If you or a loved one has suffered car accident injuries in the Boulder area, you might be able to file a personal injury claim against the liable party.
Personal injury claims are not always easy to navigate, which is why it can be helpful to have an experienced personal injury attorney working on your case.
An attorney can give you sound legal advice and help you with all the communications and paperwork involved in your case.
Without a lawyer, insurance companies might try to take advantage of the situation and make a low settlement offer that is far below the fair compensation amount you deserve.
Keep reading to learn about what to do after a car accident in Boulder and how personal injury claims work.
Steps To Take After A Car Accident In Boulder
After a crash, there are some basic steps you should take to ensure that you are fairly compensated for any injuries or losses you have sustained.
Gather Documents
When starting a personal injury case, the first thing your lawyer is going to ask for is documentation related to your accident.
If you can gather these documents before meeting with an attorney, you are one step ahead.
Relevant documentation includes:
- Medical bills
- Insurance information for you and others involved in the accident
- A copy of the police report
- Eyewitness accounts of the accident
- Your written account of the accident
- Photos of the crash scene
If you and your lawyers agree to move forward with a personal injury case after your initial consultation, this documentation and other information will build the foundation for your case.
Talk to a Boulder Car Accident Lawyer
When you’ve gathered documents, it is time to talk to an experienced Colorado personal injury lawyer.
A lawyer can help you understand whether your situation is right for filing a personal injury claim. They will walk you through the process and give you a general idea of what to expect.
A lawyer is an invaluable resource when navigating a personal injury claim. The small details that take hours of research for inexperienced people are quick and easy for attorneys.
File A Personal Injury Claim
Your lawyer will review your case and tell you whether filing a claim is the right thing to do. When you file a claim, you are notifying the liable party that you are going to seek compensation for your injuries and related expenses and damages.
Your lawyers will negotiate back and forth with the insurance company or other liable party until an agreeable settlement amount has been reached.
Any type of injury can lead to a personal injury lawsuit. Settlements tend to be larger for more severe injuries, because the associated medical care and other impacts are more serious.
File A Lawsuit
In rare cases, you, your attorneys, and the liable party may be unable to reach an agreeable settlement amount.
In these instances, filing a lawsuit against the liable party may be your best option. This means your case will go to court, where a judge will hear arguments from both sides and decide on a compensation amount.
Having experienced trial lawyers on your side if your case goes to court is very important.
Factors That Affect Your Boulder, CO Car Accident Claim
Many factors can influence a car accident case in Colorado, influencing how the case plays out and the settlement amounts for accident victims.
Fault In Colorado Car Accident Cases
In auto accident personal injury cases, determining the at-fault driver plays a huge role in who can file a claim, how much they can be compensated for damages, and how likely the claim is to be successful.
Determining fault in an auto accident is not always straightforward. Sometimes, fault is shared among multiple drivers. Other times, a driver might be at fault, but they may have caused the accident because they were avoiding another obstacle.
An experienced Boulder auto accident attorney, like those at Florin|Roebig, uses their expertise in personal injury law and car accident laws to determine the at-fault party.
Colorado Laws
Some states have unique laws that influence the legal process around car crashes and personal injury claims that follow them.
In Denver, Boulder, and other areas of Colorado, two laws that influence car accident claims are: comparative negligence and the statute of limitations.
Comparative negligence states that people who were partially at fault in a motor vehicle accident can still make a personal injury claim. Any compensation they receive, however, will be reduced according to the percentage of fault they were determined to have in the accident.
A court will be responsible for reviewing a car accident case and determining the level of fault each driver had in the accident.
The statute of limitations is a Colorado law that places a limit on the amount of time you have after an accident occurs until you can file a personal injury claim.
In Colorado, the statute of limitations allows you two years to file a claim.
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Types Of Damages In Colorado Personal Injury Cases
When you file a personal injury claim, your attorney can help you get maximum compensation for your losses by demonstrating all the ways the accident has impacted your life.
Economic Damages
Economic damages, also called compensatory damages, are meant to directly reimburse an injured person for financial losses they have suffered. These damages cover property damage, the cost of medical attention, and the cost of lost wages.
It is important to note that some economic losses after car accidents are ongoing. A lawyer can help you calculate how much an accident is likely to impact you moving forward so you can be adequately compensated in a settlement.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages, also called general damages, aim to pay car accident victims for less straightforward impacts they have suffered.
Pain and suffering, emotional distress, lost relationships, and other indirect impacts of a car accident and injuries can be claimed as non-economic damages.
Personal injury attorneys have years of experience in the complicated process of calculating non-economic damages.
Punitive Damages
In rare cases, a court may order the liable party to pay you punitive damages, which are imposed as a form of punishment.
The point of punitive damages is to dissuade the negligent party from acting in the same way again in the future. You cannot seek punitive damages, but sometimes a court may award them to you.
Who Is Liable In Boulder Car Accident Cases?
Liability in personal injury claims refers to the party who will be responsible for paying out damages to people who have been injured in an accident.
The liable party is not always the at-fault party. In fact, in the case of auto accidents, the liable party is usually the at-fault driver’s car insurance company.
Most insurance policies include protection for instances when a motorist is at fault in an accident and injures another person.
In cases where an at-fault driver is underinsured or uninsured, the driver may be held liable for damages.
Determining liability is not always straightforward, but an experienced attorney can help navigate insurance claims and handle communications with adjusters to sort things out.
Common Car Accident Causes
There are a number of different scenarios that can lead to a car accident. Usually, negligent drivers on the road are responsible for accidents.
Some common causes of car crashes in Colorado include:
- Dangerous road conditions: Sometimes, crashes occur because road conditions are hazardous. Ice and snow on the road, improper road maintenance, and even improper signage can all lead to a crash.
- Driver impairment: Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is extremely dangerous and often leads to accidents.
- Driver error: Car crashes are commonly caused by driver errors, such as failing to look in a mirror before merging, failing to use a turn signal, or simply improperly controlling the vehicle.
- Reckless driving: Speeding, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, etc. are dangerous driving practices that can lead to an accident.
Common Types Of Car Accidents
There are several ways that a car accident can happen. The type of car wreck can impact whether serious injuries occur and may even make certain types of injuries more likely.
Depending on the type of accident, determining fault may or may not be straightforward.
Common types of car accidents include:
- Broadside collisions, also called T-bone collisions, occur when a car runs head-on into the side of your vehicle.
- Multiple vehicle accidents refer to any car crash where two or more cars are involved.
- Rear-end collisions happen when someone rams the back of your vehicle.
- Head-on collisions happen when two cars collide with the front of their vehicles.
- Hit-and-run accidents refer to any time a car accident occurs and one driver flees the scene.
Common Injuries That Lead To Boulder Car Accident Claims
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) reported more than 3,000 serious injuries resulting from car accidents in the state in 2019. Many of these occurred in Boulder County.
Car accidents are dangerous and can result in a wide variety of injuries. Personal injury claims involving serious injuries are more likely to receive higher compensation amounts.
Some common injuries seen in Boulder car accidents include:
- Broken bones
- Other head and brain injuries
- Whiplash
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Chest and shoulder injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Burn injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis
- Internal organ damage
- Fatalities
Car Accident Rates In Boulder And The State Of Colorado
Car accidents in Boulder and the surrounding area are a common occurrence.
CDOT, which provides car accident statistics based on county, states that Boulder County was in the top 5 for the number of impaired driving-related fatalities in 2019.
Some other car accident statistics for the Boulder area include:
- Boulder County was in the top 5 for bicyclist fatalities from car accidents in 2019.
- Boulder County saw 9 drivers over the age of 65 pass away in car crashes in 2019.
- 26 people died in car accidents in Boulder County in 2019.
- 207 people were seriously injured in car accidents in Boulder County in 2019.
Top Boulder Car Accident Attorneys Near You
People searching for a car accident attorney in the Boulder, CO area should look no further than the Florin|Roebig law firm.
Florin|Roebig has a team of esteemed personal injury attorneys who are well-versed in Colorado law.
Our law firm has won over $1 billion in settlement offers for our clients. With over 30 years of experience helping people get fair compensation after their accidents, we are well-equipped to help you.
Recently, Florin|Roebig was selected to several notable lists, including the Best Lawyers in America.
Our team of dedicated attorneys includes:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- Chase P. Florin, B.C.S.
- Parker Y. Florin, LL.M.
- Taylor D. Roebig
- John J. Hart
- Lawrence J. Najem, O.C.
- Nollys R. Solarte, O.C.
- Andrew M. Leone, O.C.
We Are Nationally Awarded Lawyers
Get In Touch With A Boulder Car Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident in the Boulder area, don’t hesitate to reach out to an attorney. You could be eligible to receive compensation for your losses.
Florin|Roebig offers free consultations to assess your case and help you decide whether filing a personal injury claim is the best thing to do.
Contact our offices today to learn more about our services and schedule your free initial consultation.
