Vehicle accidents are not uncommon in and around the Centennial, Colorado area. However, car accident injury and property damage victims regularly struggle to secure the compensation they are entitled to. At Manning Law, we are standing by to help if you need a Centennial car accident attorney. Our team has the resources necessary to fully investigate every car accident claim that we take to help clients recover total compensation for their losses. Connect with an attorney from our team today for a free consultation.
A skilled car accident lawyer in Centennial is going to help ensure that crash victims recover the compensation they are entitled to. Most individuals do not have the resources necessary to stand up to aggressive insurance carriers in Arapahoe County, but an attorney will be able to conduct a complete investigation into the incident and determine liability.
An attorney will also ensure that they work with trusted medical and economic professionals who can properly calculate an injury victim’s total expected losses. Using this information, an attorney will negotiate with the insurance carriers to arrange for a fair settlement offer. If a claim is denied, or if a fair settlement is not forthcoming, an attorney will fully prepare to take the case to a trial by jury.
The vast majority of vehicle accidents in Centennial result in minor injuries or property damage. However, please understand that even minor injuries can result in major medical bills. Additionally, property damage can reach thousands of dollars. These are not expenses that people have money just sitting around to pay for.
Unfortunately, there are many vehicle accidents that occur in Centennial that result in severe injuries, including the following:
When we examine data available from the Colorado Department of Transportation, we can see that there were more than 121,000 total vehicle crashes across the state during the latest reporting year. When we look at the data closer to the Centennial area, we can see that there were nearly 13,000 total vehicle crashes in Arapahoe County during that same reporting year. Out of those incidents, there were 32 fatal crashes and 3,692 injury crashes.
When someone else is responsible for causing your car accident, they should be compelled to compensate you for your losses accordingly. It is more challenging than you might think to hold the liable parties accountable. Since they will be expected to compensate you for every single way your life has been affected by the collision, it should come as no surprise if they do everything in their power to avoid financial liability.
You can rely on your car accident attorney in Centennial to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the cause of your motor vehicle wreck. We will review photos of the accident scene, meet with witnesses, hire accident reconstructionists, and gather other valuable evidence that can help establish culpability. Many motor vehicle accidents are caused by negligent drivers. In fact, according to Forbes, Colorado ranked #2 for car accident deaths caused by driving over the speed limit.
Some examples of unsafe driving practices could include:
The driver who hit you is not always to blame. For instance, if a part of their vehicle malfunctioned and prevented them from being able to stop, they may not be primarily at fault for the collision. The manufacturers, designers, motor vehicle dealerships, and other relevant parties could be found responsible if they failed to uphold quality standards or knowingly allowed malfunctioning parts to be used in vehicle production.
Some of the most common parts that are reported as defective include:
If road safety hazards contributed to your accident, the driver that hit you may not be at fault either. When government agencies fail to make necessary road repairs, replace missing street signs, or take action when there are reports of multiple accidents at a single intersection, they can be held accountable for the victim’s damages. You may have grounds for legal action against the city of Centennial, the Colorado Department of Transportation, or other third parties who are responsible for road maintenance and safety.
It is also important to consider dram shop liability if the driver who hit you was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision. According to Colo. Rev. Stat. § 44-3-801, establishments that serve or sell alcohol can be held liable for injury victim’s damages if they over-serve or sell alcohol to someone who is already visibly intoxicated. Proving dram shop liability can be challenging but with the right legal advocate in your corner, you can ensure anyone and everyone who shares liability for your damages is brought to justice.
One of the most common ways to recover compensation after a car accident is by filing a claim with the insurance company. Many car accident victims hope to avoid going to trial altogether by recovering a settlement from the insurance company. However, it is important to keep in mind that insurance settlements may not be enough to fully cover your losses.
Colorado is a fault insurance state according to the Colorado Division of Insurance. When you file a claim after a car accident, it will be against the liable party’s insurance policy as opposed to yours. This is because at-fault parties are expected to compensate injury victims for the total value of their losses.
Since all motorists are required to carry auto insurance coverage according to the Colorado General Assembly, you may have hoped that your insurance settlement would be enough to cover the full value of your damages. However, if the driver that hit you is uninsured or underinsured, your insurance settlement may be lacking.
Insurance settlements are not designed to cover the full value of an injury victim’s losses. It may surprise you to learn that insurance will only pay for your damages if they are considered “covered losses”. The liable party’s insurance coverage will determine how much compensation you can recover and which types of damages are included.
For example, if the driver who hit you had $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage, the insurance company would be required to pay out up to $50,000 for your medical expenses.
Property damage liability coverage may pay for a portion of your vehicle repair expenses. However, other types of economic and non-economic damages may not be included in your settlement. For this reason, it is often necessary to move forward with a personal injury lawsuit with the legal guidance and support of a top-rated Centennial car accident attorney from Manning Herington.
Even though the insurance company is financially obligated to cover certain types and amounts of damages, that does not mean they are going to do so without putting up a fight. Unfortunately, insurance companies are notorious for taking advantage of claimants and policyholders alike.
Even the most deserving car accident victims find their claims being denied. Some of the most common reasons insurance providers give for claim denials include:
The insurance company will not only use every possible excuse to avoid paying out on your claim, but they may engage in unscrupulous tactics as well. It is not unheard of for insurance companies to:
The best way to protect yourself when dealing with the insurance company is to have your car accident lawyer handle the negotiations process on your behalf. This way, the insurance company may take your claim more seriously.
Do you have questions about how car accident lawsuits and insurance claims work in Centennial? Check out this quick FAQ and contact our office to schedule a free consultation if you have additional questions we do not cover here.
The statute of limitations for car accident lawsuits in Colorado is three years per Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102. Generally, you will have a maximum of three years from the accident to file your lawsuit in civil court. If you miss this deadline, you could miss out on compensation you would have been entitled to if your claim had been filed sooner.
With a diminished value claim you are compensated for your vehicle loss after the collision. Even after your vehicle has been repaired, since it was involved in a collision, the value of the vehicle will drop considerably. A diminished value claim allows you to seek compensation for this loss of value.
If the defendant blames you for the accident, under modified comparative negligence laws, your settlement could be reduced. According to CO Code § 13-21-111, if your portion of fault exceeds the bar limit, you will be prohibited from receiving a settlement. If your portion of blame is less than the limit, expect your car accident payout to reflect a partial fault deduction. For example, if you are found 15% at fault, expect to recover only 85% of your award.
No, no, no. Never give a statement to the insurance company unless your car accident attorney is present. You do not want to risk saying something the insurance company could misconstrue and use against you to reduce your insurance settlement. Your legal advocate can ensure the insurer has the information they need to process your claim and issue your settlement.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another driver in the Centennial area, the team at Manning Law is ready to step in and help. Our Centennial personal injury lawyers have decades of combined legal experience handling complex vehicle accident claims throughout Colorado, and we know what it takes to stand up to aggressive insurance carriers. Let us work to recover compensation for your medical bills, property damage losses, pain and suffering damages, and more. When you need a Centennial car accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us at (720) 515-3191.
