Choosing A Car Accident Attorney
“I have people tell me all the time, ‘I’ve been dealing with this insurance company for 20 years and they’ve always treated me great.’ And I say, ‘Have you ever made a claim?’ and they say, ‘no.’ Well, ok, so the person who has been taking your money has been treating you great. Not surprising. Wait till you go to the claims department.”
Jason Jordan, Founder and Injury Attorney
Car accidents are all too common in Denver Colorado. Traffic on highways like I-25, long-haul trucks on the interstates, and winter weather create dangerous driving conditions. This is why Denver has many accidents. If you have been in a car wreck, you may be wondering if you have a car accident case and whether or not you should get a Denver personal injury lawyer.
How Do You Know If You Have A Car Accident Case?
You likely have a clear cut personal injury case if you’ve been injured in a Colorado auto accident, received medical treatment, and you are not at-fault for causing the accident.
Other situations may be less clear. Maybe the accident seems minor. Maybe you’re sore but not feeling injured. It may not seem like you need to get a car accident lawyer. You might think: “Is it worth it? The insurance company seems to be taking care of me and I’ve always paid my premiums.”
Please know that this is exactly what insurance companies want you to think.
Insurance companies search for any reason to deny your claim – and they find them.
While denial rates vary by insurer, one report found ACA plan denials were as high as 49%. If you’re vulnerable, they may take advantage and leave you penniless while you’re still in pain.
If you need money to help get your life back together after your accident, you need a car accident lawyer.
Immediately after your motor vehicle accident, you may not be thinking clearly. PTSD takes time to set in. So do common car accident injuries like whiplash, neck aches, stiffness and soreness, all of which you may not feel until 1-3 days after your accident.
Knowing your rights and finding out what you may be entitled to never hurts. There is no cost to contacting a personal injury lawyer and it is no different with Jordan Law. We are ready to help car accident victims achieve their full and fair compensation. Contact us today to set up your free consultation.
Our team is also comprised of:
Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyers
Fort Collins Car Accident Lawyers
Greenwood Village Car Accident Lawyers
I Was Just in a Car Crash. What Should I Do?
If you’ve just been in a car crash, the following steps are crucial.
Call for medical attention. Your adrenaline surges after an accident, making it easy to ignore severe injuries. Internal bleeding may not feel like anything at first, but can become life-threatening within 6 hours.
Call 911 immediately. Even if you are unharmed, getting an immediate medical record helps your case.
Document everything. After you’ve called for support, take out your phone and take pictures of the scene. Record any injuries, damages to your vehicle, the other driver’s auto insurance, and the events leading to the incident.
Talk to witnesses, get their contact information, and exchange insurance details. Don’t assume you’ll remember anything.
Don’t apologize. Avoid taking ownership of the accident, apologizing, or saying anything implying your responsibility for what happened.
Don’t deny your need for medical attention, even if you feel fine. If anyone requests responses, direct them to your car accident lawyer.
Contact your lawyer. Hire a skilled car accident lawyer before you file an insurance claim or a police report. Doing this can greatly increase your chances of success from the beginning.
Plus, the insurance company will likely recognize your representation. As a result, they will treat you differently than if you were handling this solo.
Call your insurance company. Your lawyer will handle this or prep you to ensure you don’t accidentally say anything that could help your insurance company deny your claim.
Common Injuries from Car Accidents
- Neck and spine injuries
- Whiplash
- Bruising
- Broken Bones
- Concussions and/or Traumatic Brain Injuries
- PTSD
Common Causes of Denver Car Wrecks
- Distracted Driving – using cell phones while driving is the number one cause of distracted driving accidents.
- Weather – Colorado is known for cold winters and sudden snow storms that can lead to accidents.
- Reckless driving
- Drunk Driving
- Vehicle Defects or poorly maintained vehicles
- Road Rage
- Driving at night
- Unsafe lane changes
You Need A Denver Car Accident Attorney Who Will Fight for You
You need a car accident attorney who:
- Has achieved payouts for their clients. Jordan Law has won over $500M in verdicts and settlements for Denver personal injury victims.
- Will communicate with you to keep you updated on your case. As you pursue justice and compensation after your car crash, you want to stay informed. The lawyers at Jordan Law will keep you informed at every stage of your claim.
- Has experience in the courtroom. You might be surprised to learn that many lawyers never see the inside of a courtroom because they settle all their cases. The insurance companies know the firms that will go to court if necessary. This reputation allows those firms get better results for their clients at the settlement stage.
- Is ready to start fighting for you without delay. After your accident, you need someone who takes immediate action so you don’t have to. Jordan Law is ready to put our best lawyers on your case today.
“Jordan Law is truly incredible. They are a professional group of people that always showed me the utmost respect. I was treated like family and am proud to say they really changed my life. Thank you Jason, Laura, and staff for representing me in such a difficult time!” -Will J.
Should I File a Police Report After A Car Wreck?
It can be tempting to shy away from making things official with the authorities. Filing a police report is a crucial part of your claim.
Here’s why:
- A police report constitutes an official accident record. It includes important details such as the location and time of the accident, the parties involved, and witness statements.
- Liability determination. A police report can be a key piece of evidence helping demonstrate who is responsible for the car accident.
- Legal protection. Filing a police report immediately after the accident helps establish that you took the appropriate steps to resolve your case. It won’t look like you were avoiding responsibility or hiding any information, which can protect you later on.
- Insurance representatives, other involved drivers, or even the police can tell you that filing a report isn’t necessary. Don’t listen to them.
“We saw a case where the defendant told the victim, “Oh, don’t call the police – we’ll take care of it.” So the victim skipped the police report. Then, later, the defendant changed their tune: They were suddenly saying they weren’t at fault. Now there’s no police report, and it’s a much tougher case than it otherwise would have been.” – Jason Jordan, Managing Partner
File a police report as soon as possible after the accident, or ask us for help completing this essential task.
What Might A Car Accident Cost Me?
Car crash expenses can be significant. You could require medical treatment and have extensive medical bills. You may also have property damage such as car repairs, which could cost thousands. You could even have several weeks of rehab like physical or psychological therapy.
If a car accident causes wrongful death, the claim can cover funeral costs, lost income, and loss of companionship. The average Colorado funeral costs $7,000.00.
What is the Value of my Denver Car Accident Claim?
Your Denver car accident claim can include a wide range of economic and non-economic damages, including:
- Your medical bills for initial hospital treatment
- Prescription medications, physical therapy, or rehab, if required
- Any relevant ambulance fees
- Lost wages from missing work for at least 2 weeks (or even 12 months!)
- Compensation for permanent disabilities
- Vehicle maintenance, recovery, or replacement
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
You shouldn’t have to shoulder those costs.
Schedule a free case evaluation today to discuss your damages and claim value.
What to Expect From A Free Case Evaluation With Our Attorneys
When you meet with our team for a free case evaluation, it’s an opportunity for us to learn about what happened to you and answer your questions. It’s a casual conversation and you don’t need to prepare anything in advance. In fact, the sooner you can call us the better. Timeliness is important in a personal injury case.
What Happens After a Denver Car Accident Consultation?
After your free Denver car accident consultation, you can retain our services. Then, over the subsequent weeks and months, our auto accident team will:
- Perform a thorough investigation of your car accident
- Analyze all evidence relevant to your claim
- Speak with the police, witnesses, car mechanics, and other key personnel
- Consult with accident reconstruction experts, car mechanics, and physicians to understand the full extent of how your life has changed
- Negotiate on your behalf with your insurance company
- Handle all the paperwork associated with your claim
- Prepare to take your claim to court
Do Most Cases Go To Trial?
Most car accident claims don’t go to trial. Most of the time, the insurance company will reach a settlement with the injured party.
Unfortunately, the insurance company will usually make a lowball offer. These settlements don’t always cover all the expenses resulting from a crash. This is why it’s important to have a lawyer that is willing to court on your behalf, should the insurance company choose to treat you unfairly.
Jordan Law has extensive experience in the courtroom.
How Long Do I Have To Bring A Car Accident Claim?
The timeframe to bring a lawsuit is limited by a state statute, or law. In Colorado, the timeframe to file a lawsuit against a negligent driver is three years. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-101. This is known as the statute of limitations.
Failing to abide by the Colorado personal injury statute of limitations can result in forfeiting the right to recover the compensation you may be entitled to for your losses.
What Am I Able to Recover If I Win A Car Accident Lawsuit?
Auto accident lawyers can help you recover an average of three times more money compared to someone who doesn’t hire an attorney. This is because the insurance company knows how to manipulate you into settling for less.
For this reason, you need to hire a Jordan Law car accident lawyer. Our lawyers will fight for you and get you the compensation you deserve.
Your Denver car accident claim can include a wide range of economic and non-economic damages, including:
- Your medical bills for initial hospital treatment
- Prescription medications, physical therapy, or rehab, if required
- Any relevant ambulance fees
- Lost wages from missing work for at least 2 weeks (or even 12 months!)
- Compensation for permanent disabilities
- Vehicle maintenance, recovery, or replacement
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
After a car accident, the at-fault driver’s car insurance policy will pay for your losses, up to the coverage limits of the policy. Our attorneys can help review the driver’s policy and tell you what the limits are.
The following are Colorado’s minimum required automobile insurance coverages:
- Bodily injury or death to one person: $25,000
- Bodily injury or death to multiple people or per accident: $50,000
- Property damage: $15,000
What Happens If The At-fault Driver Does Not Have Insurance?
Believe it or not, many drivers ignore the fact that they are required to carry auto insurance and are on the roads uninsured. This means if one of those drivers causes an accident with you, they do not have an insurance policy to pay for your injuries. These are known as “uninsured motorist accidents.”
In other cases, the driver has insurance but the policy is not large enough to cover the cost of your injuries. These drivers are often called “underinsured motorists.”
Uninsured and underinsured is often referred to as “UM” and “UIM.” You can protect yourself and your family from these drivers by purchasing UM and UIM coverage in your own auto insurance policy. We always encourage drivers to do this. It can be so important to getting back on your feet if you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver.
The attorneys at Jordan Law are happy to review your policy to see if you already have UM and UIM coverage. In Colorado, drivers have to opt-out of receiving this coverage so in most cases it is more of a question of how much of this coverage do you have.
How do PI Attorneys Get Paid?
Almost all personal injury lawyers work on what is called a “contingency fee basis.” This just means that the attorney will not charge you anything up-front. They will instead collect a fee which is a percentage of the settlement award in your case.
Jordan Law works on a contingency fee basis so you will never pay out of pocket.
Car Accident FAQs
Should you get a lawyer after a minor car accident?
Yes, you should get a lawyer after a minor car accident. Will you require resources to pay for any damages, time off work, or medical attention you need post-accident? Then you need a lawyer.
At Jordan Law, we don’t believe there are minor car accident cases. It’s easy to underestimate how much a “minor” car accident can change your life. Talk to us in an initial free consultation to learn more.
Do you need an attorney for a car accident settlement?
The short answer is: Yes, you do you need an attorney for a car accident settlement.
Chances are, you’ve never negotiated a car accident settlement before.
Your insurance company will know this, and try to get you to settle for a lowball offer. A $15,000.00 settlement may sound nice when you’re in the hospital, but when the bills start reaching $100K (or higher), it’ll be clear that insurance wasn’t acting in your best interest.
How do you know if you’re getting what you deserve, or if you’re leaving money on the table for the insurance company to keep in their pockets?
An attorney can make sure your settlement or court award includes appropriate compensation for your medical bills, car repairs, and other financial repercussions if your accident is complex.
Your car accident lawyers can help make sure your interests are protected no matter what happens.
How do you find a good auto accident attorney?
Take these steps to find a good auto accident lawyer in Denver, CO:
- Follow the numbers. You must ensure your car wreck lawyers have a documented history of achieving client payouts. Check your lawyer’s website and testimonials to see how successful they’ve been.
- Ask practical questions. Schedule a free car accident claim consultation with your prospective attorney. Ask about fees, your attorney’s specific experience bringing car accident claims to trial, and the compensation they’ve achieved for past clients.
- Consider communication. You need your lawyer to keep you informed about your claim. Ask them how they’re ready to go above and beyond to ensure you understand what’s happening in your car accident case.
At Jordan Law, we make your decision easier by putting the information you need within your reach.
Our team has recovered over $500M in verdicts and settlements – including over $42M for just one case, one of the largest verdicts ever in Colorado.
We prioritize communicating with you clearly (we’ll stay away from detailed, confusing lawyerspeak!) and ensuring you understand every aspect of your claim.
When we sit down with you during your free Colorado accident claim consultation, we’ll answer all your questions directly – including answers to questions you probably haven’t thought of yet.
If you have any questions at all about your case, or even simply want to run the details of your situation past our experienced lawyers, give us a call or contact us online. We’re here to help!
Read our five tips for How To Find A Personal Injury Lawyer.
When to get an attorney after a car accident?
Contact your attorney as soon as you can after your accident. You don’t want to waste any time.
A silent statute of limitations clock begins ticking the moment your accident occurs.
In Colorado, you have 3 years after your accident happens to file your claim.
That sounds like a long time. It isn’t. And that’s only one deadline.
You need to file a police report within 60 days in Colorado. If you don’t file an insurance claim immediately, your insurance company could use the delay as a reason to deny your claim.
Your attorney will be aware of all relevant deadlines and help you ensure you meet them from the beginning.
The earlier you call, the sooner we can help you. Contact Jordan Law immediately to set up your free Denver car accident consultation.
What happens if I'm injured in a hit and run accident?
If you have been injured in a hit and run accident, meaning the other driver fled the scene, you may be worried about how you’ll get compensated.
If you have uninsured motorist coverage as part of your insurance policy, you likely can collect compensation from your insurance company.
What Are Some Additional Resources For Accident Victims in Denver?
Victim Assistance Program – Denver Police Department
Phone Number: (720) 913-6035
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) – Colorado Chapter
Provides support to victims of drunk driving accidents.
Website
Phone Number: (877) 623-3435
These organizations and programs can offer valuable assistance to individuals recovering from a car accident in Denver.
Car Accident Resources
After extensively searching for an attorney to take my case, and having no success, I was referred to Jordan Law. He was quick to respond and follow up with me. I was struggling to keep it together throughout this difficult experience, but the confidence and trust they built with me gave me to motivation to keep persevering