Colorado Springs Automobile Accident Lawyers

A majority of our clients that have suffered personal injuries have sustained them from automobile and truck accidents. The insurance companies are sometimes not willing to settle legitimate claims in a timely and fair manner. That's where the automobile accident lawyers of McCormick and Murphy come into play. We will take on the insurance companies and do every thing in our legal powers to see that your personal injury claim is setled to your satisfaction. Please feel free to call us for an initial free consultation at 719-389-0400.

In our Colorado Springs office the most frequent car accidents we see are:
Head-On Collisions
Rear-End Auto Accidents
Rollover Accidents
Side-Impact Auto Crashes

Of all the accidents that happen on Colorado Springs roads and across Colorado. the head-on accidents have the greates potential to result in a fatal car accident. Generally, the speed of the collision does not matter because head-ons can cause high amounts of physical and property damage regardless of the speed. Sadly, head-on accidnets can often become fatal accidents. In the United Startes, head-on car accidnets accounted for only 2% of crashes, but they accounted for just over 10% of fatal automobile accidents.

Some of the most common personal injuries we see from Head-On Collisions include:

Wrongful Deaths
Spinal Cord Injuries
Brain Injuries
Burn Injuries
Broken Bones

If you would like a complimentary free consultation please call the Colorado Springs Personal Injury Attorneys of McCormick and Murphy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We can be reached at 719-389-0400.

The automobile attorneys at McCormick & Murphy are located in Colorado Springs and understand these problems and the need to help the victims and families of collisions. Prior to forming their own law firm, Mr. McCormick and Mr. Murphy did defense work, representing insureds and some of the the largest insurance companies in the country. Since 1994, the Attorneys at McCormick & Murphy have representing the interests of injured people. The Attorneys at McCormick & Murphy also have experience battling insurance companies who unfairly cheat their insureds and commit insurance bad faith. McCormick & Murphy's unique experience in representing both sides gives them invaluable insight into the insurance claims process.

Their professional interest and passion lies in protecting the rights and recovery damages for people injured in car, truck, and motorcycle accidents. The Attorneys at McCormick & Murphy have the experience to handle any and all communications and negotiations between the accident victims and the insurance companies. Since any written or oral communication between the victim and the insurer could impact the victim's rights and interests, it's important to seek legal advice before agreeing to a settlement offer or providing an official statement to a claims adjuster.

Because Colorado law requires drivers to carry minimum auto insurance coverage of $25,000, there are many cases that trigger uninsured and underinsured motorist ("UM" or "UIM") claims. These coverages may stack on top of other coverages, providing much needed compensation to injured persons. However, these coverages are sometimes unintentionally lost or waived. It is, therefore, very important to have a careful evaluation of such automobile insurance coverages BEFORE claims are settled.

Medical Payments coverage ("MedPay") is another important Colorado coverage. Beginning January 1, 2009, Colorado insurance policies must provide at least $5,000 of MedPay coverage unless the injured has opted to reject this coverage. The insurance companies do not have a right of subrogation of the medical payments coverage.

The automobile accident injury attorneys assists victims and families throughout Colorado whose loved ones have fallen victim to the following:

Car crashes
Motorcycle wrecks
Bicycle accidents
Pedestrian - car collisions

The firm's automobile accident lawyers have handled hundreds of automobile accident cases, and have successfully taken many of those to trial by jury. McCormick & Murphy P.C. has the experience and investigative resources needed to establish who was at fault and to hold the negligent and reckless drivers (and their insurance companies) financially liable for the injuries and harms these drivers cause. The collision attorneys at McCormick & Murphy have experience evaluating injury claims and analyzing insurance policies for available coverages. The accident attorneys at McCormick & Murphy can make the difference in finding and preserving available coverages.

Contact the Colorado Springs Automobile accident Lawyers of McCormick & Murphy P.C. for a free initial consultation to discuss your potential auto accident claim.

When a person gets injured in a bicycle accident, one of first worries is about who is going to pay the medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering? Is there insurance coverage? And, is the insurance company going take advantage of me?.

Protect your rights.
If you don't protect your rights, you may not be able to make a claim. Insurance companies have attorneys and adjusters whose goal is to pay you as little as they can. You need an experienced Colorado bicycle accident attorney with proven results to fight for you.

Hire Attorneys who understand Bicycle Accidents.
The attorneys at McCormick & Murphy understand what it is like to have to deal with careless drivers, and more importantly, the insurance companies of careless drivers. They, their families and friends are bicyclists. The lawyers at McCormick & Murphy have represented many Coloradans who have been seriously hurt by negligent drivers. They understand that motorists oftentimes try to blame the cyclists just because they are on a bike. They understand what battles must often be fought with insurance companies and others to get a reasonable settlement.

The attorneys at McCormick & Murphy will work hard to protect your rights and maximize your insurance settlement. Our attorneys are experienced and aggressive Colorado trial lawyers who will fight for you. Having an experienced Colorado bike accident attorney can make the difference between getting what you deserve for you injuries and getting nothing.

Our experienced attorneys can also help you recover the value of your damaged bike. We know how expensive bicycles can be. We know what it is like to spend thousands of dollars on a bicycle only to have it damaged by someone else. Working with local bicycle shops, we can work to try and get you full value for your damaged bicycle and bicycle gear.

Bike accidents can turn your life upside down. Once our attorneys take your case, you can stop worrying about dealing with the insurance companies and focus on recovering from your bicycle accident injuries. We take care of all of the paperwork, phone calls, and negotiations, so you can get on with your life.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bike Accidents
QUESTION:
How soon after my bicycle accident should I call you?

ANSWER:
You should call us immediately. Also, we do not believe that you should talk to the insurance company of the person who ran into you until after you have consulted a lawyer. The insurance adjuster that you are talking with probably does not have your best interests at heart, and you may be asked questions that you are not prepared to answer. If you have been injured in a bicycle accident you need to know right away what insurance coverage is in place to cover your medical expenses and lost wages.

QUESTION:
Can I recover even if the motorist never hit me?

ANSWER:
Yes. Many people are under the misconception that there has to be physical contact between a cyclist and a motor vehicle for the motorist to be liable. This is not true. There are many situations where cyclists are injured when they take evasive action to avoid being hit, and crash as a result. The motorist can still be held liable if their negligence required the cyclist to take the evasive action.

QUESTION:
Does my auto insurance cover accidents when I am on my bike?

ANSWER:
Many auto policies will cover you if you are injured in a bicycle accident or while on foot.

QUESTION:
How do I know if I have a good bicycle accident claim?

ANSWER:
You should contact us and we can discuss your case. Our consultation on a personal injury case is always free.

Semi-trailer trucks, also known as "tractor-trailers" and "18-wheelers" are an integral part of the country's commercial transportation network and are a constant presence on the road. Many of these vehicles weigh upwards of 80,000 lbs, and may be transporting fuel or hazardous chemicals. Each year, thousands of these semi-trailer trucks are involved in crashes on federal and state roads. Unfortunately, many of these crashes result in serious injuries and fatalities to other motorists. Often times, the collisions occur due to the reckless and careless conduct of the drivers or the companies that employ them.

Federal and state laws regulate the trucking industry. Truck drivers are required to receive certain basic training, limit the number of hours they drive continually, maintain the safety of their vehicle, and adhere to the rules of the road. However, drivers and their employers do not always follow the rules. In order to deliver freight on time, to earn more money, or to cut costs, truck drivers and trucking companies may bend or ignore the rules. As a result, serious truck collisions often stem from lack of training or experience, overloaded trucks, driving at unsafe speeds, aggressive driving behavior, fatigued or tired drivers who drive too long or too many hours without rest, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The lawyers at McCormick & Murphy have the experience and knowledge needed to uncover acts of negligence and violations of safety laws and industry standards. The law offices of McCormick & Murphy have handled a variety of trucking injury cases and has the investigative resources to determine the causes of a truck accident.

Truck Accident Litigation
Truck accident litigation is considerably different from other forms of auto accident cases. Truck drivers and trucking companies must follow regulations ranging from weight limits on trucks to preventing driver fatigue. If these rules are violated, commercial vehicles endanger other drivers and passengers.

The trucking companies and their insurers do not always play fair. They are aggressive and often withhold information from injured persons. It is, therefore, imperative to retain an attorney with the experience and aggressiveness necessary to uncover the truth and obtain the correct amount of recovery.

If you have suffered persoanl injuries as a result of a truck accident please call the Colorado Springs Persoanl Injury Attorneys of McCormick and Murphy to discuss your case.

The Personal Injury lawyers of the Colorado law firm of McCormick & Murphy take cases throughout Colorado, including Colorado Springs, Denver, Pueblo, Canon City, Las Animas, La Junta, Trinidad, Walsenberg, Alamosa, Del Norte, Durango, Monte Vista, Gunnison, Salida, Buena Vista, Leadville, Breckenridge, Eagle, and more.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI's) can happen anywhere. A TBI is an injury to the brain caused by the head being hit by something or shaken violently. It can occur on the job site, on the playground, from a falling object, or in car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle or skiing accident. All it takes is one horrible moment in your life - or the life of a loved one - to be forever and traumatically changed. This injury can change how a person acts, moves, and thinks.

When most people picture traumatic brain injuries, or closed head injuries (CHI), they think of severely brain damaged people in a vegetative state. More common are mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI), which cause a variety of symptoms. These injuries do not always present clear outward symptoms and are often difficult to prove. Some of the signs and symptoms of mild traumatic brain injuries include:

* Concussion * Loss of consciousness / Blacking out * Severe Headaches * Nausea * Short Term Memory Loss * Diminished Concentration * Cognitive Fatique * Focus and Attention * Volatility * Multi-tasking difficulty * Personality changes or volatility * Learning difficulties * Vision, Taste, Smell and Hearing changes.

A traumatic brain injury can change how a student learns and acts in school. A TBI can also have long-term consequences on a person's employment and social life. The effects of a brain injury are often not immediately apparent in the weeks or months following a trauma to the head.

If the injury has long term consequences and was caused by the carelessness - or negligence - of another, you may have a claim. Aside from recovering the costs of your medical care, you may have the right to recover loss of wages, education expenses, rehabilitation costs, retraining expenses, nursing care, loss of consortium, pain and suffering - and any other expenses that resulted, or will result, from your injury.

As a result, it's essential that any financial settlement or award carefully consider both the past and future losses associated with the traumatic brain injury. In order to ensure all relevant medical facts are taken into consideration, the lawyers at McCormick & Murphy often consult experts, including medical doctors, neurologists, physical therapists, pain specialists, and psychologists in protecting our clients' interests.

If you're facing expensive medical bills or an uncertain future due to a brain injury, contact the law office of McCormick & Murphy today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. When the law firm of McCormick & Murphy takes your personal injury case, they will work to:

Investigate the cause of the incident that resulted in brain injury
Discover who might have been responsible
Consult with medical care professionals to determine what the victim's future needs will be

Colorado Traumatic Brain Injury Trial Attorneys

The McCormick & Murphy PC Law Firm prepares every case as if it is going to trial. This extensive and thorough preparation is an important part of achieving justice for our injured clients. The good trial verdicts and large settlements we have obtained are the result of hard work, skilled trial advocacy, and our reputation as aggressive trial lawyers.

Contact us if you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury and need assistance of an experienced brain injury attorney in Colorado.

Please call the Colorado Springs Persoanl Injury Attorneys
of the Mccormick and Murphy to discuss your personal injury case.

The Colorado law firm McCormick & Murphy take cases throughout Colorado, including Colorado Springs, Denver, Pueblo, Canon City, Las Animas, La Junta, Trinidad, Walsenberg, Alamosa, Del Norte, Durango, Monte Vista, Gunnison, Salida, Buena Vista, Leadville, Breckenridge, Eagle, and more.

A dog attack may last only a few seconds, but the physical and emotional scars can last a lifetime. Colorado law allows a victim of a dog bite, under certain circumstances, to recover for damages for injuries caused by a dog whether or not that dog has previously bitten others or shown signs of being vicious. There is often insurance coverage available to satisfy claims made against dog owners.

Unfortunately, children are often the victims of dog bites suffering serious bodily injury to the face, neck, and arms. Children suffering from these injuries often need multiple surgeries to minimize scarring as they grow.

Another tragic aspect of these types of cases is that most of them are completely avoidable by the dog owners. With proper training, socialization, control, and confinement, dogs can be safely kept. When these practices are not observed, terrible injuries can occur.

The McCormick & Murphy Law Firm has successfully resolved many claims resulting from Colorado dog attacks. We know how to get fair compensation for the victim. If you or a loved-one have been injured by a dog bite or attack, contact a Colorado dog bite lawyer at the McCormick & Murphy Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Call the Colorado Springs Personal injury Attorneys to discuss your dog bite claim.

People buy insurance policies for the financial security and peace of mind obtained by protecting themselves from unforeseen injuries, calamaties and financial losses. When personal injuries, property damage, or liability exposure arises from an auto accident, a fire, a natural disaster, or other insured event, people turn to their insurance company for protection and expect to receive the benefits they paid for under their insurance policy.

What happens when the insurance company fails or refuses to honor their insurance contract to provide benefits? The insurance company's actions expose the insured to being personally liable for the monetary obligations underlying the insured's claims.

The Colorado courts recognize that this involves more than just breach of a contract. Due to the special nature of insurance contracts and the difference in bargaining power between consumers and insurance companies, Colorado law provides remedies to protect insureds from insurers conduct in unreasonably refusing to pay a claim and failing to act in good faith. Due to the special nature of insurance contracts and the relationship between the insurer, a breach of the insurer's duty of good faith and fair dealing gives rise to a claim in tort against the insurer based on its wrongful conduct prior to the time of payment. An insured can recover damages for bad faith breach of insurance contract. Compensatory damages for economic and non-economic losses are available to make the insured whole and, where appropriate, punitive damages are available to punish the insurer and deter wrongful conduct by this and other insurers. Non-economic losses include damages for emotional distress, pain and suffering, inconvenience, fear and anxiety, and impairment of quality of life. In certain cases, an insured can recover two times the amount of unpaid benefits an insurance company owes.

These rights and remedies serve as important safeguards in protecting insureds from insurers unreasonable conduct in:

Denying valid claims
Failing to pay medical bills
Failing to pay uninsured motorist benefits
Failing to pay workers compensation benefits
Delaying payments of benefits
Delaying decisions on claims or requests for medical treatment for weeks or months
Offering to pay less than they should to settle valid claims, hoping the insured will accept a smaller amount
Pressuring insureds to accept less to settle valid claims
Threatening insureds in order to obtain an advantage over them
Failing to promptly investigate claims
Offering invalid excuses for not paying legitimate claims, such as claiming the damages were outside the policy language or that the injuries were not caused by the covered accident
Protecting the insurance company profits over payment of their insured's legitimate claims
Breaching their duty of good faith and fair dealing.

If you or someone you know is having a problem receiving insurance benefits from their car insurance, health insurance, workers compensation insurance, disability insurance, homeowners insurance, or malpractice insurance, you should talk to an attorney who has knowledge and experience in the field of insurance bad faith. This should be done promptly. Do not lose your right to your insurance coverage. By acting quickly, you will protect those rights.

If your insurance company intentionally denies or delays payment of your benefits in violation of contractual or legal agreements, you have may have a basis to file a lawsuit against them. Bad faith insurance claims can arise when your insurance company unfairly deny claims relating to your:

Automobile Insurance
Medical bills
Uninsured motorist ("UM") coverage
Workers Compensation Insurance coverage
Business Insurance
Homeowners Insurance
Fire Insurance
Disability Insurance
Health Insurance
Life Insurance

The insurance bad faith lawyers at the law firm of McCormick & Murphy, are available for a free consultation. The skilled attorneys at McCormick & Murphy are familiar with Colorado law, the Colorado insurance standards and they have successfully handled a dozens of insurance bad faith claims. They have the experience and ability to protect your rights. The attorneys at McCormick & Murphy can discuss your case with you and advise you of your rights and remedies for bad faith insurance conduct.

Contact the Colorado Springs Insurance Bad Faith Attorneys of McCormick & Murphy P.C. for a free initial consultation to discuss your potential insurance bad faith claim.

The lawyers of the Colorado law firm McCormick & Murphy take cases throughout Colorado, including Colorado Springs, Denver, Pueblo, Canon City, Las Animas, La Junta, Trinidad, Walsenberg, Alamosa, Del Norte, Durango, Monte Vista, Gunnison, Salida, Buena Vista, Leadville, Breckenridge, Eagle, and more.

McCormick & Murphy, P.C.
318 S. 8th Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
Phone: 719-389-0400
Fax: 719-389-1600

AColorado Springs is a great area to ride bicycles. We are avid cyclists ourselves and are very sensitive to the claims of injured bicyclists. We know that our clients are not encased in 3,000 lb. steel cages with air bags and seat belts-our clients are virtually unprotected while on their bicycles in the beautiful surrondings of Colorado.

We know that oftentimes the cyclist is like a ghost out on the street. Motorists are staring right through us. As cyclist lawyers, we understand this and we are prepared to fight for our cyclist victims. We know what to do to present a successful case for the cyclist victim who has been hit by a car or truck.

Are you aware that it is common for bicyclists to get the short end of the stick from insurance companies? Recent studies show that settlements for injuries suffered in cars are up to 30% to 40% higher than for the same type of injuries suffered by cyclists.

In many cases, a bicycle accident results from a motorist's negligence or inattentiveness while operating his or her vehicle. The following are some common types of collisions that a cyclist may be injured in:

A motor vehicle driver turning directly in front of a bicyclist;
An automobile driver entering the street from a driveway or parking spot and pulls out into traffic in front of the bicyclist;
motorist's failure to yield at an intersection or running a stop sign or red light;
A vehicle driver's inattention while driving past a bicyclist;
An automobile driver's failure to look both ways when resuming travel after stopping at a stop sign;
An automobile driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Our professionally trained staff members will do the following for our bike accident clients:

We will investigate and, where appropriate, closely analyze any damage that occurred to the bicycle, such as chipped paint, stressed metal, bent wheels and torn brake pads;
We will examine the remains of a bike wreck and seek to counter a motorist's typical claims that a cyclist was speeding or squeezed the brake levers too hard or swerved into traffic.

Due to the increase in bike traffic throughout the United States and Colorado, many cities have constructed special bike lanes. Parks now have trails which are accessible to bicycles, and some vehicle manufacturers are even offering bike racks as standard equipment. However, many motor vehicle drivers do not respect the bicyclists' rights to share the roads and, more importantly, many cyclists have not been properly educated on how to legally and safely share the roads with automobiles.

Negligent automobile drivers and uneducated bicyclists have resulted in some staggering statistics.

Every 6 hours a bicyclist is fatally injured;
Approximately one million children are injured each year in bicycle related accidents;
Nearly half of all bicycle fatalities occur to children under the age of 16;
Head injuries account for about 75% of all serious injuries and fatalities from bicycle accidents;
While collisions with cars account for only 1/3rd of all bicycle accidents, they account for the majority of catastrophic injuries and deaths.
Motor vehicle operators must be attentive to all bicycle riders. They must equate a bicycle with a motor vehicle and observe the same laws. For example: if you are sharing the right lane with a bicyclist and you are planning to turn right at an intersection, you must yield to the bicyclist. You may not drive in a designated bike lane unless you have immediate intentions to turn off the road. There are many "new" traffic laws concerning bicycles and ignorance of the laws will not protect you against negligence if you injure a bicyclist.

Under Colorado law, bicycle riders are also subject to the same traffic laws as motorists. If you are riding a bicycle, you are also required to obey the traffic laws and you deserve the same protection by those laws as automobile drivers.

There are many other types of negligence, such as product liability, defective products and negligent manufacturing or assembly, which can also cause serious bicycle accidents and injuries.

If you have suffered personal injuries as a result of a bicycle acident please call the Colorado Springs Personal Injury Attorneys of McCormcik and Murphy.