Steamboat Springs Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

The Brown Law Firm can help you if you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident in Steamboat Springs. There’s nothing quite like riding your motorcycle through Steamboat Springs. Cruising along US-40, heading toward Rabbit Ears Pass, or taking in the mountain scenery on a weekend ride is all part of the excitement. But that can change pretty quickly when there’s an accident. We can help you through it. Set up a free consultation today.

Does a Lawyer Make Sense After a Motorcycle Accident?

As great as riding a motorcycle around Steamboat Springs is, it doesn’t take much for things to go wrong. And the challenges don’t stop with your injuries and recovery. Insurance companies typically look at motorcycle accident claims differently than others because of the risks that come with riding. They may even try to blame you simply because you were on a motorcycle.

When you’re facing all of that, talking to our motorcycle accident lawyers starts to make more sense. We can help you by:

• Looking into exactly how the accident happened
• Getting information and evidence before it’s lost
• Finding everyone who might be responsible
• Handling talks with the insurance company
• Tallying up the full value of your claim
  
  

After a motorcycle accident, your focus should be on healing. We give you the space to do that while we handle the legal side.

What Information Can Help Me After My Motorcycle Accident?

It’s true that every motorcycle accident is different. They happen in different places throughout the city, and each has its own set of facts and circumstances. But one thing that’s universal is that they’re usually serious for you, the person riding the motorcycle.

That’s why the first thing you should do (if you’re able) is call 911 and get an ambulance. Virtually everything else flows from that. EMTs can treat you at the scene and take you to the hospital, while police will also respond and clear the scene.

While you’re waiting, though, it’s a good opportunity to get a few basic things that can help you later, like:

• Pictures/videos of the accident scene, your motorcycle, and your injuries
• Contact information for anyone who saw the crash
• Insurance and driver’s license information from everyone involved
  
  

Of course, there’s going to be certain things that can give a clearer picture of what happened and what it’s left you with. However, they won’t be available until the days/weeks following your accident:

• Medical records that show your injuries and treatment
• Progress pictures of your injuries
• The official police report
• Traffic camera, dashcam, or surveillance footage
• Repair estimates and pictures showing the damage to your motorcycle
• Bank records that show the wages or income you’ve lost while recovering
  
  

If you can’t get all of this information and documentation, don’t panic. Usually, a couple pictures and medical records are enough to get things started. Our team can fill in the gaps later, especially when it comes to traffic or surveillance footage. But what you’re trying to do with this information is paint a fuller picture about how the accident happened and what it’s left you dealing with.

How Legal Responsibility Works After a Motorcycle Accident

Every motorcycle accident has its own specific facts and circumstances, but responsibility for it is about answering one question: Who was negligent? Negligence, in simpler terms, just means that someone:

• Acted carelessly and caused the accident and your injuries.
  
  

Given the nature of most motorcycle accidents, it’s not surprising that another driver carries most of the responsibility, especially when they were:

• Turning left in front of an oncoming motorcycle
• Changing lanes without checking for a motorcycle
• Failing to yield the right of way
• Following too closely behind a motorcycle
• Pulling out into traffic without enough space
• Looking at a phone or driving while distracted
  
  

As common as these reasons are, responsibility doesn’t always fall squarely on another driver. It ultimately depends on the details of your specific accident, but others that are commonly responsible for motorcycle accidents here are:

• The city or county, if the agency in charge of the road didn’t fix potholes, uneven pavement, loose gravel, missing guardrails, or other dangerous road conditions.
• The company that made defective tires, brakes, or another motorcycle part if one failed and caused the accident.
  
  

It’s worth mentioning comparative negligence here. This means that if you share some responsibility for causing the accident, your potential damages can be reduced by that same percentage. It doesn’t prevent you from filing a claim, though.

How the Claims Process Works After a Motorcycle Accident

Right after your motorcycle accident happens, you’re probably not thinking about filing an injury claim. You’re focused on your injuries, doctor’s appointments, motorcycle repairs, and time away from work while the insurance company is already asking questions.

But everything you’re dealing with is meant to be taken into account when you file an injury claim, which you can file through either:

• An insurance claim.
• A personal injury lawsuit.
  
  

Insurance is usually where the process starts, and it all happens outside of court. The problem is that the insurance company is looking out for its own bottom line—not yours. They might question how badly you’re hurt, argue that some of your treatment wasn’t related to the crash, or try to put some of the blame on you. Sometimes they’ll even make a quick settlement offer before you know the full extent of your injuries. More often than not, that first offer doesn’t come close to covering everything you’ve lost.

If that happens, filing a lawsuit is the next step. That doesn’t automatically mean you’re headed to trial, though. In fact, most motorcycle accident cases settle long before they ever reach a courtroom. Filing a lawsuit usually just means both sides gather evidence, take depositions, and get a much clearer picture of what happened before continuing settlement discussions.

Either way, the goal is the same: to recover financial support for the losses you’ve suffered after the accident. That can include:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Reduced earning capacity
• Motorcycle repairs or replacement
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Reduced quality of life
• Funeral and burial expenses in a fatal motorcycle accident
  
  

In Colorado, you generally have three years from the date of a motorcycle accident involving a motor vehicle to file a claim. Even though that sounds like plenty of time, evidence can disappear quickly and witnesses’ memories tend to fade.

Where Motorcycle Accidents Happen Around Steamboat Springs

Motorcycle accidents can happen anywhere around Steamboat Springs, but certain roads tend to see more of them than others. This isn’t all that surprising, since most of these spots are where a lot of the contributing factors—heavy traffic, different roads with different speed limits, visibility—to motorcycle accidents meet:

• US Highway 40 through Steamboat Springs
• Rabbit Ears Pass
• Colorado Highway 131
• Lincoln Avenue through downtown
• Werner Road
• Elk River Road
• County Road 129 near Clark
  
  

No matter where your accident happened, the injuries and uncertainty that follow are very real. You don’t have to deal with them alone. Our team will be with you from the start to support your claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if dangerous road conditions caused my motorcycle accident?

Potholes, loose gravel, uneven pavement, missing warning signs, or other poor road conditions can easily cause a motorcycle accident. And you might still have a claim against the agency or owner that didn’t properly take care of those hazards.

Can my family file a claim if a loved one was killed in a motorcycle accident?

Yes, through what’s called a “wrongful death” claim. If someone else’s negligence caused the accident, the surviving family members can file a claim and get damages like funeral or burial expenses, along with others.

What if the driver says they didn’t see me?

It doesn’t necessarily matter what the driver says about the accident. If they did something that led to the accident and your injuries, they’re generally responsible for your damages.

Free Consultations After a Motorcycle Accident in Steamboat Springs

A motorcycle accident can change your life in a matter of seconds. Suddenly you’re dealing with painful injuries, expensive medical bills, missed time from work, and an insurance company that’s focused on paying as little as possible.

Our Steamboat Springs motorcycle accident lawyers at The Brown Law Firm can explain your legal options, handle the insurance company, and make sure you get the support you need to move forward. Set up a free consultation today.