If you have suffered severe injuries in an accident, your life could have changed physically, emotionally, and financially. Physically, you may need to endure medical treatments to restore your quality of life. Emotionally, you may find yourself continually reliving the pain and the trauma of the accident. Financially, you may have multiple bills that you cannot pay because the accident has rendered you unable to work.
A financial settlement or judgment against the person who caused your injuries could help you move forward with your life. The dedicated attorneys at Mac Hester Law will work to achieve the money and resources you need to get back on track. Reach out to a Boulder personal injury lawyer today to see if making a legal claim or filing a lawsuit is the right course of action for you and your family.
Most Common Types of Personal Injury Suits
A claimant could be entitled to compensation in a personal injury suit anytime the negligence, recklessness, or willful misconduct of another person caused them to suffer injuries. Personal injury cases in Boulder most commonly involve:
- Car wrecks
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian collisions
- Medical malpractice, including birth injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Slip and falls
- Premises liability
- Defective products
- Dangerous drugs
- Wrongful death
A Boulder personal injury representative could carefully examine any evidence from the accident scene to see if the evidence indicates that another person bears legal responsibility, or liability, for the event that caused the injuries. Once they have identified the responsible parties, they can review police reports and medical records and interview any eyewitnesses. If appropriate, they could also work with an expert witness to help build a strong case.
Limitations on Damages that a Claimant Could Recover in Boulder
After establishing liability, Boulder legal counsel could work hard to recover the maximum possible compensation from all the parties responsible for the plaintiff’s personal injuries.
In Colorado, claimants can pursue recovery of their quantifiable economic damages from their personal injury, such as:
- Past and future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity if they are unable to work permanently
- Therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Long-term care
Claimants can also seek to recover damages for their non-quantifiable non-economic losses as well, including:
- Mental suffering
- Physical pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Physical impairment
- Disfigurement
In rare circumstances, if a claimant can demonstrate that the defendant acted with malice, fraud, or willful misconduct, the courts could award punitive damages.
Boulder courts limit or “cap” the recovery of non-economic pain and suffering damages in most personal injury cases, but different limits apply depending on the situation. For example, total recovery of medical malpractice damages is capped at $1 million. It is essential that a claimant meets with experienced legal representatives who can explain the statutory damage caps and work with the claimants to obtain the best outcome.
Statute of Limitations
Claimants who were injured in motor vehicle accidents have three years from the date of injury in which to file a lawsuit. However, claimants in non-vehicle personal injury cases in Colorado have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim, even in the event of wrongful death. If the injury involves medical malpractice, a claimant must file a claim within two years of the date of the medical incident that caused the injury or within two years of when they discovered the injury. There are many exceptions to the statute of limitations, so working with a Boulder legal professional to understand which ones may apply to them and to ensure that they do not miss any statutory filing deadlines is recommended.
Reach Out for Qualified Legal Assistance from a Boulder Personal Injury Attorney Today
You should not have to suffer financially if you sustained injuries in an accident that was somebody else’s fault. If another person’s negligence, recklessness, or willful misconduct caused you harm, you could be entitled to receive monetary damages.
An experienced Boulder personal injury lawyer at Mac Hester Law will work their hardest to get you the compensation and the justice that you deserve. Call to set up an appointment today.