The Colorado State Patrol closed both directions of a section of Highway 82 for approximately seven hours recently. The closure followed a multi-vehicle crash that happened on a recent Wednesday morning. One adult and two children suffered life-threatening injuries.
According to a preliminary crash report, a westbound 51-year-old driver of a pickup truck failed to maintain control of his pickup truck through a curve on Highway 82. He crossed the median and entered the east-bound lanes. The truck smashed into an SUV, causing severe injuries to the driver, age 31, and two children, ages 6 and 9. Fortunately, a 1-year-old child was safely buckled-up in a child seat, and she suffered no more than minor injuries.
The initial crash caused chaos when another pickup truck struck the SUV, causing another pickup truck to swerve. This caused another accident, and a lost wheel struck the sixth vehicle. However, the driver who crossed the median was the only other person injured. His injuries were reported to be moderate. The injured woman in the SUV and the two children were airlifted to hospitals.
Although law enforcement found no evidence of drug or alcohol use in the driver who lost control, they suggested that speed likely caused the accident. In such circumstances, the injured crash victims would typically have grounds to pursue financial relief. The Colorado civil justice system allows them to file personal injury lawsuits. With sufficient proof of negligence on the part of another person, a monetary judgment can provide for recovery of documented financial losses like medical expenses and lost income, along with emotional damages, including pain and suffering.
