Denver Rear-End Accident Attorney

Rear-end accidents can lead to major injuries and significant property damage expenses. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for insurance carriers to write off these incidents as something “minor.” At The O’Sullivan Law Firm, we are here to help if you need a Denver rear-end accident attorney. We know that you need compensation, and we will use our resources to help you through this. Let us negotiate with aggressive insurance carriers so we can recover total compensation for your losses.

Why Choose The O’Sullivan Law Firm?

• At The O’Sullivan Law Firm, we take a client-centered approach to every vehicle collision accident we handle, which means we take the time to listen to every client’s goals and needs.
• We will seek every opportunity to secure your rights for your injury case. This includes working with insurance carriers while also examining other routes for securing compensation.
• We take Denver rear-end accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that our clients will not have to pay any legal fees until we recover the compensation they need.

How Will an Attorney Help a Rear-End Accident Claim?

Rear-end vehicle accidents may seem straightforward, but that is not always the case. An attorney should be involved early in the process in order to handle any conversations or negotiations with insurance carriers. Insurance carriers are notoriously difficult to deal with when it comes to compensation for rear-end accidents. They may even try to place the blame for the accident on the driver who sustained the rear collision.

A Denver accident attorney will use their resources to conduct a complete investigation into the incident, obtain all evidence needed to prove liability, and vigorously negotiate with the insurance carriers to recover full compensation.

Common Injuries Following a Rear-End Accident

Even though rear-end collisions may not seem like a big deal, they can result in significant injuries. This includes whiplash, which is the most common type of injury that occurs as a result of a rear-end collision. Anytime a vehicle is struck in the rear, this could lead to a jolting of the occupants inside the vehicles involved. This jolting can cause a rapid back and forth movement of the upper body and neck, and this can cause significant straining or pooling of the muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

In addition to whiplash, some of the other common rear-end injuries include:

• Internal bruising or bleeding caused by the seatbelt restraint
• Traumatic brain injuries or concussions caused by striking the head on objects in the vehicle
• External bruising or lacerations caused by impacts with solid objects in the vehicle

How is Fault Determined in a Rear-End Car Accident?

Determining fault for a rear-end collision is going to involve gathering the evidence needed to prove what happened. In most cases, fault for rear-end collision will fall to the rear driver. Simply put, all drivers are required to leave enough distance between themselves and the vehicle in front of them to prevent these types of collisions from occurring. However, fault does not always fall to the rear vehicle, as there are times when the actions of the front driver can lead to these types of collisions.

Some of the main types of evidence that need to be gathered to determine fault for a rear-end collision include:

• Photographs taken at the scene
• Statements from other drivers and passengers
• Statements from bystanders
• Video surveillance footage (to include footage from nearby cameras or dash cams) 
• The police report

Common Causes of Rear-End Accidents

Data from the Colorado Department of Transportation shows that there were more than 22,000 total vehicle collisions in Denver County during the latest reporting year. The city and county of Denver are simply more crowded than most other areas in the state, which means that rear-end collisions are much more likely to occur.

Rear-end collisions occur for a wide variety of reasons. This includes, but is not limited to, various types of careless or negligent behavior of other drivers:

• Distracted by phones or other electronic devices – More and more, drivers are becoming distracted behind the wheel. These distractions occur in a variety of ways, but with the influx in technology over the last decade, a significant portion of driver distraction occurs as a result of cell phones and other handheld devices. These distractions can occur when individuals take calls, send or receive text messages, check their emails, browse social media, take pictures or videos while driving, and more.
• Eating or drinking behind the wheel – It can be very tempting to grab a bite to eat at a fast-food restaurant or take some food with you from home and try to finish it on your drive. However, eating or drinking behind the wheel is an incredible distraction. Not only does it take your mind off of driving, but it takes at least one hand off the wheel to consume your food or beverage.
• Impairment due to alcohol or drugs – Alcohol and drug impairment are a leading cause of traffic fatalities each year across Colorado. Anytime a driver gets behind the wheel impaired by alcohol, illegal narcotics, or legal prescription medications, they put other drivers in danger.
• Operating too fast for conditions – Driving too fast for conditions not only includes speeding, but also operating a vehicle too fast for the current conditions depending on weather, traffic, obstacles in the roadway, etc. Accidents that occur at higher rates of speed are much more likely to cause significant injuries and property damage.
• Failing to yield the right of way – All drivers are required to yield the right of way in certain circumstances. This could include yielding at actual yield signs, when merging into or out of traffic, at yellow flashing traffic signals, and more. Failing to yield the right of way appropriately will inevitably lead to situations where an accident occurs.
• Vehicle mechanical failure – All drivers are responsible for ensuring that their vehicles are roadworthy. This includes ensuring the headlights, tail lights, brake lights, and turn signals work appropriately. Additionally, drivers should ensure that their tires have appropriate tread. Anytime a person knowingly gets behind the wheel of a vehicle experiencing some sort of mechanical failure, they could be held accountable if an accident occurs.

Unfortunately, rear-end collisions often result in significant injuries for those involved. Perhaps the most common injury associated with rear-end collisions is whiplash, but individuals also regularly sustain concussions or more severe traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord trauma, severe sprains or strains, facial bruising or fractures, and more.

Call a Denver Rear-End Accident Attorney Today

If you or somebody you love has been injured in a rear-end accident in the Denver area, you need to work with an attorney as soon as possible. At The O’Sullivan Law Firm, our team has the resources necessary to handle every aspect of these claims on your behalf. We have no problem taking your case to trial if necessary. When you need a Denver rear-end accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling us at (303) 388-5304.