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Your Grand Junction Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Colorado most injury claims must be filed within two years, and three years for injuries from a motor vehicle (C.R.S. §§ 13-80-102 and 13-80-101). The trial court for Mesa County sits in Grand Junction, at 125 N Spruce St., Grand Junction, CO 81501. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Getting hurt rarely comes at a convenient time. You may be in pain, missing work and answering calls from an insurance company while trying to learn what you are owed. If your injury in Grand Junction was someone else’s doing, start with the basics below and go at your own pace.
We match people with attorneys; we do not advise on cases. Treat what follows as a plain language guide to Colorado law drawn from the statutes. When you want to talk to an attorney, the form at the top of this page is the way to start.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Grand Junction Attorney
A short list of questions can sort out who is right for you:
- The deadline. Ask for the specific last day to file, and which Colorado limit applies to your kind of claim. Two years is the general rule for tort actions, and three years applies to motor vehicle tort actions (C.R.S. § 13-80-102, C.R.S. § 13-80-101).
- Claims against the government. Ask whether a public body could be responsible. A written notice must be filed within 182 days after the injury is discovered, and missing it can bar the claim (C.R.S. § 24-10-109).
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly at fault would change the numbers. In Colorado your recovery is reduced by your share, and a claim can fail if your share is equal to or greater than the share of the person you are suing (C.R.S. § 13-21-111).
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
Personal Injury Types of Cases
Premises Liability
Many premises liability claims are from a property owner’s duty to maintain a property in the way that does not endanger others. There are may ways a property owner can violate this duty.
- Broken Stairs
- Unlit alleyways
- Slippery Floors
- Surfaces that are uneven
- Places to receive burns
- Places to receive chemical exposure
- Dog bites
- and other dangerous conditions
Motor Vehicle Accidents
As long as the person that was operating the vehicle that injured you was negligent in some way, you can could have a claim for compensation. This can include.
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- 18 wheeler Accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Drunk Driving
- Distracted Driving
- Aggressive Driving
- and other types of motor vehicle accidents
Work Place Accidents
These types of personal injury lawsuits involve more that just a employee and employer. If you feel like your place of employment was negligent in some way, you might have a claim for compensation. These types of accidents can include.
- Slip and Fall
- Unsafe working conditions
- Unmaintained equipment
- Auto Accidents
- Death
- Electrical Hazards
- Occupational illnesses like COPD, contagious diseases, and asbestosis
- personal injuries at work
Wrongful Death
When negligence leads to fatal injuries, a wrongful death suit can help the surviving family members hold the negligent company, persons, and or person accountable for what was done. A wrongful death case can involve different types of compensation from other personal injury claims. After a fatal accident, family members can ask an attorney to review what compensation the surviving loved ones may have a right to. These types of accidents can include.
- Auto Accident
- Maritime Accident
- Drowning
- Electrocution
- Falls
- Helicopter Accident
- Fire
- Firearm
- and other types of wrongful deaths
Injured in Grand Junction? Get matched with an attorney now.
When Fault Is Shared
Colorado measures each person’s share of fault. Under C.R.S. § 13-21-111, your own negligence does not bar recovery if it was not as great as the negligence of the person you are suing, but any damages are diminished in proportion to your share. The jury returns a special verdict that states the damages and the degree of negligence of each party as a percentage.
The rule has a hard edge. If your share is equal to or greater than the defendant’s, the court enters judgment for the defendant (C.R.S. § 13-21-111). Ask an attorney how a fault argument by an insurer could affect your case.
Filing Deadlines For Injury Claims
Time limits decide many injury cases. The usual Colorado rule is two years for tort actions (C.R.S. § 13-80-102) and three years for motor vehicle tort actions (C.R.S. § 13-80-101). Missing the date usually ends the case.
A wrongful death action must also be commenced within two years, counted from the date of death (C.R.S. § 13-80-102, C.R.S. § 13-80-108). The period is four years against a defendant who committed vehicular homicide and left the scene of the accident (C.R.S. § 13-80-102).
The Court and Hospitals Behind a Grand Junction Claim
Mesa County is the county the Census Bureau assigns to Grand Junction. For Mesa County, the Colorado court directory shows the 21st Judicial District court in Grand Junction, at 125 N Spruce St., Grand Junction, CO 81501. The state trauma list shows Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction as a Level II trauma center. Community Hospital in Grand Junction appears on the state trauma list as a Level III trauma center.
In the federal Hospital General Information file, the closest Colorado acute care or critical access hospital to Grand Junction is Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction, 0.3 miles, an acute care hospital (2635 N 7th St., Grand Junction, CO 81501). After it come Community Hospital in Grand Junction, 2.8 miles, an acute care hospital; then Family Health West Hospital in Fruita, 10.4 miles, a critical access hospital. All distances are straight line miles from Grand Junction.
A straight line is shorter than the drive from Grand Junction. Ask each provider for your complete records and an itemized bill, and note the date of every appointment.
Further down the same list are Delta County Memorial Hospital in Delta (36.7 miles) and Grand River Hospital District in Rifle (52.1 miles). The file lists 2 Colorado acute care and critical access hospitals within 10 miles of Grand Junction, 3 within 25 miles and 4 within 50 miles, all in a straight line.
Other places this site covers near Grand Junction: Montrose at 57.4 miles southeast, Glenwood Springs at 72.7 miles northeast, Crested Butte at 86.8 miles east. Denver is 202 miles east of Grand Junction and Colorado Springs is 205 miles east.
Where To Begin After An Injury In Grand Junction
Fill in the form at the top of this page. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Colorado. The form is free to use, and sending it does not mean you have hired anyone.
Meanwhile, jot down the facts while they are fresh: date, time, place, who was there, what care you have had and what work you have missed. Save every bill and every message from an insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there special rules for claims against the government?
There are. Notice to the public entity within 182 days of discovery is a jurisdictional prerequisite, and missing it forever bars the action (C.R.S. § 24-10-109).
When will I know what my claim is worth?
It depends on how long you need treatment and how the insurer responds. Settlement usually comes after your condition is clear, and a lawsuit adds time.
How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Colorado?
For most injury claims, two years (C.R.S. § 13-80-102). For a car, truck or other motor vehicle claim, three years (C.R.S. § 13-80-101). Assault, battery and false imprisonment have one year (C.R.S. § 13-80-103).
Can I still recover if the accident was partly my fault?
Sometimes. Colorado reduces damages in proportion to your negligence, but a share equal to or greater than the defendant’s ends the claim against that defendant (C.R.S. § 13-21-111).
Is there a limit on punitive damages in Colorado?
Generally yes. The amount may not exceed the actual damages awarded, though a court may increase it to as much as three times the actual damages if the defendant kept up the behavior or aggravated the harm during the case (C.R.S. § 13-21-102).
What are Colorado’s minimum auto insurance limits?
At least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury or death, and $15,000 for property damage (C.R.S. § 10-4-620).
How far is the closest hospital from Grand Junction?
In a straight line the nearest Colorado acute care or critical access hospital is Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction, 0.3 miles, an acute care hospital; Community Hospital in Grand Junction is 2.8 miles and Family Health West Hospital in Fruita is 10.4 miles. Call 911 in an emergency; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Which nearby places does this site cover besides Grand Junction?
Closest by straight line are Montrose (57.4 miles southeast), Glenwood Springs (72.7 miles northeast) and Crested Butte (86.8 miles east).
Serving Injured Clients Across Colorado
If your injury happened outside Grand Junction, one of these pages may fit better.
