We are excited to announce that in November we launched a NEW podcast called “Legal Anatomy of Current Events”!

“Legal Anatomy of Current Events” is a weekly podcast with new episodes initially starting on every Wednesday and then moving to early Thursday. In each episode, we will be reviewing a wide range of national topics and the legal issues involved. Life moves fast and our goal with our podcast is to keep you on top of current events and the legal impact they may have in each state and our country.

We are lawyers, experts, and advocates and our mission is to educate you on the law and how these national topics may affect you, delivered in a plain-language explanation of the law. Learn about what’s happening across the most pressing legal issues of our time in a non-political format.

You can find us on iHeart, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, and Google Podcasts

If you ever have any questions about any of our episodes, the guest, or the podcast, or if you would like to propose a topic or a guest, please email info@legalanatomy.net

New Year’s Resolution: 5 Tips on How to Avoid Common Motor Vehicle Accidents in 2023

It’s that time of the year again, i.e., the time to set New Year’s resolutions. Choosing a safer life for yourself and others is never a bad idea. Among everyday healthy habits, safe driving is one of the most important. According to a report by the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT), motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of death in the US. Over 46,000 Americans die of motor vehicle accidents yearly, making up 12.5% of all fatalities. This makes safe driving even more important than getting organized, among the top 5 most common New Year’s resolutions.

Here are some tips to avoid common motor vehicle accidents and ensure greater road safety in 2023:

1. Develop Patience

Patience can make one’s life easy in various instances, including driving. Patience during driving is especially essential since you can never predict what you will encounter on the road.

When you are driving on the road, controlling your temper will allow you to control your vehicle better by being more attentive and careful. Patience during driving will also allow you to make the wiser decision of taking the longer route instead of going the wrong way or turning without giving a signal, both of which increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents.

2. Limit Passengers if You Are a New Driver

More people in the car means more potential distractions. A full car is usually loud, with different people wanting different things and giving you different instructions. Therefore, limiting passengers when you are a new driver can help you avoid common motor vehicle accidents.

3. Get Acquainted with Routes

While you may not memorize every street, intersection, and turn in your town, memorizing your most common routes will allow you to avoid common motor vehicle accidents more efficiently. It will especially save you from making a turn or stopping unexpectedly.

4. Drive a Safe Vehicle

Keep your vehicle maintained. Ensure all windows are clear of rain or snow before driving. Check vehicle fluids and tire pressure. A safe and cautious driver will check their vehicle before departing on a prolonged drive to work or the mountains, especially during hazordous weather conditions.

5. Prepare for Every Condition

Unpredictable conditions, including weather and traffic in places like the high mountains or even throughout the Denver Metro Area, can put any driver in a bind. Bring extra water, blankets, and snacks to prepare for prolonged trips to work or to the mountains.

Study daily weather forecasts. If snow is expected, perhaps bring a shovel and warm clothes along with you in your vehicle just in case. The driver and any passengers should always wear a seatbelt.

Last but not least, keep it slow and calm. Avoid sharp and sporadic movements on ice, snow, and wet roads. Stay calm, and stay safe.

A cautious driver may still find themselves involved in a car accident. If you or someone you love was involved in an auto injury in Colorado, give the experts at Bell & Pollock a call today at (303)795-5900 or email us. We are a leading Colorado car accident attorney office in the state, and we will ensure that you have all the options available to you relating to your accident. If you are looking for a Denver lawyer, we’re here to serve you, and we look forward to helping you resolve your case.

Now a Word from Gary Bell

Auto Legal Talk

By Gary Bell of Bell & Pollock Injury Attorneys

When in an automobile it is mandatory that a seat belt is worn at all times. You must wear all parts of the seat belt which includes the lap belt and shoulder strap, failure to do so will subject you to criminal and civil penalties. The civil jury instructions contain the elements of nonuse of a safety belt: If you find the defendant has proved by a preponderance of the evidence that the plaintiff was not wearing an available safety belt, then you must determine the amount of pain and suffering damages, if any, caused by the plaintiff’s failure to use the safety belt. If you award non-economic damages for pain and suffering, this amount must be deducted from the award. As stated above, the failure of an individual to wear a safety belt allows a jury to reduce the pain and suffering damage award. Although the statute references only the diminishment of “pain and suffering” damages for failure to wear a seat belt, in interpreting the statute the court stated that the legislature intended to include a broader range of noneconomic damages than those that might be categorized as simply “pain and suffering.” As such, the nonuse of a seat belt could potentially also reduce other noneconomic losses. A defendant is entitled to the safety belt instruction if he/she provides evidence of safety belt nonuse. It should also be noted that the defendant is entitled to the safety belt instruction even if there is no evidence of a causal relationship between the claimed injury and the non-use. Once a defendant provides evidence regarding the nonuse of a seat belt, the plaintiff can then challenge the defendant’s evidence. If the defendant does not sufficiently prove the plaintiff did not use the seat belt beyond a preponderance of the evidence, then the instruction should not be presented to the jury. When there is sufficient evident of “nonuse” the jury is entitled to determine the amount of the reduction of your pain and suffering award and perhaps even some of the other noneconomic damages.

To Learn Even More . . .

Visit our website to listen to the show on this subject and all of our other radio shows on various legal topics.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in today’s newsletter, or questions on other legal issues, give our office a call and one of our attorneys would be happy to talk with you.

More Information

Get more information about your rights and options following an accident by checking out one of our helpful BOOKS: THEY ARE FREE.

• Don’t Get Hurt Twice in the Same Accident – This enlightening guide dispels some of the most common (and harmful) myths about car crashes, insurance companies, attorneys, and financial recoveries.
• The Essential Guide to Car Insurance in Colorado – This guide helps all drivers better understand car insurance. If you’ve ever had a question about a claim, dispute or car insurance in general, this is a must-read.
• Cowards of the Street: Hit & Run – This book uncovers the facts about hit and runs and how to financially recover from these crashes. It also shares about what you can do to protect yourself before and after a hit and run accident occurs.
• Colorado’s Workers’ Compensation: The Ultimate Guide – This insightful book reveals everything you need to know in order to protect your rights as a worker – and to position a Colorado workers’ compensation claim for success.
• Legal Game Plan – This educational book helps you better understand insurance company’s hidden game plan…and come up with one on your own!
• Motorcycle Accidents (or How to Go Full Throttle Against the Insurance Companies) – This informative read will help motorcyclists come up with a plan of action to combat the insurance agencies. If you ride a motorcycle, you need this book.
• 18 Mistakes You Could Make to Destroy Your Injury Claim – Found within is a precise guide regarding a trove of detailed mistakes one should avoid when pursuing a successful resolution to ones case. This work helps answer questions and details advice to protect oneself from common pitfalls and perils associated with a compensation claim.
• Distracted Driving and Your Injury Claim – This comprehensive work assists all drivers in understanding the dangers of distracted driving and its relationship to your injury claim.
• Premises Liability (Landowner Responsibility and Injury Recovery) – This definitive piece renders the details behind the history of the Premises Liability Law in Colorado and highlights examples of responsibility which further offers a practical guide for injured victims.

Call our office to request copies of our books. THEY ARE FREE. You can also request a copy of any (or all) of these books on our website. You can download a free electronic copy anytime. And be sure to tune in to our weekly radio show to learn more about a variety of legal topics.