Personal Injuries and Negligence in Collisions with Animals
If your vehicle collides with an animal while you are driving, it can be a disaster. These incidents are common in Colorado and may involve a collision with wildlife such as deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, or involve livestock, dogs, or horses. If you encounter wildlife while driving, it is natural to swerve to try to avoid the animal, and lead to a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle.
You have a right to seek compensation for damages from your own auto insurance company. In cases of livestock or other animals owned by another party, you may have the right to pursue compensation for damages from the owner of the livestock or other animal.
Types of Injuries in a Vehicle Collision with an Animal
A collision with an animal can lead to very serious or fatal injuries, with a vehicle running off the road, or colliding with another vehicle. The types of injuries sustained can include:
- Amputations
- Back injuries
- Brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Internal injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident with livestock or other animals, it is imperative that you seek legal counsel to manage your claim or lawsuit. In Colorado, the law allows livestock to roam, and landowners are required to install fencing to keep the animals off their property. However, livestock can damage existing fences, gaining entrance to property with access to the roadways. The first step in filing an injury claim requires a thorough evaluation of the facts to identify any liable party.
Animal Collisions and Colorado Law: Cases of Negligence
Under the Colorado Revised Statutes, livestock are not allowed to graze on roads, lanes, or public highways or in municipalities. When livestock is present on a roadway, the owner of the animal may be held liable in a personal injury claim or lawsuit. Horses and mules are not allowed to roam at large within five miles of any city of 5,000 and 100,000 residents. If your vehicle collided with a horse or mule, the owner of the animal may be liable.
Damages in Animal Collision Cases in Colorado
Every vehicle/animal collision case is unique. The damages pursued in a personal injury case will reflect the extent of the injuries sustained by the vehicle operator and passengers after a collision with an animal that should not have been present on the road, street, or highway. The damages sought in a settlement or jury award will include:
- Economic damages: The economic losses associated with the accident, such as medical bills, loss of wages from work, reduced earning capacity, rehabilitation, medications, transportation, and other costs.
- Non-economic damages: These damages are related to more personal losses, including pain and suffering, reduced quality of life, emotional anguish, and others.
Your Advocate for Justice in Animal Collision Cases: Welsh Law, LLC
Our legal team at Welsh Law, LLC is available for a 30 minute free case consultation in cases of collisions with animals in Colorado. Our Colorado personal injury attorney can provide experienced counsel, and is knowledgeable, trustworthy, professional, and we care about our clients. For our legal team, representing the injured is not about making money for our practice, but a passion for achieving justice for the injured.
Livestock Collisions in Colorado – What is Your Case Worth?
To determine the value of a case involving serious injury or death, every detail of the collision must be investigated. The owner or owners of the livestock involved in the collision must be identified, the extent of your injuries medically evaluated, along with the need for ongoing or necessary medical care in the future, and a financial value for pain and suffering and other damages. At Welsh Law, LLC, we take on cases involving livestock collisions leading to serious or fatal injuries with skill, dedication, and we are driven by our deep commitment to our clients, and their right to pursue justice and fair compensation.
Contact an attorney at Welsh Law, LLC today at (720) 836-1777 for a free case consultation.