seek the legal counsel of a skilled car accident attorney today. Call our office to get started.