Denver Personal Injury Law Blog

Social media continues to be an ever-present force in Coloradans' lives. The number of adults in the United States who use Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest increased in 2018 over the previous year. 

While a little social media use can be harmless fun, it can impact you in real life, especially if you have to deal with a workers' comp claim. Insurance agencies will use whatever evidence they can to pay out less. Your injuries may be real, but you may hurt your case if you do any of the following while your claim is open.

In Colorado, any employment can be dangerous and result in a worker being injured on the job. While those in sedentary and so-called "safe" jobs can be hurt in incidents and accidents, there are certain occupations that are riskier than others. Law enforcement is one. When an officer is out on patrol, investigating various incidents and serving the public, accidents and injuries can occur. While an officer is generally tasked with investigating drivers who are under the influence, they can also be injured in a crash with a drunk driver just as anyone else can. Even if the injuries are initially believed to be minor, that does not mean problems will not arise and lead to the officer needing treatment and being unable to perform the necessary duties. This is when it is wise to think about workers' compensation benefits.

A 24-year-old man was arrested after crossing over the center line on the road and having a head-on collision with a police cruiser. He is also accused of resisting arrest. According to the investigation, the officer was heading east at around 1:30 a.m. when a Honda that had been going west turned toward the cruiser. There was a vehicle in front of the cruiser and it swerved to avoid the car heading in its direction. The officer turned on the overhead lights and slowed down, but the vehicle hit the police car.

In Denver and across Colorado, it is important that drivers of conventional vehicles and motorcyclists share the road as vigilantly as possible to make certain of everyone's safety. Given their vulnerability, a motorcyclist can suffer serious injuries in any crash. These incidents are made worse when it is a drunk driving accident. It is exponentially worse if the driver did not have proper insurance. Drivers who are under the influence will be lacking in judgment and reaction time, leaving them little opportunity to stop when they come across a motorcyclist. For the rider, having legal assistance is crucial to pursue compensation in a legal filing.

A crash between an apparent drunk driver and a 19-year-old motorcyclist caused severe injuries to the rider. The rider and friends were out for a ride when a sedan went into the injured man's path. Upon investigation, law enforcement found that the 41-year-old driver of the sedan showed evidence of being under the influence. The motorcyclist flew on top of the car and the driver continued driving. The motorcyclist was wearing full protective gear and a helmet. He was taken to the hospital with brain trauma. He also has other injuries. The driver was arrested for DWI, driving without insurance, failure to yield, and vehicular assault.

Colorado workers who are injured in a workplace accident will have many concerns in the aftermath of the incident. While their primary concern should be getting medical treatment as quickly as possible and seeking to get better, they must remember that there are certain reporting requirements to ensure they get their workers' compensation benefits. Failure to adhere to the law can negatively impact a workers' compensation case and prevent the worker from getting the maximum benefits in a timely fashion. When there is a problem with anything related to workers' compensation, having legal help is imperative.

When an employee is injured, the employer must be notified in writing that it occurred within four days. If an employee cannot do so physically or mentally, then there are others - the manager, a person in charge, a superintendent, a foreman - who can do so in the employee's stead. Others who are aware of the injury can also give the employer written notice. If that is the case, the employee is not obligated to give the notice him or herself.