Personal Injury Attorney of Colorado ~ Dianne Sawaya

August 27th,2010

A new law takes effect in Colorado on August 11, 2010 – a law that has a big impact on personal injury cases and settlement amounts. The law affects three areas:

Collateral source rule. This says that the fact or amount of any collateral source payment (such as from a plaintiff’s medical insurance) shall not be admitted as evidence in an action against a third-party tortfeasor. Discussion of the amount of medical bills must be based on the amount billed, not the amount paid.
Made whole doctrine. This says that a s   Read more >>

August 27th,2010

There’s no special definition of “serious personal injury,” and everyone likely considers their injury to be serious. But when evaluating a case in terms of negotiating with an insurance company or preparing for trial, there are certain hallmarks of a serious injury.

Generally, serious injuries have long term or permanent consequences. They involve physical, psychological or economic disability or a significant impact on a person’s life. Broken bones, herniated discs, significant burns and injuries that req   Read more >>

August 27th,2010

You never know when you’ll be in a car accident. But when you are, having a few resources close at hand can be useful.

That’s why we’ve developed the DLS Law SmartKit.

After many years of working with clients who’ve had car accidents, we’ve realized there are a number of things that would be handy to have at the scene of an accident. So we’ve put together a kit of resources that you can keep in your vehicle’s glove box.

The DLS Law SmartKit contains first aid supplie   Read more >>

Sharp Negotiating With Feds Nets Client a Settlement

Jared K. was seriously injured in a car crash that caused a life-threatening injury. His brain was bleeding internally, blood was collecting in his skull with nowhere to go, and the pressure and possible damage to his brain was growing by the minute. Jared was treated at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Denver, spent several weeks in the facility and was discharged. His medical bills came to well over $100,000...

Settlement: $100,000

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Failure to Spot Treatable Condition Causes Lifetime of Suffering for Newborn

Before he was born, Terry E.’s parents thought something was wrong. Terry’s father, a mechanic, and his mother, who works in a bakery, asked the doctor about it, but were assured everything was fine. Terry’s parents were right, though. He had developed a heart condition that is easily seen by performing an ultrasound examination, and that’s easily treated with a routine prenatal surgery procedure. But Terry’s doctor didn’t see the condition...

Settlement: $1.6 Million

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Hand Rail Gives Way, Client Tumbles and Ruins Knee

Gretchen B. wanted to buy a new car. Once she arrived at the auto dealer, she had to climb up a flight of stairs to get to the showroom. She used the stair rail, but about two-thirds of the way to the top of the stairway, Gretchen reached for the handrail on the narrow stairs and it gave way. Gretchen took a serious fall, resulting in a broken leg, shattered kneecap and torn ligaments...

Settlement: $435,000

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