Bell & Pollock Special Announcement

Legal Anatomy of Current Events

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 every 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, Google Podcasts, and on the homepage of Steamboat Radio.

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

lnjury Legal Hub

Did you know that the “Bell & Pollock – lnjury Legal Hub” podcast is just over a year old with almost 50 podcasts under our belt? We hope you have had a chance to listen and subscribe to our channel.

At Bell & Pollock, we are Colorado lawyers, experts, and advocates and our mission is to educate you on the law so you can be equipped in case of an accident. Our lnjury Legal Hub podcast content is a plain-language explanation of the law and we educate and advocate on your behalf. Since 1984,we have been known as the leading Colorado injury and car accident lawyers among clients and colleagues alike because we are relentless champions for the victims of negligence.

Download, listen, and Subscribe! Learn about what’s happening across a variety of personal injury topics. You can find us on iHeart, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Player FM, Samsung Music, and on the homepage of Steamboat Radio. Whatever personal injury you encounter, we will represent you and get you the justice you deserve!

Even if you only have questions you can call us – we will speak to you and answer all your questions and give you a Legal Game Plan'”. We offer FREE consultations.

We are here to help. contact us at (303)795-5900or in the mountains at (970)870-8989. Visit our website at www.championsofthepeople.com

Summer Safety: How to Share the Road

According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, “over half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle. Most of the time, the car or truck driver, not the motorcyclist, is at fault.”

Motorcycles are definitely in the minority when it comes to traffic on the road. Because of this, some drivers unintentionally just don’t “see” motorcycles.

So, as you hit the road this summer, here are some essential safety tips to keep in mind:

• When changing lanes or turning at an intersection, take the time to look for motorcycles – Motorcycles, by nature, have a narrow profile and are often unnoticeable in a car’s blind spot. Various objects in the background (like trees, fences and bridges) can mask a motorcycle. Don’t let these factors prevent you from seeing riders. Instead, check your rearview mirror and your side mirror and physically turn your head to look over your shoulder(s) for that motorcycle that may be in your blind spot.
• Assume motorcyclists are closer than they seem – Motorcycles are smaller than cars. Because of their size, they may look farther away than they are. It may also be more difficult to assess the speed of a motorcycle. So, err on the side of caution and assume that riders are closer – and traveling faster – than you may automatically assume. This will help you react promptly and appropriately to any riders approaching (or in) your vicinity.
• Give yourself more stopping distance when following riders – Motorcycles do not always slow down by brake application. Motorcyclists can dramatically reduce their speed by downshifting to a lower gear or by simply rolling off the throttle. Thus, you may not see a brake light when a motorcycle slows down. Also, motorcyclists typically slow down without any visual warning at intersections to allow them extra time to avoid red light runners and other vehicles turning left in front of them. So, when following a motorcycle, don’t tailgate. Instead, leave more headroom between your car and the rider.

If you are a motorcycle enthusiast who will be riding this summer, here are some important safety tips to remember anytime you ride:

• Ride defensively – Expect that drivers are not looking for or seeing you.
• Be where drivers expect you to be.
• Avoid riding in motorists’ blind spots whenever possible.
• Only ride when you are sober and prepared to remain focused on the road.
• Wear reflective gear when riding in low visibility conditions (like in the fog, at night, etc.).
• Always comply with traffic laws.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact one of the experienced attorneys at Bell & Pollock, P.C. to establish your Legal Game Plan.™ We also invite you to download a free copy of our latest eBook, Legal Game Plan.

Now a Word from Bradley Pollock

Auto Legal Talk

By Bradley Pollock of Bell & Pollock Injury Attorneys

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost half, or over 2.5 million of the 6 million auto accidents that occur annually in the U.S., are rear-end collisions. That equates to a rear-end collision once every 8-seconds.

It is estimated that rear-ending another vehicle, (assuming the lead vehicle is stopped), is roughly equivalent to driving into a brick wall at one half the speed the impacting vehicle was traveling. If both vehicles are approximately the same size and weight, rear-ending a stopped car, while going at 30 mph, is equivalent of crashing into a brick wall at 15 mph.

But, like in many MVAs, determining who is legally responsible, “at fault,” for an accident is often be difficult. The person bringing a lawsuit or making an insurance claim for damages (the plaintiff) has the burden to prove that the other person (the defendant) was negligent. This is made easier because, in a rear end accident, there is a presumption of negligence on the part of the driver that caused the accident.

In a rear end accident, there are only a few main ways that rear-end collisions can take place, and most of these ways involve some type of negligence on the part of the driver of the rear car. For instance, the at fault driver may have been speeding, following too closely, or engaging in distracted driving activities at the time of the crash, such as texting or talking on the phone. When a driver breaks basic traffic laws or is texting or impaired in any way, it increases the chances that the driver will be determined liable for MVA.

When you are involved in a rear end accident, you can expect that the at-fault driver’s insurance company to deny your claim and blame you for causing the accident. Even with the presumption of negligence of the rear end driver, they will argue that you acted negligently when you cut in front of them or maybe your brake lights were not functioning properly. Don’t let the insurance company play the blame game.

If you were involved in the MVA and the insurance company blames you, level the playing field by contacting Bell and Pollock. In 40 years, we have represented thousands of victims of rear-end accidents.

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.

You can also get our weekly Injury Podcast called “Injury Legal Hub”. You can download, listen, and Subscribe! Learn about what’s happening across a variety of personal injury topics. You can find us on iHeart, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Player FM, Samsung Music, and on the homepage of Steamboat Radio. Whatever personal injury you encounter, we will represent you and get you the justice you deserve!

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.
• The Essential Guide to Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage – The newest addition to Bell and Pollock‘s booklet collection details everything you need to know about uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

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.