Although auto accident cases are most common, a Denver personal injury attorney handles a wide range of cases that can be as minor as being bitten by the neighbor's dog or as serious as wrongful death caused by a defective product made in a major corporation's China factory. Denver personal injury attorneys specialize in the area of law known as torts, which are cases that involve no criminal wrongdoing, but come about as the result of negligence or reckless behavior.
It Goes Way Back
The idea that an injured party should receive monetary compensation from those responsible is an ancient concept in law; its purpose was to avoid blood feuds that could result if the injured party's relatives decided they wanted revenge. In Anglo-Saxon England over a thousand years ago, the Denver personal injury attorney's medieval counterpart might represent a plaintiff before a council known as the folc-gemot; if the plaintiff had a valid case, the defendant would be ordered to pay a sum of money, known as were-gyld ("man-price") to his victim.
Today, this tradition survives as tort law; such cases are now heard in civil court, sometimes before a judge and jury and sometimes before a judge by his/herself. The best case scenario is when a Colorado personal injury lawyer is able to secure an out-of-court settlement, thus avoiding the time and expense of a court trial.
Who Should Represent You
While there are some litigators who practice general tort law, because the field of personal injury is so vast and complex, it is best to secure the services of specialist, such as a Denver auto accident attorney if you have been in such an incident. Denver auto accident attorneys are familiar not only with the fine points of motor vehicle law as it pertains to injury mishaps, but also the ways in which insurance companies attempt to evade their obligations. The best Denver auto accident attorney is one who has actually worked for the insurance industry - for obvious reasons.
Lawyer or Attorney?
You may note that the terms Denver personal injury attorney and Colorado personal injury lawyer are used interchangeably. While it is true that every Colorado personal injury lawyer can and does act as an attorney, not every attorney is necessarily a lawyer licensed by the state bar association. If you are injured due to someone's negligence or reckless behavior, it's in your best interest to make sure your Denver personal injury attorney is also an experienced and qualified Colorado personal injury lawyer.
You Don't Need Money Up Front
Most Denver personal injury attorneys provide free initial consultations and will accept part of your award as payment for his/her services - meaning that if your case is not successful, s/he receives nothing. This also means that your Denver personal injury attorney is very motivated to win your case!