The claimant alleged a work injury to his cervical spine that required an emergent C4-5 anterior cervical decompression and fusion. Throughout the claim, there were multiple stories about what resulted in the claimed injury. Due to pain and tingling in his hands after working outside on a cold day, the claimant was initially treated for and diagnosed with frostbite of the hands. The claimant did not allege any specific activity or incident that caused these symptoms.

At approximately 2 AM one morning, the claimant was driving two trailers weighing about 75,000 pounds back to the employer’s terminal in Aurora when he realized at the last minute that he was closing in on a box truck and struck the back left corner of the box truck, totaling it. The claimant reported to the responding officer and EMS personnel that he had no injuries and was able to complete his trip back to the employer’s terminal.

After MMI, the claimant sought additional treatment for his injury through his primary care physician (PCP) and was referred to an orthopedic specialist.

The claimant requested a change of physician to Dr. Matney. This was granted by Respondents. Dr. Matney then refused to assume care in the matter. This was a refusal to treat for non-medical reasons. Respondents then timely designated Dr. Kawasaki. The clamant refused to recognize this designation.

Our office was retained to pursue subrogation recovery on a claim where the Defendant, a public works contractor, was awarded a contract to install a significant amount of water mains in a prominent Colorado city. After the pipe had been installed by Defendant, a portion of the water main ruptured and flooded a building.

Plaintiff, an employee of a glass bottle manufacturer, suffered significant burns when a piece of molten glass came into contact with her leg and ignited her pants. The employer provided Plaintiff significant treatment through the workers’ compensation system.

The claimant alleged a left shoulder injury on September 28, 2022, after catching a falling tray holding containers of ice cream. The claimant reported the alleged injury to her employer on the same day but did not pursue medical treatment for her injury.

The claimant was employed as a Continuing Care Assistant and was assigned to Colorado Mental Health Hospital. On the date of the claimant’s alleged injury, she was assigned to monitor a patient who was classified as a suicide risk and had a known history of violence. . The claimant did not present any medical evidence in support of this contention.

Claimant argued that the Final Admission of Liability should be void ab initio, or void “from the beginning,” because it was not filed with the Division.

After a final admission was filed, the claimant applied for a hearing on the issue of average weekly wage (AWW) and additional temporary disability benefits. Respondents argued that the admitted AWW had already given the claimant the benefit of excluding a week when she had no earnings at all for reasons unrelated to the work injury and that the AWW should be based on the claimant’s actual earnings rather than her expectations.