Can I File a Workers’ Comp Claim for My CO Logging Injuries?

 Posted on September 17, 2024 in Workers' Compensation

After a mountain pine beetle epidemic beginning in the 1990s and two major wildfires in 2020, there has been a surge in Colorado’s forest management strategies, which include thinning millions of acres of trees. Logging is one of the most dangerous jobs in the state, with a high risk of severe injuries or fatalities.

If you are injured while logging for a company, can you file a workers’ compensation claim? What would your benefits cover? Call Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. to discuss your situation with one of our knowledgeable attorneys so we can answer those questions and explain how we can help.

What Kinds of Accidents Are Common in the Timber Industry?

Loggers in Colorado frequently work on steep slopes, with some trees over 100 feet tall. These workers are exposed to the elements, whether bitter cold, heavy rain, or summer sun and heat. Various accidents can happen without warning, such as:

• Branches, limbs, and trees falling onto and potentially crushing workers, including from loading platforms and trucks

• Slipping and falling on uneven or muddy ground

• Tripping and falling over stumps, debris, holes, and roots

• Equipment misuse or malfunction

• Extremely loud noises from continually running equipment

• Explosions or fires

• Falls from heights

• Chainsaw vibration

Extreme temperatures, dehydration, and inclement weather can make logging even more dangerous. These and other kinds of accidents frequently cause severe or catastrophic injuries, and you deserve compensation.

What Are Common Logging Injuries?

Forestry workers can suffer from many kinds of injuries, including:

• Spinal cord damage, including paralysis

• Head and traumatic brain injuries

• Multiple fractures

• Amputations

• Bruising

• Organ damage

• Neck injuries

• Puncture wounds

Injuries like these can change your life instantly, potentially leaving you unable to work. You likely need extensive medical treatment and a prolonged recovery period. Your accident may have left you disabled and needing to adapt your home and vehicle for your new condition.

What Should Colorado Workers’ Comp Benefits Cover?

The Colorado Workers’ Compensation Act requires employers in the state to carry workers’ comp insurance. If you are injured on the job, your benefits include medical, disability, disfigurement, and lost wages. Unlike personal injury claims, these policies do not provide any compensation for your pain and suffering and other mental or emotional anguish.

You have the right to file a workers’ comp claim for work-related injuries and illnesses. By doing so, you give up the right to pursue a personal injury claim against your employer unless his blatant negligence caused your accident. However, you may qualify to file a personal injury case against other liable parties, which might include:

• Defective equipment manufacturers

• Other companies operating at your work site

• The landowner

Your legal team will investigate your accident and help you pursue every avenue of compensation for your injuries.

Like with almost every other kind of insurance claim, the liable workers’ comp insurer may not want to pay your claim. Damages after an accident in the logging industry are usually extremely high, so the company will likely fight against paying you even harder. A determined lawyer from Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. will work diligently to see that you get the full benefits you deserve.

Contact Our Larimer County, CO Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

A skilled attorney from Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. can answer your questions about workers’ comp and assist you with getting the full benefits you deserve. If you are eligible to file a personal injury claim, we can help with that, too. Call us at 970-225-2190 for your free consultation with our highly effective Fort Collins, CO personal injury attorney.