Denver Truck Accident Attorney

How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in Colorado?

Colorado law imposes a strict deadline, known as the statute of limitations, for filing a personal injury lawsuit, including those arising from a truck accident. For claims involving a motor vehicle, which includes commercial truck crashes, the deadline is generally three years from the date of the collision. If your case involves a defective vehicle or vehicle component, you may only have two years to take legal action against the manufacturer or supplier. If you do not file your lawsuit within the applicable window, you will likely forfeit your right to compensation from the responsible parties.

Two or three years may seem like a long time. In the context of a truck accident, it’s not. A prompt, aggressive investigation is paramount to securing the evidence we need to win your case. Trucking companies and their high-powered defense teams immediately try to control the narrative and minimize evidence of their fault. We must move faster and preserve evidence before it disappears so that we can accurately determine liability and protect your right to compensation.

The bottom line: taking early action helps put you in the best possible position. Do not wait to reach out to our team at Justice Now Injury Lawyers. 

Who Is Liable for a Truck Accident?

Determining who is legally responsible for your truck accident injuries isn’t always straightforward. Unlike standard car crashes, commercial trucking accidents almost always involve multiple parties who may have played a role in causing the collision. That’s why a prompt and exhaustive investigation is so important. 

We know what to look for when assessing these crashes and can identify every liable party. Naming all responsible parties is the only way we can maximize your financial recovery and hold everyone accountable for their negligence.

Depending on what happened, one or more of the following parties could be liable for a truck collision:

• The truck driver. We can hold the driver liable for any negligent actions behind the wheel, such as speeding, distracted driving, driving under the influence, or violating hours of service rules.
• The trucking company. The truck driver’s employer is typically liable for the actions of its employee drivers while they are on the job. We can also hold the company directly liable for its own negligence, which could include negligent hiring, negligent maintenance, or pressuring the driver to violate hours of service regulations. 
• The cargo loader or shipper. Companies responsible for loading the truck’s trailer can cause an accident if they improperly load or secure the cargo. For example, if the load shifts mid-transit due to negligence, causing the truck to roll over or become unstable, the cargo shipper or loader can be held accountable for the resulting crash.
• The vehicle or parts manufacturer. If a crash occurred because of a defective component, such as a brake failure, a tire blowout, or a steering system malfunction, we may be able to pursue a product liability claim against the manufacturer or supplier of the faulty part. 
• Third-party maintenance providers. Trucking companies often outsource maintenance. If an external repair shop, mechanic, or vendor performed shoddy work or failed to spot a critical safety issue that subsequently caused an accident, the maintenance provider becomes legally responsible for the resulting injuries.

What Types of Compensation Can I Recover in a Truck Accident Case?

When our lawyer pursues compensation on your behalf, we are primarily seeking compensatory damages, which are intended to make you financially "whole" following the truck accident. These damages are divided into two main categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages are the tangible, measurable financial losses you have sustained and will incur in the future as a direct result of your injuries. They represent verifiable monetary losses that we can calculate with a reasonable degree of certainty using bills, invoices, pay stubs, and expert projections.

Examples of economic damages include:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Reduced earning capacity
• Property damage

Non-economic damages represent the intangible, personal losses you experience due to the truck accident. They account for the suffering and the negative emotional and life impact of the catastrophic injuries you have sustained. These losses are real and often life-altering, but they are subjective and more difficult to assign an exact dollar amount to.

Examples of non-economic damages include:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Colorado law imposes a statutory limit on the amount of non-economic damages you can recover in a personal injury lawsuit. While this restriction exists, our truck accident attorney can strategically assemble and present compelling evidence of your suffering and diminished quality of life to a jury or court to maximize your non-economic recovery within the legal parameters allowed.

In rare cases involving especially egregious conduct, we may also be able to pursue punitive damages, which are intended to specifically punish the defendant or defendants. Punitive damages are meant to deter them and others from engaging in similar behavior in the future.

When you suffer injuries in a truck crash caused by negligence, we are prepared to fight relentlessly to secure the highest possible compensation award available to you under the law. Call (720) 802-1466 or contact us online to schedule a time to discuss your case.