CALL (800) 863-5312 TO SPEAK WITH A BOULDER PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER FOR FREE
When you have suffered an injury in any type of accident, your choice of injury attorney can greatly affect the outcome of your case. The Boulder personal injury lawyers at Zinda Law Group can provide you with a professional and caring legal team that will treat you with dignity and respect. We will strive to get the maximum compensation you deserve for your injuries and alleviate the financial burdens that can come with an injury or hospital bills. We have successfully represented hundreds of people facing serious legal challenges, no matter the size of the case.
If you have any questions regarding your potential claim, call a Colorado personal injury lawyer at Zinda Law Group today at (800) 863-5312 for a free case evaluation. You will pay nothing unless we can win your case.
What Is Personal Injury?
Personal injury is a catch-all term for all injuries that can occur to the person. Thus, damages to a non-human entity such as a building would not fall under the definition of personal injury. Every personal injury claim has two basic issues: liability and damages.
Liability simply asks whether a person who caused the injury is responsible for the injury. For instance, in a negligence case, a claimant must show that the person who caused the injury actually owed a duty to the claimant in order to prove that the person is liable.
Damages is just another term for compensation. It is generally the amount of money the person liable for the injury owes the claimant. For example, if you get involved in a car accident, and you are able to prove that the other driver caused the accident negligently, then the other driver may have to pay for your medical expenses as damages.
John (Jack) Zinda
Founder / CEO
Over 100 years of combined experience representing injured victims across the country.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationRoad Accidents
Neil Solomon
Partner
Real results matter. We do not get paid unless we win your case.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationCar
Automobile accidents are the most common type of personal injury cases. A car accident generally occurs when a driver is distracted or under the influence. If a distracted driver causes an accident, the driver will generally be financially responsible for the victim’s injuries.
Jason Aldridge
Attorney
Standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ready to answer in your time of need.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationTruck
Trucking is one of the most common jobs in the United States, but also a taxing one. Truck drivers often drive without getting enough sleep. And a sleep deprived truck driver is a ticking time bomb on the road. Any type of 18 wheeler crash will likely be a catastrophic one.
Cole Gumm
Attorney
We are here to ensure you won’t have to face this difficult time alone.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationBus
Though buses are generally big and seem sturdy, they nevertheless can be involved in catastrophic accidents. Because buses do not have seat belts or many other safety features found in automobiles, injuries in a bus accident can be fatal.
Bike
Though bikes are often ridden for recreational purposes, they are capable of causing extreme injuries. Bike riders who speed on the sidewalk or lose control can bump into somebody, causing broken bones and other injuries.
Pedestrian
Almost anything on the road can hurt a pedestrian. A typical personal injury case that involves a pedestrian deals with a pedestrian being hit by a car while crossing a street.
Workplace Injuries
Whether your workplace is dangerous or not, injuries can happen. Most Colorado employers must have workers’ compensation, and thus if you receive injuries, you may be unable to sue your employer. However, if your employer was grossly negligent, you may have a viable claim if their gross negligence caused your injury.
Premises Liability
In most cases, property owners are responsible for people who visit their land. If an accident occurs on the property, they may be liable for your injuries.
Product Liability
Consumer goods can have defects that can cause severe injuries. If you end up getting injured by a consumer good, you may have a claim against the company that made the good.
Dog Bite Injuries
Every once in a while, you hear about an incident where a dog bites a person. Dog bites can lead to extremely serious injuries and even death and the injured party may be entitled to compensation from the dog owner.
Wrongful Death
Sometimes, the negligence of another can lead to death. In such cases, the family members of the deceased may have a claim against the negligent individual.
Common Injuries
Though different type of personal injuries can lead to different injuries, here are some common injuries that may occur from a personal injury accident.
• Bruises/Cut
• Brain Injury
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Infection
• Nerve Damage
• Burns
• Broken Legs/Arms
CASE RESULTS
What to Do After Being Injured in an Accident
1. Get Medical Attention
Your health is your number one priority. Even if you feel fine after the accident, you should get a medical checkup just in case. Furthermore, receiving medical attention will document any injury you may have, which will be useful if you decide to file a lawsuit.
2. Gather Evidence
Take photographs of your injuries and the scene of the accident. If there were witness to the accident, be sure to get their name and phone numbers.
3. Call a Lawyer
Even if you may feel comfortable filing a personal injury claim on your own, it is advised that you should ask a lawyer for some advice. An experienced lawyer can be a strong advocate in your claim and can navigate through the legal complexities for you.
Determining Liability
In most personal injury cases, you will have to show that the person who caused the injury is negligent in order to prove that the other person is liable. In order to do so, you have to show that:
• the other person owed a duty to you,
• the person who caused the injury violated that duty
• the violation caused your injury, and;
• you actually were injured.
Your attorney will work on proving these items when they investigate your case.
Who Can I Sue for My Personal Injury?
In many cases, you will be able to sue the person directly responsible for your injury. If the person directly responsible for your injury is your employer and you have workers’ compensation, you may only sue the employer if the employer was grossly negligent or intentionally caused your injury.
How to File a Personal Injury Claim
1. Consult with Attorney
Speak and an attorney, they will have the knowledge and resources necessary to guide you through the legal process, help build you the strongest case possible and help you estimate the value of your claim. It is advisable to meet with your attorney where possible, at the outset of your case.
2. Investigations
Your attorney will then proceed to investigate your accident. In doing so, they will seek to establish liability, an estimate of your case and build the strongest case possible for you.
3. Negotiation
Once your case is built, your lawyer will then issue a demand letter to the other side, demanding the value of your case be paid to you in compensation. This will generally kick off a negotiation process. At each stage, your lawyer will be by your side, advising and seeking settlement for your case.
4. Settlement
After negotiations, if an agreement is reached, your case will be settled at that point and your lawyer will talk you through the process of receiving your settlement check. Note that most personal injury cases are settled outside of court. If your case happens to go as far as trial, your attorney will be with you every step of the way.
Personal Injury Compensation
Personal injury compensation is provided for economic losses and non-economic losses.
Economic losses include the following:
– past and future medical bills
– past and future lost wages
– damaged property
– past and future loss of earning capacity
Non-economic losses include the following:
– past and future emotional anguish
– pain
– loss of enjoyment of activities
Dealing with Insurance Companies
1. Don’t Sign Medical Releases Provided by Another Party’s Insurance Company
If you get injured due to the actions of another party, that party’s insurance company may ask you to sign a medical release. You should not let them as they will rummage through your medical records to look for some other injury you may have had and use that injury as an excuse to pay you less.
2. Don’t Settle Your Claim Quickly
It is understandable that after an injury, you want to move on with your life. However, if you move too quickly, you may not be able to get the compensation you deserve. Once a settlement is over, it is over. Therefore, be sure that you are getting a good deal before you decide to settle.
3. Don’t Believe Insurance Claim Adjuster’s Value of Your Injuries
Because insurance companies need to make a profit, they will not always give you the amount of compensation you deserve. Thus, when a claims adjuster say that your injuries are worth this much, take it with a grain of salt.
Legal Time Limits
Colorado has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injuries. This means that you must file within two years of the date of your injuries. Beyond the two years, you will unlikely be able to sue.
How Long Does a Personal Injury Claim Take?
A personal injury claim can take weeks or years. Every personal injury is unique, but there is a general timeline. Once you hire your lawyer, your lawyer will file a claim in court. The lawyer will also engage in discovery, which is a process where your lawyer will find and gather evidence to support your claim. If there is no settlement, your lawyer will represent you in court. Afterwards, you will receive a verdict on whether you deserve compensation.
5 Tips For Choosing The Best Personal Injury Lawyer
1.) Experience
Never underestimate the value of an attorney’s experience when it comes to assessing and investigating a claim. Hire a personal injury lawyer who knows what to look for and understands what it means to your case. So, before hiring an attorney, ask them about similar cases they’ve handled, their success rates, and whether they are prepared to take the case to trial if needed.
2.) Focus
A personal injury lawyer has unique skills when it comes to determining issues of liability such as negligence and causation and is probably better equipped when it comes to accurately valuing the compensation for damages. Approximately 95% of personal injury lawsuits settle before trial, so knowing how to negotiate a fair settlement is important as many factors are involved. Hiring a criminal lawyer or corporate lawyer will not prove as beneficial.
3.) Reputation
A lawyers reputation provides that added value as it will precede them- not only from a plaintiff’s perspective, but from the defendant’s perspective and the court’s perspective for handling cases and doing things the right way. It puts a client in the best situation to recover as much as they deserve as a result of their injuries.
4.) Objectivity
Make sure your injury attorney is objective and isn’t looking to settle your case too quickly in order to move on to the next client.
5.) Personality
Often the most overlooked factor in hiring an attorney is personality. When you’ve been injured the last thing you need is an attorney who is not going to be there for you to ask questions, give you a status on your case, or return your calls in a reasonable time. Be sure you are comfortable with your lawyer’s ethics and experience.
FAQS
What Is the Difference Between Personal Injury and Bodily Injury?
Bodily injury coverage only covers for injuries done to another person. It does not cover your own injury or death. Thus, bodily injury coverage protects you from lawsuits that hold you responsible for the accident. On the other hand, personal injury protection covers your own injury and your death. Whether you caused the accident or not does not matter if you have personal injury protection.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Personal Injury Check?
Similar to the timeframe of a personal injury claim, there is no set number of weeks or months for your personal injury check to arrive. There are many factors that come into play such as the complexity of your case and the extent of your injuries.
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OUR BOULDER PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS CAN HELP
The injury attorneys at Zinda Law Group of Boulder have a reputation for conducting themselves in a highly professional manner and achieving outcomes that will fulfill the goals of our clients. Our Boulder personal injury lawyers emphasize delivering legal aid with the level of attention that would be provided by a small law firm, but the level of service that is associated with larger law firms. Though our attorneys are willing to take cases to trial, we also understand that even the best lawyers avoid the need for trial with a high level of preparation of the cases.
If you are currently searching for a law firm to handle your complex litigation issues or to efficiently negotiate a settlement for you and your family, our personal injury attorneys will fight diligently for you and your rights. If you or a loved one has any questions and would like to speak with one of our Boulder Personal Injury lawyers, call Zinda Law Group (720) 545-2689 today for a free consultation.
Jason Aldridge
Attorney
We have successfully represented clients in a wide variety of cases across the country.
Available 24 / 7|Free Consultation
