Brighton Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Brighton Bicycle Accident Attorney

Many people in Brighton ride their bicycles for exercise, leisure, and accessible local transportation. While most bicyclists reach their destinations safely, bicycle accidents happen for various reasons, and it is important to know what to do if you experience this type of incident. If you or a loved one recently sustained injuries in a bicycle accident, an experienced Brighton bicycle accident lawyer can help you understand your options for legal recourse.

Legal Counsel for Bicycle Accident Claims in Brighton, CO

The attorneys at Cheney Galluzzi & Howard have extensive professional experience handling all types of personal injury claims in Brighton, including those filed after bicycle accidents. The legal process of recovering from a bicycle accident is very similar to what you could expect following any other vehicle crash in Brighton, Colorado, but a bicycle accident victim is likely to have suffered extreme injuries during the incident.

You need legal counsel that you can trust to not only guide you through your case proceedings efficiently but also maximize your total compensation. Our firm approaches every personal injury claim we accept with the goal of helping our client secure as much compensation as the law allows for their damages. We also aim to do this in the shortest possible timeframe. We can analyze the details of your accident and help you determine the optimal path to recovery.

It is technically possible for you to pursue recovery without an attorney, but this is very risky for several reasons and unlikely to yield the results you hope to see. When you have experienced legal representation on your side, you are more likely to maximize the compensation that you obtain for your damages. You can also be prepared to effectively address any unexpected complications that arise throughout your case.

How to Prove Fault for Your Bicycle Accident in Brighton

The first legal challenge that the plaintiff in a bicycle accident claim faces is proving fault for the incident. Before you can recover compensation for your damages, you must prove how those damages occurred and identify the party or parties responsible. Most bicycle accidents happen because of negligence, such as distracted driving or speeding. However, it is also possible for illegal misconduct, such as intoxicated driving, to cause an accident.

Your bike injury attorney CO can help you gather the evidence needed to establish fault for your accident. This may include:

• Physical evidence from the scene of the crash
• Testimony from witnesses who saw the accident happen firsthand
• Digital records, like cell phone and vehicle computer data
• Recordings from nearby traffic cameras

If the facts show that you are partially at fault for the accident, this will diminish your final case award. The modified comparative fault rule in Colorado applies to any case in which multiple parties share fault for the damages in question. When a plaintiff is found partially liable, they lose a percentage of their final case award equal to their fault percentage. Your attorney can advise you as to whether this is cause for concern in your bicycle accident claim.

Claiming Compensation for Your Damages

Once you have proven fault and identified the party responsible for causing your bike accident, you can proceed with seeking compensation for your damages. This process is likely to begin with an auto insurance claim. Colorado law requires every driver to have auto insurance that meets basic coverage requirements, and your Brighton bicycle accident lawyer can guide you through the claim-filing process.

It’s possible to encounter various issues with an auto insurance claim in Colorado, and there is no guarantee that the at-fault driver’s insurance will be able to fully cover your losses or that they will have insurance at all. Once you have recovered as much as possible through auto insurance, you can claim compensation for all remaining damages with a personal injury claim.

Colorado’s personal injury statutes enable a plaintiff to seek compensation for:

• Medical expenses. The defendant who inflicted your injuries is fully responsible for all medical care that you need to fully recover from the incident. You can seek compensation for any immediate medical expenses that you face after the accident, as well as any future medical care that you may need to rehabilitate from serious injuries.
• Lost wages. When you are unable to work due to a personal injury that another party caused, they are liable for the income that you cannot earn during this time. You can also recover compensation for the value of any vacation time that you were forced to use.
• Lost earning capacity. Unfortunately, some bicycle accident victims are left permanently disabled from their injuries and cannot return to work. If you are forced to take a lower-paying job or were left unable to work at all, the defendant who caused your injury is liable for your lost earning capacity.
• Property damage. You can recover the cost of repairing or replacing your bicycle as well as any other personal property that the defendant damaged in your accident.
• Pain and suffering. A plaintiff in a Colorado personal injury claim has the right to seek compensation for the physical pain and psychological distress that they suffered because of a defendant’s actions, but state law limits the amount that they can receive, even if they suffered permanent harm.

If your bicycle accident was the result of any illegal misconduct, the defendant who caused the accident may owe punitive damages and/or restitution with your other civil damages. The amount they must pay will be left to the discretion of the court, but it is typically based on the severity of their actions and their overall financial status.

The right bike accident attorney in CO is your most valuable asset for enhancing your case award as fully as state law allows. When you choose Cheney Galluzzi & Howard to represent your case, our goal is to help you maximize your recovery as fully as possible and to do so in the shortest timeframe possible.

The majority of civil claims for damages filed in Colorado each year end in private settlement. This process allows the parties involved in the case to avoid protracted litigation and the expense and stress that courtroom proceedings typically entail. Our firm can attempt to settle your case efficiently, if possible, but we are fully prepared to represent you in court if necessary. Our team has successfully litigated many cases on behalf of past clients.

Brighton Bicycle Accident FAQs

Q: Does a Bicyclist Always Have the Right-of-Way in Colorado?

A: Bicyclists have most of the same responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers in Colorado. They must yield the right-of-way in many situations, and they have the right-of-way in others. For example, if it is legal for a bicyclist to use the sidewalk in a particular area, they may do so, but they must yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists also have the right-of-way in designated bike lanes, including those that cross intersections.

Q: What Are the Most Common Injuries From Bicycle Accidents in Brighton?

A: Whenever a motor vehicle driver hits a bicyclist, the bicyclist has a very high chance of suffering severe injuries.

They may suffer:

• Traumatic brain damage
• Spinal cord injuries
• Bone fractures
• Facial and dental injuries
• Cuts, scrapes, and bruises

Some victims may fully recover with time and appropriate medical care, while others can develop disabilities due to the severity of the injuries that they suffered.

Q: Is Colorado a No-Fault State for Vehicle Accidents?

A: No, Colorado is not a no-fault state. The fault rule applies to all accidents, including bicycle accidents. This means that you must prove fault for your recent bicycle accident before you can recover compensation for your damages. Proving fault is likely to require a combination of different types of evidence as well as witness testimony, and comparative fault may apply if a plaintiff is found partially liable for causing their accident.

Q: How Does Comparative Fault Work in Colorado?

A: Colorado’s modified comparative fault rule requires a fault percentage to be assigned to each party that is responsible for causing the damages cited in a civil suit. If a plaintiff is found partially liable and their fault percentage is less than 50%, they can still claim compensation for their damages, but they will lose a percentage of the case award equal to their fault percentage. If they are 50% or more at fault, they cannot claim damages from any other liable party.

Q: How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Brighton Bicycle Accident Lawyer?

A: If you need a bike injury attorney in CO, it is natural to worry about how much it may cost to hire legal counsel. Cheney Galluzzi & Howard offers contingency fee billing for personal injury claims, meaning that you will only pay a fee to our firm after we win compensation for your damages. Additionally, the fee is a percentage of the total amount recovered, and there is no fee at all if we are unable to obtain compensation for your damages.

Contact Cheney Galluzzi & Howard

The attorneys at Cheney Galluzzi & Howard have extensive professional experience in handling a wide range of complex personal injury claims for clients in Brighton and the surrounding communities of Colorado. If you intend to pursue compensation for your damages, we can help. Contact us today and schedule a consultation with an experienced Brighton bicycle accident lawyer to learn more about how we can assist with your recovery.