Because Olson Personal Injury Lawyers publishes malpractice settlements and clients describe clear communication, it takes the first spot on this list. Before calling, ask whether it's handled injuries like your child's. Ask how fees work and who would handle your file before you review Colorado's filing rules.
4.8128 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 128 reviews
Best for: Families seeking clear case updates
On its site, Olson Personal Injury Lawyers reports a $1.37 million settlement involving a bile duct injury that required a liver transplant, plus a $300,000 settlement involving gallbladder surgery. That's why it's included on this list. Birth injuries weren't involved in either.
Stood out in our review for the results it publishes and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.8738 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 738 reviews
Best for: Birth injury and HIE claims
When a C-section was delayed, it led to Morgan & Morgan's clearest published birth injury result on this list. After baby Brendan Dixon suffered severe brain injury and lifelong disabilities, a Hillsborough County jury awarded $37.8 million in 2007. The Coleman family had attorneys Armando Lauritano and Keith Carter representing them.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.9122 Google reviewsRated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 122 reviews
Best for: Families wanting patient explanations
When clients describe Kidneigh & Kaufman, P.C., they mention patient, responsive help and explanations that don't leave them struggling with legal language. One review says, “The entire process was organized, professional, and clearly communicated every step of the way.” For families who want help figuring out the next step, that feedback is a reason to include the firm here.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Denver can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
4.7259 Google reviewsRated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 259 reviews
Best for: Birth injury and hospital negligence
Along with a discussion of cerebral palsy, Ramos Law's site lists claims involving birth injury and hospital negligence. If your family wants to discuss delivery care and your child's resulting condition, those listed topics make the firm worth considering. Attorneys including Paige Singleton and Jessica Schlatter appear with the firm's founder, Dr. Joseph Ramos.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
5.01 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 1 reviews
Best for: Initial birth injury case discussions
Colorado Malpractice Law, LLC's public review record is small. Its 5.0 Google rating comes from a single review, whose author describes a positive experience. One person's account offers little basis for judging a pattern of service.
Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
When you speak with the lawyer, give the treatment date and when you learned of the injury and its cause. Although exceptions apply, Colorado generally allows 2 years to file and imposes a 3-year outer limit. Ask the lawyer which separate rules apply to children.
Review the medical facts
Have the delivery records ready. After describing what doctors have told you about your child's condition, ask how the attorney would get an expert to review it. To meet Colorado's certificate rule, an expert in the field must review the facts.
Decide whether to file
Before signing with a firm that accepts your claim, discuss its fees and expenses. Which deadline applies, and what would the complaint (the document that brings the claim) say happened? Talking at a consultation doesn't start a lawsuit.
File the certificate of review
After serving the complaint, the plaintiff's attorney must file a certificate of review within 60 days. Through that certificate, the attorney confirms that an expert reviewed the facts and found the claim does not lack substantial justification.
Discuss resolution and limits
Before deciding, ask the attorney what a proposed settlement means and what trial would involve. When the act or omission happened determines which Colorado medical malpractice caps apply. If public employees or public health care entities are involved, separate Governmental Immunity Act rules apply.
Malpractice claims in Denver: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in Colorado
The clock startsWhen you found out, or should have
Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
At the very most3 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
Limits on damages in Colorado
Pain and sufferingCapped at $530,000
All damages togetherCapped at $1,000,000
Expert paperworkThe plaintiff's attorney must file a certificate of review within 60 days after serving the complaint, confirming an expert in the field has reviewed the facts and found the claim does not lack substantial justification.
A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
Four listed firms say they work on contingency. That means the lawyer takes a share of any recovery and receives no attorney fee if the claim fails. All offer a free consultation. Expenses are separate: charges for records and medical opinions, along with court fees, raise questions the firms' stated terms don't resolve. Ask who advances those costs and whether you'd owe them if the claim recovers nothing. Before you sign, get a written explanation of the lawyer's share and how expenses would affect any recovery. You'll need to confirm Colorado Malpractice Law, LLC's contingency terms.
Although all five listed firms say consultations are free, only four also state that they work on contingency.
What to bring to your first call
Whatever pregnancy records and labor and delivery notes you already have
Your child's medical records, with any written diagnoses included
When treatment happened and when you learned of the injury and its possible cause
Where the hospital is named and which clinicians were involved
Insurance statements and your medical bills
What the hospital or insurer sent in letters or messages
Relevant photos and a short timeline you've written
What you want to ask about fees and who would handle your case
Questions to ask a lawyer
1When a child's condition was like mine, have you handled the birth injury claim?
2Which attorney would take responsibility for our file?
3What would you do to arrange a medical expert's review?
4When would my child's claim need to be filed?
5Who should we contact, and how will updates reach us?
6How would you pay your fee and case expenses if there's a recovery?
7Would any case expenses be ours to pay if the claim fails?
8If Colorado's damage caps or public-entity rules apply, what could that mean for our claim?
Choose around your child's claim
Don't start with ratings; start with your child's injury. When you speak with the lawyer, describe what happened during pregnancy or delivery and when you first suspected something was wrong. After explaining what doctors have told you since, ask if the firm has handled a claim like yours. Although a published surgical settlement shows malpractice work, it won't tell you everything about the firm's birth injury experience.
When reading a result, check what actually happened. While Olson Personal Injury Lawyers reports surgical malpractice settlements, Morgan & Morgan reports a birth injury verdict from Hillsborough County (not Colorado). You won't find published results listed for the remaining firms. Have the lawyer walk you through the firm's relevant experience. Your child's recovery isn't something a past result can predict.
Who would review the delivery notes, and who would discuss the medical questions with an expert?
Who would take charge of your file, and how would that attorney keep you informed?
Before the firm decides whether to accept your case, what does it need to know?
Where would you meet, and would your claim go through the Denver or Denver-area office?
You can consult every listed firm for free. When you talk, ask what the proposed agreement would cover and whether the lawyer would take your claim. Even with a free consultation, payment for records or medical opinions needs clarification. Ask for those terms in writing. Although four firms say they work on contingency, Colorado Malpractice Law, LLC's fee arrangement is something you'll need to confirm.
If you're promised a particular recovery or pushed to sign, be wary; vague answers about costs aren't acceptable either. When reviews mention trouble getting replies, for instance, you can use them to help decide what to ask. You're reading general information, not legal advice. To understand how filing rules and damage caps affect your child's circumstances, speak with a Colorado lawyer, including about whether a public health care entity provided the care.
Questions people ask
Which Denver birth injury firm leads this list?
Because clients mention communication and the firm publishes malpractice settlements, Olson Personal Injury Lawyers takes the first spot on this list. Although birth injury appears among its practice areas, the settlements you'll read about on this page were for surgical injuries. Before you hire the firm, ask about your child's condition. Unlike those settlements, Morgan & Morgan's published verdict involved birth injury, though the case was in Hillsborough County rather than Colorado.
What is the filing deadline for a Colorado birth injury claim?
Once the claim accrues, you generally have 2 years to file in Colorado. If you knew or should have known of the injury and its cause, the claim has accrued. Unless an exception applies, a separate rule generally prevents filing beyond 3 years after the act or omission; additional rules also apply when the claim involves a child. Rather than relying just on the delivery date, ask a Colorado lawyer which deadline applies.
Does my child's age give us more time to sue?
Your child can sue any time before the eighth birthday if the child was under 6 when the act happened. Other minors fall under Colorado's general disability statute. The normal deadline runs against the child if a parent or legal representative is already in place. Waiting until adulthood isn't something you can safely assume. Ask a Colorado lawyer to check your child's circumstances against the dates.
Can we speak with a Denver birth injury lawyer for free?
Each of the five listed firms says it offers a free consultation. Four say they work on contingency: they receive no attorney fee if the claim fails and take a share of any recovery if it succeeds. You'll need to confirm Colorado Malpractice Law, LLC's contingency arrangement. Ask separately who pays case expenses, including medical opinions and records. A free consultation doesn't settle those charges.
What medical review does Colorado require?
Within 60 days after serving the complaint, the plaintiff's attorney must file a certificate of review under Colorado's rule. By filing it, the attorney confirms that an expert in the field reviewed the facts and found the claim does not lack substantial justification. Which records would the reviewer need, and how would the lawyer arrange for that review? To understand what this requirement means for your claim, ask the attorney.
How long will a birth injury claim take?
You can't rely on these firms for an estimate of your case's length. Before filing, what needs to happen, and what could slow or speed the claim afterward? Although Colorado sets a filing deadline and a 60-day certificate-of-review requirement, neither tells you when your claim will end. You can't tell how long your family's case would take by looking at a published settlement or verdict, either.
Does Colorado limit medical malpractice damages?
Yes. Under HB24-1472, Colorado's medical malpractice caps rose according to a schedule tied to when the act or omission happened. If public employees or public health care entities are involved, the Governmental Immunity Act applies instead. To understand which rules cover the care your child received, ask a Colorado lawyer to explain them and what they could mean for the claim. You can't establish the amount available in your case from another case's recovery.
What should we do before contacting a lawyer?
When did treatment happen, and when did you first learn of the injury and its possible cause? Keep the hospital's correspondence with your bills as you collect the medical records already available to you, including delivery notes. Before calling, you don't need every document. If your child's age may change the rule, it's especially important to get the filing deadline checked early; ask the lawyer what else you should gather.
Can these firms discuss a claim if our child died?
Along with Ramos Law, Olson Personal Injury Lawyers and Morgan & Morgan include wrongful death among their listed practice areas or topics on their sites. You'll also find wrongful death on Kidneigh & Kaufman, P.C.'s site. If the death was connected to labor or delivery, or later medical care, ask whether the firm handles those claims. To find out who may bring a claim and which deadlines fit your family's circumstances, speak with a Colorado lawyer.
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