Practice Areas and Legal Definitions

Oilfield, Construction, Mining and other on the job injuries: A large percentage of serious bodily injuries occur on the job. In Wyoming, many of these arise from work in the oilfield (including natural gas and methane), mining, or construction. These include injuries related to well drilling activities, production or shipping of oil and gas, construction of pipelines and facilities, improper and unsafe equipment, improper use of lifting or pulling devices, and inadequate fall protection. Factors that contribute to on the job injuries almost always include disregard of safety procedures by those with responsibility for the work. Typically, on the job injuries involve the question of who may be liable for the injury, as well as the question of who may or may not be subject to suit under applicable workers compensation law.

Slip and Fall/Premises Liability: Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere and can cause serious personal injury.  Most slip and falls happen in commercial settings, such as grocery stores, drug stores, office buildings, construction sites, gas stations and malls, but they also happen on private property.  Premises Liability injuries can include toxic exposure, animal attacks, swimming pool accidents and amusement park ride accidents.  In any event, there exist duties on the part of the property owners to maintain the property responsibly and avoid the existence of hazardous conditions. Dangerous or defective conditions may be large or small, temporary or permanent.  Therefore, investigation of the claim is essential to a successful case.  Temporary conditions such as water on the floor of a grocery store, or snow and ice on the stairs of a restaurant need to be investigated quickly.

Traffic And Automobile Accidents: A traffic accident is a collision or injury producing accident involving a vehicle. Sometimes a traffic accident may also refer to an automobile striking a human or animal. Traffic accidents — also called traffic collisions, auto accidents, road accidents, personal injury collisions, motor vehicle accidents and crashes — kill an estimated 1.2 million people worldwide each year, and injure about forty times this number.

Spinal Cord Injury: Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs when the nerves within the spinal canal are damaged.  Most SCI's are caused by trauma to the vertebral column, affecting the spinal cord's ability to send and receive messages between the brain and the body's systems that control sensory, motor and autonomic function.  Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of SCI, followed by acts of violence, falls, sports injuries and diseases such as polio, spina bifida and Friedreich’s Ataxia.  The spinal cord does not have to be severed in order for a loss of functioning to occur. In fact, in most people with SCI, the spinal cord is intact, but the damage to it results in loss of functioning.   

Traumatic Brain Injury: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a medical phrase used to describe the damage to the brain suffered by sudden impact or physical force to the head.  Essentially, the human brain floats in a fluid substance called cerebrospinal fluid.  TBI can result when the force of momentum causes the brain to impact against the skull.  This type of injury, often the result of hitting your head on the windshield, pavement or object, is frequently referred to as a “closed head injury.”  Whiplash can also cause TBI.  These closed head injuries can result in lasting physical and mental problems.

Burn Injuries: People who have suffered and survived the agony of second, third and even fourth degree burns describe the pain they experienced as among the most severe of all traumatic injuries.  Personal injuries involving severe burns commonly result from explosions, premises fires, defective products, motor vehicle collisions, electric shock, as well as accidental exposure to harmful chemicals and radiation.

Wrongful Death: A wrongful death occurs when a person is killed due to the negligence or misconduct of another individual, company or organization. Generally, a claim for wrongful death is brought in the name of the administrator of the estate, for and on behalf of family members, usually a surviving spouse, children, or parents. In order to bring a successful wrongful death cause of action, the following elements must be present:
The death of a human being caused by another's negligent or intentional conduct.
The survival of family members who are suffering the loss of financial support, love, care, comfort, supervision, guidance, household assistance and general society previously provided by the deceased.

The general rule in wrongful death cases is that one is entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages which are suffered as a result of the loss of a loved one.  Economic damages in a wrongful death case include an award for the financial contributions which the decedent would have made to his or her spouse, children and/or parents had he or she survived.  It also includes the recovery for funeral service expenses in memory of the decedent and for burial cost.  Non-economic damages include loss of love, society, companionship, comfort, affection, solace or moral support.

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence and needs the assistance of an experienced Gillette, Wyoming Personal Injury Attorney, call John Cotton today at 307-200-7303, or use the contact form provided on this site to schedule your initial consultation.

Professional Profile

I was admitted to the Wyoming State Bar Association in 1983. In addition to the Wyoming State Courts, I have been admitted to practice in Federal District Court for the District of Wyoming, as well as in the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. I am a member of the American Bar Association, the Campbell County Bar Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, and the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association. I have served as President of the Campbell County Bar Association, and as a member of the Board of the Wyoming State Bar. Community activities include work with the Boy Scouts of America as both a Scout Master and District Chairman, and service as a member of the Board of Directors of the Gillette Energy Rotary Club.

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence and needs the assistance of an experienced Gillette, Wyoming Personal Injury Attorney, call John Cotton today at 307-200-7303, or use the contact form provided on this site to schedule your initial consultation.