Some accidents cause life altering injuries. They may result in the injury victim being disabled, disfigured, and needing long-term medical care. Some catastrophic injury victims require assistance with daily life tasks or assistive devices.
The term “catastrophic injury” is commonly defined as a severe injury to the spine, spinal cord, or brain, though it often includes fractures of the skull or the spine. If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury, then the Denver personal injury lawyers at Dan Caplis Law are here to consult with you about your legal options. You can reach our catastrophic injury attorneys at (303) 770-5551 or contact us online.
Catastrophic injuries happen in everyday circumstances, and some people are statistically more likely to suffer these injuries due to the presence of specific risk factors. People who have suffered catastrophic injuries caused by negligent actors may be entitled to compensation under Colorado law. Catastrophic injury cases pose unique challenges in this realm due to the necessity of a well-crafted life care plan.
If you or someone you love has suffered a catastrophic injury due to another party’s negligence or wrongdoing, you need to secure maximum recovery. You need the assistance of a Denver catastrophic injury lawyer to protect your rights and help you recover the full compensation you are entitled to.
Quick Links
- Why Choose Us in Denver Catastrophic Injury Cases?
- Meet Our Denver Catastrophic Injury Attorneys
- What Is Considered A Catastrophic Injury?
- How Do Catastrophic Injuries Happen in Denver, Colorado?
- Determining Liability in Denver Catastrophic Injury Cases
- Compensation in Denver Catastrophic Injury Cases
- Call Today for a Free Consultation in Denver, Colorado
Why Choose Us in Denver Catastrophic Injury Cases?
At Dan Caplis Law, we recognize the severity of the impact a catastrophic injury has on your life. To that end, we have recovered millions of dollars for those who have been injured by the negligence of hospitals, truck drivers & other motorists, and other negligent actors.
It’s important to hire the right lawyer in any legal matter and this is especially true in catastrophic injury cases. Our lawyers have significant experience in litigating cases involving severe, catastrophic injuries from the initial consultation through trial. We take the time to fully understand our clients’ injuries and needs, and then build strong cases to maximize the compensation they receive. This understanding is paramount in the catastrophic injury litigation context, allowing us to create and present a life care plan to the defense, the judge, and the jury that will take care of you long after the resolution of your case.
Meet Our Denver Catastrophic Injury Attorneys
Babar Waheed, Esq.
Babar Waheed, partner at Dan Caplis Law, is a trial-tested advocate for victims of catastrophic injury, brain injury,
and wrongful death across Colorado.
From winning his first jury trial in his first week as an attorney to securing record-breaking verdicts—including Colorado’s largest trucking verdict of over $25 million—Babar has built a reputation for taking on powerful corporations and insurance companies.
Recognized as a Colorado Super Lawyer and member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, his results include multi-million-dollar recoveries for clients injured by drunk drivers, negligent truckers, and other acts of recklessness. Beyond the courtroom, Babar is deeply involved in community service, mentoring youth and volunteering to expand access to justice.
Tom Byrnes, Esq.
With over 20 years of trial experience, Tom Byrnes represents victims of catastrophic injury and wrongful death with skill, dedication, and proven results. A former Assistant District Attorney for Colorado’s largest judicial district, Tom has tried complex criminal cases ranging from homicides to financial crimes, giving him deep insight into high-stakes litigation.
A U.S. Navy and Iraq War veteran, he has served as a JAG officer, defense counsel, prosecutor, and certified military judge, bringing discipline, strategic thinking, and relentless advocacy to every case. Today, as part of Dan Caplis Law, Tom fights for justice and maximum compensation for injury victims and their families across Colorado.
What Is Considered A Catastrophic Injury?
A catastrophic injury is one that results in life changing damages, such as disability and requiring long-term medical care. Catastrophic injuries may prevent a victim from being able to work or perform daily activities, and often cause great physical and emotional pain. These injuries can be devastating to the family members of the accident victim and often result in family members may put aside their goals and dreams to help care for a catastrophic injury victim.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries
There are several types of catastrophic injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). This happens when a blow or jolt to the head causes the brain to slam into the skull, resulting in serious damage that may cause physical and cognitive impairment.
- Amputations. Some accidents result in severed or severely mangled limbs that require amputation. Losing a limb can significantly alter a person’s way of life and have profound mental and emotional impact.
- Spinal cord injuries. When an accident results in spinal cord damage such as partial or complete paralysis, the victim’s life is forever changed.
- Burns. Some burns are so severe that they may require surgeries, skin grafting, disfigurement, and incredible pain and suffering.
- Organ damage. When an accident results in internal injuries and organ damages, the victim may need a transplant, or be permanently disabled.
- Loss of vision. When an accident victim loses their sight, their lives will never be the same. They will require therapies to teach them how to function in daily life and need long-term assistance. Vision loss often causes severe mental and emotional trauma.
These types of injuries change a person’s life forever and usually require long-term, expensive care. You need the assistance of an experienced Denver catastrophic injury lawyer to help you secure maximum compensation for your damages.
How Do Catastrophic Injuries Happen in Denver, Colorado?
Catastrophic injuries include severe injuries to the spine, spinal cord, and brain as well as fractures of the skull and spine, and each of these subsets of catastrophic injuries are more commonly caused by certain phenomena than others. Catastrophic injuries are often caused by the application of large forces to the body, and generally, they are most often caused by the following events:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents: Car accidents are tied with falls as the most common cause of catastrophic injuries. Their frequency increases when drivers consume alcohol before operating a motor vehicle. While they cannot be entirely prevented, never drink alcohol prior to operating a vehicle. Speak to a Denver car accident attorney today if you have suffered injuries in an automobile crash.
- Slip and Falls: Slip and falls are the other major cause of traumatic brain and spinal injuries, and the risk increases in instances where the injured person falls from a greater height. Our slip and fall attorneys in Denver got you covered.
- Acts of Violence: People who are shot or assaulted with a blunt instrument are likely to suffer catastrophic injuries to the spine. However, our Denver traumatic brain injury attorneys know head trauma can also be inflicted by acts of violence such as domestic violence, shaken baby syndrome, child abuse, and other types of common assaults.
- Sports Injuries: While athletics are an important part of communal life in Denver and throughout the United States, they are not without risk. Sports injuries can have devastating effects and are most common in football, boxing, baseball, lacrosse, skateboarding, and hockey. It is crucial to utilize the proper protective gear whenever engaging in these sports.
- Industrial Accidents: One of the most important reasons precautions must be adequately followed in industrial settings is to prevent workplace accidents in Denver. Accidents in the workplace, especially in industrial settings, can cause life-altering damage to those who suffer them. Reach out to a Denver work accident attorney to discuss your case.
Further, while these are not necessarily causes of catastrophic injuries to the spine or spinal cord, studies by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke indicate that catastrophic injuries to the brain and spine are heavily associated with the following risk factors:
- Age Demographics: There are two age groups who are thought to be at greater risk of suffering injuries to their spine or spinal cord: (1) people between the ages of 16 and 30, and (2) people over the age of 65.
- Alcohol Use: Frequent consumption of alcohol is associated with an increased risk of suffering or causing an injury to the spine.
- Failure to Utilize Safety Equipment: This is a broad category, but people who do not wear seat belts or who fail to utilize the proper protective sports equipment are also at an increased risk of suffering spinal injuries.
- Gender: Men are categorically more likely than women to suffer catastrophic injuries in the form of traumatic brain injuries.
Determining Liability in Denver Catastrophic Injury Cases
Liability depends on the cause of your accident. Our attorneys carefully investigate the details of accidents to help identify all possible causes and potentially liable parties to help maximize the available sources of compensation to pay your damages.
For example, if your catastrophic injuries were caused by a car accident, we would look beyond the negligent driver to determine whether other factors may have contributed to the accident. In a car accident, other parties who may be liable include:
- The owner of the vehicle.
- The driver’s employer, if the driver was operating in the scope of their employment.
- The manufacturer of a defective part or equipment that may have malfunctioned and contributed to the accident.
- A government entity responsible for a dangerously designed or negligently maintained road.
- A negligent maintenance or repair business.
- A negligent employment screening company, if the at-fault driver was on the job at the time of the accident.
These are just some of the potentially liable parties in a car accident. If your catastrophic injury happened at work, we would look to see if third-parties may have contributed to the accident. For example, a supplier or contractor, or the owner of the property. We never take things at face value. We always dig deep to help ensure all at-fault parties are identified and held accountable.
Compensation in Denver Catastrophic Injury Cases
If your catastrophic injury was caused by another person then you may be entitled to compensation. Our Denver catastrophic injury attorneys at Dan Caplis Law are here to consult with you, and, if you retain our attorneys, they will work diligently to build your case to maximize the compensation you receive upon your case’s resolution.

Those damages may include compensation for:
- The income you (1) already lost between suffering the injury and the resolution of your case, (2) will lose in the future as a result of your catastrophic injury, & (3) income you would have earned but will not be able to earn due to your catastrophic injury’s impairing your earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering, meaning the pain you experienced that was caused by your catastrophic injury.
- Your loss of enjoyment of life, which will be compensation for activities you are not able to do since suffering the injury.
- Emotional distress, meaning any sort of mental health problem afflicted upon you by the negligent party’s actions as a result of the catastrophic injury.
- Your medical expenses can include the reasonable value of any past and present medical expenses you have incurred through the injury.
Catastrophic injury cases in Denver are unique in that they often entitle the injured person to compensation for a life care plan. A life care plan is a plan that allocates compensation to the injured person so that they can proactively plan for the large medical expenditures they may need to make in the future and pay for the services they will require in their day-to-day life. life care plans are very expensive, but they are often the most important part of a catastrophic injury case because of how critical they will be to the injured person in their day-to-day life.
Call Today for a Free Consultation in Denver, Colorado
If you or a loved one have been catastrophically injured by what you believe was another person’s negligence then do not hesitate to reach out to our catastrophic injury lawyers at Dan Caplis Law. Our attorneys are here to consult with you about your legal options at no upfront cost to you, and we never charge a fee unless we win. You can reach our catastrophic injury attorneys in Denver at (303) 770-5551 or by contacting us at our online portal.