how does an attorney settle a colorado auto accident lawsuit

by Dr. Kieran Adams III 6 min read

An attorney will help persuade the insurance company that they should look into the matter further. A lengthy investigation may be initiated, and the personal injury lawyer will negotiate the settlement with the insurance company. You don’t always have to file a lawsuit to get a settlement payout for whiplash or another auto injury.

Full Answer

How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Colorado?

Jan 16, 2019 · The time limit (Statute of Limitations) for filing a case in Colorado is clear cut: three years for auto accidents. This is measured from the date of the accident, so even if insurance claims, denials, and attempts to settle take time, you and your attorney will still need to watch that three-year clock. Get Legal Help with Your Colorado Car Accident Settlement

How does a judge determine a settlement for a car accident?

Jan 25, 2022 · The majority of vehicle accident lawsuits settle during pretrial negotiations. Filing a Vehicle Accident Lawsuit. Under Colorado Revised Statutes 13-80-101, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit, but waiting that long can make it more difficult to succeed. Going to court for a car accident settlement could help maximize your claim. In that …

How does car insurance work after a car accident in Colorado?

Mar 27, 2018 · Typical car accident settlement amounts are $15,400 for cases involving accident injuries and $3,000 for cases involving property damage. Even though some car accident cases result in settlement amounts of millions of dollars, most car accident settlements are much less. Many factors play a role in the value of your settlement.

Should you settle or sue after a car accident?

Jan 10, 2022 · In settlement discussions, a car accident attorney demands at least $350,000 for their client’s losses. The insurance company will not settle for less than $100,000, which is much less than the damage claimant is entitled to. They are unable to reach an agreement. Thus the case will be tried.

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How long does an auto insurance company have to settle a claim in Colorado?

three yearsThe time limit (Statute of Limitations) for filing a case in Colorado is clear cut: three years for auto accidents. This is measured from the date of the accident, so even if insurance claims, denials, and attempts to settle take time, you and your attorney will still need to watch that three-year clock.Jan 16, 2019

How do you settle an accident case?

Documents Required to Settle a Car Accident ClaimA copy of the insurance policy.A copy of your driver's license.Car registration certificate.FIR (First Information Report) filed with the police.In case of reimbursement claim, you would also need to submit:Records of expenses, including an estimate of the repairs.More items...•Oct 9, 2020

Do insurance companies pay out pain and suffering?

Insurance companies do not automatically pay pain and suffering unless a client has qualified for this type of damage and proven that the insurance company is liable. ... If an insurance company refuses to compensate an accident victim fairly, the victim can file a personal injury lawsuit instead.

Can you sue for pain and suffering in Colorado?

Pain and Suffering damages are “non-economic” damages allowed under Colorado law as part of a personal injury lawsuit. Non-economic damages are damages that do not have an easily or readily identified monetary value.

Why do lawyers take so long to settle a case?

Once a case gets filed in court, things can really slow down. Common reasons why a case will take longer than one would hope can include: Trouble getting the defendant or respondent served. The case cannot proceed until the defendant on the case has been formally served with the court papers.May 28, 2020

How is settlement value calculated?

Settlement value is essentially based on what a jury would award you for what you went through because of your injury. That number is the sum of your pain, your suffering, your bills, and your lost wages. Using a formula would not capture the details of each individual person's case.

Should I accept the first compensation offer?

Should I accept the first compensation offer? Unless you have taken independent legal advice on the whole value of your claim, you should not accept a first offer from an insurance company.

How is emotional distress calculated?

The Multiplier Method With the multiplier method, the first step is to calculate the current and future financial costs of your injuries. Then, damages for your emotional distress are determined by multiplying this amount by a number that is typically between 1.5 and 5.Oct 28, 2021

Is emotional distress the same as pain and suffering?

For the most part, emotional distress falls under the umbrella of pain and suffering that you wind up suffering from a car accident. Emotional distress, as part of the damages from pain and suffering, occurs when the negligent actions of another person cause you to suffer some form of mental harm.

Can I sue for emotional distress in Colorado?

In Colorado, in order to prove a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress the plaintiff must show that: ... (2) the defendant engaged in that conduct recklessly or with the intent to cause the plaintiff severe emotional distress; (3) the plaintiff suffered severe emotional distress as a result.

How is pain and suffering calculated in Colorado?

While Colorado law does not specifically encourage the use of a multiplier, many attorneys and insurance companies use it to calculate damages. ... For example, if $50,000 in economic damages occurred, a 3X multiplier would lead to an award of $150,000 in pain and suffering or non-economic damages.

Is pain and suffering considered personal injury?

Attorney Michael Rehm - (800) 978-0754 Pain and suffering are “general,” damages; as opposed to “special” damages, which deal with economic losses. These are ordinarily the most lucrative aspect of your personal injury matter. The damages awarded include future pain and suffering damages, as well as past damages.

Where Does The Average Auto Accident Settlement Come from?

If you’ve been involved in a car accident, your insurance or the other driver’s coverage might be responsible for compensating you for injury and d...

Should You Call A Lawyer For My Car Wreck?

Working with a car accident lawyer can help you receive reasonable compensation that may exceed the amount that the insurance company would offer y...

What Kind of Settlement Should I Expect from A Car Accident?

One guideline for determining a settlement is that the total will be about three times the cost of your medical bills. However, a variety of factor...

How Car Accident Settlements Are Calculated

The insurance industry doesn’t have an exact formula for calculating the average car accident settlement amount. If you only sustained damage to yo...

What is a Car Accident Settlement?

First, it is important to understand what it means to settle a vehicle injury lawsuit, especially since over 90% of all injury lawsuits end in a negotiated settlement rather than a trial and jury verdict.

What Factors Determine The Amount of an Average Car Accident Settlement in Colorado?

The risks and uncertainty of trial notwithstanding, the dollars and cents of an injury settlement involve looking at the kinds of damages that an injury victim could recover if the case went to trial and a jury found in the victim’s favor.

Why a Car Accident Lawyer Can Make All the Difference in the Amount of Your Injury Settlement

Never forget that in almost every Colorado auto accident injury lawsuit, any settlement money will come out of the pockets of a car insurance company. Despite their famous claims of being “on your side” or that you are in “good hands” with them, insurance companies are in the business of making money.

Consultations with an Accident Injury Attorney are Free

The good news is that, if you want a consultation from a personal injury lawyer, you’ll pay nothing in fees until you get compensation. This is called a contingency fee, and you will only pay the contingency fee from money received from the at-fault party in the personal injury lawsuit.

How Colorado state laws limit the amount of damages you can sue for in your personal injury case

In any personal injury case in Colorado or other states, calculating the exact amount of your damages is vital so that you receive a fair and just settlement.

General damages, like pain and suffering

General damages refer to any inexact damages that cannot be easily calculated:

How about punitive damages?

Unfortunately for some personal injury victims with catastrophic injuries, there is a cap in place in Colorado for punitive damages in C.R.S.

Remember the Colorado statute of limitations

CRS section 13-80-102 states that ‘tort actions’ that include ‘actions for negligence’ have to be begun two years after the date of the accident. One exception is when an automobile is involved.

What is the statute of limitations in Colorado?

A "statute of limitations" is a state law that sets a time limit on a potential plaintiff's right to bring a lawsuit. These deadlines vary depending on the kind of harm you suffered and/or the kind of case you want to file. (Note: the statute of limitations does not apply to a car insurance claim.

How long does a tort claim have to be filed in Colorado?

Specifically, Colorado Revised Statutes section 13-80-101 says that "All tort actions for bodily injury or property damage arising out of the use or operation of a motor vehicle" must be "commenced within three years after the cause of action accrues.". In plain English, that means an injury claim arising from any kind of vehicle accident -- ...

Is Colorado a modified comparative negligence state?

In legalese, this means Colorado is a "modified comparative negligence" state. Of course, this rule controls judge or jury awards in civil lawsuits (if you get to that stage). But before you get to that point, a car insurance claims adjuster will negotiate a settlement with an eye on Colorado's comparative fault rules.

How long does it take to file a car accident claim?

In plain English, that means an injury claim arising from any kind of vehicle accident -- whether by a driver, passenger, motorcycle rider, bicyclist, or pedestrian -- must be filed within three years, and the "clock" starts running on the date of the accident. The same deadline applies to a lawsuit for vehicle damage caused by a car accident.

Does Colorado require car insurance?

Colorado, like most states, requires vehicle owners to maintain certain minimum amounts of liability coverage. So, understanding the Colorado auto insurance rules is essential to any potential car accident case.

How long does it take to file a wrongful death claim in Colorado?

If someone dies as a result of a car accident in Colorado, and their family wants to file a wrongful death claim, the statute of limitations deadline is two years , and the "clock" starts on the date of the person's death ...

Do you have to report a car accident in Colorado?

any property damage. So a car accident needs to be reported in Colorado (to the nearest office of the local police or sheriff's department ) even if no one was hurt, as long as one or more vehicles incurred even a very minor amount of damage. As you might imagine, that means almost every accident needs to be reported.

How to file a lawsuit for a car accident?

In this article, we'll: 1 discuss when filing a lawsuit might make the most sense in a car accident case 2 look at some example "settle or sue" scenarios, and 3 explain why now is the time to lean on your lawyer's expertise.

What is the "settle or sue" question?

The "settle or sue" question usually boils down to money—more specifically, the delicate balance between what the insurance company is offering and what you (and your lawyer) believe when it comes to what your car accident case is worth.

How much is a car accident case worth?

So, in reality, a claim is not worth, for example, $50,000. Instead, it's more accurate to say that the case is worth between $40,000 and $60,000. When you think about the value of ...

What happens if you file a lawsuit?

Also, keep in mind that, if you file suit, your lawyer's out of pocket expenses and case costs will start to increase significantly, and it's possible that a later settlement will not put a significant amount of additional money in your pocket. Let's look at another example.

What states require car insurance?

Almost all states (except Virginia and New Hampshire) require drivers to carry car insurance. Generally, there are two types of systems regarding car accident liability: 1 At-fault system 2 No-fault system

How long do you have to file a car accident claim?

Depending on the state, you may have from 1 to 6 years to file a lawsuit against the other driver for car accident damages.

What to do if you are at fault for a car accident?

Once it becomes clear that the other driver was at fault, you have the following options: File a lawsuit against that driver.

Where do you report a car accident?

Most states require drivers to report car accidents to the local police department, country sheriff, or state highway patrol. Additionally, some states require a written report of the accident if anyone was seriously injured or killed or if there was severe property damage.

What does it mean to settle a car accident claim?

Settling your claim means resolving your dispute without going to trial, which is the way most car accident claims are resolved. Parties tend to settle before going to court because a favorable outcome isn't guaranteed in a jury trial.

What happens if a company denies your claim?

If the company denies your claim, it will likely allow you to make an appeal to the claims adjuster. If you are suing the other driver, you will need to make an initial filing by drafting a complaint and submitting it to a county or district court.

What happens if you get involved in a car accident?

If you have been involved in a car accident, you’re probably dealing with medical bills, insurance payments and emotional distress. Auto wrecks always seem to happen at the wrong time, and they can leave you hassling with issues that you never thought you would have to deal with. A car accident settlement can reimburse you for the money ...

How long do you have to file a lawsuit?

You typically have one or two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. A minor can file a lawsuit any time before their 18 th birthday. Working with a personal injury lawyer can help you go through the process with minimal distress.

Does insurance pay for a car that was damaged?

If you have collision coverage on your own vehicle and the crash was your fault, the insurance company will pay a certain amount to fix your car. If the cost to repair the damages is more than the value of your vehicle, the insurance company may consider your car totaled and give you a lump sum based on how much it’s worth.

What is a car accident settlement?

A car accident settlement can reimburse you for the money that you’ve paid out. It can also make up for lost wages, physical or psychological trauma, and the cost of replacing your car.

Can you sue for whiplash?

You don’t always have to file a lawsuit to get a settlement payout for whiplash or another auto injury. The insurance company and your attorney may reach a suitable agreement. If they don’t, you may need to take the matter to court. A car wreck attorney can answer your questions about suing after a car accident.

What can a car accident lawyer do?

Working with a car accident lawyer can help you receive reasonable compensation that may exceed the amount that the insurance company would offer you on your own. An automobile injury attorney will help you present every detail about your case to the insurance company or a judge.

What does an insurance adjuster do?

A lawyer will help you take the measures that are necessary to protect yourself if you’ve been injured in an auto wreck. You’ll need to document everything related to the accident.

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What’s Included in Injury Calculations?

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In Colorado, there are two basic types of damages that are available to you: 1. Economic (special) damages 2. Non-economic (general) damages Economic or special damages are your personal injury losses that are easy to add up on your calculator: 1. Medical bills 2. Lost income due to missing work 3. Loss of propert
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General Damages, Like Pain and Suffering

  • General damages refer to any inexact damages that cannot be easily calculated: 1. Pain and suffering 2. Emotional pain, anxiety and stress Obviously, pain and suffering damages are the most difficult to calculate in a personal injury lawsuit or settlement. There are two major ways that insurance companies use to calculate general damages.
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How About Punitive Damages?

  • Unfortunately for some personal injury victims with catastrophic injuries, there is a cap in place in Colorado for punitive damages in C.R.S. 13-21-102. It may not seem fair – imagine for example if a person loses a limb or is blinded due to the recklessness of another party – but Colorado law is that punitive damages can only be as high as the actual damages awarded to the victim. This ca…
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Remember The Colorado Statute of Limitations

  • CRS section 13-80-102 states that ‘tort actions’ that include ‘actions for negligence’ have to be begun two years after the date of the accident. One exception is when an automobile is involved. See details on Colorado statutes of limitation here. This statute of limitations is especially critical for loved ones who lost a loved one due to the negligent actions of another party. In such a tragi…
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