Sideswipe car accidents occur when one vehicle strikes the side of another, often during an unsafe lane change, merge, or drift across lane markings.<\/p>\n
Although contact between the vehicles may be brief, a sideswipe can lead to a serious car accident if a driver loses control and strikes nearby traffic, enters oncoming lanes, or collides with a roadside barrier.<\/p>\n
Determining fault can be difficult when both drivers insist they stayed in their lanes or disagree about the sequence of events.<\/p>","_litigation_personal_injury_discription_new_copy":"
Springs Law Group represents accident victims injured in sideswipe collisions throughout Colorado Springs and surrounding communities.<\/strong><\/p>\n Our Colorado Springs car accident lawyers<\/a> offer free consultations to discuss a potential personal injury claim, insurance coverage, and options to pursue compensation.<\/p>\n If a negligent driver caused your injuries, <\/strong>contact Springs Law Group<\/strong><\/a> or use the chat feature on this page to discuss your legal options.<\/strong><\/p>","_litigation_video_url_new":"","add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},"_header_sub_header_content_new":[{"_hsc_header_new":"How Do Sideswipe Accidents Happen?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Most sideswipe accidents involve vehicles traveling beside one another in the same direction, but a collision may also occur when a motorist crosses a centerline into oncoming traffic.<\/p>\n The danger increases when an initial impact pushes a vehicle into other traffic, a guardrail, or another fixed object.<\/p>\n Common causes of sideswipe collisions include:<\/p>\n In Colorado Springs, these situations can arise on multi-lane roads and highway ramps, including portions of I-25, Highway 24, and Powers Boulevard.<\/p>\n Not every lane departure reflects driver error; the available evidence must show what caused the vehicle to move.<\/p>\n Truck drivers operating commercial vehicles must account for larger blind spots and the space needed to merge, change lanes, or turn safely.<\/p>\n A trailer that contacts a smaller vehicle can push it into another lane or cause a secondary impact.<\/p>\n When a commercial carrier is involved, the driver's movements, company responsibilities, and available vehicle records may raise issues beyond those in a two-car collision.<\/p>\n Our Colorado Springs truck accident lawyer page<\/a> explains additional considerations for crashes involving commercial trucks.<\/p>\n In a chain-reaction collision, several vehicles involved in the crash may strike one another, and responsibility must be evaluated separately for the relevant impacts and injuries.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"Who Is at Fault in a Colorado Sideswipe Accident?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" The at-fault driver is often the motorist who made an unsafe lane movement, but a sideswipe collision does not automatically establish which vehicle left its lane.<\/p>\n Under Colorado Revised Statutes \u00a7 42-4-1007<\/a>, a driver on a marked multi-lane roadway generally must remain within a lane and may not move into another until the driver has determined the movement can be made safely.<\/p>\n Colorado Revised Statutes \u00a7 42-4-903<\/a> also requires drivers to make applicable turns and lateral movements safely and provide the appropriate signal.<\/p>\n Using a turn signal does not give a driver the right to move into an occupied lane.<\/p>\n For example, if a driver attempts to change lanes while another vehicle is beside them, using a turn signal does not excuse the unsafe movement.<\/p>\n Conversely, the evidence could show that both drivers moved toward the same lane or that another driver's actions contributed to the collision.<\/p>\n A citation, an accusation, or the location of damage alone does not conclusively determine civil liability.<\/p>\n Proving fault requires examining the available physical evidence and how each driver's conduct contributed to the crash.<\/p>\n Yes, both drivers can be responsible when a sideswipe accident occurs.<\/p>\n Colorado uses modified comparative negligence, which can reduce or prevent recovery when the injured person shares legal responsibility for a collision.<\/p>\n Under Colorado Revised Statutes \u00a7 13-21-111<\/a>, an injured claimant's damages are reduced in proportion to their negligence when recovery is permitted.<\/p>\n For example, $100,000 in proven damages would generally be reduced to $80,000 if the claimant was 20% responsible.<\/p>\n In an ordinary two-driver negligence claim, a person found 50% or more responsible cannot recover from the other driver.<\/p>\n Cases involving multiple defendants or properly designated nonparties may involve additional fault-allocation rules.<\/p>\n Our guide to comparative negligence in Colorado Springs car accidents<\/a> explains how shared fault affects an injury claim.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"What Evidence Can Help Prove a Sideswipe Accident Claim?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Sideswipe car accidents often produce conflicting accounts of who crossed a lane marking, whether a driver signaled, or where the vehicles were positioned before contact.<\/p>\n In sideswipe car crashes, paint transfer, scrape patterns, and independent witness testimony can be especially useful in comparing those accounts.<\/p>\n Evidence that may help establish what happened includes:<\/p>\n Paint transfer or matching scrape marks may help confirm contact between vehicles, but they do not necessarily establish which driver moved first or who was negligent.<\/p>\n Traffic-camera footage and other recordings may also be unavailable or overwritten, making prompt preservation important for determining fault.<\/p>\n Springs Law Group's guide to evidence to gather after an accident<\/a> provides additional information about preserving records that can support a personal injury claim.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"What Should You Do After a Sideswipe Collision?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Safety and appropriate medical care come first, particularly if a driver has lost control or another vehicle is stopped in active traffic.<\/p>\n Once immediate hazards are addressed, the following steps may help protect an injury claim:<\/p>\n Some injuries, including concussions, may produce symptoms hours or days after a collision.<\/p>\n Seek medical evaluation promptly if new symptoms develop, and obtain immediate emergency care for serious symptoms such as worsening confusion, weakness, or repeated vomiting.<\/p>\n Provide accurate information to insurers and avoid guessing about movements or distances you did not observe.<\/p>\n Before signing a settlement release, consider whether the extent of the injuries and necessary treatment is reasonably understood, because a release may prevent later recovery for the same claim.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"What Compensation Is Available After a Sideswipe Accident?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" An injured person may seek compensation for losses caused by another party's negligence, subject to the evidence, applicable law, and insurance coverage.<\/p>\n Depending on the circumstances, recoverable losses may include:<\/strong><\/p>\n Common injuries include whiplash and other neck injuries, shoulder and back injuries, broken bones, and concussions.<\/p>\n When a sideswipe leads to a rollover or collision with a barrier, traumatic brain injuries or a spinal cord injury may occur.<\/p>\n In rare catastrophic cases, a spinal injury may cause partial or complete paralysis.<\/p>\n The extent of the injury cannot be established solely by the cost of the vehicle repairs, and minor damage does not automatically exclude significant injury.<\/p>\n Our article on car accident damages and common injuries<\/a> explains how different losses may affect a claim.<\/p>\n If a collision causes a fatal injury, qualifying family members may have a separate Colorado Springs wrongful death claim<\/a> under the applicable statutes.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"What if an Insurance Company Says You Caused the Crash?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Sideswipe claims can become disputed when each driver says the other changed lanes first.<\/p>\n An adjuster may rely on a driver's statement, repair photographs, or a preliminary report to assign a percentage of fault and reduce a settlement offer.<\/p>\n That assessment is not a binding court judgment, and the claimant may respond with additional evidence or challenge factual errors.<\/p>\n The other driver's insurer may argue that limited vehicle damage means accident victims sustained only minor injuries, even though photographs alone cannot establish the medical cause or severity of an injury.<\/p>\n Records describing the crash, treatment timeline, medical findings, and vehicle damage may help address those arguments.<\/p>\n Your own insurance company may also provide benefits under applicable collision, medical payments, or uninsured\/underinsured motorist coverage.<\/p>\n Colorado uses a fault-based auto insurance system, so a driver generally seeks liability compensation from the person who caused the collision or that person's insurer, subject to the policy and legal requirements.<\/p>\n An insurance settlement should be assessed in light of the available liability evidence, medical needs, applicable policy limits, and any comparative-fault dispute.<\/p>\n Readers dealing with a delayed or disputed insurance claim can also review our Colorado Springs insurance claim lawyer page<\/a>.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"How Long Do You Have to File a Sideswipe Accident Lawsuit in Colorado?","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Under Colorado Revised Statutes \u00a7 13-80-101(1)(n)<\/a>, many lawsuits seeking damages for bodily injury or property damage arising from the use or operation of a motor vehicle generally must be filed within three years after the claim accrues.<\/p>\n This deadline concerns filing a personal injury lawsuit, not merely notifying an insurance company.<\/p>\n Different deadlines or special requirements may apply to wrongful death claims, particular product liability theories, minors, and other situations.<\/p>\n If a claim involves a public entity, C.R.S. \u00a7 24-10-109<\/a> may require written notice within 182 days after discovery of the injury, subject to the applicable immunity and notice rules.<\/p>\n Negotiating with an insurer does not ordinarily extend the lawsuit deadline.<\/p>","hsc_add_button":"[elementor-template id=\"19898\"]"},{"_hsc_header_new":"Springs Law Group's Experience With Sideswipe Accident Claims","_hsc_sub_content_new":" Springs Law Group has published a result involving a Colorado Springs sideswipe collision in which its client was struck by a hit-and-run driver reportedly traveling 110 mph.<\/p>\n The firm reports obtaining a $515,000 settlement<\/strong>, including recovery from first-party and third-party insurance coverage.<\/p>\n\n
Sideswipe crashes involving trucks and multiple vehicles<\/h3>\n
Can Both Drivers Be Responsible?<\/h3>\n
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