Monday, April 26, 2010

Who is at fault in a car accident


Negligence. This is what defining fault in a car accident boils down to in Colorado injury law. Negligence just means who was careless, who violated a duty to be careful in a specific situation. Sometimes who was careless is an easy thing to define, but sometimes you need an expert Colorado personal injury lawyer. You may not know what road rules another person violated. Especially in the congestion of Colorado's capital city, a expert Denver personal injury attorney could help you argue to an insurance company that another person was at fault. Such arguments are strengthened when there is official support like a police report saying the other person was texting while driving.

A police report is the first place to look for an official Denver traffic accident record. If there is an injury and the police are called they will write an accident report. Ask the traffic division of your local Colorado police precinct for a copy. If the officer states his opinion that it was someone's fault, that is a very powerful document in Colorado injury law. A citation or arrest is your best outcome, while merely stating someone was negligent will also help your case in the Colorado civil court system. Regardless, police reports are great support for a Denver accident lawyer.

State traffic laws in Colorado might differ from national or other state laws. The vehicle code or "Rules of the Road" are easy to acquire, but you may want a Colorado licensed personal injury attorney may help you see where another's negligence led to an injury. Librarians at legal libraries can also help you search for these vehicle codes.

In some accidents, the other person is at fault so much that insurance will not even question it. If someone hits you from behind in a rear end collusion, that person is generally negligent because you are required to keep enough distance to stop when driving behind someone. If you cannot stop safely you are negligent. The damage on a rear-end proves how it happened, so it is very hard to challenge the facts. If one person's front is damaged and the other's rear, it is pretty apparent what happened. A few circumstances may require help from a Denver personal injury attorney. If you have no taillights at night, you may receive reduced compensation because of "comparative negligence."

Left turns are another example where your case my be so sure-fire you don't need a Colorado accident lawyer. The car making a left turn is almost always liable unless the other car was speeding or driving recklessly.

Always take notes after an accident


The legal system in the united states is an adversarial system. This means no one has your back except you, or if you choose, a lawyer. No one will take the initiative to chronicle your injury or accident for you. So if you ever need to prove a matter of fact, it is important to write down everything about your accident. In Colorado injury law, it is important to write down everything from the original accident to any medical meetings and how the accident effects your life. The Denver courthouse will regard anything written as better evidence than memory.

Anytime you think of something additional about your case, write it down, as it may help your Colorado personal injury attorney with your case.

As soon as the accident is over and you are calm and healthy enough, write down everything, whether or not you think it directly relates to Denver accident law. Write down everything about the weather, the people you saw, the time of day, everything. Include everything you felt during the accident also. Any witnesses or comments are also admissible in Colorado injury court.

Next it is important to catalog all your injuries. Make daily notes of all pains your injury causes. Taking notes will make it easier to claim specific cases to insurance or in Colorado injury court later. Specific injuries may also help doctors diagnose you. Any injuries you report become a part of your permanent injury record in the state of Colorado. These records will also help your Colorado accident lawyer prove that injuries were a result of an accident.

You may be entitled to additional compensation for losses based on not being able to work or education or family suffering. There is nothing worse than being holed up with an injury while your Denver personal injury attorney can do nothing for lack of documentation. Work hours, job opportunities, classes, events, vacations, you have a chance to be compensated for almost anything that your injury makes you miss out on.