Hire an Aspen car accident attorney who fights giants
A car accident doesn’t just wreck your vehicle. It can derail your career, drain your finances, leave you in pain for months, and force you to fight an uphill battle against insurance companies that have been doing this a lot longer than you have.
The Roaring Fork Valley has some of the most dangerous driving conditions in Colorado: mountain curves, unpredictable weather, construction zones on CO-82, and a constant influx of tourists unfamiliar with the roads. When someone else’s negligence puts you in the hospital or buries you in bills, you need attorneys who know how to fight for every dollar you’re owed.
Thiessen Law Firm has built its reputation on one thing: going to trial and winning. While other firms are pushing clients toward quick, low settlements, we’re building cases that hold negligent drivers and their insurance carriers fully accountable. If you’ve been hurt in an auto accident in Aspen or anywhere in Pitkin County, our team of Aspen personal injury attorneys is ready to take on the fight.
Don’t face this alone. Call Mark Thiessen at 970-233-9000 or contact us online today for a free consultation.
What to do after a car accident in Aspen
The minutes and hours after a car accident matter more than you can imagine. What you do, what you say, and what you document can often make or break your future injury claim. Here is what we recommend.
- Call 911 immediately. Even if the accident seems minor, a police report is essential documentation for any future legal action.
- Get medical attention right away. Adrenaline masks pain. Some of the most serious injuries from car accidents, including traumatic brain injuries and internal trauma, do not show obvious symptoms immediately. A same-day medical record is also critical evidence.
- Document everything at the scene. Take photos of vehicle damage, road conditions, skid marks, traffic signals, and any visible injuries. Collect contact information from all drivers and witnesses.
- Do not admit fault or apologize. Even a casual “I’m sorry” can be taken out of context and used against you. Stick to factual statements only.
- Notify your insurance company. Report the accident promptly, but provide factual information only and avoid speculating about cause or fault.
- Call Thiessen Law Firm before giving a recorded statement to anyone. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that minimize your claim. An attorney should be present or advise you before any recorded conversation takes place.
Common types of auto accidents on Aspen roads
Not all car accidents are the same, and neither are the cases that follow them. The terrain, traffic patterns, and seasonal conditions around Aspen create a specific set of risks that claim accident victims every year. Our attorneys are familiar with the roads, the courts, and the local dynamics that shape these cases.
The most common types of auto accidents we handle in the Aspen area include the following:
- Head-on collisions on narrow mountain roads and two-lane stretches of CO-82, often caused by distracted or drowsy drivers crossing the center line
- Rear-end accidents at intersections and roundabouts, particularly in Basalt, El Jebel, and the Highway 82/133 interchange
- Rollover accidents on icy or snow-packed roads during winter months, which are more common at elevation, frequently result in serious injury
- Tourist-related crashes caused by unfamiliar drivers navigating Aspen’s roads for the first time, often during peak ski season
- Drunk driving accidents that spike during major events, resort seasons, and long holiday weekends
- Commercial vehicle and delivery truck crashes, which involve additional layers of liability beyond the individual driver
Whatever the circumstances of your crash, a skilled car accident lawyer in Colorado will know where to look for evidence, how to establish fault, and how to build a case that insurance companies cannot afford to lowball. Make sure you hire a car accident attorney who is prepared to take your case all the way to trial, because that’s often a major reason insurance companies decide to pay what they owe.
What compensation can you recover with a personal injury lawyer in Aspen?
Colorado is an at-fault state, which means the driver responsible for the accident is also responsible for the damages that result. Depending on the severity of your accident, you may be entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages. Colorado places no caps on economic compensatory damages, but there are limits on non-economic awards.
The damages available in a Colorado car accident claim typically fall into the following categories:
| Type of damage | Examples |
| Medical expenses | Emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and future medical costs |
| Lost wages | Income lost during recovery, reduced earning capacity going forward |
| Property damage | Vehicle repair or replacement, and personal belongings damaged in the crash |
| Pain and suffering | Physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life |
| Wrongful death | Funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and financial support lost by surviving family members |
When a car accident takes a life, the surviving family members have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim under Colorado law. These cases are among the most emotionally trying and legally complex our team handles, and we approach each one with the seriousness and determination it deserves.
How Colorado’s modified comparative negligence works
One of the first things the insurance company will try to do after an accident is shift some of the blame onto you. In Colorado, this is more than a negotiating tactic. It’s a strategy that they use to directly reduce the value of your claim or wipe it out entirely, and it often works.
Colorado has a “modified comparative negligence” rule. Under this rule, if you’re less than 50% to blame for your injuries, you can still collect some damages, but your percentage share of the total negligence reduces the damages you receive. If you’re found to be 50% or more at fault, you collect nothing.
This is exactly why having an aggressive car accident lawyer in your corner matters from the very beginning. Insurance adjusters are trained to find any angle that reduces what they owe you, and a well-documented, proactively built case makes that much harder. Our attorneys investigate accident scenes, gather physical evidence, work with accident reconstruction experts, and secure witness testimony to establish fault clearly and protect your right to full compensation.
The statute of limitations for Colorado injury claims
In Colorado, the statute of limitations for filing a car accident claim is three years from the date of the accident, and this deadline applies to cases involving property damage, personal injury, or both.
Three years might feel like plenty of time. It isn’t. Evidence disappears. Witnesses become harder to locate. Medical records need to be gathered and organized. Insurance carriers use delay as a negotiating weapon; the longer you wait to file your claim, the more room you create for doubt surrounding your injuries. The sooner you hire an attorney, the sooner your legal team can preserve evidence and start building the strongest possible case.
You should also note that there are scenarios in which the statute of limitations can be shorter than three years. Cases involving government vehicles or public entities may have much shorter notice requirements. An attorney can clarify exactly what deadlines apply to your specific situation and make sure you never miss them.
How we fight the insurance companies standing between accident victims and justice
Insurance companies are not on your side. They employ teams of analysts, adjusters, and in-house attorneys whose entire job is to find reasons to pay you less than you’re owed. Every delay tactic, every lowball offer, every request for one more document is a calculated move designed to wear you down until you take whatever they put on the table. At Thiessen Law Firm, we know exactly how that game is played, and we know how to beat them at it.
Here is how our Aspen car accident attorneys go to war for you when an insurer stands between you and the compensation you deserve.
| We investigate everything. |
| From the moment we take your case, we begin building a complete record of how the insurance company has handled your claim. Every denial letter, every delay, every misleading communication gets documented. If an insurer has violated Colorado law in how they’ve treated you, we find it, and we prove it. |
| We bring in the right experts. |
| Medical specialists, financial analysts, and accident reconstruction professionals. We deploy the resources necessary to document the full scope of your damages and present them in a way that both insurers and juries take seriously. Nothing gets left off the table. |
| We negotiate from a position of real trial strength. |
| Some firms bluff. We don’t. When we sit across from an insurance company’s legal team, they know they are dealing with attorneys who actually take cases to trial and actually win them. Credibility is the most powerful negotiating tool available, and it consistently produces better outcomes for our clients long before a case ever reaches a courtroom. |
| We pursue every dollar Colorado law makes available. |
| Depending on the facts of your case, you may be entitled to far more than just your out-of-pocket losses. Economic damages, non-economic damages, and, in cases involving egregious insurer conduct, additional statutory remedies may all be on the table. We go after all of it. |
| We stay in your corner the entire way. |
| You will never be left wondering what is happening with your case. From the day you hire us to the day your case resolves, you have direct access to our team around the clock. |
The insurance company is betting you’ll give up. Call Thiessen Law Firm and prove them wrong.
FAQ for Aspen car accident attorneys
Is it worth getting an attorney after a car accident?
In almost every case, yes. Accident victims who hire attorneys recover significantly more in settlements and verdicts than those who negotiate on their own. Insurance companies have teams of adjusters and lawyers whose sole job is to minimize what they pay out. An experienced car accident lawyer in Colorado levels the playing field, handles all communication on your behalf, and knows how to document and present your damages in a way that maximizes your recovery.
What should I do if the insurance company contacts me first?
Politely decline to give a recorded statement and ask to be directed to your attorney. Insurance adjusters reaching out quickly after an accident are not doing you a favor. They are trying to gather information that limits their liability before you have had time to understand the full extent of your injuries or the strength of your claim. Let your legal team handle all communications with the carrier.
Can Thiessen Law Firm handle cases outside of car accidents?
Absolutely. Our Colorado offices handle a wide range of personal injury and criminal defense matters. If you were injured on the slopes, our Aspen ski injury lawyers are well-versed in the specific legal landscape surrounding resort and ski-related injury claims. Mark Thiessen is also an accomplished Aspen criminal defense lawyer who can help clients facing DWI or other criminal charges protect their lives.
How long do car accident injury claims take to resolve?
It depends on the complexity of the case and how aggressively the insurance company defends it. Straightforward claims with clear liability and documented damages can be resolved in a matter of months. Cases involving serious injuries, disputed fault, multiple parties, or wrongful death often take longer, sometimes over a year.
What matters most is not speed, but outcome. Rushing toward a settlement before your medical condition has stabilized is one of the most common mistakes accident victims make without an attorney guiding them.
Need a car accident lawyer in Colorado? Thiessen Law Firm is ready to fight.
Thiessen Law Firm has spent decades building its reputation on one simple promise: we fight, and we win. Not just in the conference room, not just on paper, but in courtrooms against some of the toughest opponents in the country. We have gone to trial on cases other firms walked away from, won verdicts that insurance companies swore were impossible, and stood up for clients who had every reason to believe the system had already written them off. That is what we do, and we bring that same relentless approach to every car accident case we handle in Aspen and across Colorado.
