After you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident in Colorado, you may be unsure of what to do next. When someone else is responsible for causing your accident, you may have grounds for a civil claim against them. This would allow you to obtain the compensation you need to get through the difficult time in your life.
Understanding how the state’s motorcycle laws work could help you to better prepare for the claims process and help you feel more confident in your decision to move forward with your lawsuit. Below, we go into further detail about Colorado’s motorcycle laws and how the state’s contributory fault laws could impact your lawsuit.
Anyone operating a motorcycle needs to have their motorcycle license. You can obtain your motorcycle license by passing a written exam and a skills test.
If you are eighteen years of age or older, you are not under any legal obligation to wear a motorcycle helmet while operating your motorcycle- though it is certainly in your best interest to do so.
Another interesting and important motorcycle safety law you need to know if you are driving your bike in Colorado is that motorcyclists are not able to pass drivers in the same lane. However, motorcyclists do have the right to ride side by side in the same lane of traffic.
By becoming a motorcyclist, you are automatically at an increased risk of serious injury in the event of an accident. This is because you don’t have the protection surrounding you that someone driving in an enclosed vehicle would.
It is not uncommon for motorcyclists to share fault for the accidents they are involved in. In many cases, they may have contributed to their own injuries by simply not wearing a motorcycle helmet. But there are also instances where you might have been speeding, for example.
In any case, when you share fault for a motorcycle accident in Colorado, you can still be awarded compensation for your suffering. But you should expect that your injury settlement will be reduced by your portion of fault. For instance, if you were twenty percent liable, you could expect your award to be reduced by twenty percent.
Colorado’s modified comparative negligence law only allows injury victims who share as much as forty-nine percent liability to be awarded compensation. If you are fifty percent responsible or more for the accident, you may not be entitled to financial compensation. Your lawyer will be able to give you a better idea of what to expect from your case.
When you have been seriously injured in a motorcycle accident and you aren’t sure where to turn to for help, call an experienced Denver motorcycle accident lawyer at Justice for Colorado. Our firm proudly offers complimentary consultations to accident survivors across the state. Take advantage of this opportunity when you call 303-647-9691 or visit our website to complete our convenient contact form.
The attorneys at Justice for Colorado are known for aggressively representing their clients and getting results. We will meet your legal needs by giving your case the time and focus it deserves. Whether you’ve been injured or issued a traffic ticket, you need an experienced, open-minded attorney who won’t quit. Call us today.... View full business profile here: Justice For Colorado
