Lakewood Truck Accident Lawyer | Legal Advocacy After Heavy Truck Collisions

When you are hit by a truck, your life can change in the blink of an eye. In the immediate aftermath, victims often suffer from significant injuries and damage to their vehicles. In the long term, victims may deal with lingering injuries, physical therapy, stacks of hospital bills, and the inability to return to work. When it comes to getting compensation for these damages, nobody should have to go through the legal process alone.

At Roberts Accident Law, our Lakewood truck accident lawyer team understands exactly what you are going through. We have helped countless clients in our community hold truck drivers and trucking companies accountable. Our legal team protects truck accident victims from aggressive insurance adjusters, and we help our clients receive the full legal compensation they are entitled to.

Get justice for you and your family today. Call Roberts Accident Law at 720-515-7058.

Why Truck Collisions Frequently Happen in Lakewood

Lakewood’s location creates a “perfect storm” for truck accidents. The city is located between Denver (and its massive urban sprawl) and the Rocky Mountains. As a result, thousands of trucks are heading downhill through and around Lakewood every single day. I-70 is generally considered a significant truck-accident corridor because of the heavy commercial and mountain freight traffic there. Areas near the Anschutz Medical Campus see a steady volume of delivery trucks, medical supply vehicles, and service trucks. Truck-related crashes do occur in the area and can be serious.

All it takes to create an accident is a truck’s brakes locking up or a rough patch of ice for a driver to lose control and slam into other drivers or pedestrians. Even in ideal conditions, inexperienced truck drivers often fail to account for the steep inclines they encounter as they approach Lakewood, leading them to drive at seriously unsafe speeds.

How Truck Accidents Can Involve Multiple Parties

In a traditional car-on-car traffic accident, you are typically dealing with a single driver and their insurance company. Liability can often be conclusively determined in just a few days or weeks.

Truck accidents are in a completely different ballpark. The driver could work for Company A, be contracted by Company B to drive the truck provided by Company C, have maintenance work done by Company D, and have the cargo loaded by Company E, and so on. Each of these companies can have its own insurance providers that will fight to the bitter end to disclaim liability by pointing fingers at each other.

While all of this happens, victims like you are left out in the cold. Trying to untangle the web of companies, subsidiaries, and contractors is practically impossible for the average Joe and Jane. The insurance companies hope that you either get frustrated with the process and accept a lowball settlement offer or you wait too long. Then the statute of limitations prohibits you from getting any compensation at all.

How A Truck Crash Can Impact Your Life

Commercial trucks tend to weigh anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 pounds (and sometimes much more). The average passenger car may only weigh 3-5% of that. That’s about the same size ratio as a grizzly bear vs a small pet dog. So, when someone gets hit by a truck, their car provides very little protection. That means large amounts of energy will go through your body, which creates consequences such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries. The sudden jolt causes your brain to smash against the inside of your skull. The brain is so important and so sensitive to damage that even seemingly minor injuries can have lifetime consequences, such as severe concussions and permanent cognitive damage. Even if the physical damage is minor, survivors often struggle with permanent memory loss and long-term mood swings.
• Spinal cord injuries. When hit by a truck, your body temporarily jerks back and forth into very unnatural positions. Even if you hold these positions for tiny fractions of a second, the tendons and ligaments that support your spine can be permanently damaged. Additionally, the spine could even fracture or suffer nerve damage. When it comes to the spine, even seemingly minor injuries often require months or years of physical therapy.
• Inability to work. Some of the worst consequences of a truck accident are the long-term effects. For people who work physical jobs, such as loading bags at Denver International Airport, the injuries you suffer might stop you from being able to work for the rest of your life. Even white-collar workers who spend their days typing on a computer might no longer be able to physically type on a keyboard or keep the mental focus required to accomplish their daily tasks.

What Compensation Are Lakewood Truck Accident Victims Entitled To?

While the law cannot undo the injuries or take away the trauma you have suffered, the law provides multiple avenues for you to receive the legal compensation you are entitled to. The Roberts Accident Law team aggressively pursues compensation for everything the accident took away from you. This includes costs and damages related to:

• The initial ambulance ride
• Emergency room and hospital bills
• Missed work
• Lost earning capacity from your injuries
• Depression, panic attacks, and other mental suffering
• The wrongful death of a loved one
• Physical therapy
• Long-term medical treatment

How A Lakewood Truck Accident Attorney Can Help

When a truck gets involved in an accident, the trucking company and its insurers send their investigators immediately. They might even get there before the police or EMS arrive. They will start collecting evidence and begin creating a narrative that blames you for the crash. When you call the Roberts Accident Law team, we immediately step into action to protect you and your legal rights. We do this by:

• Running our own investigation. We do not rely solely on investigations done by the insurance companies or the police. We send our investigators out to map the scene and collect evidence before the rain washes it away or the road crews clean it up.
• We preserve evidence. Commercial trucks are required to collect computer data (via an Electronic Logging Device (ELD)), and truck drivers are required to keep detailed logbooks. When trucks get into accidents, ELDs have a habit of being “accidentally” wiped of data or lost. Our legal team uses formal demand letters to require this evidence to be preserved. If the evidence is lost or destroyed, the court can impose significant penalties that may help your case.
• Our team protects you from insurance adjusters. When you suffer a devastating injury, you probably want to get everything behind you as soon as possible. Insurance adjusters know this. They may offer you a quick check in return for forfeiting your right to pursue legal action, but those checks rarely (if ever) come close to fully compensating you. When you realize this months or even years later, you may be fully responsible for all the expenses. Our team steps in to ensure you do not sacrifice your legal rights for a subpar settlement offer.
• We negotiate and fight for you in court. From the beginning, we aggressively negotiate with insurance companies to get you a reasonable settlement offer that fully accounts for the complete and total extent of your injuries and suffering. If a reasonable settlement cannot be reached, we use our many years of litigation experience in state or federal courts to hold the trucking company and insurers accountable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Lakewood Truck Accidents

We answer calls from worried families every single day. Here are the clear, straightforward answers to the questions we hear most often.

What Is the Deadline For Filing A Truck Accident Lawsuit In Colorado?

The general time limit for filing a motor vehicle accident lawsuit in Colorado is three years. There are some instances in which the deadline may be significantly shorter, such as in wrongful death cases or when the accident involved criminal activity.

However, just because you have years to file a lawsuit after the crash does not mean it is a wise choice to wait. Evidence such as a truck’s computer recorder or dashcam footage may be overwritten or lost by then. As the old saying goes, “the early bird gets the worm”, and this certainly applies in the law.

Can Shared Fault Reduce My Compensation?

Yes. Colorado uses a highly detailed modified comparative fault system. On the bright side, you can still get legal compensation even if you were partially responsible for the accident. On the other hand, your legal recovery will be reduced proportionately to your shared fault.

For example, let’s say a truck was speeding on I-70 during an ice storm. A driver in front of the truck begins to slow down when they see a patch of ice. However, the driver’s rear brake lights are out. By the time the truck realizes the car is slowing down, it’s too late. The truck driver slams on the brakes, but their inertia sends them crashing into the car. If it is determined that the driver was 10% at fault for the accident, the driver can recover only 90% of the total damages.

Determining fault is a highly technical part of the legal process. After a crash, insurance adjusters will play all sorts of mind games to trick you into thinking “I caused the accident, it’s my fault, I’m owed nothing.” You should never shrug your shoulders and give up on your case just because you think you were responsible. Even if you do share some responsibility, your compensation is likely to be reduced by a tiny fraction.

How Long Does A Truck Accident Case Take In Lakewood?

There is no set timeline. A straightforward case with clear evidence might settle in a few months. Complex cases involving multiple trucking companies and severe permanent injuries often take well over a year.

The Roberts Accident Law Team absolutely refuses to rush your settlement if the insurance company refuses to pay what you actually need to survive long-term. You get one chance to settle your case. We make sure it is done right.

Should I Speak to the Trucking Company’s Insurance Adjuster?

Absolutely not. Insurance adjusters are masters of manipulation. Never give a recorded statement to the other side’s insurance company. Their only job is to save their employer money at your expense. For example, they often ask confusing or leading questions specifically worded to make it sound like your injuries are your own fault. They will use your own words against you later in court. Let our legal team handle all the talking.

How Do I Pay My Medical Bills While the Lawsuit Is Pending?

This is the most common worry we hear from clients. Your health insurance or auto insurance medical payments coverage should pay the initial hospital bills. If you do not have coverage, we can sometimes arrange for medical providers to treat you and then wait for payment until your legal case settles. You do not have to skip necessary medical care just because you are currently out of work or cannot afford it right now.

What If the Trucking Company Offers Me A Check Right Away?

Never accept an initial settlement check or sign a release without speaking to an attorney first. Trucking companies sometimes offer quick cash payouts in the days following a crash. They do this hoping you will take the money before you realize how severe your injuries truly are.

Speak With a Truck Accident Attorney Lakewood, CO, Today

You do not have to fight the trucking companies and their massive legal teams by yourself. Roberts Accident Law handles the entire legal burden so you can focus on getting your life back together and healing your body.

We provide a free, completely honest evaluation of your case. You will talk directly to an attorney who understands exactly what is at stake for you and your family. Additionally, we take these cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay us absolutely nothing out of pocket. We only earn a legal fee if we win your case and secure a financial settlement for you.

Do not let the insurance company dictate your future. Call Roberts Accident Law today at 720-515-7058.