When to Hire an Attorney After a Denver Car Accident
Request Free ConsultationCar accidents range from frustrating fender benders to catastrophic, life-altering events. Many Denver residents spend a lot of their time navigating the congested and chaotic stretches of I-25, I-70, Federal Drive, Colfax Avenue, Santa Fe Drive, and so many other busy corridors where the risk of collisions runs high.
If you’re one of the hundreds of residents who’ve been injured in a car accident in the Denver metropolitan area recently, Fuicelli & Lee understand the challenges you face.
Knowing when to hire an attorney after a Denver car accident is crucial. We have several years of experience helping Denver residents whose lives were forever altered by a serious car crash.
A Denver car accident can leave you struggling with painful injuries or the loss of a loved one. You may wonder about your legal rights. You may get calls and settlement offers from insurance companies.
If this is you, you need an experienced Denver car accident lawyer to advocate for you, handle your legal matters, and fight for the compensation you need to get your life back on track.
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Is It Time to Hire a Denver Car Accident Attorney?
While not all car accidents require a lawyer’s involvement, there are many situations where seeking legal representation is essential to protect your interests.
Serious Injuries or Wrongful Death:
If you or a loved one suffers severe injuries or if a family member dies in a car accident, consult a qualified car accident attorney.
Serious injuries often require extensive medical treatment, long hospital stays, rehabilitation, and long-term care, which can quickly drain your financial resources. An experienced car accident attorney can pursue the compensation you need to cover these expenses and protect your future.
Disputed Liability:
When a dispute arises over liability for the accident or the other driver’s insurance company denies responsibility, involve a car accident attorney.
Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which could diminish or invalidate your damages if the court finds you are partially to blame for the accident.
Under this rule, the court will reduce your compensation by the percentage of any fault it attributes to you. However, if the court determines that you are 50% or more at fault, it will bar you from recovering any damages.
A seasoned car accident attorney can make a big difference in the compensation you receive by minimizing any fault attributed to you while effectively and aggressively demonstrating the other party’s negligence.
Low Settlement Offers:
If you don’t have an experienced lawyer to handle all communications with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, you risk losing the compensation you deserve.
Insurance companies often try to minimize the value of your car accident claim, offering low settlements that fail to cover your actual damages. They may pressure you to settle quickly, hoping you’ll accept a low offer before you fully understand your injuries’ long-term costs.
At Fuicelli & Lee, our car accident attorneys protect you from lowball insurance offers. We assess the true value of your claim, accounting for all current and future damages, such as medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
We negotiate aggressively with the insurance company, present evidence to support your claim, and counteract any attempts to undervalue your case.
With our experienced attorneys handling all communications and negotiations with insurance companies, you can focus on recovering while knowing we will protect your legal rights and best interests.
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist:
Recovering compensation can be challenging if the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured. The Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association reports that more than 16% of Colorado drivers are uninsured, substantially above the national average of 12.6%. That amounts to more than half a million uninsured drivers in the Denver metro area.
After a crash with an insured driver, you may need to rely on your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Adding uninsured motorist coverage (UM) to your auto insurance or purchasing Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage as an add-on gives you an extra layer of protection.
A skilled Denver car accident attorney can guide you through the insurance claim process to help you get the compensation you need.
The Importance of Promptly Hiring a Denver Car Accident Lawyer After a Car Accident
After a serious car accident in Denver, seek the guidance of an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
It may seem daunting to pursue legal matters while you focus on your physical recovery. We understand that.
However, delaying hiring a lawyer may have significant consequences for your case and your ability to secure the compensation you deserve. Our team of compassionate and results-driven lawyers is ready to help you immediately.
When you hire us, we carry the burden of all the legal aspects of your case, freeing you to get back to focusing on recovering from your injuries.
Deciding when to partner with a personal injury lawyer is important for many reasons, including:
Preserving Critical Evidence
A lawyer can properly preserve and document that valuable evidence if you hire them immediately after a car crash. Physical evidence from the accident scene may be lost or destroyed with time, and witnesses’ memories may fade or become less reliable.
By hiring an attorney soon after your accident, you ensure that your legal team can gather and preserve critical evidence, such as:
- Photographs of the accident scene and damage
- Surveillance footage from businesses or traffic cameras near the accident site
- Witness statements and contact information
- Police reports and accident records
- Medical records documenting your injuries and treatment
Colorado’s Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Claims
Colorado imposes a three-year statute of limitations for car accident claims in general. This means that you have three years from the day of your accident to file a lawsuit for your injuries and damages. If you miss this deadline, you will be barred from recovering compensation.
However, it’s important to note that some exceptions to this rule could affect the timeline of your claim. For instance, if the at-fault driver was a government employee, you would likely have to file an administrative claim within 180 days of the accident or sooner.
A knowledgeable car crash attorney can review your unique circumstances and explain the deadlines that apply to your case.
Navigating the Legal Process
Many complex laws, regulations, statutes, precedents, and variables apply to car accidents resulting in personal injury. Consult an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible after your accident to ensure your case gets the time and attention it deserves.
Fuicelli & Lee’s auto accident lawyers can meet your claim’s every deadline. We manage all aspects of your case, from the initial investigation of your accident and gathering evidence to negotiating your claim with insurance companies and representing you in court if necessary.
Preparing for the Possibility of Trial
Not all car accident claims resolve in settlement negotiations. In some cases, the at-fault party or their insurance company may refuse to offer a fair settlement or deny liability altogether.
When this happens, your case may need to go to trial for resolution, which will likely prolong your case and delay your financial recovery.
Trials can take time, more so if the defendant decides to appeal the verdict against them. Since any case may go to court, hire an experienced trial lawyer to protect your rights.
At Fuicelli & Lee, our lawyers always prepare to go to trial with any case we handle. We always work hard to reach a full and fair settlement out of court, but we are ready to argue your case before a judge or jury if that’s what it takes to get you the compensation you deserve.
Support and Guidance Throughout Your Case
A good lawyer needs more than knowledge, skill, and experience. They need compassion to see clients through some of the darkest events in their lives. Fuicelli & Lee provides support and guidance to help you and your family through this challenging time. We answer any questions you may have and provide regular updates on the progress of your case so you never feel left in the dark.
If you need guidance with health insurance benefits and claims, we can help you get the most out of your policy. If you don’t have health insurance, we will work with medical care providers to refrain from billing you until your case is resolved.
By having a trusted advocate on your side, you can focus on your physical and emotional healing knowing that your legal rights are protected.
Car Accident Injuries We Commonly See in Denver:
We cannot overstate the importance of acting quickly after a serious car accident. Seeking legal help after a car accident is especially urgent when you or a loved one has sustained injuries.
It does not matter how seemingly insignificant injuries may seem. The whiplash, back pain, or headaches you’ve suffered may worsen over time, or they may be symptoms of more serious, underlying injuries. Don’t jeopardize your right to full, fair, and complete compensation by putting off seeking a lawyer.
Our auto accident attorneys have helped clients throughout the Denver area recover after a serious accident.
The car crash injuries we commonly see in our clients include:
- Whiplash and neck injuries: Whiplash is a fairly common injury caused when the head and neck jerk back and forth during a collision. Symptoms vary but usually include neck pain, stiffness, headaches, and dizziness.
- Back and spinal injuries: Car accidents can cause herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, and even paralysis in severe cases. These injuries usually require extensive medical care and long hospital stays. They can also have a long-term or permanent impact on your quality of life. Studies have found that even a collision under six miles per hour can cause serious spinal damage.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): TBIs occur when a blow or jolt to the head jostles the brain or causes it to hit the skull. Symptoms may include headaches, memory loss, cognitive difficulties, and changes in mood or behavior. Fuicelli & Lee’s founding partner, Keith Fuicelli, suffered a severe TBI when a car struck him in 2007, leaving him in a coma and on life support for several days. His injuries fully healed, but it took two and a half years to recover. The process left him with a special empathy for brain injury survivors and those suffering from car accident injuries in general.
- Broken bones and fractures: Collisions often cause broken bones and fractures, particularly in the arms, legs, ribs, and hips. These bone injuries may require surgery, physical therapy, and an extended recovery.
- Soft tissue injuries: Sprains, strains, and tears to muscles, ligaments, and tendons are common in the car accident cases we handle. While these injuries may not be as visible as broken bones, they can still cause crippling pain and limit your mobility.
- Psychological and emotional trauma: Car accidents are extremely traumatic experiences for most survivors, leading to conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. These emotional injuries can take an enormous toll on your daily life and may require professional treatment.
- Property damage: In addition to personal injuries, auto accidents often significantly damage your vehicle and other personal property. The cost of repairs or replacement can add up quickly, putting a financial burden on you and your family.
The severity and long-term impacts of car accident injuries underscore the importance of filing a car accident claim.
Our car accident lawyers ensure that your injuries are properly documented and valued. We gather medical records, consult with experts, and build a solid case to recover the compensation you deserve.
Call Fuicelli & Lee When It’s Time to Hire an Attorney After a Car Accident in Denver
Call Fuicelli & Lee today if you or a family member has been injured in a car accident in Denver. We understand the hardships car accidents bring to your life in a flash, from mounting medical bills to an inability to work and lost income. The physical pain and emotional trauma of your injuries and the grief of losing a loved one cannot be understated and should never be undervalued.
All of Fuicelli & Lee’s injury lawyers treat our clients with compassion and commitment, providing the personal attention you need every step of the way. We are here to listen to you and provide the peace of mind you need during this difficult time. Give us a call today at (303) 444-4444. Or contact us online, and we will reach out to you.