Colorado is a fault state. If you were injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you can file an insurance claim with the at-fault party’s insurer. In the real world, things are rarely that simple. More often than not, it is hard to establish fault and liability, especially when there were multiple vehicles and drivers involved. Like anyone else in financial distress, you are probably worried – Do I really need to ‘lawyer’ up? In this post, we are sharing more on when hiring a Colorado Springs car accident attorney is a good idea.
Know your claim better
Like we mentioned, determining fault and liability is often complicated in case of car accidents. You need an attorney, to know if you have a claim in the first place. Keep in mind that establishing fault is also about investigating the accident, and an attorney can do that better. Your lawyer can also give you a realistic amount that can be expected in settlement. When you hire a car accident lawyer, they basically do everything, while you stay back home and recover.
Handle the insurance company
People often forget that insurance companies make money through premiums, and not from car accident claims. As such, the claims adjuster will try and find loopholes to deny or delay your claim, and that can involve bad faith insurance tactics. If you have never filed a car accident claim, or have no idea how things work with insurance companies, hiring a lawyer is way better. Having a lawyer just enhances the chances of a fair settlement.
If you had share in fault
Colorado is also a modified comparative negligence state. If you had a share in fault, your awarded settlement will be reduced by your fault in percentage. The at-fault driver and their insurer will try to shift the blame in such circumstances. If they can prove that you were more than or equal to 50% at fault, you cannot recover anything at all. Hiring a car accident lawyer is also about protecting your rights and interests. Attorneys know when to negotiate, and if needed, they can even go to trial.
Also, hiring a car accident attorney in Colorado doesn’t have to be expensive. If the lawyer accepts your case, they will usually work on a contingency fee. They don’t get paid, unless and until they win, and that’s a big advantage for availing legal representation.
