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Experienced Slip and Fall Attorneys in Fort Collins, CO

We are experienced attorneys serving slip and fall accident victims in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado and we produce the results to back it up.

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Slip and Fall

$300,000

Our client slipped and fell on food debris in a tavern and sustained a broken ankle requiring two surgeries. The establishment refused to accept responsibility for the unkempt floors, but we were ultimately able to persuade the tavern to pay for our client's medical treatment and wage loss.

slipFall

About Us We are a collaborative team with the ability to deliver for you.

All of our lead attorneys have extensive litigation experience against insurance companies. Our attorneys have secured multi million-dollar judgments and settlements. Many of our attorneys previously worked defending insurance companies. Now we use their experience and insight to advocate for our clients against those same insurance companies.

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FAQs

We know how confusing it can be after an accident. Who will pay for your medical treatment? Should you talk with the insurance company? Here’s some common questions and answers as a starting point.

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  • Trials are sometimes necessary to get a fair recovery, but they are rare. You always have the choice of whether or not to go to trial. We see our role as providing you with the best possible information so you can make an informed choice.

    We prepare every case for the possibility that it could end in a trial. Most of the time, we prove our clients’ claims to the insurance companies or at-fault parties with the evidence gathered during our investigation. We then negotiate to determine if a fair settlement can be reached. We’ll advise you whether, based on our extensive experience, a settlement offer is fair or not. We’ll explain the pros and cons of pushing forward with filing a lawsuit. We’ll answer your questions and recommend a course of action.

    It’s important to note the difference between litigation and trial. Litigation is a word we use to mean anything after the filing of a lawsuit. We usually try to settle your case without even filing a lawsuit. Most cases are settled without filing a lawsuit. But sometimes it may be necessary to file a lawsuit. The defendant might be denying fault. The insurance company might not believe that you are hurt as badly as you are. Filing a lawsuit provides the opportunity to make witnesses answer questions under oath and provide documents and other evidence. We may need to get a court to order someone to provide information they are refusing to provide. All of these steps and much more are considered litigation, but they are not a trial. After these information-gathering steps, we will again try to negotiate a settlement in your case, often in a mediation.  Most lawsuits are settled without a trial.

  • The amounts you can recover depend on many things, including the severity of your injuries, the amount of your lost income, the value of your lost or damaged property, the degree to which your life has been impacted, the amount of your medical bills, and the amount of your future medical expenses.

    The amount of money you recover is called “damages.” Our legal system has different categories of damages that you can claim depending on the specific circumstances in your case. In personal injury claims, there are four (4) primary categories of damages. They are economic damages, non-economic damages, permanent impairment damages, and disfigurement damages.

    1. Economic Damages are repayment for financial losses or expenses you have because of the incident. These include things like medical bills, lost pay, and damaged property.
    2. Non-Economic Damages are compensation for things like living with pain, enduring emotional distress, and being unable to enjoy your life and do the things you did before you were injured.
    3. Physical Impairment Damages compensate you if you are permanently impaired as a result of your injuries.
    4. Disfigurement Damages are compensation for scarring, amputation, or other permanent disfigurement to any part of your body.

    There are non-economic damage caps in Colorado. Damage caps are limits on the amount you can recover. Current non-economic damages caps are $613,760 for incidents that occur on or after January 1, 2020, and $468,010 for incidents that occurred before January 1, 2020. The damage limitation will increase at regular intervals to offset inflation. The Colorado Secretary of State publishes a Certificate with all of the current damage caps. The Certificate can be found here.

    There are no damage caps on economic, physical impairment or disfigurement damages.

    In Wrongful Death cases, the damages are for the harms suffered by surviving family members and dependents. They include:
    1. Economic Damages include funeral expenses and lost income or financial support provided to family members.
    2. Non-Economic Damages recognize your grief, loss of companionship, emotional stress and pain suffering.
    3. A “Survival Act” claim can also be made for the victim’s medical bills caused by the accident.

    There are non-economic damage wrongful death damage caps in Colorado. Wrongful death damage caps are limits on the amount you can recover. Current wrongful death non-economic damages caps are $571,870 for incidents that occur on or after January 1, 2020, and $430,070 for incidents that occurred before January 1, 2020. The damage limitation will increase at regular intervals to offset inflation. The Colorado Secretary of State publishes a Certificate with all of the current damage caps. The Certificate can be found here.

    All of the above categories of damages are based on the harms you suffered. But there also may be times where the defendant must pay additional damages because their conduct was so bad. “Punitive” or “Exemplary Damages” apply if a defendant was more than negligent. Negligent basically means careless. But if a defendant was more than careless, if he was reckless, then he might have to pay punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish the defendant for acting in a way that is so clearly dangerous that it is likely to seriously hurt someone. Punitive damages do not come into play in most cases.

    “Statutory Damages” can be awarded in circumstances where a defendant violates a specific statute that provides certain damages. One such statute is the unfair denial or delay of a payment that your own insurance company owes you. C.R.S. sections 10-3-1115 and 10-3-1116. These damages apply when you make an uninsured or underinsured claim with your own insurance company and they deny payment even after they have received enough information to prove you should be paid. If this happens, the insurance company may have to pay treble damages (three times (3x) the amount of your claim) plus your attorneys’ fees and costs.

    If you are partially at fault for causing the incident, your damages can be reduced by the percentage that you are at fault, which is called comparative negligence.

    There are also other types of damages not covered by this post. The amounts you can recover depend on the specific circumstances of your case. It’s important to know which categories apply in your case and how to prove damages to an insurance company. Feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss the specific types and amounts of damages that apply in your case.

  • Clients are often hesitant to submit medical expenses under their Med-Pay policy. Some fear that if they submit the medical bills then the insurance company will increase their rates or decline to renew their insurance policy. Thankfully, the Colorado Division of Insurance forbids insurance companies from penalizing injured people who use Med-Pay. This includes raising their insurance rates or refusing to renew a policy because an injured person submitted medical bills to Med-Pay.

Overview Here’s everything you need to know.

Hire Hadfield Stieben Doutt to Represent You

A slip and fall accident can leave you injured, unable to work, and facing mounting medical expenses. These types of accidents are often caused by the negligence of another, creating dangerous conditions that lead to your fall. Following your accident, you may be left wondering who will pay for your treatment and how you should handle insurance claims. Hadfield Stieben Doutt is here to ensure the property owner is held liable for the poor conditions that caused your accident and any injuries that occurred as a result. We have a team of experienced slip and fall attorneys in Fort Collins, CO. Please reach out to us today to discuss your case. We can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

What Is a Slip and Fall Accident?

A slip and fall accident is an accident that occurs as a result of unsafe conditions. These hazardous conditions can cause an individual to lose their balance and fall, resulting in injury. Some of the injuries suffered in a slip and fall accident can be life-altering, forcing the person to change their life in order to adapt to the injuries and any permanent damage. These types of accidents can occur at personal residences, at retail stores and businesses, on public sidewalks, or in parking lots. If you are injured in a slip and fall accident caused by the property owner’s negligence, you may be entitled to receive compensation for the injuries suffered.

What Is Premises Liability?

A slip and fall accident claim may also be referred to as a premises liability claim. This term comes from the Premises Liability Act, which states that a landowner has a duty to maintain their property in a reasonably safe condition and provide appropriate warning of any hazardous or unsafe conditions that cannot be immediately corrected. Under premises liability, any property owner who does not maintain safe conditions can be held legally and financially liable for the injuries caused due to their negligence. This means that the injured person can take the property owner to court to obtain monetary compensation for their injuries. Some of the most common premises liability claims include:

  • Slip and fall injuries caused by ice accumulation or foreign substances
  • Trip and fall injuries caused by dangerous conditions such as tree roots, uneven sidewalks, or potholes
  • Slip and fall accidents caused by slick floors due to water or other slippery substances
  • Accidents caused by defective stairs, doors, elevators, or escalators
  • Injuries occurring on parking lots, alleyways, or other public areas as a result of a dangerous condition
  • Falls caused by inadequate ramps or handrails

Injuries that Can Occur from Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents can cause numerous injuries, ranging from minor to severe. No matter the severity of the injury, you should not have to pay for medical care to treat it if unsafe conditions caused the accident. Our team can help you fight for the compensation to cover your medical care. While some of the injuries caused by slip and fall accidents may heal, others may impact your life forever. Some common injuries that occur in slip and fall accidents include:

  • Broken bones
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Sprains or strains
  • Paralysis
  • Loss of vision
  • Permanent disfigurement
  • Death

How Do You Prove Fault in a Slip and Fall Accident?

If you sustain injuries from a slip and fall accident, the at-fault party will not simply give you the money to pay for your medical care. Rather, you must prove fault on behalf of the property owner to receive compensation. Our team can help you do that. We have many years of experience handling slip and fall cases and can use our knowledge to attempt to prove the fault of the property owner. Your claim will likely go to court where our attorneys will present all the evidence to a judge who will make the final decision. In order to prove that you are entitled to compensation for your injury, our legal team must show the court that:

  • The property owner or business owner was responsible for the unsafe conditions, and those conditions caused your injury.
  • The property owner or manager knew about the unsafe conditions or should have reasonably been aware of the dangerous conditions and failed to repair them.
  • The property owner knew about the hazard and did not provide an appropriate warning of it.
  • The owner of the property owed you a duty to maintain safe conditions because you were present for a valid business purpose or as an invited guest.

What Types of Damages Can I Recover in a Slip and Fall Case?

Because a slip and fall accident can alter your life in many ways, you may be entitled to collect multiple types of damages if you win your claim. The amount of compensation you are eligible to receive will depend on the severity of your injuries and the attorney’s ability to prove the property owner failed to maintain safe conditions. Our attorney will work to stand up for your rights and attempt to get you all the damages you’re entitled to receive. If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation for:

  • Medical expenses and rehabilitation
  • Future medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Future lost wages
  • Permanent disability
  • Loss of quality of life
  • Pain and suffering

Contact Us for a Consultation

Have you recently been injured in a slip and fall accident? If so, you don’t want to delay contacting an experienced accident lawyer. Hadfield Stieben Doutt has years of experience handling personal injury claims in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado. Slip and fall cases are one of our areas of interest, and we’ve helped many clients receive the compensation they deserve. We can assess your case and build a compelling argument for your claim, working hard to prove fault on the part of the property owner. Please contact us today to schedule a consultation.

970.221.2800