La respuesta corta es SI. Desde golpes en los guardabarros hasta accidentes automovilísticos importantes, obtener un reporte policial es crucial no sólo para establecer los detalles del accidente, sino también para determinar la responsabilidad. Dependiendo de la naturaleza del accidente, un oficial puede darle la opción de enviar su propio informe en línea o permitirle que lo haga ellos mismos. La mejor opción es dejar que los oficiales hagan el informe mientras están en la escena para que no se pierda información vital. Y si por algún motivo debe presentar su propio informe (por ejemplo, no hay ningún oficial en la escena), le recomendamos que lo haga lo antes posible para que no se olviden detalles sobre el accidente que podrían afectar su caso. En Colorado, la ley establece que tiene 60 días a partir de la fecha del accidente para presentar su informe. Aunque la ley de Colorado no exige reporte policial para colisiones menores de $1,000 en danos de propiedad y que la otra parte no sufre lesiones o muerte, a largo plazo puede beneficiarle informarlo a la agencia adecuada, ya que contiene detalles que ayudarán a las compañías de seguros mientras trabajan con este reclamo.
Pero, ¿Qué tipo de información hay en el reporte policial que lo hace tan importante? Contiene dónde ocurrió el accidente, a qué hora, quiénes estuvieron involucrados, quiénes fueron los testigos, fotografías de la escena, observaciones de los oficiales, un diagrama de lo sucedido y a qué velocidad conducían las partes. Además de eso, el informe también mostrará si recibió una citación y quién, lo que facilitará mucho a las compañías de seguros determinar la responsabilidad.
Entendemos lo aterrador que puede ser verse involucrado en un accidente automovilístico y sabemos que lo primero que desea hacer es regresar a casa e intentar pasarlo por alto; sin embargo, le recomendamos encarecidamente que se tome el tiempo adicional necesario para permitir que los agentes de policía evalúe la escena y haga un reporte policial que podría marcar la diferencia en su reclamo de seguro.
The short answer is YES. From fender benders to major vehicle accidents, obtaining a police report is crucial to not only establish the details of the accident, but to determine liability as well. Depending on the nature of the accident, an officer may give you the option to submit your own report online or allow them to make a report themselves. The best choice is to let the officers do the report while on scene so no vital information gets missed. And if some reason you are required to submit your own report (ex: no officer on scene), we recommend you do it ASAP so details about the accident are not forgotten that could potentially affect your case. In Colorado, the law states you have 60 days from the date of the accident to file your report. Even though Colorado law does not require police reports for minor collisions that are less than $1,000 in property damage and do not result in the other party being injured or deceased, it can benefit you in the long run to report it to the proper agency as it contains details that will help insurance companies while working this claim.
But what type of information is on the police report that makes it so important? It contains where the accident happened, what time, who was involved, who were the witnesses, photographs of the scene, officer observations, a diagram of what happened and how fast the parties were driving. Besides that, the report will also show if and who received a citation, which will make it much easier for insurance companies to determine liability.
We understand how scary it can be to be involved in a car accident and we know the first thing you want to do is go home and try to put it past you, however we strongly encourage you to take the extra time needed to allow police officers evaluate the scene and make a police report that could make a difference in your insurance claim.
As if being injured in a car wreck isn’t bad enough, now you are bombarded with medical appointments and bills, needing time off work, enduring daily pain, needing a rental car, and so many other stresses. It’s just too hard! Trust me, we get it. No one ever wants to go through a situation like this, and that is why we do what we do—to help you get through it. At Queener Law we take care of the communications with insurance companies, juggling health insurance and liens, and negotiating your best available settlement amount while you focus on what is most important: your recovery.
If you’ve never experienced a situation like this and you are overwhelmed and scared, that’s ok! We are here to help. We can break down the steps of the process for you along the way.
What happens first?
Once you hire us to represent you, we immediately hit the road running. All involved insurance carriers receive letters of representation from us directing them to provide our office with the policy and limits information and preserve any and all evidence. What is the best part of this? We also direct them not to contact you. Let us deal with the insurance company while you rest and take care of your injuries.
Then what?
What happens next depends on your treatment plan. You keep us up to date with your appointments, and when you have completed treatment, we will request your complete files from your medical providers. Once everything is in, we create a demand package including a summary every appointment you attended, out-of-pocket expenses, medical bill ledger, mileage reimbursement, and a thorough description of the impact this incident made on your lifestyle. We want to make you a human in the eyes of the insurance adjuster, not just a run-of-the-mill claim number.
Once the demand package has been submitted and the insurance adjuster has had time to review it, negotiations begin. We will keep you updated with the offer amounts and explain what that number means for your in-pocket amount. With your permission, we continue negotiating until we have the absolute maximum offer possible for your claim! A few signatures here and there, and you’ve got yourself a deal.
How much is my case worth?
We frequently get asked at the beginning of cases: How much is my case worth? How long will my case take? These are very open-ended questions, and all vary on a case-by-case basis. Some factors that go into the value of a car wreck case are: seriousness of injuries, liability, cost of medical treatment, permanency, and of course, the insurance policy limits. It is in your best interest to not begin negotiations until after your treatment has been completed and all the medical records and bills are in. Insurance companies prefer to see treatment records and bills rather than recommendations for treatment. Unfortunately, this sometimes puts us at the mercy of the medical providers when it comes to a time frame. Our job is to do what is in your best interest, and that means not sending out your demand package until everything is in.
We know that this is not a fun process for you, but we do our best to make it as easy as possible. We will do our best to expedite this process as much as possible but will always keep your best interest first and foremost so all you have to worry about is healing, recovering, and getting back to normal life!
To car insurance companies, it makes more business sense to pay out a minimal settlement amount rather than work with you to resolve your claim. Insurance adjusters may try to coax car wreck victims into settling their claims quickly with low-ball offers or quick checks. Having your claim open costs the insurance company time and money. Bottom line: Don’t fall for a quick check from your insurance company. It may cost you later.
Unfortunately, what most car wreck victims don’t understand is this:
When car wreck victims sign a quick check, they have entered a binding contract representing themselves. They have settled both their bodily injury and property damage claim for one lump sum.
Often, car wreck victims will start seeing unresolved issues, like unpaid medical bills. They may begin to receive collection notices for past medical bills for which they are responsible. Their health insurance company may refuse to pay due to injuries sustained in a car wreck. Their medical treatment may be more intensive than initially thought.
When car wreck victims represent themselves, they may find themselves in a trap they didn’t know existed with car insurance companies. Even a minor accident with minor injuries can result in a financial downfall when uninformed decisions are made. Hiring a personal injury lawyer like Henry Queener will ensure that car wreck victims get the best outcome. Let our highly experienced legal team work for you while you focus on recovering.
Contact Queener Law today for a free consultation.
Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney After a Car Wreck
How Much Does It Cost?
Hiring a personal injury attorney after a car wreck should be the first thing you do. With Queener Law, you’ve got a great team who’s going to work for your best interest against the insurance company. When we take your case, we handle everything. We gather evidence and hire experts to prove your case. When finish your medical treatment, we gather medical records and bills to submit to the insurance company.
Don’t try to figure out the rules of the crazy insurance game by yourself when you can have a team of professionals that know how these insurance companies work.
All you need to do is focus on your medical care so that you can get back to where you were before the car wreck happened. Hiring Queener Law after a car wreck allows you to not worry about dealing with lost future earning capacity or the reduced ability to earn a living for yourself and your family. Remember, the insurance adjuster only wants to close your claim as quickly and cheaply as possible. This could be very detrimental to your physical, mental and financial health.
Leave it to Queener Law to play the car wreck game and take care of the insurance companies for you.
We work on a contingency basis, meaning that we handle all the upfront costs and only get paid when you receive a settlement. This depends on the amount of the settlement and case expenses. Contact us today for a free case evaluation and with any question.
Car wrecks in snow and ice happen in the mountains, on highways, and even on your way to work.
Drivers have important duties when driving in snow and ice. All drivers have a duty to drive at a safe speed for the conditions, even if that means going well below the posted speed limit. Drivers also have a duty to maintain control of their vehicle, even if they hit an icy patch. And equally importantly, drivers must follow at a safe enough distance to stop without hitting the car in front of them, regardless of the road conditions.
When people get in car wrecks in snow and ice, the at-fault party almost always blames the weather.
They say it’s the ice’s fault they crashed into you and caused you injury. That’s not how the law sees it. When a driver hits you during snow and icy conditions, they are still responsible for the injuries and damage they cause.
At Queener Law, we regularly represent people who have been injured in car wrecks in snow and ice.
The injuries from these types of wrecks can be severe and long-lasting. We will ensure that the insurance company for the responsible party takes accountability. The team at Queener Law will get you compensated for the harms and losses you suffered because another driver failed in their duties.
