How to Maximize Your Settlement in a Tractor-Trailer Accident

Coloradans make plenty of tractor-trailer accident lawyer calls, and for good reason: there are thousands of crashes involving medium or heavy trucks in our state each year. While some of these are infamous, like the 2019 Lakewood semi-truck crash on I-70, most only make headlines once and are then forgotten. But not by victims or those who love them, and not by the tractor-trailer accident attorneys at Burg Simpson.

Truck traffic through Denver is constant. I-70 funnels cross-country haulers straight through the city, while I-25 serves as both a national and regional route from north of Fort Collins to the Southern tip of the state, passing through many major cities such as Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo. Mountain passes, just west of the metro area, see heavy commercial vehicle congestion, along with unpredictable weather and sharp curves. These issues further add risk to people in smaller vehicles forced to travel alongside these behemoths.

When you are injured or a loved one is killed in a crash involving a tractor-trailer, having an attorney on your side can help maximize your settlement and protect you from accepting less than your injuries and experiences demand.

Reach Out for a FREE Consultation With an Experienced Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer

To schedule your FREE case review at the Denver office of Burg Simpson, call 303-792-5595 today. Our tractor-trailer injury attorneys represent victims of commercial vehicle accidents along the Front Range, the Western Slope, the Eastern Plains, and throughout Colorado.

How Liability Impacts Damages in Tractor-Trailer Accident Cases

In accidents involving tractor-trailers, there can be several liable parties. In some cases, these parties are not anywhere near the crash site. This can complicate matters when seeking compensation. Fortunately, a good tractor-trailer accident lawyer will understand how to identify all liable parties as they work to maximize your truck crash compensation.

Potentially liable parties include:

• The driver of the truck
• The company the truck driver works for
• Maintenance companies responsible for truck upkeep
• Cargo loaders
• Other drivers

In some cases, the actions of multiple parties will play a role in a tractor-trailer collision. For example, a truck driver may cause an accident while speeding, but may have been speeding to meet an unrealistic deadline set by their employer. Or a truck may jackknife or rollover due to driver miscalculations, in addition to a poorly loaded or poorly maintained vehicle. In these scenarios, the driver may not be solely responsible for injuries. Other parties (such as the carrier company or cargo loaders) may share some of the blame. So too might the drivers of smaller vehicles who maneuver irresponsibly around big rigs on treacherous mountain passes or traffic-heavy stretches of I-25 or 76.

In order to maximize your settlement, your tractor-trailer accident lawyer will need to identify the role each party played. This might require an extensive investigation into the crash, including the review of video footage, black box data, and electronic logging devices to assess the weight of each party’s role. It may also require accident reconstruction and similarly complex tasks that are best left to a qualified and experienced legal team.

At Burg Simpson, our Colorado truck crash lawyers have decades of experience investigating tractor-trailer collisions. Working with in-house teams and external specialists, we take every care to ensure all liable parties are held accountable, enabling us to seek maximum compensation on your behalf.

Damages a Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer Can Help You Pursue

There are two types of compensation that a tractor-trailer crash attorney will typically seek. These are:

• Economic Damages. These include all tangible expenses, such as medical bills, lost wages, and diminished earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages. These include intangible damages, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life.

In extremely rare cases, a third type of damages, punitive damages, may also be sought in commercial vehicle injury claims. These seek to punish the liable party for egregious or grossly negligent conduct.

Colorado has placed a cap on non-economic damages in personal injury claims. Currently, that cap is $1.5 million for claims filed after January 1, 2025. Starting in January 2028 and every two years thereafter, Colorado’s non-economic damage cap will be adjusted for inflation.

The new damage cap applies to all claims filed after January 1, 2025, even if the crash itself took place before the increase went into effect. During your free and confidential case review with one of our tractor-trailer accident lawyers, we can discuss how damages are calculated to help you understand what your injury claim may be worth.

How Much Time Do I Have to Contact a Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorney After a Crash in Colorado?

You generally have three years to file a tractor-trailer accident injury claim in Colorado. There are some exceptions to the statute of limitations, but by and large, after three years, you will be barred from taking legal action.

While you often have up to three years to file a claim for damages following an accident with a commercial vehicle, waiting might make it more difficult to maximize your tractor-trailer accident claim. By taking action sooner, it may be easier for your attorney to collect relevant evidence, obtain reliable witness statements, and pursue the total compensation you deserve.

Why Choose Burg Simpson for Your Colorado Tractor-Trailer Injury Claim?

Large truck crashes often result in serious injury. Serious injury may be inadequately compensated through insurance settlements alone. To maximize your tractor-trailer accident settlement, it is best to have an experienced and dedicated attorney on your side from the very beginning.

Burg Simpson has been standing by Colorado families for nearly 50 years. We have built a national reputation for holding trucking companies and their drivers accountable for the damages they cause.

Our tractor-trailer accident attorneys know Colorado’s highways and trucking routes, and the dangers drivers face on these every day. We also know the tactics commercial carrier companies and their insurers use to avoid responsibility. Our team has recovered billions of dollars for injury victims nationwide by countering the tactics of insurance companies and defense attorneys with truth, tireless advocacy, and endless support for victims and their families.

When you choose to work with our firm, you are selecting an award-winning legal team that truly cares about your future. With the resources, background, and willingness to take your claim as far as it needs to go in pursuit of justice, our tractor-trailer accident lawyers are ready, right now, to meet with you, discuss your needs, and help you choose the best course of action.

Contact a Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer for a FREE Case Review Today

A truck crash can wreck your life in seconds. Do not face the aftermath alone. Contact Burg Simpson online or call our Denver office today to schedule a FREE consultation with an experienced tractor-trailer accident lawyer. Located in Denver, we serve the Metro area, all nearby communities, and every city, town, and unincorporated area throughout the state.