Cycling cases are especially familiar territory for Christopher W. Jeffress, who rides bicycles himself and has handled significant bicycle accident matters. His firm, Jeffress Law, PC, serves injured cyclists in Boulder, Fort Collins, Longmont, and Loveland, CO. Chris has represented injured people against insurance companies since 1994 after starting his career defending insurers and large corporations. He’s also been recognized as a Top 10 Attorney.
Who Is at Fault in a Right-Hook Bicycle Accident?
A right-hook crash often occurs near an intersection, driveway, or other turning point. A driver can pass or travel beside a cyclist and then turn right across the bicycle’s path without leaving enough room for the rider to stop.
Liability can depend on several facts, including the cyclist’s position, the vehicle’s movement, signaling, visibility, and right of way. Right-hook bicycle crashes often arise at intersections, driveways, and other places where a motorist turns across a cyclist’s line of travel.
What Causes a Left-Cross Bicycle Crash?
A left-cross collision usually involves a motorist turning left in front of a cyclist traveling in the opposite direction. The driver might misjudge the cyclist’s speed, fail to see the bicycle, or begin the turn without enough room.
The driver isn’t automatically responsible simply because a left turn occurred. Investigators may examine traffic signals, right-of-way rules, witness accounts, photographs, video footage, vehicle damage, and the locations of the bicycle and car after impact.
Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence rule. In a typical claim involving one cyclist and one driver, an injured cyclist who is less than 50% at fault can still recover damages, but the award is reduced according to the cyclist’s percentage of fault. A cyclist found 50% or more at fault generally can’t recover damages.
Evidence Can Make the Difference
Collisions can happen in seconds, and the driver and cyclist might remember the sequence differently. Photos, police reports, witness statements, traffic or surveillance footage, and crash reconstruction may help establish what occurred.
Talk With a Colorado Bicycle Accident Lawyer
After a right-hook or left-cross crash, you deserve a lawyer who understands both cycling and how insurance companies handle injury claims. Chris Jeffress brings that perspective to cyclists throughout Boulder, Fort Collins, Longmont, and Loveland, CO. To discuss what happened, contact us at 303-993-8685.
