Colorado's premier Workers Comp specialists.

Colorado Worker’s Compensation – Workplace Injuries – What are your rights?

Worker’s compensation is a type of insurance that provides payments to employees who are injured in the course of their employment.  Worker’s Comp laws differ from state to state with Colorado’s being contained in the “Worker’s Compensation Act of Colorado.”

If a Colorado business has one or more employees, they must carry and maintain workers’ compensation insurance.  These workers’ comp insurance plans are purchased just like any other traditional insurance plan by the employer paying an insurance premium for coverage.

What Type of Injuries are Covered Workers’ Comp?

The type of injury covered by workers’ comp is broad.  With extremely limited exceptions, workers’ comp covers all work-related injuries or deaths.

What Type of Compensation is Covered by Workers’ Comp?

The amount of workers’ comp payments are determined by the gross wages the injured was earning before the injury and on the degree of injury (called disability) that include overtime, bonuses, differentials, and specified fringe benefits.  The degree of disability is determined by an impairment percentage rating as determined under the American Medical Association Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment.  As experienced attorneys, we can assure that the wage calculation used for your benefit is the maximum allowed by law.  Our attorneys have the expertise to collaborate with you to assure your impairment percentage rating is determined accurately for maximum payments.

The types of payments most commonly fall into one of five categories:

Medical Payments – payments for any medical expenses related to the injury, such as: doctor’s visits, hospital admissions, x-rays, physical therapy, medications, medical supplies.

Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) – cases where the worker is injured and returns to work under limited duties, hours, and pay.

Temporary Total Disability (TTD) – cases where the worker is temporarily disabled and unable to work.

Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) – cases where the worker has a permanent loss of function of a body party or system.

Permanent Total Disability (PTD) – cases where the worker is permanently and totally disabled.

Death Benefits – cases where benefits are paid to beneficiaries of a now deceased worker who died from the workplace injury or illness.

What to do if you are Injured at Work?

• Seek emergency medical treatment. If the treatment is not an emergency, you will need to select a medical provider specified by the employer.
• Immediately report your injury to your employer in writing. Colorado law requires an employee to make the written report within four days to their employer; otherwise, the workers’ comp payments may be reduced.

Why Should I Hire Burnham Law?

A workplace injury can completely disrupt a worker’s life including high amount of stress and financial instability. Whether you received a notice of contest, your medical treatment is being denied, you feel your wages are not being paid fully, our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys can lessen the stress of the injured worker to allow that worker to focus on what is most important, healing.

Ways Burnham Law can help you:

• Termination of employment: It is unlawful for any employee to be terminated because of a work-related injury.  Burnham Law is here to assure you are protected immediately after your injury.
• Wage calculation: The wage calculation is vital to the amount of the workers’ comp payments.  The calculation of your wages can be complex and includes a forensic analysis into your historical pay (overtime, differential, etc.) and benefits.
• Medical Treatment: You deserve the best medical treatment possible.  Additionally, your medical provider should understand their duties and obligations when treating you under a workers’ comp case.
• Rating: Your impairment percentage rating will play a vital role into the calculation of your payments.  Burnham Law has the knowledge to review your records to assure that the rating is calculated pursuant to law.
• Permanent Payments: If it is determined that you have a permanent disability, you can be entitled to payments for life.  These lifelong payments can assure your financial future and Burnham Law will assure that such an important determination has the expert oversight and analysis to assure you receive to what you are entitled.
• Reduction of Payments: An attorney can assure that the circumstances of your injury are not improperly used to reduce or even deny worker’s comp payments.  This is accomplished by attorneys such as those at Burnham Law who have experience in investigating circumstances, gathering evidence, and presenting evidence.
• Death Benefits: The determination of who is eligible to receive death benefits can be a complex area of the law.  This determination can result in litigation.  Burnham Law has experience in gathering and presenting the evidence on behalf of beneficiaries to effectively show the history and support received from their loved one.