After a crash, many injured pedestrians expect the driver’s insurance company to handle the claim fairly, only to encounter blame-shifting, low settlement offers, or arguments that they were partially at fault. With Boesen Law on your side, you do not have to face those tactics alone.
Our Fort Collins personal injury lawyers draw on decades of experience to hold negligent drivers financially accountable. We understand how a pedestrian accident affects not just your physical recovery, but also your work, studies, and family responsibilities, which is why we pursue compensation that reflects the full impact of your injuries. Your attorney will investigate how the crash occurred, preserve crucial evidence, and apply Colorado’s pedestrian and negligence laws to protect your claim.
Reach out to our law firm for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation today. Call our personal injury lawyers in the state of Colorado at (303) 999-9999 or contact us online.
How Our Fort Collins Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Help
After a pedestrian accident, you may feel uncertain about your next steps, especially when facing medical bills, lost wages, and pressure from insurance companies. From the first call, our goal is to protect your claim and give you clear guidance in an already stressful situation. We take over the legal complexities so you can focus on your physical recovery and getting your life back on track.
In a typical pedestrian case, your lawyer will:
- Secure and analyze evidence quickly: We work to obtain traffic camera footage, business surveillance video, dashcam recordings, phone records, and scene photos before they are overwritten or lost.
- Apply Colorado pedestrian laws to prove fault: We examine how the driver approached the intersection, whether they failed to yield at a crosswalk, or turned left without checking for pedestrians in the crosswalk as required by Colorado’s rules.
- Document your medical and functional losses: We collaborate with your treating providers and, when needed, independent experts to explain how your injuries will affect your work, activities, and long-term health.
- Handle all insurance communications: We deal with the at-fault driver’s insurer, any additional liability policies, and your own uninsured or underinsured coverage, so you are not pressured into quick settlements.
- Prepare your case for settlement or trial: By the time we enter negotiations, we have already analyzed liability, projected future costs, and prepared exhibits and testimony that can be used in court if the insurer refuses to pay a fair amount.
Our representation is structured so that you do not pay attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf. That allows you to focus on recovery while we handle the legal and insurance side of the crash. Throughout the process, we keep you informed of developments, explain your options at each stage, and work to secure a settlement or verdict that truly reflects the full impact of your injuries on your life, your family, and your future.
Common Pedestrian Accident Scenarios in Fort Collins
Understanding exactly where and how your crash happened helps us identify all potentially responsible parties, which can include a negligent driver, a commercial employer, or, in some cases, a governmental entity responsible for dangerous road design or poor signal timing. In Fort Collins, common pedestrian accident scenarios we handle include:
- Left-turn collisions at intersections where drivers fail to yield to pedestrians lawfully using a crosswalk.
- Right turns on red or at stop signs, involving drivers who enter crosswalks without adequately checking for pedestrians.
- Mid-block pedestrian impacts, particularly in high-foot-traffic areas near campus, entertainment districts, or public transit routes.
- Parking lot and alleyway crashes, which often involve reversing vehicles, delivery trucks, or rideshare drivers.
- Low-visibility or nighttime collisions where drivers fail to adjust speed or maintain a proper lookout despite known pedestrian activity.
No matter how your pedestrian accident happened—whether you were struck in a crosswalk, hit while crossing mid-block, or injured in a parking lot—Boesen Law is here to help. We handle every type of pedestrian collision in Fort Collins, from straightforward intersection crashes to complex cases involving multiple parties or disputed liability.
If you or a loved one was injured in a pedestrian accident, contact Boesen Law today for a free consultation. We will review your case, explain your options, and answer your questions—at no cost and with no obligation. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Colorado Pedestrian Laws and Right of Way
Under Colorado Revised Statutes § 42-4-802, drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians crossing within marked crosswalks or unmarked crosswalks at intersections when no traffic signal controls the crossing. The statute also prohibits drivers from passing another vehicle that has stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross.
Other laws govern pedestrian conduct in different situations. For example, C.R.S. § 42-4-803 addresses pedestrians crossing outside a crosswalk, requiring them to yield the right of way to vehicles. While insurers often rely on this provision to argue fault, crossing outside a crosswalk does not automatically bar a pedestrian injury claim under Colorado’s comparative negligence rules.
In practice, that means:
- Being in a crosswalk or having a walk signal usually places the duty to yield on drivers.
- Crossing outside a crosswalk or against a signal may lead to comparative fault arguments, but it does not always defeat your claim.
Our Fort Collins pedestrian accident attorneys can explain your rights under Colorado law, including how fault is determined, what damages you may recover, and how insurance coverage applies to your specific situation. We will walk you through each step of the claims process, from gathering evidence and documenting injuries to negotiating with insurers and, if necessary, presenting your case in court.
We believe you deserve to understand your options and make informed decisions about your case without feeling rushed or pressured by insurance adjusters.
Injuries We Commonly See After Pedestrian Accidents
A person on foot has no protection against a 3,000-pound vehicle, so even a low-speed impact can cause serious harm. Common injuries include:
- Broken bones in the legs, pelvis, arms, or ribs
- Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions and post-concussion syndrome
- Spinal injuries and nerve damage
- Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
- Torn ligaments, tendon injuries, and significant soft tissue trauma
- Facial fractures and scarring
These injuries often require emergency care at local hospitals, followed by months of physical therapy, neurological treatment, or surgery. Boesen Law documents not only the immediate medical bills, but also how the accident affected your ability to return to school, care for family members, or perform your job.
Compensation Available in a Fort Collins Pedestrian Accident Claim
A pedestrian accident claim is meant to place you, as much as money can, in the position you would have been in if the crash had not happened. In Colorado, recoverable damages in a personal injury lawsuit typically include:
- Past and future medical expenses: Emergency treatment, hospitalizations, imaging, surgery, physical therapy, assistive devices, and ongoing care.
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity: Missed work during recovery and longer-term losses if your injuries limit your ability to work in your prior field.
- Non-economic damages: Pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and the day-to-day limitations that follow serious injuries.
- Property damage: Replacement of personal items, such as a phone, glasses, or bicycle, that were destroyed in the collision.
- Wrongful death damages: If a pedestrian is killed, eligible family members may seek compensation for economic and non-economic losses related to the death.
Our firm has built a reputation for thorough preparation, clear communication, and results-driven advocacy. We understand that every pedestrian accident case is unique, and we take the time to learn about your life, your goals, and the specific challenges you face as you recover from your injuries. Whether your case settles through negotiation or proceeds to trial, you can count on us to fight for the compensation you deserve.
Fault, Comparative Negligence, and Jaywalking in Colorado
Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence rule under C.R.S. § 13-21-111, meaning your compensation may be reduced if you share some fault, and recovery is barred only if you are found more than 50 percent responsible.
Even if an insurer labels a pedestrian’s conduct as “jaywalking,” that does not automatically prevent recovery. Jaywalking may be used to argue partial fault, but drivers still have a duty to keep a proper lookout, control their speed, and avoid collisions when pedestrians are visible.
Your lawyer will focus on the driver’s actions—such as speed, visibility, and failure to yield—and use evidence like video footage, vehicle damage, and accident reconstruction to show that a reasonably careful driver could have avoided the crash.
Deadlines and Insurance Issues After a Pedestrian Crash
In most motor vehicle-related injury cases, you generally have three years from the date of the crash to bring a claim, as per C.R.S. § 13-80-101. Claims against government entities, such as a city or state agency responsible for road design, often have much shorter notice requirements, so waiting can be risky.
Pedestrian accident claims also involve specific insurance challenges, including:
- Minimum liability limits: The at-fault driver may carry only the minimum required insurance, which may not cover serious pedestrian injuries.
- Multiple applicable policies: Coverage may be available through the driver’s personal policy, an employer’s commercial policy, or an umbrella policy.
- Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage: Your own UM/UIM coverage may apply if the driver has no insurance or insufficient limits.
- Medical liens: Health insurers or medical providers may assert liens that must be resolved before settlement funds are distributed.
Our team identifies all potential sources of coverage early in your case and coordinates the timing of settlement and lien negotiations so that you are not surprised by unpaid medical balances after your claim is resolved.
Why Work With Boesen Law After a Fort Collins Pedestrian Accident
At Boesen Law, we have recovered significant results for people struck while walking or biking throughout Colorado. For example, one of our recent case results included a $390,000.00 recovery for a pedestrian who suffered a severe concussion and ongoing pain after being hit by a driver who ran a stop sign.
When you choose our Fort Collins pedestrian accident lawyers, you benefit from:
- Decades of experience with injury claims: We regularly handle cases involving brain injuries, spinal injuries, fractures, and other serious harm.
- Local insight: We are familiar with the patterns of traffic and pedestrian activity in Fort Collins, including higher risk areas around CSU and major east-west and north-south routes.
- A thorough, evidence-driven approach: We build each claim with the assumption it may ultimately be presented to a jury, which means detailed investigation, expert consultation, and careful documentation of your damages.
- Communication and support: We keep you updated on negotiations, deadlines, and next steps so you do not feel left in the dark while your case progresses.
Attorney Jon C. Boesen recommends: Don’t wait for the insurance company to define what happened or what your claim is worth. In pedestrian cases, evidence like crosswalk timing, nearby surveillance video, and witness accounts can disappear quickly, and insurers often use that uncertainty to argue the crash was “unavoidable” or that the pedestrian shares the blame.
Talk to a Fort Collins Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
After a pedestrian accident in Fort Collins, having a legal professional by your side who understands both the statutes and the realities of local roads can make a significant difference in the outcome of your claim. A lawyer from our team can review what happened, identify all liable parties and insurance policies, and develop a strategy tailored to your situation.
There are no fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf. To discuss your options in a free, no-obligation consultation, contact Boesen Law today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Collins Pedestrian Accidents
Do I need a lawyer if the driver’s insurance company already accepted fault?
Yes. Even when fault is admitted, insurers often dispute the value of your claim. A lawyer ensures your settlement fully covers medical costs, lost income, and future expenses.
What if I were not in a crosswalk when I was hit?
Crossing outside a crosswalk may reduce your recovery under Colorado’s comparative negligence rules, but it does not automatically eliminate your claim. You can still recover damages if your fault is less than the driver’s.
What if the driver left the scene or had no insurance?
Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may apply, and a lawyer can check for additional household coverage.
How long does a Fort Collins pedestrian accident case take?
It depends on injury severity, medical recovery, liability disputes, and the defendants involved. Some cases settle quickly; others require filing a lawsuit and preparing for trial.
Reach out to our law firm for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation today. Call our personal injury lawyers in the state of Colorado at (303) 999-9999 or contact us online.
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