Dangerous Driving: Colorado Ranks 9th for Most Uninsured Drivers

A new report produced by the Insurance Research Council indicates that Colorado has once again cracked the top 10 in terms of states with the most uninsured drivers.

The rate of uninsured drivers has been steadily increasing since 2006, three years after Colorado switched from a no-fault insurance system to a traditional tort liability system, which insurance companies argued at the time would lower premiums and decrease the overall number of uninsured drivers.

While premiums and uninsured drivers both decreased initially, the report indicates that the number of uninsured drivers is now steadily on the rise. With approximately 16% of drivers in Colorado illegally using their vehicles without insurance, Colorado ranks 9th highest out of the 50 states. This translates to an estimated 594,000 uninsured drivers in the state.

Adding to this confusing trend is the fact that Colorado's insurance premiums are lower than the national average, with costs of gasoline and vehicle repairs also being similarly low when compared to the rest of the country.

Lurking behind these statistics and figures appears to be a strong correlation between the rise in uninsured drivers and the rise in hit and run accidents in the Denver metro area. The sharp increase in hit and runs has been a primary concern of law enforcement and safety officials in the past few years.

These trends are concerning, because they indicate that Coloradans are choosing to be uninsured despite relatively low costs and extremely high risks.

One way to protect yourself from being stuck with high medical bills and costs from an accident with an uninsured motorist is to purchase UM/UIM (uninsured/underinsured motorist) coverage with your insurance company, which is generally available for a minimal cost addition each month.

If you are injured by no fault of your own in a hit and run accident, or by an uninsured motorist, you need to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. Call The Law Offices of Robert Paysinger, P.C. today at (303) 279-0221  for a free initial consultation. We help injured people - it's all we do!

Source: Premiums Fall, Yet Motorists Still Choose to be Uninsured

Driverless Cars Are on the Horizon

The shift to driverless cars is on!  Scholars and researchers are estimating autonomous cars will make up 75 percent of vehicles on the road by 2040.  This will have a dramatic impact on many areas of our economy. 

  

Autonomous cars will affect infrastructure as the cars would have to communicate with the highway or street as well as with other cars to determine traffic and weather conditions.  Vehicles would be able to travel faster as alerts could be exchanged to regarding accidents or available parking places.  It would be possible to avoid accidents with information about where other vehicles are.

  

Another major change would affect transportation and mobility for many people who are currently unable to drive.  This would have a huge impact on the young, the elderly, and the disabled.  In fact, the appeal of using the commuting time to surf the internet or talk on the phone is a major attraction to millennials.

  

Many of the features which will be found in driverless cars will be available in the near future.  Driver assist systems including active cruise control, lane-keep assist are becoming more common in vehicles.   Volvo is introducing two new systems which will be offered in its’ 2016 XC90:  run-off road protection and auto brake at intersections.  

The run-off road feature detects when a car leaves the road and tightens the front safety belts to keep occupants cinched in their seats.  It also added energy absorbing cushioning between the seat and frame to help alleviate the occurrence of spinal injuries.  To keep drivers on the pavement, Volvo will add a Lane Keeping Aid, which applies extra steering torque when a vehicle unintentionally travels outside the lane.  Statistics from Volvo indicate that half of all traffic fatalities are due to road departure accidents, when a vehicle veers off the road.   Volvo has long been known for safety, so it is not surprising that they are at the forefront of new safety technology.

  

When it comes to research on driverless cars Google is way ahead of the competition.  Initially, the driverless car research was done on the Toyota Prius, and Google has a fleet of them around its California campus, and has tested them over approximately 300,000 miles.  It has since built its’ own version of the vehicle without a steering wheel.  Although the technology is advancing, many drivers are hesitant to relinquish control.   People may become accustomed to these new cars a little at a time. 

If you are injured in an auto accident by no fault of your own, you need to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. Call The Law Offices of Robert Paysinger, P.C. at (303) 279-0221 today for a free initial consultation. We help injured people - it's all we do! 

Sources: New driver assist systems add extra layer of protection for occupants of upcoming all-new crossover. 5 Reasons Why Automakers Should Fear Google's Driverless Car

Amy Van Dyken-Rouen Continues to Inspire

As Amy Van Dyken-Rouen continues to rehab from her ATV accident at Craig Hospital in Denver, she continues to be a source of inspiration to her fans and followers.  She is in Physical Therapy most days from 9am to 4pm learning how to do everyday things like put a shoe on, and move from her wheelchair to a bed.  Using the strength and determination she acquired as an Olympic swimmer, her new goal is to walk out of Craig Hospital in August.

Amy has had sporadic feeling below her belly button, giving her hope that she may accomplish her goal. Her incredibly positive attitude will assist her in making the fastest recovery possible, but some of the recent discoveries in treatment will allow her much greater progress than many ever dreamed possible.

The recent advances in technology are making dreams come true for many paralyzed people hoping to walk again.  One of the promising treatments is functional electrical stimulation, which sends small electrical pulses to muscles to improve their function and movement. Another rapidly developing technology involves the use of exoskeletons. These are wearable robots, which are worn on the outside of clothing which help those with spinal cord injuries walk by using accelerometors which sense changes in balance.

A new generation of these machines is bringing down their cost and making them more widely available.  These exoskeletons may also be used by those who are in rehabilitation from strokes.  Another exciting development in this field is a chip implant called a brain-computer interface, which teaches completely paralyzed people how to move limbs by thought.  Wheelchairs have also become much lighter and faster, and may be able to ascend stairs with tracks.

Google is working on advancements to use voice commands for computer driven cars. While some of these technologies are in early stages of development, some such as the exoskeleton are changing lives in the present.

If you have suffered an injury as a result of someone's negligence, you need to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. Call The Law Offices of Robert Paysinger, P.C. today at (303) 279-0221 for a free initial consultation. We help injured people - it's all we do!

Cyclists, Pedestrians & Car Crashes: Not Always The Driver's Fault

With accidents between cars, pedestrians and cyclists on the rise in Colorado in recent years, many people assume that cars are almost always at fault for the crashes. Statistics compiled by the Denver Police, however, appear to contradict that notion to some extent.

264 people have been cited while riding their bicycles for disobeying traffic laws so far in 2014, according to Denver Police. Further, the statistics show a somewhat startling trend; in 44% of auto-cyclists crashes, cyclists were ticketed.

The interaction between cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists on the roadways has been cause for increasing concern in the Denver metro area and Colorado in general. In 2013, 15 fatalities occurred as a result of auto-pedestrian accidents. Seven more pedestrians have died in 2013, including 4 from hit-and-run crashes in Denver.

In response, Denver Police and Denver Public Works have teamed up to create the "Heads Up" campaign, which encourages drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists to be more safe and more aware of their surroundings. The campaign, which originally launched in May 2013, has also deemed June "Heads Up" month. Vounteers will be at several intersections throughout the month, handing our cards with tips and providing passersby with safety information

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock addressed the campaign and the safety issues in a press release, saying "Denver, we must work together to create a culture that embraces all modes of transportation and encourages all users to take responsibility for their actions while walking, biking or driving. We are a growing city that is becoming more multimodal every day. It is important to remind ourselves and those around us that we all need to do our part to keep our roads and walkways safe."

Here's a list of tips that the volunteers are providing to the community:

Pedestrians

1. Look both ways before entering the roadway to cross the street
2. Use the "push to walk" buttons when available
3. Obey the walk/don't walk pedestrian signals
4. Always cross the street at an intersection
5. Don't be a distracted pedestrian. Put away your electronic devises and stay alert.
6. Don't wear headphones or talk on a cell phone while crossing the street

Cyclists

1. Bikers and cars - same rights, same laws. Obey stop signs, traffic signals.
2. Take your place in traffic. Ride your bike on the street or on a campus brick pathway at a safe speed. Sidewalks are reserved for pedestrians
3. Always ride with traffic. Ride on the right (or left on one-ways) where drivers expect to see you.
4. Be alert and visible. Steer clear of riding with earphones and use lights and reflective gear at night.

If you are injured in a car accident, hit and run accident, or pedestrian v. car accident in the greater Denver metro area, you need to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. Call The Law Offices of Robert Paysinger, P.C. today at (303) 279-0221 for a free initial consultation. We help injured people - it's all we do!

Man Convicted in Hit and Run Accident Gets 4 Years in Prison

(Photo Credit: Denver Police Department)

31-year-old Nathan Beechley has been sentenced to 4 years in prison and 3 years of mandatory parole stemming from his involvement in a hit-and-run accident last in April of 2013.

Beechley was the driver of a vehicle that struck and killed Jonathan Lewis, 35. Beechley plead guilty to vehicular homicide, a felony in the state of Colorado.

Lewis was apparently walking in a crosswalk at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and Colorado Boulevard at approximately 2 a.m. on April 9, 2013, when Beechley hit and killed him. Beechley fled the scene but was apprehended the next day at an apartment complex in Aurora.

Beechley was also charged with fleeing the scene of an accident, but that charged was dropped as a result of his plea agreement, according to court records.

Prosecutors argued that Beechley's sentence should be the maximum of 6 years for a hit and run homicide. Attorneys for Beechley requested that he be placed on probation.

If you are injured in an auto accident or a hit and run accident, you need to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Call The Law Offices of Robert Paysinger, P.C. today at (303) 279-0221 or visit www.paysingerlaw.com for a free initial consultation. We help injured people - it's all we do!

Source: Aurora Man Gets 4 Years in Prison for Fatal Hit-and-Run Accident

ATV Safety & Amy Van Dyken

The recent injury of the celebrated Olympic swimmer Amy Van Dyken-Rouen sustained while riding an ATV highlights the safety issues surrounding the use of the recreational vehicles.  Ms Van Dyken-Roeun was injured Sunday night near her home in Arizona while riding through a parking lot where she hit a curb, which caused her to launch over and the ATV went off an embankment.  She suffered severe injuries including a severed spinal cord.

The 6-time gold medalist suffered the injury after she had been out to dinner with her husband, former Denver Broncos punter Tom Rouen. Rouen was near his wife and riding a motorcycle at the time of the accident, and rushed to her aid. A paramedic happened upon the injured Olympian and rendered aid. She is now in her third day of intensive care treatment at a Scottsdale hospital, and is expected to remain there for at least several more days.

Van Dyken-Rouen suffered devastating injuries, including a severed spinal cord, a broken vertebra, and a near rupture of her aorta. The prognosis for her recovery is still evolving, however doctors have suggested that paralysis is a probability.

June 8th-15th is also coincidentally ATV Safety Week, a program sponsored by the ATV Awareness Institute, which aims to raise awareness about the substantial dangers posed by ATV's and similar vehicles.

ATV's have long been recognized as posing a serious risk. However, despite increasing awareness about the dangers of ATV riding, accidents involving the vehicles have increased in recent years.

Rouen has indicated that the couple has received an overwhelming amount of support in recent days following the accident. "It's rough," he noted, "but Amy is aware of the challenges ahead of her. She is ready to meet them head on."

On Tuesday morning, Van Dyken-Rouen posted an update to her twitter feed thanking her friends, family, and fans for the outpouring of support. "Doing great today. My Room is the most decorated in the ICU. Thx for ur thoughts & prayers!" Van Dyken-Rouen wrote. The family has asked for privacy during Amy's recovery.

On Thursday, Van Dyken-Rouen announced that she would be transferring to Craig Hospital in Englewood, CO to continue her treatment and spine rehabilitation. Van Dyken-Rouen is expected to remain at an Arizona hospital for a few more days, as more surgery may be required prior to her transfer.

"She's looking forward to coming home and going to Craig Hospital and being near her family and friends in Colorado," Amy's husband Tom Rouen said. "She's looking forward to being back in that Mile High air. She's going to tackle this like everything else she does in her life."
Craig hospital is a world-renowned treatment facility that specializes in spinal injuries, with several notable programs that have assisted injured persons with walking again.

If you are injured in a car accident in the greater Denver metro area, you need to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. Call The Law Offices of Robert Paysinger, P.C. today at (303) 279-0221 for a free initial consultation. We help injured people - it's all we do!

Source: Amy Van Dyken-Rouen, 6-time Olympic gold medalist, severs spinal cord in ATV crash

You've Been in an Accident: Now what?

Welcome to the Auto Accident Blog prepared by the Law Offices of Robert Paysinger, P.C.

The purpose of this blog is to constantly provide updated information on the best procedures you can take if you have been in a car accident. We welcome any questions, comments, or concerns from our readers, although we must provide a disclaimer that we cannot provide legal advice over the internet. 

Getting in a car wreck can be one of the most life changing events that can happen to someone. Not only are property damage and injuries a common outcome of car accidents, but also the personal and emotional trauma that comes with an accident can be equally severe.

If you are in an auto accident, there are several different methods of action to pursue. Calling 911 and/or the police is the first step, and is also essential. However, there are varying instructions regarding the next step depending on who you listen to. 

Insurance companies are businesses who make a profit off of paying the least amount of money that they can on each claim they receive. A personal injury attorney, however, is paid by obtaining the maximum amount of money possible for a client who has been injured. As a result, their recommended procedures differ significantly. Here is an outline for a course of action after an auto accident as provided by Denver Personal Injury Attorney Robert Paysinger:

DOS AND DON'TS IF YOU ARE IN AN ACCIDENT

• Don't discuss fault with anyone.
• Don't give ANY statement to the other person's insurance company.
• Don't deny any injuries you may have suffered.
• Don't be brave and courageous and sit at home in pain. Go to the doctor or emergency room if you are hurt.
• Don't delay in seeking medical care.
• Don't miss doctor's or therapy appointments.
• Do contact the police immediately if you are in an accident involving an automobile, motorcycle, truck, bicycle or pedestrian.
• Do take pictures of the scene and any visible injuries.
• Do report the accident to your insurance company and obtain a copy of your policy.
• Do locate and get the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of any witnesses.
• Do keep track of all of your damages, medical bills loss of earnings or any out-of-pocket expenses.
• Do save you all of you medicine bottles, casts, neck braces or other medical devices or appliances.

These suggestions differ in subtle but significant ways from what an insurance company suggests. Let's take Geico for example:

1. Be Safe

• Move your car to a safe nearby location, but be careful not to leave the scene.
• Check to see if anyone is hurt. Call 911 for medical assistance.
• Contact the police. They will let you know if an officer needs to be present at the scene.

2. Stay Calm

• Don't panic – remain calm and polite
• Do not admit fault
• Cooperate with the police

3. Exchange information

• Collect contact information for anyone who was there, including other drivers, witnesses, and the tow company if your car is towed.
• Obtain police report information
• Collect information about all vehicles involved:
• Year, make, and model
• License plate number
• Insurance carrier
• Insurance policy number

While the differences may appear to be very subtle and even negligible when examined ostensibly, there are important reasons why each of these two lists are worded in the way that they are. One of the primary reasons is that the insurance company is attempting to minimize the amount of money it disperses per claim, while an attorney is trying maximize the amount of money received.

For example, lets examine one of the key aspects in terms of significant differences between these two lists. On Geico's list, it instructs the driver of a car wreck to "Call 911 for medical assistance" but only after making sure that someone is "hurt." In contrast, the list provided by a personal injury attorney implores the person to seek medical care immediately, and to follow up and attend all therapy and follow up sessions. This is because if the insurance company is able to confirm that one of their clients missed a therapy session or neglected to seek medical attention immediately, then they are able to reduce the total of their offer.

If you live in the Denver area and you have been injured in a car accident or slip and fall, or you were injured on the job and you would like to speak to an attorney, feel free to call the Law Offices of Robert Paysinger, P.C. at (303) 279-9221 or find us on the web at The Law Offices of Robert Paysinger, P.C.