Checklist: What to Do After a Colorado Springs Car Accident

Written by Jeremy D. Earle, JD

April 14, 2023

Here is What to Do After a Car Wreck in Colorado Springs

What should you do now that you’ve been hurt in a car accident in Colorado Springs? From the minutes following the collision to the weeks leading up to filing a compensation claim, here’s a checklist to help you safeguard your health, welfare, and rights.

Stay on the scene, keep an eye out for others, dial 911, and exchange information.

If you can, you have the following obligations under Colorado law after an car accident in Colorado Springs that results in injury, death, or car damage:

Come to a complete stop at the scene or as near as you can safely get without hindering traffic.

Check on those involved in the accident to see whether they need medical assistance and, if so, call 911.

Exchange contact, registration, and insurance information with everyone involved in the accident.

These are the first measures you should take following an car accident in Colorado Springs, whether on Powers Blvd. or a city street. Failure to follow any of these procedures (unless you’re ill and need to be whisked away for emergency treatment) might lead to criminal culpability and compromise your right to compensation for your injuries.

These steps do not have to be completed in the sequence stated below. Prioritize safety and emergency assistance. That might mean dialling 911 before doing anything else, even if you’re not sure whether anybody else is hurt.

SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE

After you’ve completed the first thing on the checklist, do this as quickly as possible. In most cases, this will include allowing an EMT to examine you at the site of the accident. After that first check-over, listen to an EMT’s advice.

If the EMT tells you to wear a neck brace, do so. If the EMT advises that you should probably take an ambulance to the emergency department, do so. You are, first and foremost, a victim of an car accident.

 

Your heart is racing, and your adrenaline is rushing. You could be taken aback. You are not in a position to make life-altering choices regarding your health without seeking medical guidance. Period.

Even if the EMT gives you the “all clear” and you feel “fine” after the accident, you should see your regular doctor, go to urgent care, or go to the closest Colorado Springs-area hospital emergency department within 24 hours (immediately, if possible).

Since you are not in pain, do not assume that you were not injured in your car accident. Some significant, life-threatening injuries, such as brain trauma or organ damage, may not always exhibit symptoms right away. Still, if not discovered and treated promptly, they can put you in great medical danger.

This isn’t the time to take chances with your health. Obtaining a check-up and finding out you aren’t injured is preferable to not getting a check-up and experiencing unexpectedly serious health consequences.

Furthermore, by obtaining quick medical attention, you guarantee that medical records are kept and that those documents may be used to link your injuries to the car collision. If you decide to seek compensation for your accident injuries, you will need this information.

EVIDENCE SHOULD BE PRESERVED

Some may advise you to approach the accident site as a CSI investigator, capturing photographs and movies alongside the police photographer. That’s fantastic if you can accomplish it.

There are no such things as too many photographs of a car accident. Take pictures of everything you observe, including the cars, road conditions, surrounding environment, and so on, if it’s safe to do so, you won’t damage yourself, and you won’t come in anyone’s way.

But this isn’t going to happen. Accident victims are often unable to do so. Accidents are chaotic, and the things on the above checklist are much more significant than acting as an amateur detective.

Still, there’s something you can do right now that will help you safeguard your rights just as much. Keep everything. It’s that easy. That is all there is to it. Don’t throw anything away that has anything to do with your accident, and don’t have anything mended (like your car).

Wait to accomplish those things until you’ve spoken with an expert car accident lawyer (see below) and your insurance company (also see below).

And when we say “everything,” we mean it. Medication receipts, medical invoices, and insurance statements should all be saved. Texts and emails should be protected. Any personal item that  has been injured should be kept.

Keep the clothing you were wearing on. And, as we previously said, don’t have your car repaired until you’re sure a lawyer, insurance adjuster, or investigator won’t need it. Those

 

things might be key evidence in identifying what caused your car accident and who is responsible for your injuries.

OBTAIN A COPY OF THE POLICE ACCIDENT REPORT IN WRITING

The officers who attended to your collision will prepare a formal accident report. Basic information regarding the accident will be included in the news, such as where and when it occurred, who was involved, the kinds of cars involved, the sort of collision, and the officer’s observations about any contributing factors.

The written accident report is not the last word on the cause of the accident, but it may assist attorneys and their investigator’s piecing together what occurred and who should pay your damages.

According to Colorado law, you have the right to acquire a copy of an car accident report in Colorado Springs. Typically, you may receive a copy of the information online or at the police station that responded to your accident for a minimal cost.

The following are links to written accident report requests from the police:

The Colorado Springs Police Department, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, and the Colorado Department of Transportation are all involved in the investigation (for statewide requests, including Colorado State Police)

CONTACT A CAR ACCIDENT INJURY LAWYER IN COLORADO SPRINGS.

A post-car accident procedure may be divided into two parts. The first is about your immediate response to an accident, and it should always prioritize your health and safety. Take care of yourself and others (to the degree possible). Allow public safety personnel to handle the accident site and cleaning while concentrating on your health. Observe your doctor’s instructions.

The second phase, which may begin as soon as your urgent health and safety requirements have been fulfilled, is concerned with your legal and financial rights to compensation for any injuries and losses you sustained as a result of the accident.

One aspect of that process is obtaining a copy of your police report. The actual start for most accident victims comes when they schedule a free consultation with an expert Colorado Springs auto accident injury attorney.

Crash victims should contact a lawyer as soon as possible after dealing with any immediate health and safety concerns. Why is it happening now? Because a lawyer may be required to intervene quickly on your behalf to defend your rights.

Acting promptly to save any evidence of the collision that is in the hands of others, such as security or traffic camera video, or data from mobile phones and car on-board computers, before it is lost or destroyed.

 

Notifying persons, corporations, or organizations that may have a legal duty to you for your injuries and losses as soon as possible, if required.

Acting as your advocate in transactions with insurance companies, both your own and those who provide insurance to parties who may owe you damages, to protect you against techniques used by those firms to deny you reimbursement.

Representing you and defending your rights in official law enforcement investigations. In high-profile car accidents, acting as a go-between to protect you from the press.

These are only some of the initial activities that an attorney may be required to do on your behalf. Over time, an attorney may gather and analyze evidence to identify all at-fault parties, assess the severity of your injuries, decide the right amount of compensation you need, commence the legal procedure, and seek reimbursement from at-fault parties and their insurers.

Oh, and you don’t have to be concerned about the expense of hiring a lawyer. Experienced car accident attorneys in Colorado Springs provide free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis, which means they don’t get paid until you are reimbursed for your injuries and losses.

CONSIDER CONTACTING YOUR OWN INSURANCE COMPANY

Before contacting your insurance, consult with a lawyer if feasible. Insurance companies do not instantly and conveniently pay out claims, despite what their television advertising may indicate.

They may attempt to create excuses not to pay you what you’re worth, and they may use strategies to conjure such reasons from anything you say, even if it’s only a passing comment.

If you need to contact your insurance provider before speaking with an attorney, make the conversation brief and to the point. Keep your focus on the facts. Don’t get involved in a debate over who was at fault, and don’t say anything that may be misconstrued as you accepting responsibility for what occurred.

To be clear, this item on the checklist solely relates to your insurance carrier. It would help if you never attempted to call another person’s insurance company on your own. If someone from someone else’s insurance company tries to contact you, tell them to get your lawyer. Direct communication with another person’s insurance company might jeopardize your legal rights.

MAKE A BUDGET AND TALK TO YOUR LAWYER ABOUT IT

Victims often face substantial, unexpected bills in the weeks and months after a car accident in Colorado Springs. Making a budget that assesses how much money you need to keep afloat and then discussing any financial issues you have with your attorney will help you prepare for the economic effect of your injury.

 

While your legal case for damages is ongoing, a lawyer can frequently assist you in arranging payment plans and other adjustments with your creditors, allowing you the breathing space you need to concentrate on recuperating from your injuries and rebuilding your life.

TAKE A BREAK FROM SOCIAL MEDIA FOR A WHILE

Take a vacation from social media, which may seem difficult for many people to accomplish. Social media and car accident claims do not combine well.

What’s the big deal about sharing an accident on social media? Remember that insurance companies will use whatever means necessary to avoid paying you the compensation you deserve if you are injured in an accident.

Monitoring your social media feed, following you and your family or friends, and gathering information on you and your life is some of these strategies. They want to uncover photos or postings that make it seem like you weren’t as seriously injured as you claim and use them against you to lessen or reject your claim.

After a car accident in Colorado Springs, posting on social media might hinder your chances of receiving the money you need. It’s advisable to avoid social media for a while and make sure your legal rights are protected.

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