Automobile accidents happen every day. There’s no doubt that automobile accidents are traumatic — especially when they turn fatal. After the initial impact, you may feel like you are in another world with police, emergency medical service personnel and the fire department working around the accident scene. Parents can feel helpless and frightened if their children are injured.
If you or a family member has been involved in an auto accident, contact our Denver car accident lawyers at the law firm of Purvis Thomson, LLP. We can help you through this difficult time.
Across the United States, car insurance laws typically fall into one of two categories: fault and no-fault. In no-fault states, drivers must carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance to pay for their own losses in the event of an accident, regardless of fault. Victims of negligent drivers have the right to file a third-party insurance claim or a lawsuit if their case meets certain requirements.
Colorado, on the other hand, follows a fault-based insurance system. Under Colorado insurance laws, drivers who are responsible for car accidents must pay for the losses that their victims suffered. To uphold this financial duty, Colorado drivers must carry liability insurance in the following minimum amounts.
If you are injured in a car accident in Colorado, you have three main options to pursue compensation. You can file an insurance claim against the at-fault driver, or you can file a claim under your own insurance if you have the appropriate coverage. You can also file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver in civil court. Most car accident claims begin in the insurance stage and progress to a lawsuit if necessary, although some cases may benefit from a different path. Speak to a car accident attorney as soon as possible to determine your optimal avenue to maximum compensation.
In any given year, the annual number of deaths on our roadways can top 41,000 deaths. Fatal automobile accidents most frequently occur when:
Many organizations are working very hard to improve public safety awareness. However, there are still drivers who are distracted behind the wheel, speed or drive while buzzed or drunk. These drivers cause major automobile accidents. Weather conditions can further complicate the situation. If you have been injured, here are some mistakes that you need to avoid.
Car accidents can generate a significant amount of force, leading to severe injuries that often require emergency medical care. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident, these injuries may also result in permanent disability and require long-term treatment. Some of the most common injuries in car accident claims include the following.
Proving a car accident claim requires significant evidence and knowledge of the Colorado litigation process. If you file an insurance claim, the company will assign an adjuster who will conduct an investigation of the accident and determine who is at fault. You may need to provide information such as medical records, witness testimony, and surveillance footage to establish your right to compensation.
During the personal injury litigation process, proving your case becomes more complex. You and your attorney will need to prove the driver’s negligence, or his or her failure to uphold a certain duty of care. To accomplish this, you will need to provide sufficient evidence that establishes four important facts.
While these elements may seem straightforward, crafting a compelling case can be a challenge without the resources, experience, and knowledge of a car accident attorney. At Purvis Thomson, LLP, our lawyers have decades of experience handling car accident claims and can navigate you through each stage of the process. We will leverage the full power of our firm to launch an in-depth investigation into your accident, using expert witness testimony, medical records, and other key pieces of evidence to prove your right to recovery.
Through a car accident lawsuit or insurance claim, you can recover compensation for the financial, physical, and emotional damages you sustained due to the at-fault driver’s actions. Economic damages refer to your tangible financial losses, while non-economic damages involve your intangible pain and suffering. Examples of damages in car accident cases include the following.
In certain cases, you may also be eligible for punitive damages, or compensation intended to punish the at-fault driver for especially serious conduct. To prove your right to punitive damages, you must show that the driver’s conduct was willful and wanton or involved fraud or malice. For example, if your case involves a driver who runs your vehicle off the road in an act of road rage, you will likely qualify for punitive damages.
To understand the full extent of your damages and calculate an estimated settlement amount, speak to an attorney at Purvis Thomson, LLP as soon as possible. Your car accident lawyer will explore all possible avenues to compensation and enlist the assistance of expert witnesses who can calculate your long-term care costs. Equipped with this information, you can avoid accepting an insufficient settlement offer and recover the award that you deserve.
If you are injured in a car accident, the actions you take after the accident will impact your ability to recover compensation. Immediately after the collision, get to a safe location and check on the safety of any passengers in the vehicle. Call 911 to bring law enforcement and emergency medical services to the scene, and receive medical attention as soon as possible. If you are able to move around the accident scene without putting yourself in danger, take the following steps to preserve evidence.
If you or a family member has suffered a serious injury in a car accident, you need to learn about your rights before accepting a settlement offer. Our Denver car accident lawyers will explain your options and aggressively pursue compensation for pain and suffering, injuries and loss of income.
Schedule your free initial consultation by calling 303-442-3366 or sending us an email.