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Causes of Car Accidents

Serious, injury-causing collisions occur every day on the interstates, other U.S. and state highways, streets and rural roads throughout Colorado. Often, victims are incapacitated and unable to protect their own rights and interests while insurance companies are vigilant in protecting theirs.

Attorney James L. Finegan can step in to provide expert accident investigation, in-depth analysis of all relevant insurance coverage and trustworthy guidance for victims every step of the way. Whether you believe you know what caused a crash or have many unanswered questions, you can speak with an experienced car accident lawyer anytime for caring, attentive personal injury representation focused on your legal options and what is best for you. Attorney James L. Finegan assists clients throughout the Denver area.

Common Causes of Car Accident Resources:

Exposing The Truth

Causes of car accidents cover a vast spectrum of driver negligence and recklessness, road defects and design problems, vehicle design and component failures, and other factors. Working with a lawyer who has the proven skill to interpret evidence and prove another party’s fault for the accident may enable you to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other economic and noneconomic damages.

More than 40 years of experience advocating for injury victims equips Attorney Finegan extremely well to analyze your auto accident and explore causes that may include:

Attorney James L. Finegan has experience analyzing a variety of accident types and knows how to approach T-bone collisions, head-on crashes, rear-end wrecks and other common accidents. The firm represents injured clients in metro Denver and throughout Jefferson County from its Lakewood office.

Driver Fatigue

In a tough economic climate, stresses on people who are working hard to make a living intensify — and driving is no exception. Many must deal with extremely long commutes on increasingly crowded Colorado roadways in addition to longer working hours and more overall anxiety in their lives.

Unfortunately, these conditions contribute to serious car accidents throughout the Denver metro area and across the state. While “driver fatigue” may be raised as an issue most often with over-the-road truck drivers, it is also a very relevant factor for other drivers.

If you or a loved one suffered injuries in an accident you believe someone else caused or should have avoided, contact James L. Finegan now for a free consultation. The firm represents injured clients in metro Denver and throughout Jefferson County from its office in Lakewood.

Excessive Driving Speed – Too Fast for Conditions

All throughout Denver County, driving too fast for conditions can be a problem at various times of the year. Regardless of whether a driver is speeding according to posted limits, failing to account for snow and ice on the roads, storm conditions, road construction or other factors can be a form of negligence and fault in a car accident.

Failure to Obey Traffic Signals

Traffic signs are posted for a reason and they are supposed to be obeyed. They are not merely suggestions. All motorists depend on traffic signs and laws to keep them safe. When a negligent driver fails to stop, refuses to yield or ignores traffic signs, the result can be a devastating accident causing serious injury or death.

Failure to Yield

Under merging traffic conditions, posted signs may require drivers in one lane to yield the right of way to another driver on the road. Unfortunately, some negligent drivers ignore the posted yield signs or choose not to allow another driver space to merge into traffic safely.

Red Lights And Stop Signs Save Lives

Traffic signals are put in place for a reason. They are necessary for public safety. Clearly, if you were in an accident after another driver ignored a red light or ran through a stop sign, you know this all too well. Attorney James L. Finegan is committed to pursuing every angle of your case.

Mr. Finegan has extensive experience fighting on behalf of victims of negligent drivers throughout the Colorado Front Range region. Call him if your motor vehicle accident was caused by any of these acts of negligence by another driver:

Proving Negligence

Accidents caused by failure to yield, stop or obey posted traffic signs are often difficult to prove because the evidence is often one driver’s word against another’s. Attorney James L. Finegan thoroughly investigates the accident; he is ready to prove what happened, establish liability for damages and help you collect fair, full compensation for your medical costs and other damages.

For more than 40 years, Mr. Finegan has been providing attentive and effective legal counsel for victims of negligence. He has a proud track record of success in all types of motor vehicle accident injury and wrongful death cases, including:

Many Colorado car accidents are caused when a negligent driver fails to come to a proper stop at a posted stop sign or red light

Clients can depend on Attorney James L. Finegan for:

  • Fast action after a car or another vehicle accident to gather critical evidence from the scene, witness testimony and other information
  • Investigation of potential at-fault driver defenses, including the presence of a malfunctioning traffic signal, obstructed stop sign or other unsafe conditions
  • Diligence in reviewing police reports and establishing whether a traffic violation such as failure to stop was not recognized and cited by authorities
  • Personal attention to your medical treatment and costs every step of the way in your quest for a fair settlement or verdict at trial if necessary

At highway speed, or when a truck or another large vehicle is involved, very few people escape a head-on collision without serious injury. Even at lower speeds on urban or suburban streets, the damage can be catastrophic.

Investigating The Cause of the Accident

Thorough accident investigation can be absolutely essential to protecting your rights after a head-on collision, and Attorney James L. Finegan is dedicated to doing everything possible to determine fault and liability.

  • Were unsafe highway or road conditions — such as lines dividing lanes that were not visible, or inadequate signs in a construction zone — a factor in the crash?
  • Was the other driver drunk or under the influence, texting, passing recklessly on a mountain road, or otherwise guilty of inattentive or careless driving?
  • Was the outcome of this serious or fatal car accident worsened by an air bag’s failure to deploy or some other auto defect?

common-causes-of-car-accidents-in-Colorado

Inexperienced Drivers

Some driving mistakes and behaviors may be more common for young drivers, and Attorney James L. Finegan is committed to pursuing all angles on your case. His experience and capabilities extend to:

Texting is against the law in Colorado now for any driver, and drivers under 18 break the law if they use a cellphone at all while driving. Young drivers are also governed by specific restrictions and penalties when it comes to alcohol use.

Attorney James L. Finegan is a proven resource for people harmed by drivers’ negligence, whether their injuries were suffered as a passenger, teen driver or victim of inexperienced driving. To discuss your legal options with a lawyer determined to get to the bottom of what caused your crash and take the best available action on your behalf.

Lane Change Collisions

Lane changes are a common cause of auto accidents. Because they often occur when vehicles are traveling at high speeds on the interstate, injuries can be catastrophic.

If you are injured because another driver changed lanes improperly, you may be eligible to claim compensation. It is important to consult an experienced lane change collisions attorney to learn more.

Attorney James L. Finegan is an advocate for clients in Colorado and the Denver area who were injured as the result of a lane change accident. He seeks compensation for the damages and losses experienced by individuals injured because another driver changed lanes improperly. He has the resources to build strong cases for clients injured as the result of this type of accident.

Standard procedure for Mr. Finegan is to reconstruct the accident, determine the effects of the injuries on the client and evaluate the insurance coverage of all parties involved in the incident. He will review police reports and interview witnesses to develop a strategy for helping his clients injured in a lane change accident.

Lane change accidents can be the result of:

  • Failing to signal lane change
  • Failing to check for vehicles in the next lane
  • Relying only on mirrors to locate vehicles in the next lane
  • Moving into the lane in a way that causes following traffic to stop suddenly
  • Making a lane change too quickly in poor driving conditions such as ice, snow and rain
  • Crossing multiple lanes to get to an exit

The injured driver may have been forced off the road, sideswiped or involved in a direct collision with the offending vehicle. Injuries may be obviously catastrophic or may be hidden for some time.

Attorney James L. Finegan works with physicians and other medical specialists to determine the full extent of the injuries and their consequences to our client’s life and family.

Common Causes Of Lane Change Accidents

Lane change accidents can be the result of:

  • Failing to signal lane change
  • Failing to check for vehicles in the next lane
  • Relying only on mirrors to locate vehicles in the next lane
  • Moving into the lane in a way that causes following traffic to stop suddenly
  • Making a lane change too quickly in poor driving conditions such as ice, snow and rain
  • Crossing multiple lanes to get to an exit

The injured driver may have been forced off the road, sideswiped or involved in a direct collision with the offending vehicle. Injuries may be obviously catastrophic or may be hidden for some time.

Attorney James L. Finegan works with physicians and other medical specialists to determine the full extent of the injuries and their consequences to our client’s life and family.

Rear-End Collisions

Have you been injured in a rear-end collision? This type of car wreck can be traumatic and confusing for victims, often causing injuries that are challenging to diagnose but worsen over time. Underestimating injuries and assuming that insurance will take care of everything are common mistakes.

Whiplash Injuries

Colorado law generally supports the principle that a driver who hits another from behind is at fault for the accident. However, many cases are complicated by claims that a driver “stopped short” or was impossible to avoid. You may also benefit from a lawyer’s expertise in presenting a full, clear picture of the extent of your rear-end collision injuries.

Reckless Driving

Whether due to more texting and other technology diversions, increased driver stress and fatigue or other factors, accidents caused by failures to obey a traffic signal or otherwise lawfully yield the right of way are unfortunately common throughout the Denver metro area and across Colorado.

Even if you believe the fault is clear-cut for the car accident that has disrupted your life or a family member’s, it can be essential to seek personal injury representation by a proven, dedicated lawyer. Police reports may not be filed or accurately reflect the accident cause, insurance companies may deny or delay your claim, and witness accounts and other evidence may become critical in fighting for the compensation you need.

James L. Finegan will promptly investigate your accident, calling upon qualified experts as needed, in order to prove causal and contributing factors such as:

  • An impatient, reckless or distracted driver running a stoplight or stop sign — sometimes recorded by metro Denver traffic cameras and useful in pursuing your claim
  • A failure to yield or unsafe merging on a highway entrance ramp
  • A texting driver’s failure to focus on the road, resulting in a collision at an intersection or another serious outcome
  • Driver fatigue — or drunk driving— that may have factored into the crash

Like many states, Colorado permits drivers to turn right after stopping at a red light or stop sign. The driver is responsible for determining that no cross traffic, pedestrians or bicyclists are in the roadway before turning.

When the driver causes an accident because he or she failed to stop or because he or she proceeded after stopping without seeing other vehicles, individuals injured in the resulting accident may be eligible to seek compensation for their injuries and other losses.

Causes Of Right Turn Accidents

Drivers cause right turn accidents for a variety of reasons, including:

  • Using a cellphone
  • Failing to check oncoming traffic
  • Failing to check the rearview mirror to determine whether a bicyclist or motorcyclist may be in the turn lane
  • Making a right turn on red even when specifically prohibited
  • Failing to come to a complete stop
  • Turning without signaling

Drivers could be liable for damages and losses after these types of negligent driving acts. In addition, right turn accidents could be the result of obstructions such as tree branches and illegally parked trucks and cars. Missing or defaced signs and defective traffic lights may also contribute to right turn accidents. Attorney James L. Finegan will find out the truth of the incident and move forward with the strongest case possible.

Drivers, Victims And Injuries

Right turn accidents are caused by drivers of cars, trucks, vans and construction equipment. Victims are usually auto drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists or motorcyclists. Although these accidents usually occur at relatively low speeds, injuries can be significant. In particular, head injuries from being knocked down are common in cases involving pedestrians and cyclists, and they often cause significant cognitive deficits that may continue for many months or years.

T-Bone Collisions

If you are suffering after a T-bone accident or another side-impact collision — as one of the drivers, a passenger or someone who tragically lost a family member — it is important to get a dedicated auto accident and a Lakewood personal injury lawyer involved as soon as possible.

Attorney James L. Finegan has helped thousands of people throughout Colorado prevail in their legal claims and recover fair compensation.

Who Is At Fault in a T-Bone Accident?

The other driver in your T-bone accident may be entirely at fault, or there may be other factors that demand investigation and follow-through. Applying knowledge gathered in many such crash cases, Attorney James L. Finegan knows what to look for and how to build the best case for his client, considering possible factors such as:

  • Clear traffic violations such as a negligent or overaggressive driver’s failure to stop or yield at a sign or signal
  • Other forms of driver negligence, including texting while driving — now against the law statewide in Colorado
  • Possible negligence by the city, county or government agency responsible for maintaining properly functioning traffic lights and clearly visible stop signs

Attorney James L. Finegan is committed to fast action for victims. He takes critical steps such as getting to the scene of a vehicle accident as soon as possible — often enabling recovery of critical evidence and witness testimony.

As the case develops, Mr. Finegan’s diligence pays off for clients. Rather than rushing to settle, he is committed to standing strong against uncooperative insurance companies focused on their own interests rather than your well-being. If a trial is the only way to get just compensation, he will be fully prepared. Far more often, Mr. Finegan’s reputation as a tough negotiator and case-building prowess as a Denver T-bone accident lawyer leads to a fair settlement.

Failure to Stop

Building Strong And Complex Cases

Practicing since 1980, Attorney James L. Finegan has the resources to handle an extensive car wreck, truck accident or another motor vehicle crash investigation, and has the knowledge of personal injury law needed to build a complex case on your behalf. His proven capabilities and principles include:

  • Use of accident reconstruction experts, engineers and other independent professionals when needed to gather and analyze data from the crash scene, often including speed calculations and other important evidences
  • Careful tracking of each injured client’s medical care and other costs in order to accurately value the claim and make a meaningful difference in recovery
  • Involvement of the client in every phase of the case through close, honest and caring communication
  • A strong commitment to achieving fair results for each individual client, showing patience in the face of inadequate settlement offers and those offered before damages can be fully assessed

Prove Who Was At Fault

After any type of car accident, insurance companies and at-fault parties often attempt to obscure or deny what happened in order to protect their own interests. When driver fatigue is involved in a trucking accident, this effort can be especially organized and challenging to overcome.

Attorney James L. Finegan works with expert resources as needed and can apply more than 40 years of experience to establish your right to recover compensation after accidents related to:

  • Loss of control by a driver who fell asleep or failed to focus on the road
  • Road rage that often leads to aggressive or reckless driving
  • Texting or other behaviors that constitute distracted driving
  • Truckers’ and trucking companies’ violations of regulations limiting time on the road

We Know How To Help

Leveraging decades of work in high-stakes insurance negotiations and the state and federal courts of Colorado, Attorney Finegan knows what to look for and how to build the best possible case for you. You will receive personal attention from a lawyer who will take your claim seriously, care about your well-being and offer straightforward legal guidance.

Take Decisive Legal Action

You can count on Attorney James L. Finegan to enlist qualified experts as necessary to investigate and build your claim for maximum compensation after a car accident. To discuss your needs and potential claim with a caring lawyer, call (303) 980-5511.