Do I need to get an attorney for a careless driving ticket in Colorado?

You do need to hire an attorney for your court trial Since you admittedly "lost control of ..... vehicle" you had better form a better trial defense. That will come with the assistance of the best defense lawyer you can hire

You may not need an attorney, but you should consult one or more before making the decision. The answer to your questions depends on a lot of unknown factors and what your desired outcome is as well as whether or not your insurance company accepts fault and liability for the accident. Consult with some local traffic attorneys directly and then you will have the necessary information that you need to make an educated and informed decision.

You sound like you would qualify for an automatic reduction to 2 points if that is available in the Aurora court. If not, you should go to the return date shown on the ticket and ask for a chance to speak to the prosecutor. That may mean another court date, or one could be available then and there. Different Courts in Colorado do it differently. Shoot for the lowest possible settlement. Start by asking for a deferred sentence with as low a set of conditions as possible. The prosecutor will look at your driving record to make a decision. If a deferred with conditions you can accept is not offered, work up front a one point offense. Two should be the worst you can do, but that depends on things I don't know. If you feel overwhelmed, get an attorney. You don't have to plead guilty to anything.