Tips for Hiring a Car Accident Attorney in Colorado

Most of us get into a car every day, never fully realizing the dangers of driving until we are faced with the reality of a car accident. While no one ever expects it to happen to them, car accidents happen more commonly than you might think. In 2020, Colorado drivers experienced 2,762 car accidents resulting in severe injuries. After suffering serious injuries, you may be curious about the benefits of hiring an attorney after a car accident. Read on to gather tips for hiring a car accident attorney. [lwptoc]

Is It Worth Hiring an Attorney for a Car Accident in Colorado? 

Insurance companies and opposing counsel often try to entice injured victims to accept initial settlement offers that don’t fully cover their losses. A qualified personal injury attorney assists clients in multiple ways when they need it most.

Gather Evidence 

An attorney gathers all required information related to your case. In addition to reviewing your medical reports, your attorney interviews witnesses, speaks to insurance companies, and obtains a copy of your accident report. This evidence helps strengthen your case so that you have a better chance of receiving the financial relief you need from the responsible party.

Assess the Value of Your Case

Colorado law allows injured victims to receive monetary compensation through economic and noneconomic damages. Economic damages represent tangible losses, including the following: 

• Medical expenses,
• Property damage, 
• Lost wages, and
• Loss of future earnings.

Your attorney will rely on receipts, invoices, and other documentation to accurately calculate your economic losses.  Noneconomic damages include subjective losses representing the following: 

• Pain and suffering,
• Emotional distress, 
• Loss of consortium, and
• Loss of enjoyment of life.

Due to their subjective nature, noneconomic losses are challenging to calculate and prove without the help of an experienced attorney. 

Negotiate

An experienced attorney is well-practiced in the art of negotiation and can help you fight for a favorable settlement that fully reflects your losses. After calculating a value for your case, your attorney uses this number to guide negotiations. It’s important to remember that an attorney never accepts a settlement offer until you provide your final approval. 

Litigate  

If negotiations between all parties fall apart, your attorney will be prepared to litigate your case at trial. Trial preparation is time-consuming and requires expert witnesses, discovery, and complicated legal research. By handling this entire process for you, your attorney helps you focus on your recovery. 

Tips for Hiring a Car Accident Attorney in Colorado

When hiring a lawyer for a car accident, it’s essential to find an attorney who understands and focuses on achieving your goals to the best of their ability. Carry out the following steps to help you narrow down your choices: 

• Obtain referrals. Speak to your friends and family about their experiences. In many cases, referrals will point you toward great attorneys you may not have otherwise found. 
• Research. Research law firms and attorneys, including reviewing firm websites and reading client testimonials and third-party reviews. 
• Schedule consultations. Finding the right attorney may require meeting with multiple attorneys until you find the right one for you and your case. 
• Be prepared. Bring all important documentation related to your case to your initial meeting so a potential attorney can better understand your case. 

It may feel overwhelming to meet with multiple attorneys while dealing with the stress of your potential lawsuit. However, it’s also important to trust your instinct. You may feel immediately comfortable with one attorney and decide sooner than you think. However, if you have a more difficult time deciding, there are a few qualities you will want your lawyer to have: 

• Focused practice on personal injury law, 
• Maintains a reasonable case load and can pay attention to your case
• Experience negotiating cases to a successful settlement, 
• Success in litigating a case at trial through to judgment, 
• Works on a contingency fee basis or a favorable fee structure, 
• Is communicative and listens to your concerns, 
• Answers your questions, 
• Is a local attorney familiar with the area,  and
• Has adequate time and resources to dedicate to your case.

The attorney you choose should also make sure you have realistic expectations throughout the lawsuit process. Personal injury cases take time. Even if your case never goes to trial, obtaining a settlement that all parties agree on can take months. 

Contact Us 

At Sloat, Nicholson & Hoover, P.C., our legal team possesses over 100 years of combined experience representing injured victims in personal injury cases. We work tirelessly to evaluate the factors involved in your case so that we can help you fight for full and fair compensation. Our experience, skill, and dedication are unparalleled in the area. After more than 30 years in practice, we’ve earned an excellent reputation in the community and have won more than $100 million in compensation for our clients. Contact us today for a free case evaluation to learn how the attorneys at Sloat, Nicholson & Hoover can help you.