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Truck Accident Lawyers in Fort Collins, CO

We are experienced attorneys serving truck accident victims in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado and we produce the results to back it up.

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Tractor-Trailer Sideswipe

$800,000

Our client suffered severe leg injuries that left him unable to work for a year after a trucker caused him to cross the median and collide with oncoming traffic. The trucking company refused to accept responsibility for the crash but we were ultimately able to get them to compensate our client for injuries and wage loss.

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About Us We are a collaborative team with the ability to deliver for you.

All of our lead attorneys have extensive litigation experience against insurance companies. Our attorneys have secured multi million-dollar judgments and settlements. Many of our attorneys previously worked defending insurance companies. Now we use their experience and insight to advocate for our clients against those same insurance companies.

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FAQs

We know how confusing it can be after an accident. Who will pay for your medical treatment? Should you talk with the insurance company? Here’s some common questions and answers as a starting point.

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  • Some people try to settle their personal injury case without a lawyer. They think that lawyers are too expensive or that they can do it on their own and get the same result. This approach rarely works. The insurance companies’ lawyers and adjusters are skilled at lowballing people who do not have a lawyer. Injured people are not aware of what damages they can recover and fail to ask to be compensated appropriately.

    We frequently see insurance companies offer injured people a small amount of money to settle their claim, even though their damages are ten times that amount. Some clients come to us after they have battled the insurance company for years and gotten nowhere.

    Hiring a personal injury attorney will result in a better recovery for you. At HSD Law, we pride ourselves on making sure we add value to every client’s case. Hiring an attorney provides numerous benefits:

    • Insurance companies more fairly evaluate claims once an injured person is represented by a lawyer. If an insurance company lowballs our client, then it faces litigation.
    • We read the fine print in all available insurance policies—this includes both the at-fault party’s insurance policy and our client’s insurance policy. We check to see if the at-fault party has an umbrella policy or if there is additional coverage provided by an employer’s policy. We review our client’s policies for Med-Pay Coverage and Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Coverage to ensure that no money is left on the table. We also help negotiate any subrogation claims that are asserted by the client’s health insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare.
    • We maximize clients’ financial recovery because we know which categories of damages an injured person can recover. We work with our clients to articulate their economic and non-economic damages and gather the evidence to support the claim. When a client’s injuries result in permanent impairment, we are experienced at attributing a monetary value to the claim.
    • We make the insurance company pay the full amount billed for the client’s medical services—not the amount actually paid for the services by the client’s health insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare.
    • We are skilled at valuing a client’s non-economic damages—this includes pain and suffering, inconvenience, and loss of enjoyment. The more severe the injuries, the greater the non-economic damages. Knowing how to evaluate, articulate, and demand payment of non-economic damages can only be gained through years of experience handling these types of claims.
    • We pay close attention to how the injuries will affect our clients in the future. We speak with doctors regarding future medical treatment our client needs and then calculate the client’s future medical expenses. When appropriate, we also consult with economists regarding what income a client will lose in the future and to calculate a client’s diminished earning capacity.

    Don’t go it alone. Together we can achieve excellent results.

  • Injured clients often wonder how they will pay lawyers to recover funds they are owed after an accident. Injury cases are costly and time-consuming. Almost no one can afford to pay lawyers while they are struggling to pay medical bills and missing work because of an injury. Cases often take months, or sometimes years, to resolve. Because of this, we offer contingent fee agreements for personal injury cases.

    A contingent fee agreement means the lawyers are not paid until they recover funds for the client. If the lawyers fail to recover funds, the client does not owe them any legal fees. Contingent fee agreements state that the client will receive a specific portion of the recovery and the lawyer’s fees will be paid by a portion of the recovery. For example, two-thirds (2/3) may be paid to the client and one-third (1/3) may be paid to the attorney. However, the exact split varies from attorney to attorney, so it is important to read your fee agreement closely and discuss it with the attorney.

    A contingent fee agreement is very different from a “Time Based” fee agreement, which requires that the lawyers be paid for each minute they work, whether they win or lose. At HSD Law, we offer contingent fee agreements for personal injury cases, and an attorney can discuss the details with you during your free consultation.

  • If you do not hire an attorney after an accident, then you will likely be contacted by the insurance company for the at-fault party. Most of the time the insurance adjusters are friendly. They will ask you to tell them about the accident and ask you to sign a release so that they can access your medical records to evaluate the claim. Although the insurance adjuster will encourage you to sign a medical records release, you should not sign one. If you signed a medical records release before speaking to an attorney, be sure to inform them so they can promptly revoke the release.

    There are many reasons that we do not have clients sign medical releases for the at-fault insurance company. Signing a release potentially reveals your entire medical history to the insurance company and violates your privacy. It also allows the insurance company to use unrelated medical conditions as an excuse to undervalue your claim. It may also give them access to your health insurance information, which is irrelevant to your claim and will only result in a lower settlement amount.

    If an insurance company is asking you to sign a release, you should talk to an HSD attorney immediately. Once you hire HSD Law, the insurance company will stop calling you, and it is required to talk to your attorney instead. An attorney at HSD Law will determine which medical records the insurance company receives. This preserves your privacy and avoids giving the insurance company information to use against you.

     

Overview Here’s everything you need to know.

Hadfield Stieben Doutt Can Represent You

As a licensed driver, you have to share the road with commercial vehicles and semi-trucks. Doing so can sometimes create dangerous situations and result in collisions and other truck accidents. If you have been injured in an accident with a semi or commercial truck, and the truck driver is at fault, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. The legal team at Hadfield Stieben Doutt is here to fight for your rights, building a strong case to take to court on your behalf. You can count on our truck accident lawyers in Fort Collins, CO to handle your case. We have many years of experience handling personal injury and accident claims and know what it takes to win cases. Please contact us today for more information.

What Causes Truck Accidents?

Truck accidents can be caused by numerous factors. But no matter their cause, these accidents can result in severe injury and damage to your vehicle. In many cases, the truck driver is at fault for these accidents. If you can prove their negligence, you are entitled to compensation to cover the cost of medical care and vehicle repairs or replacement. Our team will assess the situation surrounding your accident and determine whether there is enough evidence to build a case. Some of the most common causes of truck accidents are:

  • Driver Errors: Truck drivers spend hours behind the wheel and often don’t drive as safely as they should. They may follow vehicles too closely, drive too fast for current weather conditions, or drive too aggressively. All of these errors can result in collisions.
  • Distracted Drivers: Distracted driving is a common cause of accidents. Because truck drivers frequently travel in unfamiliar areas, they may take their eyes away from the road to look at a map or GPS, which can distract them and cause an accident.
  • Fatigued Drivers: Truck drivers are under immense pressure to make delivery deadlines, often spending hours on the road without proper rest. Fatigued and drowsy drivers do not respond as quickly and may be unable to avoid a collision when there is stopped traffic or other changes on the road.
  • Blind Spots: Due to their size, semi-trucks have large blind spots that make it difficult for them to see smaller vehicles. A truck may switch lanes and hit another vehicle because they could not see it in their blind spot.

How Are Truck Accidents Different from Other Accidents?

Unlike accidents involving other four-wheeled vehicles, accidents involving 16 wheelers are much more complex and difficult to resolve. Multiple insurance companies may represent a single semi-truck because separate policies may cover the driver, the trucking company, the cargo shipper, and the trailer owner. This means it can be hard to get the compensation you deserve. Trucking companies and insurance providers will work quickly to obtain information about the accident and offer you a low settlement to close the claim before you have time to consider other options. You must be sure you fully understand the severity and effects of your injuries before agreeing to a settlement.

In addition to being more difficult to navigate, trucking accidents often result in more severe injuries due to the difference in the size of the two vehicles. This means you’ll likely need more extensive medical care and more expensive repairs to your car. You want to be sure you have an experienced attorney who will help you fight for the compensation to cover these mounting costs.

Common Injuries Caused by Truck Accidents

Because semi-trucks primarily use highways and interstates, truck accidents frequently occur at high rates of speed. This speed, combined with the weight and size of commercial trucks, can lead to very serious bodily injuries and even fatalities. Survivors of these collisions often suffer catastrophic injuries with life-changing effects that will impact them forever. Some of the most common injuries associated with truck accidents include:

  • Fractures and broken bones
  • Back and neck injuries
  • Loss of limbs
  • Internal injuries
  • Head and brain injuries
  • Burns
  • Lacerations
  • Rib and torso injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries

What Kinds of Damages Can Be Collected in Truck Accident Cases?

If you are injured during an accident with a commercial truck, and you can prove the truck driver is at fault, you may be entitled to receive monetary damages. The compensation you receive will depend on the severity of your injuries and the negligence exhibited by the driver or trucking company. You may be entitled to receive:

  • Reimbursement for medical care, including hospital stays, prescriptions, and physical therapy
  • Lost wages, both past, and future
  • Compensation to replace or fix your vehicle, including the rental of a car while your vehicle is repaired
  • Non-economic damages like emotional distress and physical pain and suffering that were caused by your injuries
  • Exemplary damages or punitive damages, which are ordered to be paid solely to act as punishment for wrongdoing, may be applicable for situations in which the actions of the truck driver or trucking company were outrageous

How Our Team Can Help You

When it comes to trucking accidents, insurance companies will try to pay out as little as possible to those injured. They may deny claims that the truck driver was at fault or attempt to pay you only a small portion of what you’re owed. That’s why you need a team of experienced lawyers to fight for your rights. At Hadfield Stieben Doutt, we will investigate the accident and identify all responsible parties, then build a strong case with the goal of proving their fault in court. You can count on us to stand up for you and work hard for a favorable outcome.

If you are currently injured due to the negligence of a truck driver, now is the time to call our truck accident attorneys in Fort Collins, CO. For years, we’ve represented clients across Northern Colorado, fighting to get them the compensation they need and deserve. Please reach out to us today to schedule a consultation where we can review your case.

What’s my plan?

The insurance company or corporation has a plan. You need one too. We know the actions to take and the choices to make.

You got hurt.
Don’t stress, we’ve got you covered.

More Questions?

Consultation

Each case begins with a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney. We will answer your questions. We will learn how you or a loved one was harmed. We will explain what you can expect from us, what needs to be done to obtain justice, and the timeline of the case. We can meet at our office, talk over the phone, or meet at your location if you are unable to travel. After the consultation, you choose whether to hire us as your attorneys.

Step 01

Representation

We will notify all involved insurance companies, claims adjusters, and lawyers that they must communicate with us about your case. You won’t be bothered by their phone calls, emails or letters from this point forward. If you must give a statement to anyone regarding the incident, we will advise you what to expect. We will be there with you when you give your statement. You do not pay us while your case is pending. Our fees are paid from any money we recover. If we don’t recover anything, we don’t get paid fees.

Step 02

Investigation

We will gather evidence to support your case. We will obtain incident reports, interview witnesses and investigators, and notify anyone in possession of evidence that they must preserve it for your case. We will inspect and photograph the scene of the incident and evidence involved in the incident. We will obtain your medical records and bills to support your case. We will also determine all parties who may be liable for your injuries and damages.

Step 03

Expert Involvement

When necessary, we will work with experts to obtain opinions in support of your claim. We will consult with your doctors to get their opinions about your future medical needs or permanent impairment. Sometimes, other types of experts are necessary. There are many types of experts. We know how to find the right expert for your case. For example, we may ask a crash reconstructionist to explain how a disputed collision occurred or an engineer to evaluate the danger of a property condition. We pay all experts’ fees up front.

Step 04

Settlement

In most cases, we can resolve your claim without court involvement. We compile the information described above and present it to the at-fault party or their insurance company. We request a specific monetary amount as compensation for you. If we reach a settlement, then your claim is resolved and we turn to resolving reimbursement obligations.

Step 05

Litigation

In some cases, you must file a lawsuit to obtain a fair recovery. We will give you our opinion about whether any offer on the table is fair, but it’s your choice whether or not to file a lawsuit. The vast majority of court cases are still settled without a trial. A trial is rarely necessary.

Step 06

Reimbursement Obligations

If any form of health insurance paid for your medical bills, then it probably has the right to be repaid from any money you recover. For more detail on this topic, see our FAQ on subrogation. Throughout your case, we will remain in contact with these insurers. We will negotiate with them to get them to reduce or waive their claims so that you keep more of the recovered money.

Step 07

Disbursement

You receive your net settlement check, free and clear of all obligations. We have resolved all of the issues related to your claim. Your case is officially closed.

Step 08
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