What to Do If You’re Hit by a Drunk Driver in Colorado (Step-by-Step Guide)

The moment after you’re hit by a drunk driver in Colorado, the world reduces to the echo of shattering glass, crunching metal, and pain. You don’t think about courtrooms, insurance companies, or medical billing codes. You think about survival. Yet recovery in Colorado demands action, and time rarely waits for anyone. 

A reader asking what to do after a drunk driving accident in Colorado needs a plan they can follow, not legal jargon or guesswork. The steps below will guide you through each move, from emergency care to insurance disputes and civil claims, so you stay in control instead of letting someone else write the ending.

Keep reading, then call Kevin Boyle at The Boyle Law Office. Kevin stands beside people at this exact crossroads. 

What to Do After a Drunk Driving Accident in Colorado? 

Take care of your body first. Medical treatment is at the core of everything that follows. Every minute you delay gives insurers room to argue that your injuries came from anything other than the impact. When you seek treatment early, doctors document trauma, connect symptoms to the collision, and create the record your claim builds on.

Handle the medical phase with these moves:

• Get evaluated right away, whether by EMTs, urgent care, or an emergency room, so trained professionals record injuries from the start;
• Follow every treatment recommendation, including imaging, medication, surgery, and physical therapy, because consistency proves harm and shows you are working toward recovery;
• Keep every appointment, since skipped visits give insurers ammunition to cut compensation or deny responsibility entirely;
• Track prescriptions, out-of-pocket bills, and care-related travel, because anything you spend becomes part of recoverable damages in Colorado; and
• Tell every provider the collision caused your injuries, which locks the cause into your medical chart and blocks later disputes.

Colorado courts take medical records seriously. You give your future self leverage by building a clean, concise, and well-documented treatment timeline.

How Do I Protect My Rights When I Have a DUI Accident Injury Claim in Colorado? 

Next, lockdown proof before it disappears. A DUI accident injury claim in Colorado depends on what you can show, not what you remember.

Secure what you can with these steps:

• Call the police and get an official crash report, because officers document impairment indicators, witness names, and road conditions;
• Request the report number before you leave, so you can pull the whole document once it becomes available;
• Collect contact details from every witness, since independent voices confirm what happened when insurers challenge fault;
• Photograph the scene thoroughly, including vehicles, debris fields, skid marks, weather, traffic controls, and your visible injuries;
• Save damaged clothing and personal items, because physical artifacts show force in a way photos sometimes cannot; and
• Write down everything you remember, including speed, direction, slurred speech, odor, or behavior that suggested intoxication.

Colorado police reports, witness statements, and images from the scene build a timeline that no insurance adjuster can later erase.

When Should I Hire a Lawyer and Consider Suing a Drunk Driver in Colorado?

Bring in an attorney early when injuries feel serious, and insurance starts pushing back. Working with counsel gives you leverage from day one, and suing a drunk driver in Colorado becomes the next step when negotiation cannot cover the full cost of your losses. Civil claims complement the criminal case the state files and allow you to pursue money for every category of harm.

A lawsuit often makes sense when:

• Medical bills or treatment needs continue to grow, and insurance funds run short;
• Work disruptions destroy income, especially when a crash derails a career or business;
• Permanent injury or disability changes your earning ability or daily routines;
• Insurers deny claims or offer pennies, betting you will surrender rather than fight;
• Punitive damages may apply, which Colorado law may allow when alcohol-fueled recklessness crosses the line; and
• You want accountability, especially when intoxication leaves no room for gray areas.

Ultimately, hiring a lawyer signals to others that you refuse to be rushed, minimized, or pushed into a settlement that ignores the full impact of your injuries.

How Do I Deal with Insurance After Being Hit by a Drunk Driver in Colorado?

When you’re hit by a drunk driver, Colorado insurers work fast to limit their exposure. Adjusters call early. Offers arrive low. They count on fear, exhaustion, and confusion to end your claim cheaply. 

Handle the insurance phase with these moves:

• Report the crash to your carrier without guessing fault or minimizing injuries;
• Decline making recorded statements, which insurers use to twist words or chip away at compensation;
• Let your lawyer communicate, because counsel can shut down tactics designed to rush or corner you;
• Check your policy for underinsured coverage, which can unlock additional money when the impaired driver’s limits run out;
• Track every insurance denial, delay, or excuse, because repeated problems strengthen the argument for filing a lawsuit; and
• Get repair estimates and rental documentation, because property losses form part of your whole claim.

Colorado drivers often rely on underinsured motorist coverage when a drunk driver lacks enough insurance to cover serious injuries. Knowing what protection you bought also gives you options that insurance companies hope you overlook.

Ready to Take Control After a Crash Caused by a Drunk Driver?

Rebuilding after a drunk driving collision takes strength, persistence, and the right advocate. The Boyle Law Office takes on that burden so you can focus on healing. Kevin Boyle brings nearly 25 years of Colorado litigation experience, with recoveries that include multimillion-dollar product liability cases and six-figure motor vehicle settlements. He pairs that record with sustained recognition as a Colorado Super Lawyer, an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a Super Lawyers Excellence in Practice award, and early selection to the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40. That combination gives drunk-driving victims a seasoned advocate backed by credentials earned in real courtrooms. 
Schedule a free consultation with The Boyle Law Office today and learn how the law can serve you before anyone else decides the value of your future.