When you are injured in an accident in the state of Colorado, you may want to take legal action against the liable party responsible for causing your injuries. When moving forward with a lawsuit, it’ll be important to know the specific laws related to your case, so you’ll have a higher chance of winning in court and maximizing your claim.
At Justice for Colorado, our attorneys have an in-depth understanding of personal injury litigation and they can guide you through the legal process. If you have concerns before getting started, these basic laws below may be helpful in addressing some of your questions.
One of the most important personal injury laws to know is the statute of limitations because this law puts a time limit on how long you have to file your claim. In Colorado, you’ll have two years from when your accident occurred to hire a lawyer, investigate the case, gather evidence, and file your claim.
Often, in car accidents, injured victims will shy away from filing a lawsuit because they were partially at fault for causing the wreck. The modified comparative negligence law protects injured victims who are partially at fault and allows anyone who’s less than 50 percent at fault to file a claim for their injuries.
There are caps on the amount of damages you can recover in personal injury lawsuits in Colorado. According to the law, the non-economic damages cap for pain and suffering in Colorado is $250,000. However, that number increases to $500,000 if there’s clear and convincing evidence. These figures aren’t necessarily accurate though, because this law was passed in 1986 and it allows for inflation.
As of 2014, the non-economic damages cap for pain and suffering was around $540,000 and with clear and convincing evidence, it was close to $1.8 million.
Depending on the state you’re in, you may be required to purchase personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. This insurance will cover your damages regardless of who’s at fault for an accident. Colorado, however, is a fault state and doesn’t require drivers to have PIP insurance.
When injured in an accident, you can file an insurance claim with your insurance or file a lawsuit against the negligent party who caused the wreck.
If you've been bitten by a dog in the state of Colorado, you have more rights than injured victims in another state. Although some states have a second-chance rule for dogs and their owners, which releases them from liability if the dog has never shown signs of being dangerous before, Colorado holds dog owners strictly liable for dog bites regardless of the dog's history.
There are numerous types of accidents you can be injured in and, depending on the accident, you may need to research the specific laws related to that incident. With the help of an experienced attorney from Justice for Colorado, gaining knowledge on your case and holding the liable party accountable will be easier and less stressful.
If you’re ready to speak with a Denver personal injury lawyer from our team, call 303-647-9691 or visit our website for more information.
