It is okay to feel overwhelmed and shocked after a car accident. If you have suffered serious injuries, permanent disabilities, and/or extensive losses because of someone’s disregard for safety behind the wheel, you can ask for compensation. Colorado is an at-fault state, which means that the at-fault party has to compensate the victim, typically through their insurance company. You must file a personal injury claim with the at-fault-party’s insurer to take things ahead. Since personal injury laws are often complicated and hard to comprehend, it is in your best interests that you hire a car accident lawyer Colorado Springs. In this post, we are discussing car accident laws in the state.
Statute of limitations
Every state has its own statute of limitations. Colorado allows a period of three years to file personal injury lawsuits in car accident cases, counting from the date of accident. The deadline of three years also applies to lawsuits related to vehicle damage. For wrongful death claims and lawsuits, the deadline is just two years, counting from the date of death, which can be different from the date of accident.
“Modified comparative negligence”
Colorado follows the “modified comparative negligence” rule. This means that if you were at fault for the accident to some extent, your financial recovery will reduce by that percentage. For example, if you were awarded $20,000 in compensation and your share of blame is marked at 20%, you will only get $16,000 as the final settlement. Note that you cannot recover anything if your share of fault is more than 50%.
Consider hiring a car accident lawyer
No matter your circumstances, talking to a car accident lawyer is important, preferably immediately after your accident. Make sure that your lawyer knows the details in depth, so that they can give a fair idea of what to expect from the case. Don’t shy away from asking the tough questions related to their experience, and make sure that your lawyer has courtroom confidence. In case a car insurance settlement fails, your lawyer can file a personal injury lawsuit.
Final word
Personal injury laws are meant to protect the victim, but to get the due compensation, you must prove that the other party was negligent or careless, which caused the accident. Hire an experienced car accident lawyer in Colorado to know more about the possible outcomes and get a realistic idea of how much to expect in compensation.
