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ToggleHow Can a Car Accident Alter Your Life?
A car accident can occur in an instant, yet alter your life for months, years, or even a lifetime. Following a car accident, it is normal to feel overwhelmed and unsure of what you need to do to protect your health as well as your financial future. While you are certainly not alone, when it happens to you, it really hits home.
Most of us will be involved in a car accident from one to three times during our lifetime according to Esurance. About 77 percent of drivers have been in at least one accident and your overall chances of getting into a car accident during a 1,000-mile trip are 1 in 366. While not all those car accidents will be severe or fatal, many will.
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of accidental death and injury across the United States and in the state of Colorado. According to CPR News, 672 people died on Colorado roads in 2021—the largest number in the state since 2002. Authorities lay the blame for this increase on the “personal choices” of drivers, rather than problems with infrastructure.
These personal choices include exceeding the speed limit, driving while distracted, driving while impaired, fatigued driving, tailgating, and drivers who simply ignore the basic rules of the road and traffic laws. If you are injured in a car accident caused by the negligence of another driver, don’t struggle with the aftermath on your own. A Commerce City car accident attorney from the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya is ready to help you through this difficult time in the best way possible.
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Where Do You Turn Following a Car Accident?
You are entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages resulting from your car accident. Even so, insurance companies want to pay out as little as possible and will do their best to thwart you at every turn. An insurance adjuster may offer you a settlement that will not come close to covering your injuries and damages. The insurer may also delay your settlement time after time—for no good reason—or even deny your claim altogether.
Having a smart, experienced, aggressive Commerce City car accident attorney on your side during this difficult time is essential. The Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya will be an invaluable resource, fiercely advocating for you during this challenging time. Attorney Dianne Sawaya will ensure the insurance company honors its obligation to pay for your injuries, your time away from work, and your pain and suffering.
Dianne is both a highly skilled negotiator as well as a tough litigator who will never hesitate to take your case to court when necessary. Dianne has worked with thousands of clients over the past two decades who found themselves in similar situations, giving them the help and support they needed. When you find yourself facing an untenable situation, unsure of what you need to do for your future, Dianne Sawaya is ready to help. The Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya:
- Have more than 200 positive Google reviews
- Bring a smart, aggressive, compassionate legal team to the table
- Maximize your settlement
- Offer 100 percent free consultations
- Will help you get the medical treatments you need
- Charge no fee unless they secure a recovery
About Commerce City, Colorado
With about 62,000 residents, Commerce City is a home rule municipality located in Adams County and the 18th most populous municipality in the state. Located north of Denver, Commerce City is most well-known for the oil refinery operated by Suncor. Until the late 1920s, Commerce City was primarily devoted to agriculture, including dairies, pig farms, and wheat fields. Industry began edging its way into the agricultural community in the 1930s with the oil refinery and grain elevators. In 1942, Rocky Mountain Arsenal was founded. Dick’s Sporting Goods Park—a soccer stadium—now hosts the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.
Over the last decade, the population of Commerce City has more than doubled, yet it continues to maintain its small-town charm. The city’s largest park—Pioneer Park—is full of amenities, including a waterpark with an enormous swimming pool, a lazy river tubing area, and multiple water slides. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is a short drive from Commerce City. At nearly 16,000 acres, the refuge is home to hundreds of species of animals and plants.
The area is full of nature trails where visitors commonly see coyotes, deer, woodpeckers, and prairie dogs. Regardless of the hometown feel of Commerce City, car accidents occur here too. When Commerce City residents are injured as a result of another’s negligence, they need immediate help. Should you find yourself in this position, contact a Commerce City car accident attorney from the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents?
Distracted driving has quickly moved up the list of causes of car accidents. While distracted driving is more difficult to prove—and few drivers who cause an accident will admit to being distracted—it is a common cause of car accidents. Distracted driving behaviors include eating while driving, talking on a cell phone or texting, turning around to see what the children are doing, talking to a passenger, or daydreaming. Other common causes of car accidents include:
- Careless driving
- Tailgating
- Exceeding the speed limit
- Driving while overly fatigued
- Impaired driving
- Reckless driving
- Failure to obey traffic rules and laws
Do I Have to Accept a Settlement Offered by the Insurance Company?
The standard procedure for insurance companies is to offer a quick, low settlement to claimants. Unfortunately, this is rarely ever a good thing for those making the claim. When a settlement is offered soon after your accident, you may not know just how extensive your injuries really are. If you accept the low settlement offer, you could later find that your medical bills and lost wages are not fully covered by the settlement—only at this point, there is nothing you can do.
So, the answer to whether you must accept a settlement offer is a resounding “no.” In fact, you should almost never accept a quick settlement offer without first speaking to a knowledgeable Commerce City car accident attorney. Once you have a strong attorney from the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya by your side, you can focus on healing while we negotiate a full, fair settlement.
What Type of Damages Can I Expect from My Car Accident Claim?
After being injured as a result of the negligence of another, you will be entitled to damages for your medical expenses—both current and future—lost wages, future lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and more. Special damages are those that can be easily quantified—damages that have a specific monetary figure attached to them. Special damages include medical expenses and lost wages.
Medical expenses can include ambulance charges, hospital expenses, all physician-related expenses, prescription drugs, surgical expenses, and rehabilitative therapy costs. If you were unable to return to work due to your car accident injuries, you are entitled to lost wages. If your injuries will prevent you from returning to your job for weeks, months, years, or longer, you may be entitled to loss of earning capacity as well.
General damages are less easy to place a precise monetary figure to. Pain and suffering fall under general damages because physical and emotional pain can be extremely subjective. To prove your pain and suffering losses, you may need expert witnesses as well as friends and family who can attest to the changes your accident has caused in your life.
How Long Will It Take to Receive My Check Once a Settlement is Reached?
Once your Commerce City car accident attorney has negotiated a fair, full settlement on your behalf, and you have signed off on it, Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya will make every effort to get you your settlement check as soon as possible.
What is Included in Pain and Suffering?
Physical pain is an element of pain and suffering, as is emotional trauma. Physical pain from the accident, as well as physical pain and discomfort resulting from necessary medical treatments, are a part of the pain and suffering component of a car accident. Mental and emotional pain can include sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and much more.
In some instances, an individual that receives injuries causing physical scarring can experience embarrassment or humiliation when they leave their house and are seen by others. The type of injury you suffered, and the nature of your medical treatments are among the primary indicators of how much pain and suffering you’ve endured. Generally speaking, the longer the recovery period for your physical injuries, the greater your pain and suffering.
How a Commerce City Car Accident Attorney from the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya Can Help
Being involved in a car accident can be extremely disruptive to your normal life. If you’ve suffered serious injuries due to the negligence of another, you are likely anxious and stressed. You do have options, however. Having a Commerce City car accident attorney from the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya can change the dynamics, allowing you the time you need to heal from your injuries.
While you are healing, attorney Dianne Sawaya will work hard to ensure you receive an equitable settlement for your injuries. Dianne is smart, dedicated, and knowledgeable and will use everything in her arsenal to work toward a positive outcome to your car accident. When you choose the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya, you can rest assured you have experienced legal professionals looking out for your future. Contact the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya today.