Your guide to Colorado Car Accident Laws and colorado personal injury laws.
The number one cause of personal injuries in the USA is without doubt car accidents. According to RMD personal injury lawyers, car accident injuries account for more than 57% of all personal injuries. According to the same data source, at least 3 million Americans are treated for personal injuries each year.
According to Colorado car accident statistics, car accidents have increased by 15% since the year 2020. From the same car accident report, Colorado experienced 545 traffic deaths in 2020, and the number of fatalities increased to 636 in 2021.
In Colorado, the commonest cause of car accidents is none other than distracted driving. According to CDC, at least nine people in the USA die every day from injuries caused by distracted driving.
Because car accidents kill many people yearly, and many of them lose their lives due to negligence, or careless driving, Colorado laid down car accident laws that aim at reducing car accidents, and punishments for negligent driving behaviors.
Examples of negligent driving behaviors include overspeeding, distracted driving, driving under influence, traffic signs violations, driving while fatigued, failure to look well while driving and so many others. Having said so, go through the contents of this article and read sections that interest you more.
Page Contents
Is colorado a no-fault state for car accidents?
Some states in the USA subscribe to no-fault car insurance laws. Examples of these no-fault states are Florida, Arkansas, Hawaii, Maryland, Kentucky, and others.
In no-fault states, every driver is required to carry personal injury protection insurance coverage(PIP) such that, he/she after an accident claims through his own car insurance company. The innocent driver will only go after the at-fault driver only if his/her medical bills exceed what is covered in PIP.
Colorado is a fault state. This means that the driver who is responsible for the accident pays damages caused to the innocent driver. The innocent driver is expected to file his personal injury claim through the at-fault driver’s insurance coverage or sue him to recover losses.
Common causes of car accidents in Colorado
Driver negligence as I already highlighted is the number one cause of car accidents In Colorado and the USA at large.
According to travelers, the common car accidents in the USA are rear-ended collisions, parked car damages, single-vehicle accidents, crashes at intersections, and backing accidents.
Examples of negligence driving include the following:
- Following too closely to the front car
- Drunk driving (DUI/DWI)
- Running a red light
- Road rage
- driving when you are tired
- Overspeeding
- Distracted driving like texting, phone calls, and attending to kids or pets.
- Conflicts in right of way and any others.
Is colorado a comparative negligence state?
Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence system. According to these car accident laws, the claimant/plaintiff’s settlement payout will be reduced by the percentage of fault in the car accident.
Here is an example. Suppose drivers A and B are involved in a car crash and it is confirmed that driver A is 90% at-fault for the accident, while driver B only takes 10% of the blame.
If driver B hired an attorney and took the case to trial, and driver B is awarded $100,000 as his personal injury settlement. Driver B will only get $90,000 instead of $100,000. His verdict will be reduced by 10%- his blame for the accident.
To determine which driver is at-fault and who pays who, usually your car insurance, attorneys, or jurors will use your state laws that control car accidents or personal injuries. What you need to know is that these laws differ from state to state.
Is auto insurance required in colorado?
Of course, not all states in the USA require a driver to buy car insurance. The 2 states in the USA where a driver or any car owner is not mandated to buy car insurance are Virginia and New Hampshire.
Auto insurance is mandatory in Colorado, and you are required to buy liability car insurance before you are allowed to drive on the road.
If you are living in Colorado, the minimum required liability car insurance is $25,000 as coverage for one person injured, $50,000 if more than one person is injured, and a minimum of $15,000 to cover property damages. This can be stated as $25/50/15.
Statute of limitations car accident Colorado
Of course, you do not have unlimited time in which you are allowed to file a lawsuit following a car accident. Some states will ask you to file within a year while others allow you up to 5 years.
If you are living in Colorado and suffered personal injuries due to a car accident, you only have 3 years to file a lawsuit against the party that negligently injured you. Failure to sue the at-fault party within 3 years means you have lost your right to sue.
Colorado car accident reports
If you just had an accident and you need to report it in Colorado, you can visit the colorado online crash reporting system. On the same note, if you need to access car accident reports, then go visit Colorado State Patrol Central Records Unit.
To access any Colorado car crash report, you will need information like the date of the automobile accident, the driver’s name, the location of the crash, and the accident report number.
Colorado car accident today
Daily Colorado car accident reports can also be obtained from the police department. State and local departments in Colorado can also give you all information about car crashes daily.
If you need to know the time of the day or hour in which a certain name was involved in an accident, simply call the local police department.
In Colorado, you can check to see if a car was involved in a car accident by running the registration and that car details in the car online database system. Alternatively, crash reports in Colorado can be obtained by sending your requests to the department of revenue.
Colorado accident reporting laws
Just like in many other states, you need to report your car accident immediately to Colorado traffic officers.
One of the ways of reporting a crash in Colorado is by either calling traffic officers to the accident scene, visiting offices in person, or compiling an online report as already explained in the above paragraphs.
In Colorado, failure to report an accident is an offense (misdemeanor) punished by law. You could face 10-90 days in jail and pay fines between $150-$300.
Colorado car insurance grace period
If you bought a new car in Colorado, yes there is a grace period in which you should prepare and buy car insurance. You typically have 2 to 30 days as your grace period if you bought a new car.
If you are renewing your policy, most companies give you up 10-15 days grace period before your policy is canceled.
Colorado car accident settlements
According to Colorado personal injury laws, a person who out of negligence, recklessness, or intentionally injuries someone pays the injured party monetary compensation.
The injured person is entitled to damages like medical bills, property damages, emotional distress, lost wages, lost income, pain and suffering, and many others. The person who caused the injuries will pay either from his pockets or through his/her insurance company.
In Colorado, you can sue the at-fault party for the above damages if you prove they are liable for your injuries. Your pain and suffering could settle for a compensation of $613,760. If you are severely injured, the court could raise your pain and suffering settlement to $1,227,530.
Colorado Personal Injury Laws
According to AllLaw, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases in Colorado is 2 years but can be adjusted depending on the personal injury circumstances. The injured party needs “clear and convincing” evidence in order to win the suit.
Conclusion.
Because car accidents contribute the largest portion (57%) of all personal injuries in Colorado and the USA at large, there are various car accident laws or personal injuries put in place to protect innocent people from negligent injuries.
Car accident laws or personal injury laws refer to guidelines lawyers, jurors or judges follow to determine who is to blame for the car accident and subsequent personal injuries.
