Fort Collins Personal Injury Lawyer

Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal | Fort Collins Personal Injury Lawyer

Fort Collins Personal Injury Attorney

Health and happiness are top priorities for many people. By engaging in healthy practices and avoiding dangerous situations, people work to make sure that they will be around for major moments and milestones that are yet to come. Many of us go to great lengths to protect ourselves and our loved ones from harm. If another party unexpectedly harms you, a Fort Collins personal injury lawyer can help you hold them accountable.

Unfortunately, others don’t always look out for our best interests. By engaging in reckless and negligent behavior, others risk our lives every day. This is not right or fair.

Personal injury law allows victims to hold others accountable for the harm they’ve done. Instead of accepting your fate after an accident, you can file a personal injury claim in Fort Collins, CO against the person who hurt you. Though this cannot bring your health and wellness back, it can make sure that you do not have to suffer financially as well as physically. The recovery process is expensive, and it’s vital that you have the support that you need to keep your family afloat.

Fort Collins Personal Injury Attorney Free Consultation

Find Help at the Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal with a Free Consultation

When it comes to personal injury law in Fort Collins, CO, no firm is better suited to meet your needs than our team at the Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal. We have over a decade of experience in personal injury specifically, so you can trust that we have the expertise to represent you properly. No matter your situation, we can lead you on the path to proper compensation.

Our firm personalizes our advice to fit your specific needs. Though we have experience in many areas of this field, we listen closely to what makes your situation unique so that we can make the most airtight case for you. Our expertise, matched with our personalized service, gives you a distinct advantage.

What Is Personal Injury Law?

Some injuries are simply accidents. Things happen all the time that are nobody’s fault, but that harm us anyway. Personal injury cases are not this way. These cases happen because someone was acting negligently or maliciously, and the situation could have been avoided if they’d been behaving properly.

Personal injury law acts as a form of consequence for individuals who hurt others. Laws and rules are meant to be followed, and those who disobey them and hurt others can be held responsible through this area of the law.

Why Do I Need a Fort Collins Personal Injury Attorney?

Trying to navigate a personal injury case in Fort Collins, CO, on your own is never recommended. There are many things that can go wrong with self-representation, and it’s extremely easy to lose out on your settlement.

Though the case may seem straightforward to you, the court may not see things that way. Your opponent will undoubtedly have an attorney to represent them, meaning that they will spin a story to defend their innocence. If they successfully do this, the court will not give you the compensation you deserve for the injury.

What’s more, you will be recovering from your injury during the time that your case is being built. No matter your condition, the stress of a court case can have an adverse effect on your healing process. It’s important that you take the time to rest and recover properly; otherwise, you could suffer lasting symptoms.

Best Fort Collins Personal Injury Lawyer

Finally, it’s advantageous to remember that there is a lot on the line with these cases. Medical bills can be astronomical, and many people have to spend time off of work to heal. This means lost wages on top of large bills to pay. Few families can easily afford this, meaning that you put your family’s financial status on the line if you don’t have an experienced attorney.

Types of Personal Injury Cases in Fort Collins, CO

Though the details of all personal injury cases are unique, there are general categories that most incidents fit within. Knowing these categories can help you more accurately determine what type of case you have and how to best approach an attorney.

Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Accidents

Roads are dangerous places, and accidents happen all the time. If a driver injures you because they’re driving irresponsibly or negligently, you can bring forward a personal injury case. Some examples of negligent driving include:

  • Talking on the phone or texting while driving.
  • Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  • Driving while fatigued or exhausted.
  • Becoming distracted while operating a vehicle.
  • Failing to check blind spots.
  • Ignoring road signs, signals, lights, etc.

If you’re injured by someone who was doing one of the above activities, you have grounds for a personal injury case. However, the first step in recovering from a car accident in Fort Collins is typically filing an auto insurance claim. Every driver in the state is required to have auto insurance that meets basic coverage requirements for bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage.

After an accident caused by another driver, a Fort Collins personal injury lawyer can help their client gather various types of evidence to prove fault for the accident. Once fault is established, the injured driver can file a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. This may sound straightforward, but many injured vehicle accident victims encounter all types of problems in their dealings with auto insurance carriers.

Your Fort Collins personal injury lawyer can help file your claim to the other driver’s insurance carrier and resolve any problems you encounter with the insurance claim process. Once you receive a settlement offer, your attorney can determine whether it is fair and reasonable and, if you have outstanding damages insurance can’t cover, help build a personal injury suit to seek compensation for the rest of your losses.

Defective Products

Companies that manufacture products of any kind are required to make sure that their products won’t harm consumers. When a defective product hits the market, they’ve failed at their safety protocol. When the defective product hurts someone, they are liable for the damages.

This can happen in any industry, from automobiles to tech to food and beverage. Success with your product liability claim in Fort Collins will require proof that the product is indeed defective and/or unreasonably dangerous in some way. This could be due to a defective design, a problem that occurred in the manufacturing process, or the manufacturer’s failure to include proper safety warnings and/or instructions for use.

When a specific defective product negatively affects multiple people in similar ways, it is possible for the situation to generate a class action suit. In this type of case, multiple plaintiffs pool their resources and file a single complaint against the same defendant. There are benefits and drawbacks to class action suits. For example, you may be more likely to succeed but will receive far less compensation than you could have obtained from an individual claim.

A Fort Collins personal injury lawyer can review the details of your situation and help determine whether joining a class action suit in progress would be more beneficial or if it would better suit your interests to file an individual product liability claim against the manufacturer.

Wrongful Death

Unfortunately, not all victims of personal injury cases survive their accidents. In these situations, the family not only has to traverse grief but must also find a way to pay for funeral and burial expenses. On top of this, they lose out on the person’s income and support.

A wrongful death case can’t bring your loved one back, but it can help make sure that many of your new financial burdens are taken care of. This can give you the mental space to properly grieve and heal as a family.

Premises Liability

When you go to a public place, the people or company that owns the space is responsible for keeping it safe. This includes making maintenance upgrades, keeping walkways clear and dry, and posting proper signage if there is a hazard of any kind. If they don’t do one or more of these things and an accident occurs, they are liable for damages. There are laws and regulations that ensure that patrons of businesses remain safe and secure. If a company ignores these standards, they are liable.

Premises liability laws only apply to lawful visitors to private property, so one of the most important elements of your premises liability claim in Fort Collins is proving that you were legally present on the property when your accident happened. A trespasser or intruder cannot sue a property owner for an injury they suffered when they were illegally present on the property.

Dog Bites

Most dogs have a friendly disposition and a kind heart. However, under the right circumstances, any dog can become violent. It is a dog owner’s job to ensure that their dog is under control and does not hurt anyone. If a dog bites you, therefore, you likely have a reason to press charges.

In fact, there are only two situations in which a dog can legally bite someone. They are:

  • If the person provoked them.
  • If the person entered a property illegally.

In all other scenarios, personal injury law comes into play. Strict liability will apply to the dog’s owner, meaning they will be entirely responsible for all the damages resulting from the dog attack. It’s possible for the victim to claim compensation for immediate and future medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.

Filing Your Personal Injury Claim in Fort Collins

Before you will be able to recover any compensation for the damages you suffered from your recent personal injury, you must be prepared to prove exactly how your injury happened and identify the party or parties responsible for causing it. It is possible for more than one party to bear fault for a personal injury, and it is also possible for a plaintiff to share fault with a defendant.

Colorado enforces a modified comparative fault rule for such cases, and the threshold of plaintiff fault is 50%. This means that as long as the plaintiff is less than 50% at fault for their personal injury, they can still recover compensation for their damages. Their percentage of fault is the percentage of their case award they will lose as a penalty. However, if they are 50% or more at fault, they cannot claim compensation from any other liable party.

Your Fort Collins personal injury lawyer can help gather the evidence needed to firmly establish liability for your damages. If you are worried that you bear partial responsibility, your attorney can address any such issues as well, helping you preserve your ability to recover your losses. After gathering the evidence that you need to prove fault and to prove the full extent of the damages you are claiming, you can file your case with the court.

At this point, it’s possible for a personal injury case to proceed to litigation or settlement negotiations. Most personal injury claims end in a private settlement. As long as all parties involved in a case are willing to negotiate, it is possible for a settlement to resolve the matter in a fraction of the time that litigation would require. However, litigation is unavoidable in some cases. If you must go to court, you need an experienced attorney on your side.

FAQs About Fort Collins, CO Personal Injury

What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Fort Collins Personal Injury Lawyer?

When you hire a personal injury lawyer for your case, you have the advantage of a professional argument. Remember, as the plaintiff, you hold the burden of proof. This means you must show that the person hurt you; they must simply maintain their innocence. With an attorney on your side, all aspects of these cases are more manageable. Your argument will be more convincing, and you are more likely to get the compensation that you deserve.

What Falls Under Personal Injury Law?

Personal injury law encompasses a large area of the legal system. Categories include:

Essentially, any time you are wrongfully hurt by someone else, your case will likely fall under personal injury law.

Will A Defendant Go To Jail For Causing A Personal Injury?

Most personal injuries reported happen because of negligence. When a defendant has negligently harmed a plaintiff, they are liable for all resulting damages. Criminal charges will only come into play if a defendant has broken the law by causing a personal injury. The most common example of this seen in Fort Collins is intoxicated driving. If a driver causes an accident this way, they face criminal charges alongside their liability for the victim’s damages.

If you have been harmed by another party’s illegal actions, you may receive additional compensation beyond repayment of your claimed losses to reflect this. For example, the judge handling your civil suit may award you punitive damages if a defendant’s behavior falls outside the extent of typical negligence. A criminal court judge may order a defendant to pay restitution alongside the other compensation they owe to you as an element of their sentence.

Is a Fort Collins Personal Injury Lawyer Worth It?

With so much on the line, hiring a professional attorney to run your case is absolutely worth it. People who try to represent themselves often end up with smaller settlements if they’re able to get one at all. They jeopardize their family’s financial future and often make their condition worse in the process. These cases are not the place to try and save money on an attorney. You can earn a large sum of money with the right professional.

What Percentage Do Most Personal Injury Lawyers Take in Fort Collins, CO?

The average percentage a lawyer takes is around 33%. However, this can vary from firm to firm. Some firms don’t even opt for an hourly rate instead. One of the first things you need to discuss with potential attorneys is their fees and rates. If you end up not being able to afford their services halfway through the case, you could lose your chance at a settlement. It’s best to be clear from the start.

What Is The Statute Of Limitations For Personal Injury?

The statute of limitations is the time limit in which you must file your personal injury claim; otherwise, you lose the chance to claim compensation from the defendant who injured you. This time limit begins on the date your personal injury occurred. However, if the cause of your injury can’t be immediately determined, the statute of limitations may begin on the date you discovered that another party was responsible for harming you.

Contact Our Fort Collins Personal Injury Attorney for a Free Consultation

If you have been hurt by someone else’s negligence, our team at the Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal is here to help. With our decades of experience in the field, we provide the very best personal injury legal services in the state of Colorado. We service a wide range of areas and have the expertise to properly guide you toward the settlement that you deserve.

For more information about our firm, our services, and how we can help you in your personal injury case, please contact us online today.

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Put my knowledge and expertise to work for you. Contact my office today to discuss your case in a free consultation.