A snowplow that drifts into your lane during a whiteout can turn a routine drive into a legal puzzle. Liability may fall on a city, a county, the state, a private contractor, or another driver, and sometimes on several of them at once. The answer depends on who owned the truck, who employed the driver, and what caused the crash.
Mintz Law Firm has helped injured Coloradans for more than 30 years, and our auto accident attorneys know that crashes involving government vehicles follow different rules than a typical fender bender. We can help you determine who may be responsible and protect your claim while the evidence is still fresh.
Government Plows and the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act
Most plows on public roads belong to a city, county, or state agency, and Colorado generally shields those agencies from lawsuits. The Colorado Governmental Immunity Act makes exceptions, including one for a public employee who operates a publicly owned or leased vehicle while on the job. For example, a plow driver who changes lanes without checking mirrors or backs into a stopped car at an intersection may expose the agency to a claim.
A second exception covers dangerous conditions on public roads. In a 2025 Colorado Supreme Court decision, the court held that you must show the public entity’s negligent act or omission caused the condition. That makes evidence about what the agency did, or failed to do, an important part of the case.
Private Contractors and Other Drivers May Share the Blame
Many cities and counties hire private companies to clear snow, and a contractor may not receive the same protection as a government agency. Whether immunity applies depends on the contract and the facts, so we review those details early. A contractor that supplied the truck or the operator may carry its own insurance, which can affect how a claim proceeds.
Other drivers can also share fault. If a motorist tailgates a plow, passes it unsafely, or drives too fast for icy pavement, that conduct may reduce what you can recover under Colorado’s modified comparative negligence rule. Road conditions matter, too, and the evidence used to decide fault in a black ice accident may apply when a plow and slick roads both play a role.
Who May Be Responsible After a Plow Crash
Several parties may share responsibility after a plow or maintenance vehicle crash, depending on what the evidence shows, including:
- Public Entities: A city, county, or state agency that owns the vehicle and employs the driver
- Private Contractors: Companies hired to clear roads or maintain highway work zones
- Other Motorists: Drivers whose speed, following distance, or lane changes added to the crash
- Combined Fault: Several of these parties at once, which may happen when a crash has more than one cause
Each of these parties owes a duty of care to others on the road, and we gather evidence showing who failed to meet it. That evidence may include photos, witness statements, and vehicle data.
Deadlines Matter in Claims Against Public Entities
Colorado law requires written notice of a claim against a public entity within 182 days of discovering the injury, and missing that window may end your claim before it starts. After you send notice, you generally cannot file a lawsuit until the entity denies the claim or 90 days pass, whichever comes first. These deadlines are shorter than many people expect, which is why early legal help matters. We can help you prepare that notice so you can focus on recovery.
Claims against private parties follow the regular statute of limitations, but acting quickly helps in every case. Records such as dispatch logs, route assignments, and maintenance reports may help show what happened, and we move fast to request them before they are lost.
Talk With Mintz Law Firm About Your Snowplow Accident Claim
Crashes involving plows and road maintenance vehicles can bring government rules, private contracts, and insurance companies into the same claim, and each may point the finger at someone else. You don’t have to sort through those competing positions on your own. Our firm has 12 attorneys with an average of 20 years of experience, and we have helped thousands of injured clients for more than 30 years.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no fees unless you win financial compensation for your injuries or losses, and your consultation is free. If a plow or road maintenance vehicle caused your crash, contact us through our form to start the conversation.