When Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Denver?
Ideally, you should consult a personal injury lawyer in Denver as soon as possible after an accident or injury. Being injured can be an overwhelming and traumatic life event. Sound legal advice regarding insurance and personal injury laws gives you the best chance of receiving the money you deserve from the party who caused your damages.
Our experienced lawyers offer a free consultation so we can learn more about your case and you can get answers to your questions about personal injury claims. We’ll tell you if we don’t believe we can help you, or you may not need an attorney. However, most injured victims benefit from hiring a personal injury lawyer for many reasons.
Denver Personal Injury Lawyers Can Protect You From Aggressive Adjusters and Bad-Faith Insurance Practices
Colorado is an at-fault state for personal injury claims. You can sue the party who caused your injury to seek compensation for your damages. Many personal injury cases begin by filing a claim with the at-fault party’s liability insurance company. Liability insurance compensates victims for losses and harm caused by the insured.
The insurance company assigns an insurance adjuster to investigate claims. The adjuster works for the insurance company. They gather evidence to evaluate the claim, but they search for evidence they can use to undervalue damages or outright deny the claim.
When you hire a Denver personal injury attorney, they will handle all aspects of your case, including the insurance claim. They’ll deal with the insurance adjuster, investigators, and other parties working for the company.
Your attorney will prevent an insurance company from pressuring you to accept a quick settlement before you understand the full extent of your injuries and damages. They’ll protect you from bad-faith insurance practices that cheat you out of a fair outcome.
In addition to handling the preliminary steps of the insurance claims process, your attorney will:
- Investigate the cause of your injury to identify all liable parties and gather evidence proving the elements of your claim – duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and damages
- Obtain copies of accident reports
- Interview witnesses
- Work with leading expert witnesses to gather additional evidence and opinions that strengthen your case
- Monitor statutes of limitations to ensure that a personal injury lawsuit is filed before the deadline expires, if necessary
- Work with your medical providers to document the extent of your injuries and impairments
- Carefully document all economic and non-economic damages to determine how much your case is worth
- Prepare a demand settlement package including a sound legal argument for liability, including citing applicable laws
- Negotiate a fair settlement agreement with the insurance company
Many personal injury cases in Colorado are settled through negotiations with the other party’s insurance provider. However, if a settlement is impossible, your Denver personal injury lawyer will file a lawsuit and aggressively pursue your case through the courts.
Five Signs That You Need to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney in Denver, CO
We strongly encourage you to seek legal advice whenever you are injured due to another person’s negligence, intentional torts, or other wrongful acts. However, it is imperative that you get legal guidance to protect your rights in the following situations:
The Insurance Company Is Acting in Bad Faith
Insurance companies are concerned more with their profit margin than paying claims. Their employees and representatives work to protect the company from liability.
They might try to get you to agree to a recorded conversation to get you to say something the company can use against you. The company may make a quick settlement offer because it knows you are out of work and need money. These offers are usually well below the value of the claim, but once you sign a settlement agreement, you cannot pursue more money.
Unfortunately, some insurance companies cross the line and act in bad faith.
Signs of bad faith insurance practices include, but are not limited to:
- Denying an insurance claim without giving a reason
- Unreasonably delaying a claim
- Failing to acknowledge a claim and/or conduct a prompt and complete investigation
- Setting unreasonable deadlines for providing information to the company
- Requesting unnecessary and overly burdensome information and/or documentation
- Refusing to pay a valid insurance claim and/or delaying payment after settlement
- Offering a settlement amount that is much lower than the value of the person’s damages
- Refusing reasonable requests for information and/or documentation
If you experience any of the above or have trouble with the insurance company, contact our office immediately to discuss your case with an attorney.
You Are Being Blamed for Contributing to the Cause of Your Injuries
Colorado adopted a modified comparative negligence law. If you are 50% or more at fault for causing your injury, you cannot recover any money for your damages. However, if you are less than 50% to blame, you can recover damages, but they are reduced by your percentage of fault.
Insurance companies use comparative negligence to deny claims or reduce the amount they must pay. They might use underhanded tactics to obtain information from injured parties to accuse them of contributing to their injuries. An attorney will protect you from these tactics.
You Are Unsure How to Value Damages in Your Personal Injury Claim
Valuing damages is a crucial step in the personal injury claim process. Your damages represent the harm and losses you sustained because of the other party’s actions.
You are entitled to compensation for your economic damages, including medical bills, property damage, out-of-pocket expenses, and lost wages. You can also receive compensation for pain, suffering, permanent impairment, and other non-economic damages.
Unfortunately, people are often unfamiliar with the damages they can receive, and/or they undervalue them. The insurance company will not tell you if you do not include all damages or if you value your damages incorrectly when settling a claim. You need an experienced lawyer in Denver to calculate your damages for maximum recovery in a personal injury case.
The Accident Caused a Permanent Disability or Impairment
You may receive compensation for future damages if you sustained a permanent impairment or disability. You could recover compensation for your diminished earning capacity, decreased quality of life, and disfigurement/scarring.
Valuing future damages for a lifelong condition is complicated. It involves estimating the future financial costs and the extent of the harm the impairment will cause. Personal injury attorneys often retain experts, including financial professionals, medical specialists, and life planning experts, to assist in valuing future damages.
Your Child Was Injured in an Accident or Other Personal Injury Incident
Child injury cases are heartbreaking. Parents often do not think about their legal options when their children are hurt. Hiring a Denver child injury lawyer gives you the time to focus on your child’s well-being while an objective legal mind works on your personal injury case.
A child’s injuries can have long-term impacts on their cognitive, emotional, and physical health. Sometimes, the permanent damage may not be immediately evident. It is crucial to work with medical experts in childhood injuries to obtain a precise prognosis and an accurate value of your family’s damages.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Denver Personal Injury Lawyers To Discuss Legal Representation
At Zaner Harden Law, we are zealous personal injury lawyers who fight for our clients’ rights. We’ll pursue all sources of compensation for your claim to obtain the maximum value for your damages. Call today at (720) 613-9706 or contact us online to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced Denver personal injury attorney.
