Our Air Force Academy car accident lawyers can win you the settlement you deserve after suffering injuries from a crash that wasn’t your fault. Insurance companies are for-profit and will do everything they can to minimize their expenses. We know that dealing with that stress while recovering is the last thing you want. That’s where we help.
Proudly Serving Air Force Academy
While El Paso may be famous for the Garden of the Gods, it’s also a Garden of Wrecks. There are over 6,000 car accidents in our area every year. That’s 1 in 80 drivers. We regularly help people like you to recover the damages you’ve suffered.
Please contact our experienced Air Force Academy Car Accident Lawyers today for a free consultation.
El Paso Car Accident Lawyer Statistics
Annual Car Accidents in El Paso
- 2010: 7,837
- 2011: 7,544
- 2013: 8,745
- 2014: 9,082
- 2015: 9,522
- 2016: 9,991
- 2018: 9,928
- 2019: 9,259
- 2020: 6,061
- 2021: 8,089
- 2022: 6,719
Fatal Crashes Per Year in El Paso:
- 2010: 19
- 2011: 20
- 2013: 30
- 2014: 25
- 2015: 24
- 2016: 30
- 2018: 49
- 2019: 39
- 2020: 48
- 2021: 40
- 2022: 8
Serious Crash Injuries Per Year in El Paso:
- 2010: 213
- 2011: 191
- 2013: 187
- 2014: 168
- 2015: 148
- 2016: 158
- 2018: 193
- 2019: 151
- 2020: 156
- 2021: 253
- 2022: 256
Driver-Related Causes of El Paso Car Accidents:
2010 to 2023:
- Careless Driving: 36,560
- Failed to Yield ROW: 14,271
- Following to Closely: 9,100
- Lane Violation: 6,713
- Driver Inexperience: 6,053
- Charged with DUI: 4,750
- Suspected Alcohol: 7,198
- Suspected Marijuana: 419
- Suspected with Other Drugs: 1,567
- Failed to Stop at Signal: 5,164
- Improper Turn: 2,702
- Speeding: 2,438
- Improper Backing: 1,601
- Reckless Driving: 1,486
- Distracted Cell Phone Use: 1,163
First Harmful Event of the Crash:
- Front to Rear: 33,937
- Front to Side: 22,939
- Side to Side: 7,881
- Curb: 5,930
- Parked Car: 5,036
- Front to Front: 4,691
- Light Pole: 1,500
- Pedestrian: 1,299
- Bicycle: 872
Source: Colorado Department of Transportation
Do I Need to Hire an Air Force Academy Car Accident Lawyer?
Do You Want to Win The Maximum Possible Settlement?
After a serious injury, you deserve financial compensation so you can recover or adapt to life after the accident. If you don’t get the necessary settlement fee, you’ll be left paying for the ongoing damages out of your own pocket.
Insurance companies know this, but they sadly don’t care. They are for-profit companies that minimize their outgoing costs with every accident claim. Our Air Force Academy car accident lawyers will fight hard to win you the maximum possible settlement.
We will determine the true cost of your injuries, so the past, present and future are accounted for.
Fight Greedy Insurance Companies
Insurers and their employers are very experienced in exploiting injury victims. You’ll likely have never encountered this scenario before and you may get pressured into a low-ball offer if you go at it alone.
Our Air Force Academy car accident lawyers will communicate with these daunting insurance companies on your behalf. We won’t fall for their delaying, manipulation and bullying tactics.
Our expert team will handle all communications from paperwork to phone calls, so you can focus on what’s most important; recovery.
Evidence and Investigations
The most critical part of any Air Force Academy car accident claim is proving it. To prove it, you need evidence. Our expert Air Force Academy personal injury lawyers have the resources to conduct investigations that will prove you deserve the requested settlement.
From collecting police reports and CCTV footage to using injury specialist testimonies, our cases are always formed on irrefutable evidence.
How Can I Get Compensation for My Car Accident Injuries in Air Force Academy?
File a Personal Injury Claim
If you’ve suffered a car accident injury in Air Force Academy that wasn’t your fault, you should file a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance provider. However, they will almost certainly provide a lowball offer. In this case, you can negotiate or bring a lawsuit against them to collect the desired settlement.
This should be done with the assistance of an experienced Air Force Academy car accident lawyer.
- File a personal injury claim.
- Prove the other party was at-fault via investigations and evidence.
- Negotiate a better settlement.
- File a lawsuit if the insurance company isn’t providing sufficient settlement.
At-Fault State
Colorado is an ‘at-fault’ state (or ‘tort’ state) for car accident injuries. That means that the injured person files a claim against the at-fault party’s insurer. This differs from ‘no-fault’ states where the injured party turns to their own insurer.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Air Force Academy?
- Air Force Academy’ statute of limitations law defines that personal injury claims for a motor vehicle accident can be made within 3 years from the date of the car accident.
- However, if the at-fault party was the state of Colorado, a city or a county (such as El Paso) then you only have 180 days to file a claim, and 2 years to file a personal injury lawsuit.
- It’s advised to make your claim as soon as possible, to prevent delays causing you to miss the deadline.
How to Prove Negligence in an Air Force Academy Car Accident
To prove that another party was at-fault for your car accident injuries, you must prove they were negligent.
Negligence is the failure to take proper care of something. In motor vehicle accidents, negligence covers a wide range of failures to show care; from speeding to poor road conditions.
To prove negligence, you must demonstrate:
- Someone owed you a duty of care.
- That person breached the duty of care.
- The breach resulted in your injuries.
Evidence Collection
To prove negligence, our Air Force Academy car accident lawyers will collect evidence. This is done by utilizing our impressive resources. Common examples of car accident evidence collection include:
- Police reports
- CCTV footage
- Dashcam footage
- Speed camera data
- Crash reconstruction experts
- Financial experts
- Medical experts
- Maintenance reports
- Eye witness reports
- Other specialists
How Much Is My Air Force Academy Car Accident Worth?
Car accident injury settlements cannot be given a pre-defined figure, as many factors affect the calculation. For example, even if two people suffer the same injury, one person’s career may be more affected than the other.
However, you can take a look at the following common types of damage to see what areas of your life may be covered:
Common Damages for Air Force Academy Car Accident Injuries
Economic Damages:
Damages determined by monetary worth:
- Medical Expenses: Expenses you’ve had to pay since the accident, and will have to pay in the future. Such as specialist appointments, medication and the emergency room.
- Rehabilitation Costs: The estimated cost of ongoing rehabilitation.
- Treatment Costs: Expenses that often hit high figures especially due to ongoing requirements.
- Lost Wages: Any hours you’ve had off work due to the injuries, such as from visits to doctors or due to pain should be compensated.
- Loss of Future Earnings: If you’ve been demoted, lost a job or have lost the ability to advance your career, then you should include this in your calculations.
- In-Home Care Expenses: The costs of adapting the home after an injury can cover a wide range of expenses, from professional in-home caregivers to paying for specialist visits.
- Medical Equipment Costs: Similarly, you may be required to buy medical equipment, and furniture and make changes to your home’s layout to accommodate for limited mobility.
- Transportation Expenses: Any transportation cost should be compensated for. These may often seem minor in the wider picture, but add up fast: for example taxi and ambulance bills.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are those that do not have a monetary value attached but may warrant the claimant to be compensated.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Compensation for the loss of enjoyment or ability to perform passion and hobbies, such as sports, arts and socializing.
- Loss of Consortium: Compensation for the loss of companionship, comfort, or emotional support to family members.
- Depression: Depression can have a devastating impact on a person’s life and may even be as limiting as the injury itself.
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Similarly, PTSD is a common mental health condition for car accident victims. Symptoms such as nightmares and flashbacks can cause havoc in day-to-day life and often require therapy.
- Pain and Suffering: Ongoing injuries can cause significant discomfort and limitations to daily life activities. Car accident victims may deserve to be compensated for their suffering.
- Scarring and Disfigurement: Physical and visual changes to someone’s face or body can have a significant impact on their well-being and even their standing in life. These victims should be compensated.
- Long-Term Disability: Long-term disabilities are life-changing. The impact and changes to one’s life must be factored into calculations.
Who Was At-Fault for My Car Accident in Air Force Academy?
Car accidents typically are caused by other drivers, but there can be a wide range of other causes including:
Other Drivers
The majority of car accident injuries in Air Force Academy are caused by other road users. Proving that another driver caused the accident can be achieved by acquiring police reports, dashcam footage, eye witness statements and through crash reconstruction specialists.
The top five driver-caused car accident types in Air Force Academy are:
- Careless driving
- Failure to Yield
- Following too Closely
- Drunk driving
- Lane violations
Manufacturers
Occasionally car accidents can also be triggered by part defects and failures. We’ve seen accidents where brakes have failed, leaving the driver helplessly plowing into the back of upcoming traffic.
But it may also be an aggravating factor to the accident. For example, if you were hit by a speeding driver but your injuries were made worse by a seatbelt failure then you may be able to file a lawsuit against the car manufacturer.
Government Agencies
Your accident may have been directly caused or worsened due to a failure from a Government agency. For example:
- Bad road conditions
- Faulty traffic signals
- Damaged road barriers
Similarly, you may need to file a lawsuit against a government or state agency if they were the direct cause. For example:
- Government delivery vehicles
- Police cars
- Other government vehicles
Commercial Vehicles
If you were injured in an accident caused by a commercial vehicle such as a taxi, delivery truck or private bus company then our Air Force Academy car accident lawyers will need to file a lawsuit against them or their insurer.
Common Injuries Caused by Car Accidents in Air Force Academy
Head and Neck Injuries
The nature of motor vehicle accidents exerts a severe force on the head and neck, causing a variety of injuries such as whiplash.
The severity of these injuries may not be immediately apparent or even present at all. However, the symptoms can become long-lasting and result in life-changing chronic pain.
All victims of car accidents should visit a doctor in case of undetected head or neck injuries. Any evidence will also be crucial in your personal injury claim.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is the home to the central nervous system and if damaged can be life-changing. Any loss of sensation, movement or strength should result in significant compensation due to the long-lasting consequences.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Every year 2.5 million people suffer Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).
They are often referred to as the silent killer, as the symptoms may not be immediately apparent. The follow-up injuries caused by internal swelling or bleeding can be deadly.
If you have suffered any symptoms of a TBI such as headaches, confusion or nausea you should visit a doctor immediately.
Burns and Scarring
Burns injuries are not only extremely painful but may require expensive surgery and rehab. Victims should expect compensation for their suffering, loss of income and other non-economic damages.
Fractures, Tears and Sprains
Significant compensation should be expected for muscle, ligament or bone injuries that impact your ability to work or result in ongoing medical expenses.
Other Car Accident Injuries
Our Air Force Academy car accident lawyers have also successfully worked with clients seeking settlements for:
- Amputation
- Catastrophic injury
- Chest injury
- CAir Force Academying injury
- Degloving
- Eye injury
- Fractures and broken bones
- Head injury, including concussion
- Paralysis
- Scarring & Disfigurement
- Soft tissue damage
Can We Get Compensation If a Loved One Has Been Killed in a Car Accident in Colorado Spring?
If you have lost a loved one in a car accident in Air Force Academy, we are deeply sorry for your loss. We can assist you in making a Wrongful Death claim, which can allow your family to recover expenses related to your loved one’s passing.
Our compassionate Air Force Academy car accident lawyers welcome you to receive a free consultation.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Air Force Academy
Careless Driving
Since 2010, careless driving has been the cause of 36,560 car accidents in Air Force Academy. Careless driving is defined as any driving behavior that ignores or disregards the safety of other road users.
For example Speeding, tailgating, failure to signal when turning or running red lights.
Failure to Yield
A failure to properly yield the right-of-way of another driver has been the cause of 14,271 accidents in Air Force Academy since 2010. This type of cause typically leads to serious, life-changing accidents as they are often head-on or side-on impact crashes.
Following to Closely
9,100 accidents in Air Force Academy have been caused by following too closely (tailgating). This behavior is the fault of the driver behind and can potentially cause multi-car pile-ups and serious long-term injuries.
Drug or Alcohol Use
4,750 people have been charged with DUIs in car accident injury cases since 2010, with thousands more suspected of alcohol or drug use.
The slowing of reaction time and the impact of normal faculties caused by substance use can be deadly. If you’ve been injured due to a drunk driver, then getting evidence of the police report is critical in proving you were not at fault.
Lane Violation
Lane violations are the cause of over 6,700 Air Force Academy car accidents. They occur when a driver fails to obey the rules of the road, often turning into oncoming traffic or merging incorrectly.
Speeding
Speeding is often responsible for life-changing serious injuries due to the large speeds and forces involved. Speeding is usually one of the easier cases to prove, as a police report or CCTV footage can reveal the facts that the other driver was at-fault.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving may often fall under careless driving. It occurs when a driver fails to pay attention to the road by talking, operating the radio, GPS or using their cell phone. These cases may require extensive investigative work to reveal the cause.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Air Force Academy?
After a car accident in Air Force Academy, you must take the right steps to protect your health and your personal injury claim. Our Air Force Academy car accident lawyers suggest you:
1. Remain at The Accident Scene
You are legally required to remain at the scene of the auto accident (unless leaving for medical treatment).
2. Call The Police and Emergency Services
Call law enforcement so they can perform an investigation and a police report. The report is essential to your personal injury claim, so you should request a copy if possible. Our Air Force Academy car accident attorneys will acquire one if necessary.
2. Receive Medical Attention
Please do not skip on medical attention if you have any symptoms. Immediate medical care reports will be critical to your claim. We also advise you to take any symptoms related to the head, such as headache and nausea, very seriously.
3. Do Not Admit Fault
Some people with honest hearts may feel the desire to admit fault for the accident. Do not admit fault. Even if you think you were in the wrong, the reality is often different from what CCTV or police reports reveal. If you admit fault, you’ll have a hard time reversing the admission.
4. Take Pictures
Evidence is everything in a personal injury claim. We advise you to take photos of the crash scene if you are in a condition to do so. The same is true for any injuries you have, from day one and onwards.
5. Get the Other Driver’s Insurance Details
If possible, ask for the other driver’s insurance details. If neither of you are in a condition to do this, then it should be obtainable later with the help of an Air Force Academy car accident lawyer.
6. Do Not Accept a Low-Ball Offer
Never accept the initial lowball settlement offer from the insurer.
Insurance companies often offer low-ball settlements to crash victims to take advantage of their desperation. These offers are never enough and will leave you in financial peril.
You can discover the true value of your claim by speaking to an Air Force Academy car accident lawyer.
7. Visit a Doctor
In the days and weeks after your accident, we advise you to make visits to a doctor. Some symptoms may not arise immediately. For example, brain injuries or whiplash can appear weeks after a car crash.
Any doctor’s notes will be critical in proving the extent of your damages.
8. Consult an Air Force Academy Car Accident Lawyer
Please contact our Air Force Academy car accident attorneys as soon as possible. We will take on the stress of paperwork, communications and investigations on your behalf. So you can recover, while knowing an expert lawyer is fighting to win fair compensation.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Air Force Academy?
A reputable Air Force Academy accident attorney will agree to work on a contingency fee basis. This means they don’t receive any payments until the case is successfully resolved. This is what we promise.
If you’ve been asked to pay upfront, there’s no guarantee or motivation for the lawyer to get a successful outcome.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Air Force Academy, Colorado
Free Consultations
If you’ve suffered an injury from a car accident in El Paso and its surrounding areas, our Air Force Academy car accident lawyers welcome you to contact us today for a free consultation.
Sean McQuaid and Jonathon Douglas are award-winning Personal Injury Attorneys with vast experience, a proven track record, a strong reputation and impressive resources. We believe we provide the strongest chance of winning the maximum possible settlement to rebuild your life.
