Every person in society has a duty to act responsibly and avoid causing reasonably foreseeable harm to others. When someone who owes you a duty acts irresponsibly and causes you harm, you may be entitled to financial compensation for the harm you suffered.
Getting compensation from a wrongdoer after they have caused your injury is not always a simple and straightforward process. There are legal procedures that must be followed to ensure that you do not lose your right to compensation.
When you have been injured in an accident caused by negligence, you need an experienced Fort Collins personal injury lawyer who understands the law and can fight for you while you focus on your recovery.
You have rights, and Dulin McQuinn Young can help you fight for justice in your case.
- Our attorneys have over 20 years of unmatched experience.
- Our firm was built by trial lawyers who take pride in fighting for their clients.
- We are recognized for our trial results and record recoveries.
At Dulin McQuinn Young, we will fight to get you the full and fair compensation that you deserve. You deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you have capable legal representation fighting for you. Let the Fort Collins personal injury attorneys at Dulin McQuinn Young help you.
Call (303) 246-1111 today to schedule your free consultation.
What Is a Personal Injury?Â
A personal injury case involves an injury that is caused by someone else who is legally responsible for it. Most personal injury cases are based on the legal theory of negligence, which means:Â
- The defendant owed a duty of care to the victim to prevent them from being injured.Â
- The defendant breached the duty of care.Â
- The defendant’s breach caused the victim’s injuries.Â
- The victim suffered damages. Â
When someone else is legally responsible for another’s injuries, they can be required to pay compensation for the victim’s damages.Â
Types of Personal Injury Cases We HandleÂ
Our Fort Collins personal injury attorneys handle various types of cases, including the following:Â
- Bicycle accidentsÂ
- Bus accidentsÂ
- Car accidentsÂ
- Construction accidentsÂ
- Dog bitesÂ
- Motorcycle accidentsÂ
- Pedestrian accidentsÂ
- Premises liability accidentsÂ
- Product liability accidentsÂ
- Sexual assaultÂ
- Slip & fall accidentsÂ
- Truck accidentsÂ
- Uber and Lyft accidentsÂ
- Wrongful death claimsÂ
If you would like to learn whether you have a viable personal injury claim, call our law firm today for a free consultation. Â
Who Is Responsible for Personal Injuries? Â
Various parties could be held responsible for injuring others. In some instances, multiple parties could be responsible for another’s injuries. Depending on the circumstances, the following parties could be held at fault for a personal injury based on the following legal theories:Â
- Individuals: Various parties, including drivers and dog owners, can act negligently and cause injuries to others. When that happens, they can be held responsible for the victim’s injuries.Â
- Property owners: Property owners are required to maintain their properties to avoid causing injuries to lawful visitors. When they breach this duty of care, they can be held responsible for resulting injuries.  Â
- Employers: Employers can be held responsible when their employees cause injuries to others when they are performing work within the scope of their employment.Â
- Trucking companies: Trucking companies can be held liable for truck accident victims’ injuries, whether the truck drivers were employees or independent contractors. They can also be held responsible when they violate state and federal regulations, such as requiring drivers to work beyond hours of service rules or hiring drivers without conducting proper background checks.Â
- Product manufacturers: Product manufacturers, designers, marketers, distributors, and sellers of defective products can be held liable when the products they deal in cause harm to consumers.Â
- Government agencies: Government entities can be held responsible when injuries occur on public property due to hazardous conditions or when government employees cause injuries while performing their work duties.Â
An experienced personal injury attorney in Fort Collins can carefully review your case to determine who is responsible for your injuries. Then, they can pursue maximum compensation from the at-fault parties.Â
Financial Compensation You Can Seek in a Personal Injury ClaimÂ
Personal injury victims have the right to pursue compensation for the harm they’ve suffered as a result of the defendant’s negligence. They can be compensated for damages, which may include both economic and non-economic losses. Â
Economic damages are losses that have a direct financial impact on the victim, such as:Â
- Medical expenses: You can be compensated for your emergency medical treatment, hospital stays, diagnostic tests, rehabilitation, therapy, and ongoing medical treatment. In addition to payment for your medical bills, you can also seek compensation for your anticipated future medical expenses.Â
- Lost income: You can seek compensation for your lost income, including your lost wages, salaries, tips, commissions, and bonuses. You can also seek compensation for your lost benefits and benefits you had to use because of the accident, such as PTO or sick leave. Â
- Lost future earning capacity: If your injuries resulted in permanent disability or caused you to make a less lucrative career change, you can seek compensation for your lost or reduced earning capacity. Â
- Property damage: You can seek compensation for the costs to repair or replace your damaged vehicle, as well as any other personal property damaged in an accident.Â
In addition to economic damages, personal injury victims can seek compensation for their non-economic damages. These damages are more subjective and difficult to quantify, such as:Â
- Pain and sufferingÂ
- Emotional distressÂ
- Mental anguishÂ
- Loss of quality of lifeÂ
An experienced Fort Collins personal injury lawyer can carefully review your case to determine all the damages you can seek as part of your legal claim.Â
How Much Is My Case Worth?Â
Many accident victims want to know the average settlement value of a personal injury case. However, every case is unique. The potential value of your personal injury case will depend on factors such as:Â
- The nature and severity of your injuriesÂ
- The number of liable partiesÂ
- The insurance coverage availableÂ
- Whether you contributed to the accidentÂ
- The long-term impact of the injuries on your lifeÂ
- How your injuries have affected youÂ
An experienced Fort Collins personal injury attorney can estimate the value of your case and pursue full financial recovery on your behalf.Â
Can I Afford a Personal Injury Lawyer?Â
Many accident victims are afraid they cannot afford the cost of a personal injury lawyer. Our Fort Collins personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis. Under this fee agreement, you don’t pay attorney fees upfront or on an hourly basis. Instead, your lawyer gets started on your case right away, but you don’t have to pay for their legal services unless and until they recover compensation on your behalf. They receive their pay as a percentage of your recovery.Â
This fee arrangement benefits you because you don’t have to risk losing money on paying for a lawyer if your case is unsuccessful. You only have to pay when you have the funds available to cover their services. Â
Common Injuries Involved in Personal Injury CasesÂ
Our personal injury lawyers can help with all types of injuries, including the following:Â
- Amputation injuriesÂ
- Brain injuriesÂ
- Broken bonesÂ
- Burn injuriesÂ
- Catastrophic injuriesÂ
- Dog bite injuriesÂ
- Drowning injuriesÂ
- Spinal cord injuriesÂ
We also help grieving families who have lost loved ones in wrongful death cases.Â
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Fort Collins?
In Colorado, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years. This means that you have a time limit of two years from the date of the incident that caused your injury to file a claim.
However, car accident claims or truck accident claims resulting in a personal injury must be filed within three years from the date of the accident in which you were injured.
It is important to be aware of these timeframes and take prompt action accordingly.
Will I Get Compensation If I Am At Fault?
You may be afraid to seek compensation for your injury because you feel that you might have contributed in some way to the accident that caused your injury. Being partially at fault does not prevent you from pursuing compensation.
In Colorado, the legal system operates under a modified comparative negligence approach, allowing you to still receive compensation for your injury if your percentage of fault is below 50%.
However, in such cases, your recoverable damages will be proportionately reduced based on the assigned percentage of fault.
Seek Legal Assistance from a Fort Collins Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have experienced a personal injury or lost a loved one as a result of another person’s negligence, a Fort Collins personal injury attorney can protect your rights. At Dulin McQuinn Young, our goal is to defend your rights and get you the best outcome possible in your case.
Take action and contact us today at (303) 246-1111 to schedule your free consultation.