Failure-To-Yield Accident Lawyer

What Is Failure To Yield?

Vehicle right-of-way laws are described in the Colorado Regulation of Vehicles and Traffic. These laws dictate who has the right-of-way in nearly every common road situation (and several uncommon situations as well).

If you violate any of these regulations, you can be charged with a traffic offense. If that traffic offense results in an accident, you can also receive a failure-to-yield accident ticket, or even be charged with a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the circumstances of the accident.

Furthermore, failing to yield the right-of-way is typically considered negligent. In a case of failure to yield resulting in an accident, the negligent driver is almost always found at-fault.

Common Examples of Failure To Yield

Failure-to-yield accidents can occur almost anywhere that two vehicles might potentially use the same stretch of road. 

Common examples of failure-to-yield accidents are:

• A driver ignoring a stop sign or red light.
• A driver turning left without waiting for opposing traffic to pass.
• A driver entering a road from a driveway or parking lot without checking for oncoming traffic.
• A driver merging onto a highway without yielding to traffic already on the road.
• A driver changing lanes without checking mirrors or signaling.

Any of the above situations can cause an accident. Typically, if you are on a public road, right-of-way laws apply. Just about the only place where right-of-way laws may not apply is private property, like parking lots.

Common Causes of Failure-To-Yield Accidents

Typically, drivers do not get into a car intending to get into an accident. Instead, they end up in accidents for many of the following reasons:

• Distracted driving
• Unfamiliarity with the laws of the road
• Fatigue
• Speeding
• Inattention

Most right-of-way laws are pretty easy to understand and follow similar principles. If someone fails to yield, it is usually because they weren’t focusing their attention on driving as much as they should have been.

For example, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation, distracted driving was responsible for over 10,000 accidents in 2020, resulting in more than 1,400 injuries and 68 deaths. Even worse, 90% of Colorado drivers self-report having driven while distracted during that year.

Injuries Caused by Failure-To-Yield Accidents

Failure-to-yield accidents can be quite serious. Many of these accidents occur at intersections where vehicles are traveling in different directions. This can result in T-bone accidents that typically involve serious or life-threatening injuries.

Even in non-serious accidents, you are likely to suffer bruising or whiplash. In a serious accident, you could also suffer:

• Broken or shattered bones
• Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis
• Internal injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Dismemberment
• Scarring or disfigurement

The difference between a relatively minor injury and a life-threatening injury can be subtle at times. You should get immediate medical attention after any accident, even if you think your injuries are minor.

How Bachus & Schanker Can Help

Every car accident lawyer at Bachus & Schanker has extensive experience handling Colorado personal injury claims. Our attorneys know how to navigate the legal and insurance processes in a way that gets the best results.

From the moment you hire our experienced car accident lawyers, we will start gathering police reports, witness statements, and any other evidence that supports your claim. Our team knows how to reconstruct an accident to determine fault in a way that insurance companies can’t dispute.

We are also familiar with local insurance companies and claims adjusters. Our lawyers understand every step of the insurance claims process, and what types of evidence are necessary to get good results. This knowledge means that we can often get you a fair settlement without ever having to spend a day in court.

However, should your case need to go to trial, you can be certain that our lawyers have an exceptional track record of success in the courtroom. They won’t stop fighting for maximum compensation at any point in the process.

Looking for personalized attention? Bachus & Schanker are the Colorado car accident lawyers who treat you like family.

What Are Your Legal Rights?

If you were hurt in a failure-to-yield accident in Colorado, you will typically have the right to file an insurance claim or lawsuit against the responsible party. As a rule, if another party’s negligence resulted in your injuries, you can get compensation for those injuries.

There are two types of compensation available to you after an accident. Economic compensation pays for any expenses and losses resulting from your injuries. This includes:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages or income
• Physical, mental, or occupational therapy
• Services or equipment you need because of your injuries

These are the types of bills for which you can produce a receipt. In fact, the insurance company or a jury will only provide compensation for these expenses if you can produce a receipt. This makes it very important to preserve all documentation after an accident.

Sometimes you will also need to estimate the value of economic losses. Due to the statute of limitations in Colorado, you only have a limited time to file a personal injury lawsuit. This means if the expenses from your injuries will continue beyond that time, you will need to use evidence from similar cases to estimate the future value of your claim.

Finally, when another party’s negligence caused your injuries, you can typically request non-economic compensation as well. This is monetary compensation to make up for the emotional and physical suffering resulting from your injuries.

What To Do After a Failure-To-Yield Accident

Immediately after getting hurt in a failure-to-yield accident, you should take the following steps.

Call 911

There are two reasons that you should call 911. First, you should request medical attention as quickly as possible. If you have serious injuries, the sooner you get medical attention, the more likely you are to recover from those injuries. Additionally, your lawyer will need the medical records created at the scene to support your case.

The second reason to call 911 is to get police to come to the scene of the accident. When the police arrive, they will create an accident report based on their observations. This report is another valuable tool for pursuing your accident claim.

Document the Accident Scene

If you can, take photos of your injuries, the accident scene, and the contact information of everyone involved in the accident. You should also record the contact information for anyone who might be a witness to the accident.

Contact Bachus & Schanker

The sooner you contact our law firm, the better we can help you get the maximum compensation. Right from the start, we will schedule a free consultation and help you understand your legal options. We can also help you gather and preserve evidence that is critical to your claim.

Why Choose Bachus & Schanker?

Kyle Bachus lost his mother to an automobile accident. He understands the pain you are going through, and how difficult the justice system can be. When you need an attorney who cares, Bachus & Schanker is here for you.

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