Colorado Car Accident Lawyer

When do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer in Colorado?

You may be unsure about whether your accident was serious enough to warrant hiring an attorney. Perhaps your case seems straightforward or obvious.

At our firm, we offer free consultations so you can learn more about your case and whether you need the help of a personal injury lawyer. If any of the following is true in your case, consider speaking with a Colorado car accident attorney as soon as possible:

• You sustained significant or permanent injuries
• The crash involved a commercial vehicle
• The crash involved a rideshare driver
• You are unsure whether a settlement offer you received is fair
• The insurance company is not answering your questions
• You are unsure how to file your insurance claim
• You are unsure how to file your legal claim against the other driver
• You think the other driver was at fault for the accident
• You think the other driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• You have had to miss work because of your injuries

Statute of Limitations for Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit in Colorado

When pursuing compensation after a car accident in Colorado, it is essential that you pay attention to the filing deadline. According to the Colorado personal injury statute of limitations, auto accident victims have up to three years to file a lawsuit against the liable party. If you miss this deadline, you could be out of options for pursuing compensation.

However, you need to understand that the statute of limitations is not set in stone. Depending on the details of your accident, you could be entitled to pursue damages even if the typical deadline has already passed. On the other hand, you could discover that you actually have far less than three years to take legal action.

Hiring an experienced Colorado car accident attorney as soon as possible after your crash is the best way to protect yourself against an unforeseen deadline. Your lawyer will be able to identify all the deadlines that apply to your case and ensure that all your paperwork is submitted in plenty of time.

What Should I Do If I Get in a Car Accident in Colorado?

After a Colorado car accident, there are a variety of steps you should take to ensure you recover the compensation you need and deserve from the liable party. Some of the ways you can significantly improve your chances of collecting fair compensation include:

• Calling the police
• Not admitting fault
• Gathering evidence
• Seeking necessary medical attention
• Filing an insurance claim
• Contacting a Colorado car accident attorney

Calling the Police

After an accident, call the police. The police play an essential role in the legal process because they are the first step in creating official documentation of your car accident. The police will file an official police report that will serve as critical evidence in your claim. 

Often, this report includes how the accident occurred, who was involved, and the officer’s initial impressions of who caused the accident. If you fail to call the police, it could be more difficult to prove that the accident occurred and that the defendant was at fault.

Don’t Admit Fault

The other driver might be emotional after the accident, and you could feel pressured to comfort them by apologizing or accepting some of the fault for the accident. Avoid doing that. The other driver can use that statement against you later and claim that you partially caused the accident.

The driver who was at fault for the accident generally must pay for the damages they caused. In Colorado, you can still be compensated by the driver who caused the accident, even if you were partially at fault. As long as you were forty-nine percent or less liable, you could still recover compensation for your damages.

However, the amount of compensation you could receive is reduced by the amount of fault you must accept. For example, assume you were 30% at fault for the accident, and the other driver was 70% to blame. If you sustained $100,000 worth of damages, you could pursue $70,000 in compensation from the other driver.

Gathering Evidence

While you are still at the scene of the accident, gather relevant evidence that could help demonstrate who was at fault for the accident and the severity of your property damage and injuries. Speak with witnesses who saw the accident occur and gather their contact information.

They might be able to help you by describing how they saw the crash happen and potentially appearing at trial as witnesses. Also, obtain the name, contact details, and insurance information of the other driver or drivers involved in the accident. While the reporting officer will gather this information for the police report, you should also keep your own record.

Finally, take pictures of the accident scene. Include pictures of the damage to the vehicles, marks on the road, and your bodily injuries. Also, capture anything unusual about the scene of the accident, such as road construction or poor weather conditions.

Seeking Necessary Medical Attention

If you have sustained any injuries whatsoever, seek medical attention immediately. Making sure you are safe and healthy is the most important thing you can do after a crash. You cannot fight for compensation unless you take care of your well-being first.

When you seek compensation for your damages, you need proof of the amount you spent or will spend on treatment for your injury. A visit to the doctor’s office can provide evidence of the type and seriousness of the injury you received. As you attend your doctor’s appointments, keep all bills and relevant documents such as diagnoses, prescriptions, and other treatment plans.

Filing an Insurance Claim

Contact the liable party’s insurance company to file an official claim. Complete this step as soon as you are able.

Depending on the state in which you live, your insurance might cover your damages, or the other party’s insurance might cover your damages. Colorado is a “fault state,” meaning the insurance of the driver at fault must pay for the accident. Regardless of which is true in your case, you will not receive insurance payments until you file a claim.

Be cautious when speaking with insurance adjusters. If you admit fault for the accident, you might reduce the amount of compensation you could receive. An attorney can help you handle communication with the insurance company and protect you from the tricks insurers often use to deny or devalue a claim.

Contacting a Colorado Car Accident Attorney

Car accidents can be devastating, but having a qualified attorney on your side can benefit you in a variety of ways and help you get the compensation you deserve. A car accident attorney serving Colorado can help you file your claim against the other driver and gather additional evidence by conducting depositions and sending interrogatories to the defendant. 

Once both parties have collected the evidence they need, your lawyer can try to negotiate a settlement with the defendant’s attorney. If necessary, your car accident lawyer can help take your case to trial.

Common Injuries Resulting From Car Accidents

Auto accidents can range from minor fender-benders to high-speed collisions. Because of this, the range of injuries that result from car accidents can also range from minor to major. A few of the more commonly suffered types of injuries include:

• Head injuries
• Cuts and bruises
• Broken bones
• Spinal injuries

Head Injuries

These include “minor” concussions, all the way up to major internal brain and skull damage that can lead to serious complications down the road if left untreated.

Cuts and Bruises

Things like cell phones, kids’ toys, or house keys can fly around and cause severe injuries in a car crash. In addition, accidents that occur at higher speeds often result in broken glass from windshields in windows that can cause deep lacerations in the skin requiring stitches or more serious medical attention to completely address.

Broken Bones

Broken bones can require surgeries and rehab to properly heal, and even with these measures, they can leave victims with permanent disabilities.

Spinal Injuries

Many victims of car accidents receive some form of spinal injuries, such as whiplash, spinal fracture, or a herniated disc.

What Damages Can I Recover in a Colorado Car Accident Case?

As the victim of a personal injury accident, you could be eligible to recover compensation in the form of economic damages, non-economic damages, and possibly punitive damages. 

Economic damages include the costs and expenses you paid or will pay because of the accident; non-economic damages include the mental and emotional losses you suffered; and punitive damages punish a particularly reckless defendant. More specifically, you could be compensated for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income from time taken off work
• Future lost income
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering        
• Emotional distress        
• Disfigurement
• Disability
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium

Our Awards

AWARDED TO JOHN C. (JACK) ZINDA BY THE NATIONAL TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION (2016-2020)

AWARDED TO JOHN C. (JACK) ZINDA (2009, 2011-2012, 2014-2021), & NEIL SOLOMON (2020-2021)

AWARDED TO JACK ZINDA (2016-2020)

LIFETIME MEMBERS JOHN C. (JACK) ZINDA

Frequently Asked Questions

Following a car accident, you will likely have several questions. While our attorneys will be happy to answer any of the questions you have during a free consultation, here are answers to a few of the most frequently asked questions.

What Causes the Most Accidents in Colorado?

With a combination of congested urban areas and snowy mountain passes, there are plenty of perils on the road for Colorado drivers. These dangers, along with others, like distracted driving or driving under the influence, can lead to accidents causing serious injuries, or even death. A few statistics about car accidents in Colorado include:

• According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, there were 638 fatal auto accidents in Colorado in 2021.
• Fatalities occur at the highest rate amongst drivers over the age of sixty-five.
• Some of the most dangerous roads in Colorado are treacherous mountain passes like Red Mountain Pass, Coal Bank Pass, and Wolf Creek Pass.

What Is the Average Car Accident Settlement in Colorado?

Because each case is different, it is difficult to try to give an average number that will be relevant to your case. The value of your claim will depend on the type of injury you received, the cost of damages you incurred, and whether you were partially at fault for the accident.

How Long do Most Car Accident Settlements in Colorado Take?

A car accident case can take from a few months to a few years to settle in Colorado. The length of time varies with the complexity of your case and the other party’s willingness to settle.

Speak to an Experienced Colorado Car Accident Lawyer

A Colorado car accident attorney can help you at every stage of litigation, from the initial consultation to accepting a settlement or taking your case to trial. Do not put off your settlement pursuit any longer. Call an experienced car accident lawyer at Zinda Law Group today.

Give us a call or contact us through our website to schedule your free consultation. If you hire one of our Colorado car accident attorneys, you can benefit from our No Win, No Fee Guarantee, meaning that you do not pay unless we win your case for you. When you work with us, you are getting a team approach to your car accident case.

We Serve Car Accident Victims Throughout Colorado

Our team of experienced car accident lawyers in Colorado has helped our clients recover compensation in the following cities and more:

• Arvada
• Aurora
• Broomfield
• Boulder
• Colorado Springs
• Denver
• Durango
• Englewood
• Fort Collins
• Grand Junction
• Greeley
• Highlands Ranch
• Lakewood
• Longmont
• Loveland
• Northglenn
• Parker
• Pueblo
• Thornton
• Westminster
• Wheat Ridge