Personal Injury Lawyers in Fort Collins, Texas

CALL (800) 863-5312 TO SPEAK WITH A FORT COLLINS PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER FOR FREE

To go through life without an accident is impossible. Though most accidents that we experience may be harmless, accidents can sometimes lead to more serious consequences.  For instance, a car accident may leave you disabled, forcing you to quit work and being unable to do the activities you once enjoyed.  In such cases, you may wish to seek an experienced personal injury lawyer to see if there is any recourse for the injuries you received from the accident.

If you or your loved one has suffered a personal injury, you may be entitled to compensation.  Call Zinda Law Group at (800) 863-5312 for a free consultation with one of our Fort Collins personal injury lawyers.

WHAT IS A PERSONAL INJURY LAWSUIT?

A personal injury lawsuit is a legal action where an individual seeks compensation for an injury.  An individual generally files a personal injury lawsuit when he or she suffers harm from an accident and another party might be partially or wholly responsible for that accident.  If the individual’s lawsuit is successful, the party responsible for the accident–generally through its insurance company–will pay the individual’s various expenses stemming from the accident, such as the individual’s medical bills.

Generally, for an individual to be successful in his or her personal injury lawsuit, he or she must prove that the party that caused his or her injuries was negligent.  To prove negligence, the individual must prove that:

• The offending party owed him or her a legal duty
• The offending party breached that legal duty
• The victim was injured
• The breach of the legal duty caused his or her injury

COMMON PERSONAL INJURY CASES WE HANDLE IN FORTIN COLLINS

Cars and Truck Accidents

Millions of car and truck accidents occur each year in the United States. One of the most common reasons they occur is because a driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident. Another reason why they occur is due to aggressive driving behaviors, such as speeding and ignoring traffic signals. Texting while driving has been another major cause of car and truck accidents. Common injuries include muscle strains and sprains, bone fractures, cuts, spinal injuries, and brain injuries.

Bicycle and Motorcycle Accidents

Cars and trucks are not the only vehicles on the road.  Bicycle and motorcycle accidents are also very common.  Due to the increasing usage of and relatively unregulated nature of rideshare bicycles and motor scooters, we can expect an increasing number of lawsuits involving these vehicles.

Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents unfortunately occur frequently in Fort Collins.  These accidents may happen when a vehicle strikes a pedestrian on a sidewalk, in a crosswalk, or while riding a skateboard or scooter.

Workplace Injury

Workplace injury is defined as any injury or illness that is work-related. The injury or illness can occur while you are at your physical workplace or even outside of the workplace if you were performing work duties at the time. Though workplace injury lawsuits may be barred if your employer has workers’ compensation insurance, there are some instances when you may nevertheless file a workplace injury lawsuit. 

Read More: Fort Collins Construction Accident Attorneys

Dog Bites

Millions of dog bites are reported each year in the United States.  Often, these bites are due to irresponsible dog owners who fail to put their dogs on a leash or fail to train them properly.  Common injuries arising from dog bites include cuts, infections, torn tendons or muscles, and trauma.

Premises Liability

A premises liability lawsuit is a legal action against a property owner who failed to keep his or her property safe for visitors.  If a property owner is negligent in taking care of his or her property and an injury occurs as a result, he or she may be liable to the injured person.

Medical Malpractice

Medical mistakes often occur because of the negligence of a medical professional.  Unfortunately, such mistakes can lead to severe injuries or even death.  The following medical mistakes may constitute medical malpractice:  

• Misdiagnosis
• Misreading laboratory results
• Excessive surgery
• Surgical errors  
• Improper medication or dosage
• Poor follow-up  
• Premature discharge
• Disregarding patient’s medical history
• Failure to order proper testing
• Failure to recognize symptoms

Product Liability

Though the last thing we expect when we buy a consumer product is for it to harm us, consumer products injure thousands of people each year in the United States.  Product liability lawsuits aim to recover compensation from the manufacturer or seller of the product that caused the injury.  Product liability lawsuits generally argue that a consumer good was defective either in its design, manufacturing, or labeling when the injury occurred.

Ski and Snowboarding Injuries

Skiing and snowboarding are common recreational activities in Colorado. However, like most physical recreational activities, they involve risk. Thousands of sprains and broken bones attest to the inherent dangerousness of skiing and snowboarding.  Colorado legislators have tried to mitigate the risks by passing the Ski Safety Act of 1979, which allows legal actions for certain causes of skiing and snowboarding injuries.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Whom Can I Sue?

In general, you may sue the individual responsible for the accident. However, you may also sue others in connection with the individual.  For instance, you may sue an employee’s employer if the employee caused the accident while performing duties associated with his or her employment. In a product liability lawsuit, you may sometimes not only sue the manufacturer who created the defective product, but also the retailer of the product.

Do I Need to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Not every personal injury case requires you to seek an attorney. For instance, if you were involved in a car accident and only suffered minor injuries, you probably do not need a lawyer to resolve your case. However, if any of the below situations apply to you, you may wish to seek an attorney:

• Your injury is severe and was caused by someone else
• Your insurance company representative is contacting you
• You are uncomfortable with the legal or settlement process
• Your insurance company is refusing to pay the amount you believe is owed to you
• An insurance company tries to dispute liability

Do I Need a Local Fort Collins Lawyer?

If you suffered an injury in Fort Collins, you may wish to seek an experienced lawyer in the Fort Collins area.  This is because a Fort Collins lawyer probably knows the regional laws better and has handled more cases similar to yours than a lawyer outside of the Fort Collins area.

How Much Is My Case Worth?

Many factors determine how much you can win in a personal injury lawsuit. However, two factors stand out the most.  One is how severe your injuries are.  If your injuries are so severe that they prevent you from working, you may likely obtain greater compensation from a successful lawsuit than if you suffered a minor sprain.  Second is the defendant’s insurance policy.  In general, how much you are actually compensated is tied to the defendant’s insurance policy limits.  If the defendant’s insurance policy covers only $100,000 for injuries of the kind you received, but you received a judgment for $1,000,000, you will likely only be able to recover $100,000 because most defendants cannot personally afford to pay judgments in excess of their policy limits.

The two main factors that determine your settlement amount is the strength of your case and whether the jury would be sympathetic to you. First, trials are an expensive process, so parties in a personal injury case generally avoid trials if one side is clearly in the right and one side is clearly in the wrong.  If it is likely that you will win at trial, you may receive a higher settlement amount because you would have more leverage over the opposing party.  Second, juries may award a large judgment for personal injury plaintiffs, especially if your case is strong and the accident was severe.

How Long Does It Take to Settle?

Every personal injury case is unique, so there is no set time in which a case resolves.  Some cases may settle within months and some make take years. Factors that affect the time it takes for a personal injury case to settle include the legal and factual complexities of the case, the amount of money at issue, and whether the plaintiff is in the hospital or receiving treatment at the time the case is filed.

What is the Statute of Limitations in Colorado?

A statute of limitations is simply the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit.  In Colorado, you generally have two years after the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit.  Sometimes, however, your injury may not be evident until sometime after the accident.  In such cases, the two-year limit applies once you discover your injury.

If a motor vehicle accident was the cause of your injury, the statute of limitations is three years and begins right after the accident occurs.

CONTACT A FORT COLLINS PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER

The experienced attorneys at Zinda Law Group may be able to help you with your personal injury claim. After an accident, you shouldn’t have to worry about affording legal representation, which is why we work on a contingency fee basis. You don’t owe us anything unless we win your case.

Call us today at (800) 863-5312 for a free consultation with one of our Fort Collins personal injury lawyers.  

Meetings with attorneys by appointment only.