Colorado Springs River, Lake, and Camping Accident Attorneys
Springs River, Lake, and Camping Accidents in Colorado
The Colorado Springs area is home to four stunning National Parks. Colorado is also home to more than 1,500 lakes and ponds, over 90,000 miles of rivers and streams, and 15 mountains with over 9,000 feet in elevation, including Pikes Peak at 14,115 feet.
Unfortunately, while beautiful, exploring these areas does come with a risk of potential injury. If you are new to the area and do not know who to contact if you or your family member have been injured while camping, fishing, hiking, boating, or rafting in Colorado, the personal injury attorneys at The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. can help.
The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. offers personal injury representation for victims of drowning accidents, boating accident injuries, lake accidents, camping injuries, and other recreational incidents.
The majority of our clients are recreational boaters who have been injured in a boat accident, or somebody who has fallen out of a boat. We also represent injured people swimming or tubing on the Arkansas River near Pueblo.
Common Springs River, Lake, and Camping Accidents in Colorado
Rivers and Lakes
Boating accidents are the most common type of accident in rivers and lakes. These are caused by the negligence of the boat operator or a person helping with the boat.
Many boating accidents involve hip or knee injuries or other traumatic injuries that result in a personal injury claim. Often, this type of accident results in the other person having to pay for your medical bills and future care.
Most common causes of accidents in rivers and lakes are:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Operator error
- Operator inexperience
- Overloaded boat
- Operator intoxication
- Equipment failure
Drowning and partial drowning accidents are very common in Colorado. These are usually caused by not wearing a life jacket or the boat operator being careless. A life jacket can help provide buoyancy and prevent someone from going underwater, and these accidents often result in a personal injury claim because there was someone else who is legally responsible for your safety and well-being.
Campsites
Many campers and backpackers get the break of a lifetime, only to be injured due to another individual's negligence. Sadly, campsite injuries are common while camping at Colorado state parks. Equipment failures, manufacturing defects, and burns are causes of accidents in the parks, wilderness areas, and other outdoor recreational facilities.
Slips and falls can occur at both campgrounds and public areas in Colorado. Many of these can cause serious injuries, including to the knee or hip, resulting in long-term medical bills or future care needs. Due to their occurrence, it's important to know who you need to contact when seeking compensation.
Colorado Recreational Accident Claims
Colorado courts use the rule of modified comparative negligence to determine liability in the case of recreational accidents. This rule states that you can't recover damages from someone else if you are even one percent at fault for your injuries.
Under the modified comparative negligence rule, if you are 49 percent or less at fault for your accident injury, then you will be able to recover for your injuries. However, your award will be reduced depending on the percentage of responsibility that you have for them.
Camper’s Risks
The law in Colorado does not place any limitation on the risks a camper assumes. Therefore, if you have an accident while camping and are injured due to someone else's negligence or carelessness, you can seek compensation.
If you signed a liability release form, this would not prevent you from making claims against camp owners, as it only applies to negligent and careless conduct by others whose conduct caused your injuries, even if you were involved in the activity.
Waiver of Liability
If you have signed a waiver of liability, your claim may be barred by the Colorado Recreational Use Statute. Under the statute, you can't recover if you were injured while using a product unreasonably dangerously. A waiver will generally be enforceable under Colorado law and is considered to be a contract between parties. However, the statute provides multiple exceptions to a waiver, so it is not always enforceable, even if it meets all requirements under Colorado law.
How Much Can I Recover?
The compensation you can recover will depend on the damages you have suffered, the severity of your injuries, and your ability to work or otherwise earn money after your injury. There is no definitive answer as every case is different and will therefore require a different approach.
Call Our River Accident Lawyers Before It’s Too Late
The experienced and successful Colorado recreational accident attorneys at the Bussey Law Firm, P.C., believe that all accident victims should be compensated for their losses. Our Colorado-based personal injury law firm has received numerous awards for its strong representation of our clients against corporate defendants, including boating accidents, camp accidents, drowning, and more.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Colorado river, lake, or camping accident, call us today at (719) 475-2555 for a free consultation with our skilled team.
