Denver Workers Compensation Lawyer
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Protecting the Rights of Injured Workers Throughout Colorado
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Injured on the job? Colorado workers' compensation laws are complex, and legitimate claims are sometimes disputed or denied. Conduit Law helps injured workers pursue the medical treatment and benefits the law provides.
Experienced Denver Workers' Compensation Attorneys
Work-related injuries can devastate your health, finances, and career in ways that extend far beyond the initial accident. Workers' compensation should provide a critical safety net, but claims are sometimes disputed, treatment can be delayed, and benefits may be calculated lower than the law allows. Workers' compensation runs on its own statutory scheme, not the personal injury deadlines in Title 13. Report the injury to your employer in writing within 10 days (C.R.S. § 8-43-102(1)(a)(I)); late notice is not an automatic bar, but it can cost up to one day of benefits for each day of delay, and the clock does not run at all if your employer failed to post the required notice or never gave you a copy. The claim itself must be filed with the Division of Workers' Compensation within two years (C.R.S. § 8-43-103(2)), extendable to three on a reasonable excuse where the employer is not prejudiced, and tolled entirely if your employer never reported the injury. Occupational disease carries a separate 30-day notice window, and toxic or radioactive exposure claims get five years to file rather than two. Timely action is essential. Elliot Singer has recovered more than $50 million for clients over his career. An experienced Denver workers' compensation attorney knows how claims are evaluated and how to navigate Colorado's regulations so you receive fair treatment and the benefits available during your recovery.
Colorado Workers' Compensation Overview
Colorado law requires most employers to carry workers' compensation insurance, providing:
- Medical treatment for work-related injuries
- Partial wage replacement during recovery
- Permanent disability benefits
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Death benefits for families
Common Workplace Injuries We Handle
- Construction Accidents: Falls, equipment injuries, electrocutions
- Back and Spine Injuries: Lifting, repetitive motion damage
- Repetitive Stress Injuries: Carpal tunnel, tendonitis
- Industrial Accidents: Machinery, chemical exposure
- Vehicle Accidents: Delivery drivers, company vehicles
- Slip and Fall Injuries: Workplace hazards
- Occupational Diseases: Lung disease, hearing loss
- Burns and Electrical Injuries: Industrial accidents
Industries with High Injury Rates
- Construction and building trades
- Manufacturing and warehousing
- Healthcare and nursing
- Transportation and delivery
- Oil and gas industry
- Agriculture and ranching
- Retail and hospitality
- Government services
Workers' Compensation Benefits Available
Medical Benefits
- All reasonable and necessary medical treatment
- Doctor visits and specialist care
- Surgery and hospitalization
- Prescriptions and medical equipment
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
Wage Replacement Benefits
- Temporary Total Disability (TTD): 2/3 of average weekly wage
- Temporary Partial Disability (TPD): Partial wage loss
- Permanent Total Disability (PTD): Lifetime benefits
- Permanent Partial Disability (PPD): Scheduled or whole person impairment
Common Workers' Comp Claim Denials
Claims are often denied on grounds such as:
- Injury didn't occur at work
- Pre-existing condition caused injury
- Employee was intoxicated or violated safety rules
- Injury isn't work-related
- Claim wasn't filed timely
- Independent contractor, not employee
- Horseplay or intentional injury
Challenging Denied Workers' Comp Claims
We challenge denials by:
- Gathering witness statements and evidence
- Obtaining independent medical opinions
- Documenting safety violations
- Proving work-relatedness of injury
- Filing appeals with Division of Workers' Compensation
- Requesting hearings before Administrative Law Judges
Third-Party Claims Beyond Workers' Comp
Sometimes you can pursue additional compensation from:
- Equipment manufacturers (defective products)
- Property owners (unsafe premises)
- Negligent drivers (work-related car accidents)
- Contractors or subcontractors
- Toxic substance manufacturers
Colorado Workers' Comp Deadlines
- Report to Employer: In writing within 10 days (C.R.S. § 8-43-102(1)(a)(I))
- File Claim: With the Division within 2 years (C.R.S. § 8-43-103(2)), extendable to 3 on a reasonable excuse
- Occupational Disease: Written notice within 30 days (C.R.S. § 8-43-102(3))
- Toxic or Radioactive Exposure: Within 5 years to file (C.R.S. § 8-43-103(3))
Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)
Understanding MMI is crucial for your claim:
- Point where condition won't significantly improve
- Triggers evaluation for permanent disability
- Affects ongoing medical treatment coverage
- Can be challenged with independent medical exam
Return to Work Issues
We help with return-to-work challenges:
- Light duty accommodations
- Retaliation for filing claims
- Job termination while on workers' comp
- Vocational rehabilitation rights
- Modified work assignments
Steps After a Workplace Injury
- Report Immediately: Notify supervisor in writing
- Seek Medical Care: From authorized provider
- Document Everything: Injury details, witnesses, conditions
- Follow Doctor Orders: Attend all appointments
- File Claim Forms: Complete employer's paperwork
- Keep Records: Medical bills, work restrictions, communications
- Consult Attorney: Especially if claim denied or disputed
Why You Need a Workers' Comp Attorney
- Experienced guidance through the claims process
- Maximize medical and disability benefits
- Navigate complex regulations and deadlines
- Challenge unfair denials and terminations
- Protect against retaliation
- Pursue third-party claims when available
Contact a Denver Workers' Compensation Attorney
Workplace injury claims are sometimes valued below what the law provides. Workers' compensation deadlines come from Title 8, not the personal injury statutes: 10 days to notify your employer in writing and two years to file the claim with the Division. Workers' compensation benefits do not depend on fault. If a third party caused the injury, that separate claim runs on Title 13 deadlines, and Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. § 13-21-111) reduces recovery by your share of fault and bars it at 50% or more. A Denver workers' compensation attorney can evaluate your claim, keep track of statutory deadlines, and pursue the full benefits available to you.
Our Service Area
Personal Injury Laws by State — Colorado, Arizona, California & Kansas
Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence system under C.R.S. § 13-21-111, barring recovery if the plaintiff is 50% or more at fault and reducing damages by the plaintiff's fault percentage. Most injury claims: 2 years from the date of injury. Auto collisions: 3 years from the date of crash. Arizona applies pure comparative negligence under A.R.S. § 12-2505, allowing recovery regardless of the plaintiff's fault percentage — even a plaintiff 99% at fault can recover 1% of damages. Arizona's statute of limitations is two years under A.R.S. § 12-542. California also follows pure comparative negligence under CCP § 1431.2, with a two-year filing deadline per CCP § 335.1. Kansas mirrors Colorado's approach with a modified comparative negligence threshold of 50% under K.S.A. § 60-258a, but allows only a two-year filing window under K.S.A. § 60-513. These differences significantly impact case strategy — a plaintiff 55% at fault recovers nothing in Colorado or Kansas but retains a reduced claim in Arizona and California.
Common Questions
Can I see my own doctor for a work injury?
What if my employer doesn't have workers' comp insurance?
Can I be fired while on workers' compensation?
How is permanent disability calculated?
What if I disagree with the IME doctor's opinion?
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Denver Office
Colorado Crash Reality · 2024
By the Numbers
Behind each of these numbers is a person and a family whose year changed in an instant. We keep them in front of us because understanding how and where Colorado crashes happen is part of building a stronger case — and part of staying safer on the roads you drive every day.
Source: Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), 2024; NHTSA, 2024. Figures reflect the most recent full-year data published at the time of writing.
Injury Law at a Glance — CO, CA, AZ & KS
Three things shape almost every injury claim: how long you have to file, how fault is divided, and what the law lets you recover. They differ by state — here is where the four states we practice in stand.
Colorado
This page- Deadline to file
- 3 years
- C.R.S. § 13-80-101 (motor-vehicle injury)
- Fault rule
- Modified (50% bar)
- You can recover only if you were less than 50% at fault; your award is reduced by your share.
- C.R.S. § 13-21-111
- Damage caps
- Non-economic damages capped
- $1.5M for claims that accrue on or after Jan. 1, 2025, and for any action filed during 2025; medical malpractice is capped separately and lower; re-indexed for inflation starting 2028.
- C.R.S. § 13-21-102.5 (HB 24-1472)
California
- Deadline to file
- 2 years
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
- Fault rule
- Pure comparative
- You can recover even if you were mostly at fault; your award is reduced by your percentage of fault.
- Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975)
- Damage caps
- No general cap
- No cap on damages in ordinary injury cases. Medical-malpractice non-economic damages are limited by statute and increase each year.
- Cal. Civ. Code § 3333.2
Arizona
- Deadline to file
- 2 years
- A.R.S. § 12-542
- Fault rule
- Pure comparative
- You can recover even if you were mostly at fault; your award is reduced by your percentage of fault.
- A.R.S. § 12-2505
- Damage caps
- No damage caps
- Damage caps are prohibited by the Arizona Constitution.
- Ariz. Const. art. 2, § 31
Kansas
- Deadline to file
- 2 years
- K.S.A. § 60-513
- Fault rule
- Modified (50% bar)
- You can recover only if you were less than 50% at fault; your award is reduced by your share.
- K.S.A. § 60-258a
- Damage caps
- Injury: no cap
- No cap on non-economic damages in injury cases (Hilburn v. Enerpipe, 2019). Wrongful-death nonpecuniary damages are capped at $250,000.
- K.S.A. § 60-1903 (wrongful death)
General information, not legal advice — and deadlines can be shorter for claims against government entities or in special circumstances. Laws change; confirm the deadline that applies to your case with an attorney before relying on it.