As winter approaches in Colorado, the chances of weather-related car accidents on the road go up. With winter come snow, ice, mist, sleet, and rain, which are responsible for slippery roads and low visibility. In such bad weather conditions, it is common for drivers to lose control of their vehicles and become victims of an auto accident.
Almost 1,312,000 motor vehicle accidents occur in the USA due to bad weather associated with winter conditions every year. Now, that’s an alarming number of crashes due to poor driving conditions and Colorado contributes to this number. Even if you were being extra careful and following all precautions, you may still get into an accident due to another driver’s mistake or loss of control due to poor weather conditions.
If you or a loved one has been in an accident due to bad weather conditions recently, you have the right to claim financial compensation for your losses.
Although the Colorado Department of Transportation has recently released tips for safe winter driving in Colorado, winter car accidents are still inevitable. These accidents can be caused by icy roads and snow.
Following weather conditions can lead to an accident in Colorado:
Rain can affect your visibility and make the roads slippery for your tires. Wet pavements don’t offer as much control as dry ones, which means your car needs time to stop. Hard braking in this condition can lead to loss of control over the vehicle and winter car crashes.
Cold weather can damage and impact car parts and also get piled up on traffic signs and signals. These whiteout conditions can cause major accidents including fatal car crashes.
Icy conditions can be a great hazard to drivers and cause accidents in winter. Black ice cannot be detected and it can make the vehicle skid off the road and hit another vehicle or a nearby object like a tree.
Foggy conditions can affect your visibility during winter and you may turn on the high beam during your winter drive to increase visibility, but that will only create more problems. Fog and mist combined with a slushy pavement can lead to vehicle crashes in the winter months.
High-speed winds or a winter storm can impact your visibility due to debris and dust being circulated higher. Your vehicle can also rock side by side and you can lose control over it.
These are common dangers of winter for drivers in Colorado that can disrupt safe driving practices.. These winter road conditions can lead to severe injuries and some of these result in wrongful death too.
Icy roadways can cause the worst kind of accidents, even if a driver was following all winter driving tips. That means that the driver and passengers can sustain serious physical injuries as a result of weather-related crashes. These injuries can be devastating for the victim and may affect their way of life in the short and long term. In addition to the physical injuries, the accident victim can suffer from mental distress as well. The financial damage incurred includes property damage to the vehicle and lost wages due to not being able to work during and sometimes after recovery. Some of these injuries include:
The mental effects of the accident are just as concerning and they may include:
These are severe issues for any person and they will need time to recover. An experienced bad weather accident attorney will be able to help you determine the extent of the damages caused by the accident and get you fair compensation for these losses.
Who can you blame for the weather? No one right? But what about a driver that’s driving irresponsibly in adverse weather conditions? What if they’re exceeding speed limits on icy roads and being the cause of winter road accidents? If a driver isn’t careful during heavy snow, rainfall, or fog, they can cause a serious accident and if you’ve been a victim of such activity, you have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible driver.
Any driver can drive into an accident when they’re driving in inclement weather. Here are a few reasons behind accidents in wintry conditions:
Over speeding is a bad idea even in normal weather conditions. The stakes are higher during winter due to the presence of black ice and an icy pavement. Harsh weather and speeding combined are a recipe for negligent drivers losing control over their vehicle and causing an accident.
Cruise control is great for the highway and safe roads. However, it gives the driver a false sense of relaxation in bad weather and the driver may end up reacting too late to a vehicle that’s out of control and cause a fatal crash.
No matter what the road or weather condition is if a driver violates basic traffic rules like set limits on traffic speeds and turn-taking rules. They are bound to end up in an accident.
A distracted driver is worse than a drunk driver in terms of focus and control in winter driving conditions. When a driver has their attention diverted to another passenger, a call, or a text, they can lose control of their vehicle and have very slow reaction times. This leads to vehicle accidents in the winter weather.
If you leave in a very snowy region then its important you use snow or winter tires to help your car's traction. Absence of proper equipment can lead to skidding on a wet pavement.
One more reason can be snowplowing due to ice control operations. Snowplow drivers may not be expecting other vehicles on the snowy pavements or may not even see other vehicles. A snowplow can hit a smaller vehicle pretty hard, which can end up in severe injuries for the victim.
As a victim of an accident in winter, you will go through a very hard time while recovering from the injuries, the mental effect, and the financial losses you sustained during the accident. It is only fair that the person responsible for the accident is held responsible and you are compensated for your losses.
Apart from the injuries, you will be faced with current and future lost wages. This needs to be compensated as well. You have a financial responsibility to your family and if you aren’t earning as a result of the accident, the negligent driver must pay you for these lost earnings.
Here is what you can do right after a bad weather accident in to ensure your safety in snowy conditions and that the incident is documented properly.
Make sure you file a personal injury lawsuit that deals with winter accidents and claims immediately. Waiting to file a claim will only reduce the time your lawyer has to prepare for your case and gather all the evidence on time.
The Firouzbakht law firm is aware that the Colorado winter is brutal and it leads to accidents in the winter season, every year. Our team of personal injury attorneys is trained and has the experience to handle bad weather accident cases. We help the victim file a notice of claim as soon as they hire us.
Our goal is to shield our clients from the tactics of insurance companies and get the maximum compensation for their pain and suffering. We take care of the legal process while you recover from your injuries.
Have you been in a bad weather accident? Let us help. Call us now.
