Why You Need a Lawyer for a Rear-End Truck Accident

A rear-end truck accident lawyer becomes necessary when a negligent truck driver hits you from behind and turns your life upside down. These claims often involve catastrophic injuries, multiple insurance companies, and complex state and federal regulations. The right lawyer can help ensure you are treated fairly, preserve key evidence, build a case grounded in facts, and compel commercial carriers to take your losses seriously.

Without a truck crash attorney on your side, you will be at the mercy of powerful trucking corporations, their insurance providers, and their legal teams. These formidable interests will all be working to limit their liability and minimize the compensation you receive. Your rear-end truck accident lawyer will work to protect you against these tactics, negotiate for a fair settlement, and even take your case to trial, if necessary, to see that justice is served.

At the Denver office of Burg Simpson, our lawyers have been helping individuals and families impacted by rear-end truck collisions for nearly 50 years. When you are injured or a loved one is killed by a negligent truck driver, we are here to stand by your side and fight for the fair and full compensation you deserve.

Talk to a Rear-End Truck Accident Lawyer for FREE

To schedule a FREE and confidential case review with an experienced rear-end truck accident lawyer at Burg Simpson, call our Denver office at 303-792-5595 today. We represent truck crash victims living throughout Colorado.

How Rear-End Truck Accidents Happen

Rear-end truck accidents are rarely caused by “bad luck.” More often, they are made possible by a series of preventable choices, such as:

• Following too closely. Big rigs typically require 20% to 40% more distance to stop. This gap widens on wet or slick pavement. When a truck is following too closely, the risk of a rear-end collision increases significantly.
• Speeding. Semi trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When traveling on Colorado’s mountain passes or busy highways, extra weight combined with excessive speeds can quickly lead to a rear-end collision.
• Distraction. Phones, in-cab technology, and other distractions can make a trucker unaware of shifting traffic patterns or nearby cars. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) lists distraction as one of the leading causes of commercial vehicle crashes.
• Fatigue. Long stints behind the wheel slow perception and reaction time. Drowsy truckers are more likely to mentally check out or experience micro-sleeps, increasing the risk of running into the vehicle in front of them.
• Brake and equipment issues. Poor adjustment, worn components, or heat fade can turn a manageable slowdown into a collision. Runaway truck ramps are designed to address this issue, but brake issues are not limited to the steep mountain grades where these are commonly found.
• Traffic flow interruptions. Rush-hour accordion effects, lane drops, and work zones can create abrupt slowdowns. Trucks that do not anticipate or react appropriately to these conditions often rear-end whatever is in front of them.
• Shifting loads. Overweight trailers or poorly secured cargo lengthen stopping distance and can push a rig forward even with full brake application. This makes rear-end collisions much more likely.
• Technology errors. Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking help prevent rear-end truck accidents. When this equipment fails or is disabled, preventable crashes can happen.

When you are slammed into by a tractor-trailer, knowing the cause of the collision is a key part of proving liability. Having a rear-end truck accident lawyer on your side helps to ensure all possible causes are investigated and the parties responsible for your injuries are held accountable.

Potentially Liable Parties (Beyond the Trucker) in Rear-End Truck Accidents

Many rear-end truck crashes in Colorado are the result of operator negligence. This means that the trucker’s actions played the biggest role in the collision. However, there are often several other parties who may share liability in these cases, including:

• The motor carrier or employer for negligent hiring, training, supervision, or dispatch pressures.
• Maintenance contractors or component manufacturers when brake, lighting, or sensor failures play a role.
• Shippers and brokers if schedules or load plans create unsafe stopping distances or fatigue risks.
• Cargo loaders for shifts that lengthen stopping distances.
• Public entities for hazardous roadway conditions.

Proving Fault in a Rear-End Truck Collision

Your rear-end truck accident lawyer may use several methods for determining who played a role in your crash. This can include reviewing:

• Data: Electronic control module and event data recorder downloads, electronic logging devices, telematics, GPS pings, dashcam video, and dispatch notes can help establish speed, following distance, and hours-on-duty.
• Maintenance Records: Pre- and post-trip logs, brake work, and repair history can reveal whether the rig could stop as required.
• Physical Evidence: Skid marks, crush profiles, lighting studies, and accident reconstruction help to build an event timeline.
• External Evidence: Business and traffic cameras, corridor cameras, bystander footage, and eyewitness accounts can help to provide details.
• Driver Phone Records: Call, text, or app usage may help to explain late braking.

Your rear-end truck accident lawyer may work with specialists in accident reconstruction or crash forensics to establish the facts of the case. This is especially useful in trucking accidents, where decisions made on a corporate level can play a role in driver behavior. For example, if a trucker is expected to deliver a load in a shorter time than is possible, they may speed and engage in other dangerous actions to avoid losing their job. In these cases, the carrier company, broker, and truck driver may share a portion of the blame, even though only one was on the scene of the crash.

Potential Damages in a Rear-End Truck Crash in Colorado

Depending on the facts of your case, recoverable losses in a rear-end truck crash may include:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
• Property damage
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Physical impairment and disfigurement
• Pain and suffering

In Colorado, both economic and non-economic damages are typically sought after a truck crash. While there is no cap (limit) on how much you can seek in economic damages, non-economic damages are currently limited to $1.5 million.

Colorado recognizes comparative negligence in truck accident claims. This means that you can still recover damages if you played a role in your crash. Your damages will simply be reduced proportionally to your percentage of fault. For example, if you are awarded $500,000 in damages but found to be 10% at fault, your compensation will be reduced to $450,000.

Your rear-end truck accident lawyer is crucial for establishing liability and ensuring you are not saddled with blame for a wreck you did not cause. They will also be able to properly assess your damages, taking all of your losses into account and fighting for every penny your injury demands.

Learn more about how damage caps in Colorado can impact your truck accident claim.

Why Choose Burg Simpson for Your Rear-End Truck Crash Claim?

Burg Simpson is an award-winning law firm with the resources and know-how to handle even the most high-stakes trucking litigation. Our team of attorneys and legal professionals understands federal rules and the technical evidence that decides these cases. We also know Colorado roads, the state’s trucking regulations, and the impact truck crash injuries have on victims and their families.

Proven trial lawyers with a history of securing substantial settlements and verdicts, we are prepared to take claims as far as necessary in pursuit of fair compensation. And our services are offered on a contingency fee basis. This means you do not pay for our services until after we have won your case. We strongly believe that seeking justice should never hinge on your ability to afford legal counsel. We are here to answer your questions, provide straightforward advice, and assist you in recovering the compensation you are entitled to.

Schedule a FREE Consultation With an Experienced Rear-End Truck Accident Lawyer

Fill out our online contact form to schedule your FREE consultation with one of the truck crash attorneys at our Denver office. We serve Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, Thornton, Littleton, and the entire Denver metro area. We also serve the Front Range, Eastern Plains, Western Slope, and all areas of the state.