Receiving compensation for damages sustained in an Colorado auto accident can prove surprisingly complex.
So why should I hire a personal injury lawyer?
When you are injured in a Colorado car accident that was caused by someone else, it might be hard to understand why you need a lawyer. After all, it wasn’t your fault, so you should automatically get compensated for all your damages, right?
Wrong.
Unfortunately, without legal help, you might not receive fair compensation for all your injuries, particularly if they are serious and permanent. Here are some good reasons why you should consider retaining legal counsel after an accident.
You don’t feel comfortable handling the claim yourself.
There is no rule of thumb when it comes to when you should and shouldn’t hire an attorney to represent you in your personal injury case. However, if you don’t feel comfortable with any aspect of your claim — filling out the forms, providing a recorded statement, speaking with insurance claims representatives, or making decisions regarding settlement — you should consult and subsequently retain a personal injury attorney.
You’ve lost income due to your injuries.
Lost wages refer to the money you would have earned had you not missed work to receive medical treatment and recover from your injuries. Requesting reimbursement from the insurance company for the at-fault driver will require supporting documentation of your loss, and it is wise to wait until your condition is stable before you file such a claim. An experienced attorney can help you determine when the time is right and also can advise you if the insurance company requires you to take an independent medical examination before it will consider the claim.
You are unable to return to work.
If your injuries have made you unable to return to your previous job, or to return to any type of employment, you may have a loss of earning capacity claim. A lost earning capacity claim requires a calculation involving:
- Your work profile, including skills, talents, abilities, and experience
- An expert medical witness who can explain the extent of the injury and how it affects future work performance
- An analysis of current market values and wage rates to determine how much future income will be lost.
A complex lost-earning-capacity claim typically needs the assistance of an attorney who is experienced with such injuries.
There are two sides to every personal injury claim.
You may firmly believe that the accident was the fault of another driver, but that driver will likely not be willing to accept the blame. Fault must be determined before your damages will be paid, and an attorney can not only help you prove that another party was responsible but also contest any assertions that you share culpability. This is important because even if someone else is to blame, you could be found to be partially at fault as well, in which case your award will be reduced by the level of your relative fault. In Colorado, if a party is found to be 50 percent or more at fault for an accident, they are not eligible to recover damages at all, no matter how serious their injuries might be.
If you sustained serious injuries in an auto accident in Colorado, contact Colorado personal injury attorney Dan Rosen for a free consultation to discuss the details of your case.