Car Accident Attorney in Lakewood

Car Accident Attorney in Lakewood, Colorado

In 2019 there were 19 fatal auto accidents in Lakewood, CO. In four of those accidents, an impaired driver was involved. A total of 64 people were involved in these fatal accidents, with 24 people dying, according to City Data. In addition to fatalities from car accidents, hundreds of thousands of people are left injured—sometimes for life—as a result of car accidents across the nation and in Lakewood. If you have suffered a life-changing car accident, it could be extremely beneficial to speak to a Lakewood, CO car accident attorney. 

When you have an experienced Lakewood, CO personal injury attorney from the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya by your side, you will find it so much easier to navigate the often chaotic and confusing world of insurance claims and injury settlements that accompany car accidents. Having an attorney that brings an in-depth knowledge of the law to the table is truly invaluable. Dianne Sawaya and her legal team have the ability to put your best case together, along with stellar negotiating skills to secure the best possible settlement. 

When you hire the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya, you have legal professionals working on your behalf who are extremely knowledgeable about the relevant laws that could affect your claim. They will be familiar with the statutes of limitations (the window of time you have in which to file your claim) and will prepare your case for trial in the event the insurance company refuses to settle. While a lawsuit is rarely necessary, a credible threat of legal action from an experienced attorney brings leverage when negotiating a fair settlement. In short, having a knowledgeable attorney evens the playing field when you are facing the vast resources of a large insurance company. 

We know that an accident or death of a loved one is a jarring experience that you may not know how to navigate on your own. 

Leave the law to us.

For 25+ years, we’ve been helping Lakewood residents seek the damages and compensation they deserve after an accident. Your case is a priority, and we want to review the details to help guide you through these challenging times.

Call 303.558.7070 to speak to a Lakewood car accident attorney about your accident claim.

Why Choose Lakewood, CO Car Accident Attorney Dianne Sawaya?

A lot of time and work goes into negotiating an insurance settlement, and if the case goes to trial, there will be much preparation necessary. Few people have the legal knowledge, the skill set, or the time to try to do this on their own. When you hand over your car accident claim to attorney Dianne Sawaya, you can rest easy, knowing you have a strong advocate in your corner who will never let the insurance company take advantage. This might be your first time dealing with all the ins and outs of an auto accident claim, but Dianne Sawaya and her legal team have faced the gamut of insurance company tactics. 

The Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya will obtain all the necessary evidence to support your claim. We will gather police reports, witness statements, medical records and bills, and employment and lost wage information. We will organize all the evidence, then prepare a settlement demand letter to present to the insurance company. When you have seasoned legal professionals navigating the day-to-day work on your auto accident case, your burden is significantly eased. You can now begin the process of healing and recovering from your accident. 

Attorney Dianne Sawaya knows you have choices when it’s time to choose a Lakewood, CO car accident attorney. We believe you will benefit from choosing the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya for many reasons, including the fact that we will work with the insurance company to ensure it honors its obligations to you in every way. Our legal team is experienced, smart, aggressive, and compassionate. Additionally, we: 

• Have more than 200 positive Google reviews, as well as thousands of satisfied clients;
• Receive no fee unless there is a recovery;
• Always seek to maximize your settlement;
• Offer a 100 percent free consultation, and
• Ensure you receive the medical treatments you need.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents?

Being involved in a car accident can lead to a flurry of unwanted consequences such as permanent injuries and loss of earnings. While nobody wants or expects to be involved in a car accident, according to the CDC, a car accident occurs in the United States every 60 seconds. This translates into more than 5.25 million car accidents each and every year. While the reasons for car accidents are as varied as the people involved in the car accidents, the following are considered the most common causes of U.S. car accidents: 

• Distracted driving has moved up the list of car accident factors quickly over the past few years. Today, experts believe distracted driving is likely the single most prominent factor in car accidents. They “believe” this because few drivers will admit to being distracted following a car accident. Eating, changing car controls, talking or texting, turning around to see what the children are doing in the back seat, talking to passengers, or simply not paying attention are all forms of distracted driving that can potentially cause a car accident. 
• Speeding is another top factor in car accidents. Speed limits are in place for a reason; when an accident occurs, the consequences are bad enough. When a vehicle is traveling significantly above the speed limit, the consequences are likely to be even more severe. 
• Reckless driving can include changing lanes without looking, tailgating, reckless merging practices, or any form of driving behaviors that do not follow accepted driving practices and display a disregard for the rules of the road. 
• Inclement weather is well-known to cause car accidents, primarily because drivers fail to slow down when the weather is bad. 
• Running stop signs and red lights can result in side-impact collisions, sometimes at high speeds. 
• Teen drivers are inexperienced, and this inexperience can result in more accidents than for those that have been driving for a longer period of time. 
• Night driving almost doubles the risk of a car accident. 
• Auto design defects can result in car accidents, sometimes very serious car accidents. 
• Tailgating causes many rear-end accidents as few drivers remember their driver’s education training that dictates giving the car in front of you one car length for each 10 mph you are driving. 
• While driver fatigue is not talked about as much as driver distraction, it is a cause of a significant number of car accidents. Just as we are a nation of multi-taskers, we are also a chronically sleep-deprived nation. 

What are Potential Damages Involved in a Lakewood, CO Car Accident?

If you have been involved in a Lakewood car accident that was not your fault and you file a claim for damages, you may wonder just what those damages could consist of. Your damages can consist of economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages. Economic damages are financial losses that are easily quantifiable—that is, they are not subjective because you have actual data to back them up. Economic damages can include medical expenses, lost income, and any other costs associated with your injuries. As an example, economic damages could include the $1,500 charged to you to transport you to the hospital following the accident, the medical bills related to your injuries from the accident, and rehabilitative services associated with your accident. 

Non-economic losses are much harder to quantify because they are more subjective. Non-economic losses include pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of consortium or companionship.

Punitive damages are rare, awarded only in cases in which the defendant acted with malice or acted deliberately. Punitive damages are meant to deter others from acting in the same manner, as well as to punish the defendant. Punitive damages could be awarded in a case where the negligent driver was drunk or drugged, or in a road rage incident where the defendant deliberately caused an accident. 

Other types of damages associated with your Lakewood car accident can be more nuanced. These damages are much harder to identify and collect without an experienced Lakewood car accident attorney by your side. Remember, if you accept an early settlement offer only to realize later the settlement will not cover all your expenses related to your car accident, there is no going back—those expenses will come out of your own pocket. Some of the damages you may not readily identify on your own include:

• Future medical treatments—ongoing medical care following your car accident. You may require multiple surgical procedures, ongoing physical therapies and rehabilitation, and other treatments to manage your chronic pain. It is important that your medical records be carefully reviewed, and your physicians and other experts consulted to determine your medical needs in the future. 
• If you have suffered catastrophic injuries from a car accident you may require long-term care in a nursing facility or in your own home. Performing routine tasks like personal care, house cleaning, and grocery shopping can require help. The costs for this type of care can add up quickly. 
• Loss of future wage-earning capacity is another area best determined by an experienced Lakewood car accident attorney. The question of whether you will ever return to your full pre-injury earning potential must be addressed, usually by working with a vocational expert. Vocational experts can evaluate your prior work history, skills, and limitations in identifying potential jobs you could do. These potential earnings will be compared to what you earned in your past work which will determine what you have lost in potential lifetime earnings. 

Understanding Lakewood Car Accident Laws

Attorney Dianne Sawaya has fought for her clients as a Lakewood car accident attorney for over two decades. Our goal is to use the extent of the law to seek the best possible outcome for your case.

Motorists must follow driving laws, including stopping at traffic lights or stop signs, avoiding drinking and driving, obeying speed limits and following the hundreds of other rules of the road.

In an ideal world, everyone would follow traffic laws, and the number of accidents would plummet. Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in.

When a motorist fails to follow these laws, there’s a much greater risk of an accident and injuries.

What is Negligence?

C.R.S. 13-21-111 is Colorado’s law for modified comparative negligence. The state recognizes that more than one party may be negligent, meaning a percentage of negligence may be assigned to each party involved.

As your lawyer, we must prove that someone else’s negligence led to the accident.

Perhaps the other driver didn’t stop at a stop sign, or they were on their phone when they suddenly dropped it and, while picking it up, slammed into your vehicle.

If we can establish negligence, we will pursue compensation from the at-fault driver for your:

• Medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• Property damages
• Lost wages
• Other damages

Settlements are based on negligence, but in some accidents, you may also be at-fault to some extent.

The extent of your negligence will impact your claim.

Can I Still File If It Was Partially My Fault?

In short, yes, you can. Modified comparative negligence allows you to seek damages if you’re less than 50% at-fault for an accident. We’ll review your case during our initial case review for you to better understand:

• What damages you can seek
• What level of fault of the various parties

What Types of Evidence are Needed to Support a Claim?

To seek damages for your injuries, we need evidence to support your claim. We need to establish negligence and provide proof of your damages.

There are several types of evidence that we can gather as your Lakewood car accident attorney to help build a strong claim.

Physical Evidence

One of the most powerful forms of evidence is physical evidence taken directly from the scene of the accident.

Examples of physical evidence can include:

• Vehicle damage, such as impact locations and damage patterns
• Damaged property, including signs or trees
• Visible remnants of the collision, such as tire tracks or skid marks
• Video footage or photos from traffic cameras

It’s important to gather physical evidence as quickly as possible, as the accident scene won’t be there forever.

We’ll work quickly to gather as much physical evidence as possible to support your claim.

Medical Records

Another strong form of evidence is medical records. Insurance companies will go to great lengths to downplay injuries or blame them on a pre-existing condition.

That’s why it’s so important to seek medical care immediately following an accident. Your visit will start the documentation process and serve as evidence that your injuries were caused by the accident.

It’s important to request copies of your medical records when collecting evidence.

Police Reports

When a police officer arrives at the scene, they will document details of the accident and create a police report. This report can serve as evidence for your claim.

Witness Testimony

If witnesses exist, their testimonies will be extremely important and convincing pieces of evidence. An entire case can be tipped in your favor with a witness testimony. A witness is someone who was present at the accident scene and saw or heard it happen.

How Can a Lakewood, CO Car Accident Attorney Help With Your Injury Claim?

Attorney Dianne Sawaya has been helping those involved in car accidents for many years. Dianne has compassion for those in this situation as well as a long history of positive resolutions for her clients. At the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya, our goal is to ensure you receive the treatments you need following your car accident, and that you also receive a fair settlement for your injuries. Attorney Dianne Sawaya wants to ensure you are able to move forward with your life. We will answer all your questions regarding the claim process, showing you a level of attention and care rarely seen. In short, we will treat you the same as we would treat our own family members. Contact the car accident attorneys Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya today.