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Your Steamboat Springs 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 Routt County sits in Steamboat Springs, at 1955 Shield Drive, Unit 200, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Recovering from an injury is hard enough without legal confusion on top of it. If someone else’s carelessness hurt you in Steamboat Springs, you are allowed to take your time understanding your options before you sign or say anything.
This page is general information, not legal advice. NeedAnAttorney.net matches people with attorneys and does not represent anyone. The legal points below come from Colorado’s statutes, and the form at the top of the page is how you reach an attorney.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Steamboat Springs Attorney
A short list of questions can sort out who is right for you:
- 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).
- 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).
- Punitive damages. Ask whether the facts could support them. Colorado calls them exemplary damages, they require fraud, malice or willful and wanton conduct, and they must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt (C.R.S. § 13-21-102, C.R.S. § 13-25-127).
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
- The people. Ask who will be in touch with you and how quickly they return calls.
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 Steamboat Springs? 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.
Special Rules To Know
Ask early whether a special rule applies, because it depends on who is responsible. For a private defendant, exemplary damages need fraud, malice or willful and wanton conduct (C.R.S. § 13-21-102) and proof beyond a reasonable doubt (C.R.S. § 13-25-127), and the amount is limited to the actual damages unless the court raises it for conduct during the case.
For a public body, the notice must be filed within 182 days after the injury is discovered, even if you did not yet know every element of a claim (C.R.S. § 24-10-109).
How Long You Have To File
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).
Coverage Limits Behind a Crash Claim
The other driver’s policy may be smaller than your bills. Under C.R.S. § 10-4-620, the basic required coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury or death, and $15,000 for property damage.
When your losses are larger, look at your own coverage. Policies must include uninsured motorist coverage unless the named insured rejected it in writing (C.R.S. § 10-4-609). Ask your attorney to look at every policy that could apply.
Courts and Hospitals Near Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs lies in Routt County, according to Census Bureau place and county names. For Routt County, the Colorado court directory shows the 14th Judicial District court in Steamboat Springs, at 1955 Shield Drive, Unit 200, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487. In Steamboat Springs, the state trauma list names UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center as a Level III trauma center.
Measured in a straight line from Steamboat Springs, the nearest Colorado acute care and critical access hospitals in the federal Hospital General Information file are UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs, 1.0 miles, an acute care hospital, then Middle Park Medical Center in Kremmling, 36.9 miles, a critical access hospital, then The Memorial Hospital in Craig, 39.8 miles, a critical access hospital. UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center is at 1024 Central Park Dr, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487.
Road distance from Steamboat Springs is longer than a straight line. Wherever you were treated, ask for the full records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every visit.
Fourth and fifth on the list are Vail Health Hospital in Vail, 62.3 miles, and Eastern Rio Blanco County Health Service District in Meeker, 63.2 miles. Within 10, 25 and 50 miles of Steamboat Springs the file shows 1, 1 and 3 Colorado acute care and critical access hospitals, by straight line.
Other places this site covers near Steamboat Springs: Avon at 59.9 miles south, Glenwood Springs at 69.8 miles southwest, Frisco at 73.1 miles southeast. The reference cities are 114 miles southeast (Denver) and 156 miles southeast (Colorado Springs).
Where To Begin After An Injury In Steamboat Springs
The form at the top of this page is the starting point. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Colorado. It costs nothing to use and does not commit you to anything.
Before the first call, collect the basics: the date, the place, names of witnesses, your medical visits and your missed work. A single folder for bills, letters and photographs saves time later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a claim against a public body different in Colorado?
It is. The notice must be filed within 182 days after discovery of the injury, even if you did not yet know all the elements of a claim (C.R.S. § 24-10-109).
How long does an injury settlement take?
It varies with the injury and the insurer. Many claims wait until treatment has finished so the full cost is known, which can take months, and a lawsuit takes longer.
What is the Colorado statute of limitations for an injury claim?
Generally two years, or three years for a motor vehicle tort action (C.R.S. §§ 13-80-102, 13-80-101). A claim accrues when the injury and its cause are known or should have been known with reasonable diligence (C.R.S. § 13-80-108).
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).
Can I recover punitive damages in an injury case?
Sometimes. Colorado calls them exemplary damages. You must show fraud, malice or willful and wanton conduct (C.R.S. § 13-21-102) and prove it beyond a reasonable doubt (C.R.S. § 13-25-127).
How much insurance does the other driver have to have?
At least $25,000 for bodily injury or death to one person, $50,000 to all persons in one accident, and $15,000 for property damage (C.R.S. § 10-4-620).
What is the nearest hospital to Steamboat Springs?
On the federal list the nearest Colorado acute care or critical access hospital is UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs (1.0 miles, straight line), then Middle Park Medical Center in Kremmling (36.9 miles) and The Memorial Hospital in Craig (39.8 miles). In an emergency call 911; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Which nearby places does this site cover besides Steamboat Springs?
Closest by straight line are Avon (59.9 miles south), Glenwood Springs (69.8 miles southwest) and Frisco (73.1 miles southeast).
Serving Injured Clients Across Colorado
If your injury happened outside Steamboat Springs, one of these pages may fit better.
