Denver Truck Side-Impact Accident Lawyer
A side-impact accident can be especially dangerous, leaving both drivers and passengers vulnerable to serious injuries and even death. If you or a loved one has been involved in a side-impact collision with a large truck, an experienced truck accident attorney can help seek the compensation you need to pay necessary medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, and other costs. A Denver truck side-impact accident lawyer can review your case to see if you are eligible for punitive damages aimed at punishing the party who caused the accident.
Common Truck Side-Impact Cases
Most fatal large truck collisions involve head-on crashes, but that does not make side-impact crashes any less dangerous. When T-bone accidents occur, they are often deadly. Large trucks, on the other hand, only experienced side impacts 16 percent of the time, more frequently on the left side.
Who Can Be Held Liable?
There are a number of parties who could possibly be held liable for causing or contributing to a T-bone accident victim’s injuries.
Some potentially responsible parties include:
- The vehicle manufacturer, in cases where the side-impact testing or compliance standards were not met
- The vehicle designer, when the vehicle had a defect making it especially unsafe for side-impact
- The trucking company for poor truck maintenance, reckless policies, or inadequate driver hiring and training practices
- The truck driver personally, for especially reckless or dangerous driving behavior, such as driving under the influence or excessive speeding
- The agency or entity responsible for maintaining safe roadway conditions
Comparative Negligence in Colorado
Side-impact collisions sometimes involve negligence on the part of the victim vehicle driver, in addition to the driver of the large truck.
Common ways for a passenger vehicle driver to contribute to causing the crash include but are not limited to:
- Following too closely or tailgating
- Driving in the blind spots of the large truck, especially in the side blind spots
- Passing improperly or cutting in front of large trucks
- Not allowing the truck enough room to brake
- Distracted, drowsy, or texting while driving
- Speeding or going too fast for the weather or road conditions
Proving Negligence
The good news for side-impact crash victims is that Colorado allows victims to recover compensation, even if they partially caused the accident, so long as their fault portion was not equal to or more than 50 percent. In other words, victims may still have a valid claim if they are not more at-fault than the large truck driver in causing the collision. A Denver truck side-impact accident lawyer will be able to determine whether comparative negligence on the part of the victim may bar their recovery, or whether their claim is likely to go forward.
Contacting an Attorney
No matter the circumstances that led to your Denver truck side-impact collision or which party may have been at-fault, a skilled T-bone accident lawyer can help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Having a Denver truck side-impact accident lawyer on your side can give you peace of mind as you focus on your recovery. Call today to schedule your consultation with a lawyer.
