Being in a car accident can derail your life in an instant. Between injuries, vehicle damage, lost income, insurance claims, and more, it can feel like your world is crumbling. Trying to handle complex legal issues on your own after a crash can be intimidating and confusing. An experienced Arvada car accident lawyer can make all the difference.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain how retaining an accomplished Arvada car accident attorney after an accident can benefit you. Read on to learn how a skilled lawyer protects your rights and vigorously pursues maximum compensation.
Why Hire an Arvada Car Accident Lawyer?
Here are some of the key benefits of having a seasoned car accident lawyer from Arvada on your side after a crash:
- They are aggressive advocates who fight to protect your legal rights and best interests after an accident.
- They deal directly with insurance companies and handle claims on your behalf so you can focus on recovery.
- They use their resources to build a strong case, including obtaining police reports, gathering witness statements, preserving evidence, crash reconstruction, videos, and more.
- They have a thorough understanding of Colorado injury laws and legal protocols in car accident claims.
- They determine all liable at-fault parties and file claims accordingly.
- They calculate all economic and non-economic damages you incurred, including medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
- They negotiate aggressively with insurers to maximize your compensation.
- They are not afraid to take your case to court if a satisfactory settlement can’t be reached.
Having an experienced car accident attorney on your side levels the playing field and gets you the maximum compensation you deserve.
10 Ways an Arvada Accident Lawyer Can Help After a Crash
Here are 10 specific ways an accomplished Arvada car accident lawyer can help after you are injured in a crash:
- Protect your legal rights and best interests
- Answer all your legal questions
- Preserve important evidence like photos, videos, police reports and witness statements
- Deal directly with insurance adjusters on your behalf so you can focus on recovery
- Determine all liable parties and file injury claims accordingly
- Calculate all economic and non-economic accident damages
- Negotiate strongly with insurers to maximize your settlement or court award
- Explain legal procedures and keep you updated on your case progress
- Pursue fair compensation to cover all your losses and get your life back on track
- Take legal action against negligent parties if needed, including filing lawsuits
Don’t go it alone against the insurance companies. The only way to level the playing field is having an experienced Arvada accident lawyer fighting for you.
What Should I do After an Arvada Car Accident?
If you’ve been involved in a car crash in Arvada, here are important steps to take:
- Seek medical attention – Your health should be your first concern after an accident. Get evaluated and follow doctors orders.
- Report the accident – Alert police and cooperate with the responding officer’s crash report. Obtain a copy for your records.
- Document the scene – Take photos of vehicle damage, injuries, skid marks, location, weather, etc. This evidence helps later.
- Exchange information – Get names, contact and insurance information from all drivers involved.
- Contact an attorney – Retaining an experienced Arvada car accident lawyer early is highly recommended. They can take immediate action.
- Keep records – Maintain all accident-related documents like medical bills, auto repair estimates, police reports, etc. Don’t throw anything away.
- Avoid discussing fault – What you say can be used against you. Only provide necessary basic information. Let your lawyer do the talking.
Promptly taking these steps can strengthen your case and help avoid costly mistakes. An Arvada accident attorney can then handle the complex legal process for you.
Mistakes to Avoid After an Arvada Car Accident
Here are mistakes accident victims often make that can ruin your injury claim:
- Failing to call police or obtain a police report
- Neglecting to seek medical treatment promptly
- Not exchanging insurance and contact information at the scene
- Waiting too long to contact an attorney for help
- Failing to document evidence like photos or videos
- Delaying repairs or allowing your vehicle to be disposed of
- Speaking too much about the accident when asked
- Accepting an early settlement offer from an insurer without consulting an attorney
- Posting details about the accident on social media
- Not keeping complete records of medical treatment and expenses
- Throwing away any documents related to the accident
A skilled Arvada car accident lawyer can still help if you made some of these mistakes, but avoiding them strengthens your case. Contact an attorney promptly for guidance.
Full-Service Representation From Start to Finish
A qualified Arvada car accident attorney can provide full-service legal representation from start to finish, including:
- Conducting a scene investigation and evidence preservation
- Obtaining police reports, videos, and witness statements
- Consulting accident reconstruction experts if needed
- Reviewing all medical records and treatment plans
- Determining all possible defendants and legal claims
- Sending demand letters and initiating claims with insurers
- Negotiating fair settlement offers to compensate your damages
- Handling all required documents, filings and paperwork
- Going to court if needed to fight for maximum compensation
Let an experienced lawyer handle everything related to your injury claim so you can concentrate on healing. Having skilled legal representation maximizes your compensation.
Don’t Give Statements or Recorded Interviews Before Contacting a Lawyer
Insurance companies often pressure accident victims into providing recorded statements or interviews shortly after crashes occur. They will ask probing questions in hopes of using your words against you later. Politely decline to give any official statements or interviews before consulting your attorney first. Let your lawyer handle all discussions with insurers. Anything you say can be used against you later.
How Long Will My Arvada Car Accident Claim Take to Resolve?
There is no definitive timeframe for concluding an Arvada car accident injury claim. Every case is unique based on factors like:
- Severity of damages and injuries
- Number of vehicles/parties involved
- Level of liability disputes
- Cooperation of insurance companies
- Steps needed to prove the claim
- If litigation becomes necessary
While your attorney will work as quickly as possible, complex cases can take 6 months to 2 years to resolve in some instances. Have patience and focus on your recovery. By hiring an accomplished lawyer, you can be sure steady progress is being made toward getting you fair compensation. Don’t settle for less than you deserve.
Is There a Deadline to File an Injury Claim in Colorado?
Under Colorado law, accident victims have 3 years from the date of a crash to file a personal injury lawsuit seeking damages. This statute of limitations allows enough time to receive treatment and attempt to settle out of court. If you fail to take legal action within 3 years, your claim will likely be prohibited from moving forward.
That’s why it is so important have an experienced Arvada car accident lawyer get to work on your case immediately. They will build leverage right away while accident details are still fresh. This puts pressure on insurers to make reasonable settlement offers before the statute of limitations deadline. Don’t wait and risk losing your ability to recover damages – call an attorney right away.
What Does Contingency Mean in a Car Accident Claim?
Top car accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis – meaning there is no upfront cost to hire them. Their fees are a percentage of the final settlement they obtain for you. If they recover $0 for you, their fee is $0. This gives lawyers incentive to build the strongest case possible and maximize your compensation.
Contingency fee rates typically range between 30%-40% of your total gross award or settlement. The percentage may vary based on the complexity of your case and how far along in the legal process it proceeds. By law, contingency fees must not exceed 40% in Colorado.
Hiring an attorney on contingency removes financial barriers. It allows anyone seriously injured in Arvada to have excellent legal representation fighting for them against the insurance companies. There are no out-of-pocket costs or fees. Their fee only comes out of your settlement.
I Was Partially at Fault for the Accident. Can I Still Recover Damages?
Yes, Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence system when determining compensation. Under this approach, you can still recover damages if you were partially responsible for the accident, as long as you were not more than 50% at fault. Your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, if you were deemed 30% liable for the crash, and had $100,000 in damages, you could still potentially recover $70,000 – which is 70% of the total damages after subtracting your 30% share.
Don’t assume being partially at fault ruins your claim. Skilled Arvada car accident lawyers can still fight for substantial compensation you deserve. Retaining legal representation is key to minimizing your liability percentage. An attorney also negotiates strongly even with shared fault. Don’t give up your right to fair compensation.
How Do Arvada Car Accident Lawyers Prove Damages?
Proving damages is a key component of injury claims. Experienced Arvada car accident lawyers prove damages by:
- Obtaining all medical documentation related to your injuries
- Using medical experts to verify treatment needs and costs
- Gathering evidence to prove lost income from missing work
- Assessing vehicle damage repair or replacement bills
- Using accident reconstructionists to explain impact forces proving injuries
- Having doctors affirm the extent of pain, suffering and emotional distress
- Utilizing vocational experts to assess impact on future earning capacity
- Presenting testimony from friends and family about effects on relationships