Attorney Christopher Jeffress has more than 25 years of experience in bicycle accidents and other motor vehicle collision cases
BOULDER, CO, July 30, 2019 /Neptune100/ — Attorney Christopher Jeffress, founder of Jeffress Law, PC, has been representing clients in bicycle accidents and other motor vehicle collisions for 25 years. The firm announced on Friday that Jeffress Law is representing Andrew “Bernie” Bernstein, who suffered life-threatening internal injuries and broken bones – including fractured vertebrae – after being struck in a hit-and-run bicycle accident.
Bernstein was riding his bike on Arapahoe Avenue near Legion Park in Boulder the afternoon of July 20 when a vehicle hit him from behind. No witnesses were present at the time of the crash, and the driver did not stop at the scene.
“My heart goes out to Andrew and his family,” Jeffress said. “As a cyclist myself, I understand that even biking-accessible cities like Boulder can be hazardous, particularly when drivers are careless or inattentive.”
Background on the Accident
Due to the severity of his injuries, Bernstein was transported to Denver Health, where he remains intubated and sedated. Based on debris found at the scene, Colorado State Patrol is looking for the driver of a 2000 Dodge Ram in connection with the accident.
Anyone with information that could help find the vehicle or identify the driver involved in the crash is encouraged to contact Colorado State Patrol by calling (303) 289-4760. Jeffress said his office is also seeking information that may lead to the driver, encouraging those who can help to call his law firm at (303) 993-8685.
The crash snapped Bernstein’s bike in half. This, combined with his extensive injuries, make it very unlikely that the driver was unaware of hitting Bernstein.
Bernstein is an experienced bicyclist. In addition to being a recognized mountain biker and endurance track rider, he served as an editor for Bicycling magazine and currently works for a public relations agency specializing in the outdoors industry.
Background on Jeffress Law, PC
Jeffress Law has extensive experience in bicycle accident cases. Jeffress himself recently represented a competitive cyclist who, while training in the Boulder area, suffered a serious head injury with post-concussion symptoms, hip injuries, and back injuries when a pickup truck turned in front of her bike. Jeffress resolved the case in his client’s favor for $162,500 in compensation.
Outside of his law practice, Jeffress is passionate about Colorado’s outdoors, enjoying it by bike, motorcycle, snowboard, and on foot. He combines his passion for the outdoors with his professional experience representing those who have been hurt in bicycle accidents to deliver qualified, understanding legal service to injury victims and their families.
The law firm has also earned millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients who suffered severe injury when they were struck by a vehicle on foot, as well as collisions involving cars, semi trucks, commercial vehicles, and even golf carts.
An Epidemic of Distractions – and Danger
Jeffress said that one of the leading causes of the serious accidents he sees is distracted driving. A post on the Jeffress Law Facebook page outlined some of the alarming nationwide statistics concerning distracted driving accidents: “Distracted drivers cause 1 in 4 car crashes. In 2016 alone, distracted drivers injured 391,000 people, and killed 3,450 others. Cyclists are particularly vulnerable to injury from drivers whose eyes and attention wander from the road.”
According to data released by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), more than 15,000 distracted driving accidents occurred in Colorado alone last year, resulting in over 50 deaths. CDOT statistics also indicate that distracted driving spans age ranges, with teen drivers and those over 60 – and all ages in between – being found at fault in distracted driving accidents.
Distracted driving poses a particularly significant threat to bicyclists. By limiting their visual, manual, and cognitive capacities behind the wheel, distracted drivers often don’t see cars immediately in front of and around their vehicle or in an oncoming lane. Bicyclists are far less visible than cars, so, when a driver is distracted, even riding on the shoulder of the road as required doesn’t keep the bicyclist out of harm’s way.
In a story covering Bernstein’s accident, The Colorado Sun reports a growing number of injuries and fatalities resulting from collisions between motor vehicles and bicycles. More than 20 cyclists died in Colorado in 2018 in vehicle crashes.
About Jeffress Law, PC
Attorney Christopher W. Jeffress has been providing personalized legal services to clients in Boulder, Longmont, Broomfield, and nearby areas of Colorado since 1994. His firm, Jeffress Law, PC, represents clients in motor vehicle accidents involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and other modes of transportation, as well as serious injury and wrongful death cases resulting from defective products, dangerous premises, construction accidents, and more. Jeffress Law, PC is located at 1790 38th St., Ste. 300 Boulder, CO 80301. Call (303) 993-8685 or visit https://www.jeffresslaw.com/ for a complimentary case evaluation.
