Colorado Workers' Compensation Law Blog

A new clinical trial, which gained approval from federal officials earlier this year, should provide some hope for workers in Denver, Colorado who have sustained spinal cord injuries while on the job. The primary aim of the clinical trial is to seek a cure for paralysis.

Physicians involved in the trial recently completed the procedure on the first patient involved in the trial. The doctors took nerve tissue from the participant's leg and used the tissue to grow Schwann cells. Then, they transplanted the Schwann cells back into the patient's body, to combat the paralysis.

It is no surprise that firefighting is a dangerous job in Aurora, but, just like everyone else, Colorado firefighters are entitled to federal and state protections. Just like employees in any other field, a professional firefighter can receive workers' compensation for any injuries or illnesses he or she sustains on the job. As individuals who risk so much to keep us safe, there is no reason why we shouldn't give them the same benefits as everyone else.

In that vein, one state has made a move to make it easier for firefighters to obtain workers' compensation for fire-related cancers. While cancer and other illnesses can make an individual eligible for workers' compensation, employees must prove that there was something at work that caused the illness. This can be very difficult, even when there is a high chance that something in the work environment is responsible. For firefighters who are constantly exposed to carcinogens, smoke and other deadly substances, it may be even more difficult.

When someone in Denver thinks about the workplace, he or she likely thinks about an office building, or at the very least some kind of work site, but there are all kinds of workplaces, including a car. For someone whose job it is to deliver products, he or she may spend most of the day in a car. And, just like any other employee, someone whose workplace is in a car deserves to be protected from accidents and injuries. When they aren't, they can often claim workers' compensation.

That is why many employees in Denver may be concerned about a recent announcement recalling roughly 3.4 million vehicles after a manufacturer of airbags admitted that the airbag inflator could catch the airbags on fire. Fortunately, there have yet to be any reported injuries or deaths, but that doesn't mean that an employee may not become injured before he or she can get his or her car fixed. If something like this does happen, he or she may be able to work with a workers' compensation attorney to file for benefits.

Nearly everyone here in Colorado knows how important workers' compensation benefits can be to a person who is injured on the job. With mounting medical bills and being unable to work at the same time, this perfect storm of problems can lead to incredibly problematic situations without these benefits.

But the situation can get even worse when your employer suddenly accuses you of committing workers' compensation fraud. Not only does this carry with it legal ramifications, but it can also mean serious penalties if the claims are found to be true.