Mintz Law Firm
Suffering an injury due to someone else’s negligence can be frustrating, debilitating, and stressful. To make matters worse, you often have to deal with an uncooperative perpetrator and an indifferent insurance company. You might be considering taking matters into your own hands, but you want to avoid any additional hassle and the anxiety of possibly not obtaining total and fair compensation.
Fortunately, help is right around the corner. At Mintz Law Firm, our Denver personal injury attorneys have the compassion to empathize with those suffering from harm done by others and the tenacity to fight and win for our clients. We specialize in a wide range of personal injury cases and are here to help you through this challenging time in your life.
While personal injury law may seem like a broad and confusing topic, we have just one primary focus: protecting and compensating injured victims due to someone else's negligence. Whether your injury was physical, mental, emotional, or financial, you deserve to be treated with care and dignity and be fully compensated for your losses according to Colorado law. As a Denver resident injured in an accident, consider working with the personal injury lawyers at Mintz Law Firm for highly personalized care and expert legal advice.
The Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle at Mintz Law Firm
When the negligence of another person, company, or entity causes you harm, you have the right to take legal action. While it can’t undo the pain and suffering you and your family have suffered, a personal injury claim can help you recover the compensation you need to ease the physical, emotional and financial burdens associated with the incident. This can allow you to begin the healing process and move forward with your life.
At Mintz Law Firm, our Denver personal injury attorneys have experience handling various injury claims, like bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, burn injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or snowboarding accidents and are available to assist individuals and families throughout Colorado. We offer compassionate legal counsel and dedicated representation throughout every step of the legal process. We can help you with the following types of injuries:
Premises or Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Property owners have a legal obligation to provide a reasonably safe environment for anyone who lawfully enters their property or premises. Legally, this obligation is referred to as a duty of care. Failure to keep the property reasonably safe is considered a breach of the owner’s duty of care, which makes them liable for any injuries that result from the unsafe conditions on their property.
Often, the injured individual winds up paying the bill for another’s lapse in attention that caused their injuries. Where the accident occurred and whether someone’s negligence led to the unsafe conditions that caused the fall are the determining factors for slip-and-fall liability. If you have suffered from injuries related to a slip-and-fall incident where another party was primarily responsible, you have the right to recover damages for your losses. Family members and eligible dependents of the deceased in a fatal accident may benefit from our experienced legal help. Your best strategy is to consult an expert slip-and-fall lawyer as soon as possible.
Dog Bites
Dog and animal bites are a significant problem in the State of Colorado and the rest of the country. Given the number of pet dogs in U.S. households, it’s no surprise that more than 800,000 Americans get medical treatment for dog bites yearly. One in five dog bite incidents requires medical attention to prevent dangerous infections for the victim. Children and the elderly are more likely to suffer injuries from a dog bite attack, with children between the ages of 5–9 at the most significant risk. Dog bite injuries can vary from a minor scrape to severe impairment and, in extreme cases, wrongful death.
Victims of dog bites are entitled to medical and financial compensation for their injuries and can even seek punitive measures against the dog owner. Colorado law protects victims by requiring dog owners to take responsibility for any injuries inflicted upon others by their animals. The owners must cover all financial damages—medical and otherwise—for an attack that causes serious bodily injury. Let us help you heal by getting your case started today.
Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
When you place your elderly family member in a nursing home, you're trusting the establishment and its staff to care for and respect them. When that trust is broken in elder abuse—when a resident suffers harm or neglect—it can lead to serious illness, severe injury, psychological damage, and even death.
Today, more than 1.4 million patients reside in nursing homes. Elderly residents are an exceptionally vulnerable group—with mental or physical disablement leaving them more prone to abuse and neglect— leading to an exceptionally high number of cases. While it’s difficult to know for certain how many people are suffering from elder abuse in nursing homes, a comprehensive article published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that approximately 10 percent of patients face some sort of abuse, including physical, psychological, verbal, and sexual trauma.
Our elderly population has the right to proper care and attention and to be treated with dignity and respect. If you suspect a loved one is suffering due to nursing home abuse or neglect in Colorado, it’s essential to take action against the responsible parties immediately.
Injuries from Vaccines
Every day, thousands of Americans are safely vaccinated against diseases and illnesses. However, an individual can have a rare, severe, and debilitating reaction from a vaccine administration. When this is the case, the vaccine recipient may be entitled to compensation for their injuries under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
Created by Congress in 1986 in response to a series of lawsuits against vaccine makers, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program covers vaccination-related injuries such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, anaphylaxis, shoulder-related injuries, and vasovagal syncope, vaccine strain virus, and polio. To qualify for the program, a victim must have experienced one of the following: surgery that required a hospital stay, six months of treatment, or death. The program covers 13 vaccinations, including seasonal influenza, tetanus, and measles.
Boating Accidents
Boating in the State of Colorado can be a fun recreational activity. Unfortunately, however, the benefits of water recreation sometimes come at a cost. Injuries and even death while boating happen at a rate higher than you might expect, with many collisions being a result of a lack of safety measures or operator negligence. When accidents happen, you can rest assured that you’ll be protected against the at-fault party.
Federal, state, and international maritime laws each have regulations regarding boating accidents. As a result, building a claim to receive compensation can be a complicated process. Fortunately, the experts at Mintz Law Firm have experience handling these complex claims. They can help you recover compensation for your losses, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. We understand the ins and outs of boating laws in Colorado as well as the small details that can make or break a case.
Product Liability
Product liability, which refers to a manufacturer or seller being held liable for placing a defective product into the hands of a consumer, is the cause of thousands of injuries each year in the United States. When you buy a product, you should be able to expect that you won’t be injured because of a safety defect. While product designers and manufacturers have a legal duty to ensure that all products they put on the market are reasonably safe for consumers, that doesn’t always occur. In far too many cases, companies put profits over people and they rush unsafe and defective products onto the market.
If an unsafe product hurts you, the negligent product designer or product manufacturer should be held legally liable for your damages. However, obtaining fair compensation can be difficult, especially if you decide to take on a big company alone. Our Denver product liability lawyers can help you fight for the money you deserve, including compensation for medical bills, physical or psychological rehabilitation, lost wages, pain, suffering, and mental anguish.
At Mintz Law Firm, our product liability attorneys are well versed in the laws that protect consumers against the harm posed by defective products. When a consumer sustains an injury due to a defective product, several parties can be held liable for releasing a product they knew or should have known posed a risk to users.
What to Do After a Personal Injury in Denver, CO
When dealing with insurance companies and pursuing compensation for their injuries and damages, many injured people may feel overwhelmed throughout the process. By taking the necessary steps, comprehending your rights, and understanding what helps you during the legal process, you may benefit from recovering the total compensation you are owed.
After being injured in an accident, consider the following steps:
- Seeking medical attention for your injuries
- Gathering images, videos, documents, and other pertinent evidence you may have
- Exchanging information with anyone involved in the accident and liable parties
- If there are witnesses, obtaining their contact information
- Speaking to your attorney before giving any information or statements
- Refraining from accepting offers from insurance companies or liable parties
- Collecting receipts or copies of bills from accident injury-related expenses
- Staying in contact with your attorney throughout the personal injury claim process
It may be confusing or challenging to navigate an injury claim or compensation recovery, especially when proving liability and negligence. An experienced personal injury attorney who has helped many people in similar situations to yours may help you feel more at ease. By gathering evidence and helping to ensure you are not accepting a settlement offer less than what you deserve, an injury attorney may help you with the steps to achieve the best outcome in your case.
What Damages Are Available in a Personal Injury Case?
Damages refer to the monetary compensation that an injured person can collect after reaching a settlement in an insurance claim or winning a personal injury lawsuit. In Denver, an injured person can receive three types of damages: economic, non-economic, and physical impairment.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are out-of-pocket financial losses caused by the injury sustained in the accident. These damages include:
- Past and future medical expenses (hospital stays, treatments, medical exams, etc.)
- Past, present, and future lost wages
- Funeral costs and burial costs (in wrongful death cases)
The important characteristic of economic damages is that they are usually tangible and quantifiable.
Non-Economic Damages
Unlike economic damages, non-economic damages are not easily quantifiable and are often intangible and subjective losses. This includes compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Grief
- Anxiety
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages (award when the defendant acted with fraudulent or malicious intent or willful or wanton misconduct)
It’s important to note that because of the intangible nature of non-economic losses, Colorado placed a cap on non-economic damages in the following cases:
- Pain and suffering: $250,000 before inflation and $500,000 after inflation.
- Punitive damages: The amount awarded must not exceed the economic damages award. In extreme cases, the cap is three times the economic damages.
- Medical malpractice: $300,000 for pain and suffering (including in wrongful death cases).
- Wrongful death: $250,000 or $500,000 before inflation for pain and suffering.
Non-economic damages, by their nature, are subjective and therefore difficult to calculate, which is why it’s vital to work with a skilled and experienced attorney. A Denver personal injury lawyer knows what it takes to accurately calculate non-economic damages and ensure you recover the compensation owed to you.
Physical Impairment Damages
In Colorado, physical impairments are categorized separately from non-economic and economic damages. As a result, physical impairment-related costs are calculated separately and are not capped the same way non-economic damages are capped. Under physical impairment damages, the following are covered:
- Cosmetics needed for disfigurement
- Neurological impairment
- Disruption of internal organs
- Other life-long impairments
Determining the long-term effects of a physical impairment takes an experienced personal injury attorney who understands the law and your particular impairment. It’s important to work with an attorney who not only understands personal injury law but also your type of accident and injury because, with this knowledge, they can better calculate a just and fair compensation amount. Once they know what you are owed, your attorney will negotiate with insurance companies, and if a settlement is not agreed upon, they can prepare your case for court.
What Can a Denver Personal Injury Lawyer Do for Me?
After a personal injury accident, you have a lot to focus on, from recovery to incurring expenses. On top of that, an insurance claim can be an additional overwhelming and stressful task, but that’s where a Denver, CO personal injury lawyer can help. A personal injury lawyer can help individuals who’ve sustained injuries in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence recover monetary compensation. Accident victims can benefit significantly from working with a lawyer because they have someone in their corner who understands the law and the best way to build their claim for success. Personal injury lawyers provide a lot of important knowledge, resources, and experience. A personal injury lawyer from Mintz Law Firm can:
Explain Your Rights
A Denver personal injury attorney can explain how the type of accident and the different legal factors affect your rights to compensation. Claimants need to understand the statute of limitations, specific requirements for different personal injury claims, and overall how the process works. Colorado is also a comparative negligence state, which affects the damages a person may recover in their claim. To ensure a successful claim, accident victims need to understand how to best pursue their claim, and an experienced attorney may provide clarity in the process.
Provide Legal Advice
Personal injury lawyers understand the complicated legal procedures and medical and insurance jargon that are meant to confuse people and allow insurance companies to offer low-ball settlement offers. When you work with a trusted attorney, you can be sure that you’ll be provided with an objective opinion on your case to help you make decisions to benefit you and your claim.
Complete a Thorough and Professional Investigation
A personal injury attorney can investigate the accident scene to collect evidence and develop an understanding of liability and negligence. They may hire outside experts such as medical professionals or accident reconstructionists to assess the scene and help support your claim.
Connect With Medical Providers
Experienced personal injury attorneys in Denver, CO may have a business relationship with medical professionals who can provide exceptional medical service to their clients and pause their medical bills until their client's claim is resolved.
Better Assess the Value of Your Damages
A personal injury attorney with experience understands how to accurately estimate the real and long-term effects, such as future medical expenses or loss in earning capacity if the victim is disabled by the accident. Damages don’t just include tangible and quantifiable losses such as medical bills or lost wages. They also include pain and suffering, which is more subjective. A Denver personal injury lawyer who understands personal injury laws knows how to take the subjective and unquantifiable and quantify the damages for the benefit of their clients.
Represent You in Court
Most personal injury cases are resolved through settlements, meaning that the insurance company agreed to pay a fair amount in damages. However, sometimes insurance companies deny valid claims or offer low settlements that aren’t the accurate value of a person's claim. When insurance companies attempt to lower their payout despite the impact it can have on a lawyer’s client, a lawyer can prepare the claim for trial to ensure their client gets fair and maximum compensation.
Contact Our Denver Personal Injury Attorneys for Legal Representation
If you or your loved one have been hurt due to someone else's negligence, do not hesitate to contact Mintz Law Firm for legal help. We have the knowledge and expertise to ensure you receive the maximum compensation for your injuries and damages. For a free consultation with our personal injury lawyers in Denver call us at (303) 462-2999 or fill out our online contact form today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury Lawsuits in Denver, CO
How Do I Know If I Have a Personal Injury Case?
Anytime you are injured due to neglect and a disregard for duty of care on behalf of any person, business, property owner, company, or another liable party, you may have a strong personal injury case. Suffering injuries from a slip and fall, car crash, animal bite, a nursing home negligence case, or any other significant accident where a party other than yourself may be proven negligent makes you eligible to pursue compensation.
When Should I Hire a Denver, CO Personal Injury Lawyer?
After seeking immediate medical attention for your injuries, you may have your case evaluated by a professional personal injury lawyer at Mintz Law Firm and obtain expert legal advice. Regardless of the type of accident or event and the apparent extent of your injuries, a lawyer can help you pursue the compensation owed to you because the negligent parties are responsible for the damage. After any car accident, slip and fall, or animal bite, don’t delay contacting our legal team to help you strategize and take care of your case.
How Long Do Personal Injury Cases Usually Take To Settle in Denver, CO?
Colorado’s statute of limitations permits injured people to file a claim within two years of the day the accident occurred. Filing a claim as soon as possible with your legal team will prevent any compensation losses and lawsuit complications. Understandably, injuries from catastrophic events or severe accidents may be short and long-term, with latent injuries presenting as time goes on. Depending on the extent of your injuries and the totality of damages, your case resolution may be extended due to the circumstances of the damages you have endured. Typically, a personal injury claim may be resolved within a few months to two years.