Colorado Workers' Compensation: Fast Facts

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Coverage Requirements Under Colorado State Law

Any business with at least one part-time or full-time employee must have Colorado workers' compensation coverage.

Work-Related Injury or Illness Reporting Requirements

Colorado law says you must notify your supervisor about your work-related injury or illness in writing within four business days. You will lose one paid day off covered under workers' compensation for every day late you wait to report it.

Where to Seek Medical Care

If you need emergency care, go to the closest hospital, emergency room or clinic. For non-emergency injuries or illnesses, you must notify your employer first before you seek treatment. Your employer should then give you a list of designated providers under their insurer's insurance plan. If you see any doctor that isn't on this authorized list, you must pay all those medical bills yourself.

Waiting Period for Lost-Wage Benefits in Colorado

Your first 3 days off work are always unpaid unless your injury makes you miss more than 14 days total. For approved claims, lost-wage payments start on day 4. Once you're out longer than 2 weeks, you'll receive for those first 3 days off. Your employer's insurance provider must either approve or deny your workers' comp claim within 20 days.

Colorado Workers' Compensation Statute of Limitations

You must apply for Colorado workers' compensation no more than 2 years after your injury or illness diagnosis date.

Colorado Weekly Compensation Rate

You can receive 66 2/3% of the state's average gross (pre-tax) weekly wages for the current year in lost-wage benefits. This figure changes every year and is subject to Colorado's minimum and maximum benefit amount limits. You'll receive temporary total disability payments biweekly until you can go back to work.

How Long You Can Receive Colorado Workers' Comp Benefits

  • Medical benefits: unlimited for up to 6 years after your accident
  • Death benefits: lump-sum payment of $7,000 for funeral and burial expenses and lifetime TTD payments until surviving spouse remarries
  • Temporary Total Disability (TTD): until you can return to work or reach maximum medical improvement
  • Temporary Partial Disability (TPD): until you can work again or reach maximum medical improvement
  • Permanent Partial Disability (PPD): 4-208 weeks, depending on severity of injury; can request payment in a lump-sum award instead
  • Permanent Total Disability (PTD): unlimited

Colorado Workers' Comp Coverage Exemptions

The following employees are automatically exempt from Colorado workers' compensation insurance coverage:

  • Domestic workers employed less than 40 hours per week
  • Drivers that work on contract for rideshare services (i.e., Uber and Lyft drivers)
  • Federal employees, including railroad workers
  • Independent contractors
  • Prison inmates
  • Real estate brokers and realtors that work on commission
  • Residential support workers employed by host-home service providers
  • Volunteer ski area operators

Colorado Workers' Compensation Attorney Fees

Colorado workers' comp lawyers work on contingency and may charge up to 20% of your final award in legal fees. But if your case isn't successful, then you owe your attorney $0.