Injury Attorneys Serving the Denver Metro & All Of Colorado
Few things can change a life as quickly and as dramatically as a catastrophic injury, defined by the American Medical Association as a severe injury to the spine, spinal cord, or brain. This category of life-threatening injuries can also include skull or spinal fractures. Additionally, the U.S. National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research classifies types of catastrophic injuries based on the result: fatality, permanent severe functional disability, and severe head and neck trauma with no permanent disability.
The catastrophic injury attorneys in Denver at Burg Simpson represent victims – and surviving loved ones of victims – who have suffered these catastrophic injuries. A catastrophic injury attorney understands what it takes to prove to a jury that an award for damages from these life-changing injuries is justified. We have the experience, resources, and passion to see justice served and that victims receive the compensation and support they need. Fill out a FREE Case Evaluation to discuss the details of your case as soon as possible.
TYPES OF TRAUMATIC INJURIES IN COLORADO
Burg Simpson’s catastrophic injury attorneys in Denver accept several different types of cases that can be classified as catastrophic, most of which are related to spinal cord injuries:
Brain injuries – Most brain injuries, by far, occur from a fall. More than a third of them, in fact, with auto accidents landing at a distant second place.
Burn injuries – More than three-quarters of all burn injuries are caused by fire or scalding.
Paraplegia claims – Paraplegia, paralysis of the lower limbs, is typically caused by a spinal cord injury. Victims are particularly susceptible to heart disease and sepsis.
Quadriplegia claims – Victims of quadriplegia typically suffered an SCI in a car accident, from a fall or through an act of violence.
Spinal cord injuries – Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries nationally – comprising nearly 30 percent of male SCIs and more than 48 percent of female SCIs.
TYPES OF DAMAGES OUR CATASTROPHIC INJURY ATTORNEYS IN DENVER ASSIST FOR CLAIMS
Pain and suffering – This can include both the physical as well as the mental distress someone suffers from a catastrophic injury.
Loss of enjoyment of life – These hedonic damages, as they are sometimes called, are claims based on the detrimental change in one’s life or lifestyle. This can include one’s inability to do the things in life they once enjoyed.
Mental and emotional distress – According to our catastrophic injury attorneys in Denver, despite how overused this claim might be in popular media, emotional distress is often difficult to prove, which makes qualified representation more critical than ever.
Disability – A victim of permanent disability can sue if they are unable to work after their catastrophic personal injury.
Retraining – As a catastrophic injury victim, you might be able to go back to work, but unable to perform the same job as before. In some instances, victims may sue for retraining.
Physical therapy – Nearly all catastrophic personal injury victims need physical therapy to return to any form of normal life. Our catastrophic injury attorneys in Denver consider this therapy to be one of the most expensive and can take months, if not years.
Loss of income – This typically refers to wages (or salary) lost from the time of the injury up until the time of the settlement.
Medical expenses – This can encompass bills and other expenses for medical services such as doctor examinations, hospital stays, emergency room treatment, ambulance fees, and nursing services.
Disfigurement – This typically refers to the scars or other visible permanent effects on the victim’s personal appearance. The plaintiff may also be able to collect damages for any mental suffering tied to one’s awareness of that disfigurement.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE SUFFERS A CATASTROPHIC PERSONAL INJURY IN COLORADO
It does not matter if the personal injury occurred as a result of a motor vehicle accident, medical malpractice, or a defective product – you need to consider catastrophic injury attorneys in Denver are capable of handling such a complicated lawsuit and fighting for the compensation you deserve. Under no circumstances should you try to negotiate or accept any settlement on your own.
Our catastrophic injury attorneys in Denver understand that the vast majority of catastrophic injuries include damage that goes well beyond the initial medical costs. Physical therapy can take months – if not years – and in these situations that can be considered a best-case scenario. All too often, these injuries can leave someone disabled or disfigured for life, making a return to any kind of normal life all but impossible. And that doesn’t even factor in the emotional or mental costs that can linger for a lifetime. Visit our personal catastrophic injury attorneys in Denver now!
Catastrophic Injury Lawyers FAQs
How Do Catastrophic Injuries Differ From Other Types of Injury?
There are varying types of injuries that you can sustain in an accident. Many of them are minor and require little to no medical intervention. Others are more serious and may necessitate medical treatment, but won’t result in long-term or permanent damage. Others still are catastrophic, resulting in life-long challenges and forever altering the course of your life.
Catastrophic injuries are exactly what they sound like: injuries that have a catastrophic impact on their victims. These serious, life-altering injuries will require immediate and sustained medical assistance, will likely prevent you from supporting yourself, and significantly interfere with your quality of life.
Catastrophic injuries may require adaptive technologies, home modifications, supervised care, and years of therapy and rehabilitation – and even with these efforts, recovery may prove impossible.
When you are faced with the financial, emotional, and physical difficulties resulting from a catastrophic injury, you need a team of legal professionals who know how to navigate these complex cases. Our Denver catastrophic injury lawyers are here to help.
What Are the Leading Factors That Contribute to Catastrophic Injuries?
Top causes of catastrophic injury include:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents. Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents are common causes of catastrophic injury. Bicycle and pedestrian accidents are, as well.
- Workplace Accidents. Employees in several industries, including oil & gas, construction and building trades, and utilities, face the danger of catastrophic injury at work every day. So too do firefighters, law enforcement officers, and healthcare workers.
- Sports and Recreational Accidents. Particularly for children, contact sports can result in serious injury. However, participating in most sports and recreational activities comes with the risk of a catastrophic injury.
- Unmaintained/Unsupervised Premises. Missing safety features like handrails, slippery surfaces, and poorly maintained properties can pose several risks for accidents leading to catastrophic injury. Dogs that are not under their owner’s control can, as well.
- Medical Malpractice. Anesthesia and medication errors, surgical errors, emergency room negligence, and other forms of medical malpractice often lead to catastrophic injury.
Of course, any accident can result in an injury that requires medical care, makes it difficult to work, and causes emotional and physical discomfort. Our attorneys have decades of combined experience helping victims of all types of accidents get justice. If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed, we are here to listen, provide expert advice, and guide you toward the best solution.
How Long Does It Take to Recover From a Catastrophic Injury?
The amount of time it takes to recover from a catastrophic injury depends on its severity and type. When it comes to catastrophic injuries, recovery is a relative term. Some individuals recover within several weeks or months. Others may require ongoing care and support for the rest of their lives.
While each injury is different, the path to recovery often includes two stages:
- Stabilization. Stabilization includes emergency treatment and subsequent hospitalization. Depending on the severity of the injury, this stage may last anywhere from a few days to several months.
- Rehabilitation. Rehabilitation may include residential programs, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other rehabilitative treatments designed to assist in regaining function and independence. It may also include learning to live within new limitations and adapting to assistive technologies. Rehabilitation may take months or even years.
In addition to medical treatment and rehabilitation, recovery from a catastrophic injury often requires psychological support to assist in coping with its emotional impacts.
Recovery from a catastrophic injury varies greatly from person to person. Not only will the type and severity of the injury play a role, but so will your natural healing response, your age, your health at the time of the accident, and other individual factors.
What is the Statute of Limitations for a Catastrophic Injury in Colorado?
Generally speaking, you have two years to file a personal injury claim in Colorado (C.R.S. § 13-80-102(1)(a)). If your injury is the result of a motor vehicle accident, you have three years to file suit (C.R.S. § 13-80-101(1)(n)).
See Sections 13-80-101 and 13-80-102 of the Colorado Revised Statutes for more information.
Two to three years is not as long as it may seem, especially when you are dealing with a serious injury. To help protect your rights and options, it is always a good idea to contact an experienced injury lawyer as soon as possible following an accident.
At Burg Simpson, our seasoned Denver personal injury lawyers are ready to help. Contact us today to schedule your free case review and learn how we can help you seek the compensation your injury demands.
What Are My Options If I Suffer a Catastrophic Injury At Work?
You have a few options when you suffer a catastrophic injury at work in Colorado. One, and perhaps the most common, is workers’ compensation.
Nearly all employers are required to carry workers’ compensation in Colorado, a no-fault insurance program that provides a portion of weekly wages to individuals who have been injured on the job. Workers’ comp also pays for all medical expenses related to the injury.
Workers’ compensation provides short and long-term coverage, with compensation for both partial and total disability. However, while it covers all medical expenses, workman’s comp only provides a portion of lost wages and it does not include compensation for non-economic damages, such as physical pain and emotional distress.
If your injury is the result of someone else’s negligence, a defective tool, a carelessly placed box, or improper safety features for example, you may be entitled to file a personal injury claim. These claims require a liable party and seek compensation for things like lost wages and future earning potential, medical expenses, and other damages with definable cost(s). Personal injury claims can also seek general damages for issues with no fixed cost.
Some of the consequences of a catastrophic injury, such as trauma and physical discomfort, may not have a dollar amount attached to them. They have real-life ramifications all the same. While they are not considered for workers’ compensation claims, these issues are compensable through a personal injury suit.
Neither a personal injury claim nor workers’ comp is the best path for every individual. The lawyers at our firm have a proud history of success with both types of claims and welcome the opportunity to meet with you, free of both cost and obligation, to discuss your options in greater detail.
PARTIAL FAULT IN COLORADO TRAUMATIC INJURY CASES
Most courts recognize the concept of comparative negligence. This means that each party who shares responsibility for the accident is assigned a percentage of that responsibility. For example, in some states, if the injured party is found to be 10% at fault and another party 90% at fault, the injured party can still recover 90% of the economic and non-economic damages assigned. The laws can be complex in this regard.
If you or a family member has been seriously injured or killed in an accident or through medical malpractice, or because of a defective product, you will need an experienced serious personal injury lawyer to represent you. Burg Simpson’s catastrophic injury attorneys of Denver have the experience, and the resources, to ensure that you can recover the damages you deserve for your injuries and your losses.
All of this can take its toll on you and your loved ones, which makes it absolutely critical that you reach out to experienced catastrophic injury attorneys in Denver as soon as possible following a catastrophic injury case, to help you figure out what your damages really are so that you are much better equipped to begin the process of recovering compensation from the party or parties responsible. If you have suffered a catastrophic injury or lost a loved one to such a tragic event, call for help today at 303-792-5995 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation form with details of your incident now!
