No-Fault Work Injuries
When workers are injured in Colorado, they are covered by the state’s no-fault workers’ compensation system, which allows injured workers to receive compensation for their workplace injuries regardless of who was responsible for causing the injury in question. This means that, even if the worker himself was negligent and this negligence caused the workplace injury, the injured worker will still be entitled to compensation for his medical bills and lost wages.
It’s important to point out that, with the no-fault system, the injured worker typically relinquishes his right to
file a personal injury lawsuit against the employer in civil court.
When Benefits Can Be Reduced in a No-Fault System
As part of this no-fault system, certain factors can cause an injured worker’s benefits to be significantly reduced, and these factors are specifically outlined in Colorado workers’ compensation laws 8-42-112 and 8-42-112.5. Specifically, circumstances that may result in a reduction of benefits can include:
An employee’s blatant and intentional disregard for safety procedures
An employee’s failure to use personal protective gear
An employee lying about his ability to perform certain types of physical labor
An employee taking drugs or drinking alcohol at work.
In some cases, employers may try to claim that one or more of the above-described factors was involved in a workplace accident in order to try to limit their payouts to injured workers. What can make matters worse is the fact that employers may not even have to show proof of such claims in order to get an injured worker’s benefits reduced (these reductions can be as much as 50 percent of an injured worker’s nonmedical benefits).
Denver Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at the Bisset Law Firm
Have you been injured at work? If so, don’t trust that your employer or its insurance company will be looking out for you. The skilled Denver workers’ compensation attorneys at the Bisset Law Firm want you to know that we are here to aggressively defend your rights and help you secure the benefits you need and deserve. Our experienced legal professionals are dedicated to providing each of our clients with the highest quality legal representation, keeping each of our clients informed and in the loop at every stage of their cases and, ultimately, helping them obtain the best possible results for their cases.
Experience You Can Count On
When you choose to work with our esteemed Denver workers’ compensation lawyers, you can trust that we will work diligently to keep your case moving and keep you advised of every development in your case. While this means that you can rely on us to promptly return all of your phone calls, it also means that we are committed to meeting all of your case deadlines in order to help you obtain the maximum possible compensation for your injuries and losses.
In addition to being diligent and dedicated, our attorneys are upfront and honest. They will keep you informed of the strengths and challenges of your case, the choices that you have as you move through the process, and whether it makes sense to settle your case or go to trial.
While we offer knowledgeable, superior counsel to anyone seriously injured on the job, some of our additional key strengths include our fierce negotiating skills, our extensive trial experience and our readiness to take decisive action when the denial or delay of a workers’ compensation claim is finally overruled. Contact the Denver workers’ compensation lawyers at the Bisset Law Firm by calling (303) 894-8900 to learn more about your rights and receive a professional evaluation of your case.
