FAQs

If you have been involved in an accident, your first priority should be to seek medical attention. Many individuals are seen in an emergency room.  It is always a good idea to also see your primary care physician.  Frequently, it takes several days for injuries, abrasions and bruises to emerge.  If you have visible injuries, take photos of your injuries.   

Once you’ve received medical attention, it is important to gather as much information about the accident as possible. Photographs of the vehicles,  insurance information, contact names and numbers for witnesses, police officers, claims adjusters and tow truck companies will all be helpful in processing your claim.  The police report will provide valuable information as your claim is opened and processed.  You will  want to contact your own insurance company to report the collision and open a Medical Payments claim.  If the other party was at fault, you will also want to report the accident and open a property damage claim.  Frequently, an insurance carrier for the party at fault will ask for a recorded statement or request that you provide a signed medical release.  We recommended that you decline both of these requests until you speak with a personal injury attorney.   

You should contact an attorney as soon after your accident as possible. Your attorney will be able to help you with the claim reporting process and assist in the coordination of insurance benefits that may be available to you as a result of the collision.  An attorney will also speak with all involved insurance carriers and take steps necessary to both collect and preserve evidence that is important to your case.  Your primary focus should be on treating your injuries and healing.

The primary information you will need following an accident or injury is the name of the police agency that responded to the scene, the location of the occurrence or collision, the name and contact information for the other driver or party involved, their driver’s license number, their insurance information and the make and model of all involved vehicles.  At the very least, you should have descriptions of the other vehicles including license plate information. If possible, photographs of your vehicle (interior and exterior), any other involved vehicle and the accident scene are helpful.  If there was damage to the roadway, public property (such as a road barrier, street sign or bridge), that is also useful.  The identity of and statements from any eyewitnesses is especially important.  If there were witnesses to the your accident, gathering the names and contact information of witnesses is very helpful.  Finally, is there are visible signs of injury, photographs of your physical injuries can be useful when demonstrating the severity of your injuries and the causal connection to the collision.  Some of this type of evidence may be included in a police report, but if you are able to collect additional information, it can be useful in the claims and/or litigation process.

If you have been injured as a result of someone’s negligence, whether it be a car, motorcycle, truck, or bike accident, or any other type of injury, an attorney can help you navigate the claims process.  Following any accident, there are multiple hurdles to overcome and avenues that must be explored to identify and maximize available insurance coverage.  An attorney with experience in personal injury law will coordinate these processes and procedures.  In all instances, there are deadlines that must be met and procedural obligations which must be observed.  Should litigation be necessary, it is important to have an experienced personal injury attorney by your side.  

Even if you’ve already spoken with and filed a claim with the insurance company, Mager Law Group can help. It has been our experience that clients who have begun the claims process themselves find it stressful and confusing.  Many times, we find that accident victims do not understand the insurance benefits that are available to them and often struggle to find benefits to pay their medical treatment.  At Mager Law, our personal injury team, has extensive experience navigating the insurance process.  We start work immediately to open your claim, coordinate your benefits and communicate with your treating physicians and therapists.  Coordinating insurance coverage and understanding the priority of benefits, can be daunting and confusing.  As your attorney, we work with the insurance companies directly, relieving that burden from your shoulders. We advise all involved insurance companies to direct communication in care of our office. It is our goal to alleviate as much stress as possible so our clients can concentrate on recovering from their injuries, returning to work and getting healthy again.   

Many of our clients believe that an insurance company has their best interest at heart.  Unfortunately, that is not always true.  The insurance company for the person who hit you has an adversarial interest in the claim.  They are not on your side.  Their job is to protect their insured, and minimize payment of the claim.  Frequently, clients contact our office after they are bombarded with communication from insurance companies or feel pressured to accept low settlement offers.   You should always seek the opinion of an experienced personal injury attorney to get an unbiased legal opinion regarding your case and your rights.

Each case is different, and most often, the value of your case will depend on numerous factors including liability, your injuries, past medical expenses and future medical needs, past lost wages and expected future wage loss and finally, whether your injury will have a long lasting or permanent impact on your life.  The damages you can recover in a personal injury claim or action will depend on the type of case.  Each case is different.  The value of a case is not typically known at the beginning of a claim.  The value is determined by looking at the whole picture and considering the facts and circumstances of the incident, as well as the economic and non economic damages you have sustained.  

The timeframe that you have to file a lawsuit is referred to as the statute of limitations.  The statute of limitations varies depending on the type of case or claim and jurisdiction where the case is brought.  Generally, in Colorado, a personal injury action must be commenced within two (2) years of the injury.  However, in certain instances involving the use and/or operation of a motor vehicle, the statute may be extended to three (3) years.  However, that is not the case for every claim.  Every rule has exceptions and in some instances, the statute of limitations may be as short as one (1) year.  Bringing a claim against a state, city, county or governmental entity requires prior written notice before commencement of any action.  The failure to provide written notice within the designated time, can forever bar an injured victim from bringing a claim or maintaining an action in court.  While two years may seem like a long time, it is important to talk to an attorney sooner rather than later. Due to the time-sensitive nature of personal injury claims, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney regarding your injury.  At Mager Law Group, all initial consultations are free of charge.

Mager Law Group handles cases of all sizes. Our injury cases range from soft tissue injury type auto accident cases to catastrophic injuries involving traumatic injury to the brain and/or spine.  Mager Law also handles claims for wrongful death.  We are equipped to handle all types of personal injury cases and happy to review any case free of charge.

At your first meeting with a personal injury attorney, you should bring any and all information you have about the accident, your injuries, your insurance, the other party, and his or her insurance, the name of the police department that investigated the accident, name of witnesses and photographs of the vehicles, property damage and/or injuries.  In short, you should bring any and all information you have. It is important to provide your attorney with any correspondence or claims documents that you have received from any insurance company.  Other helpful information includes a copy of all automobile insurance policies in your household, information regarding your medical insurance, photographs of your automobile, photographs of your injuries, copies of medical records and bills for treatment related to the accident, estimates and repair records and receipts for your automobile, receipts for towing and car rental, and any wage loss information. During your meeting, we will make photocopies of all of your documents so that you can retain a copy for your records. We will also provide you with checklists for any other information that we may need from you.

Mager Law Group does not charge for an initial consultation.  All initial consultations are free of charge.  In most instances, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that if we do not recover for you, we do not get paid.  We understand that victims of personal injury accidents cannot typically afford to hire an attorney by the hour. At Mager Law, we are cognizant that injury victims often have their hands full with medical bills and may be struggling financially as a result of missing time from work and losing wages.  Our contingency fee arrangement is based on a percentage of the gross recovery and is in line with other top-quality lawyers who handle serious personal injury matters. There are no up-front costs or retainers required.

No. Mager Law Group does not charge for client consultations. All client consultations to discuss a potential claim are absolutely free. If you feel you have a potential claim, please call our office  (303-569-4200) Denver location or (970) 999-9550 Loveland/Ft. Collins location to set up your free consultation.  

Car and Truck Accidents, Pedestrian Accidents, Bus Accidents, Bicycle Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Dangerous Premises, Slip & Falls, Amusement and Water Park Injuries and Accidents, Serious Personal Injuries, Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries, Uninsured and Under-Insured cases and Insurance Bad Faith cases.

Each case is different.  In evaluating the value of a case, we consider all damages that were caused by the accident.  This includes medical expenses and lost wages, the cost of your ongoing and future medical care, any projected future loss of wages or income,  permanent injury or physical impairment that will limit your activities in the future and/or impact your ability to return to work and earn wages, scarring or disfigurement, and the pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and inconvenience associated with your injuries.  Every case is different and our approach to valuation of a claim is personalized.  Contrary to popular belief, the value of a personal injury case is not always immediately determinable at the outset.  We determine the value of our clients’ cases once we are able to fully understand your injuries, damages, and losses.  The valuation of your claim will be discussed with you during the course of your case and our representation.

What most injured persons do not realize is that the insurance company for the person who caused your injury does not pay your medical expenses as they are incurred.  Rather, medical expenses are just one element of damage that are paid as part of a full and final settlement.  If you have Medical Payments coverage available on your own automobile policy or, if you have health insurance available, it is important to work with your attorney to coordinate the payment of your medical expenses.  Even if your health insurance pays a medical bill related to your accident, you are still entitled to claim the full amount of the bill as part of your medical damages.  Some liability insurance carriers will attempt to reduce an injury victim’s damages by offering to just pay their ‘out of pocket’ expenses or co-pays.  This is contrary to Colorado law.  An experienced personal injury attorney can help you navigate this tricky and confusing process.  

Negligence is the failure to use reasonable care to prevent harm to others. A person is negligent if he or she does something that a reasonable person would not do in the same situation or fails to do something that a reasonable person would do under the same or similar circumstances. We have represented thousands of individuals who have been injured by the negligence of others in automobile accidents, slip/fall accidents, water and amusement park accidents and accidents that occur on someone else’s property. If you have been injured by another’s negligence, contact our office for a free, no-hassle consultation.

A death that occurs as the result of an accident or injury due to negligence is referred to as a wrongful death claim. Spouses, domestic partners, parents, children, siblings, and grandparents can have a claim for wrongful death against the responsible parties. The relationship with the person who died will dictate the priority of the claim.

The type of damages that can be sought in a wrongful death case will depend on the relationship between the person bringing the claim and the deceased.  Types of damages that may be sought in a wrongful death case include: Financial support that the survivor(s) would have received, Value of household services that would have been provided by the decedent, Loss of companionship, affection, love, care, comfort, society, and Funeral and burial expenses. The loss of a loved one can completely alter the life of the surviving family members.  It is important to retain an experienced personal injury attorney to handle this type of claim.  The personal injury team at Mager Law Group has handled numerous wrongful death cases.  If you have lost a love one due to an accident or injury, contact our office for a free consultation.  

Many people who have been injured in an accident don’t realize that even if the at fault party does not have liability insurance, it may  still be possible to make a claim for injuries and damages.  This type of claim is known as an Uninsured Motorist (UM) Claim.  In an uninsured motorist claim, your own insurance company stands in the shoes of the negligent party.  This means that it may be possible to recover the same amount you would have recovered from the party who caused your accident by looking to your own auto insurance policy.  Navigating the UM process can be tricky and confusing.  It takes an experienced personal injury attorney to successfully present this type of claim and see that it is paid promptly.

If the party who hit you had insurance but carried only the state minimum coverage or their liability insurance limits were too low to fully compensate you for your injuries, damages and loss, then you may have what is known as an Underinsured Motorist (UIM) claim.  A UIM claim occurs when the at fault party has insufficient insurance coverage to compensate the injured victim for all of their damages. and losses  When this occurs, your personal injury attorney will look to all other available sources of insurance, including your own auto policy.  Coordination of UIM benefits and compliance with all contractual requirements of the UIM policy before settlement of the liability claim is critical and requires an experienced, skilled personal injury attorney.  

If you or your family have been injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver, contact our office for a free consultation. Mager Law Group has successfully handled countless UM and UIM claims. All initial consultations are free of charge.

Insurance companies are bound by statute and industry standards when handling and processing insurance claims.  If an insurer does not handle your claim in good faith, or delays or denies payment of a claim without sufficient grounds and/or evidence, you may have a bad faith claim.  Colorado law imposes a duty on insurance companies to act in good faith. When an insurance company wrongfully denies a claim or purposefully delays payment of benefits, they breach the contract of insurance.  Bad Faith claims comes in many forms.  A claim may originate with the denial of a covered claim, a delay in payment or processing of a claim or benefits; a faulty or biased investigation; the failure to pay undisputed benefits when due or, an unreasonable, low offer of settlement.  If your insurance company refuses to provide an attorney to defend you in a lawsuit under an auto or homeowners policy, you may also have a claim for bad faith.  If you believe your insurance company is treating you unfairly by delaying or denying insurance benefits you bought and paid for, contact our office to see if you have a bad faith claim.  All initial consultations are free of charge.

Yes, you may have a premises liability claim against the park or landowner.  Mager Law Group has represented clients who have been injured as a result of activities at both amusement and water parks.  Guest at an amusement or water park are known as invitees.  It has been our experience that these cases usually arise as a result of a failure to maintain equipment, utilize known safety standards, properly train employees, or a failure to identify risks that make the park environment unsafe.  As a visitor to a water or amusement park, you have the right to assume that you will be safe, that equipment has been routinely inspected, that safety standards are reviewed, complied with and understood and that employees have been adequately trained and supervised.  When an amusement or water park fails to do these things, it breaches its duty to invitees on the property.  If you or your loved one has been injured while visiting a water or amusement park, call us today.