Coors Brewery Workers’ Comp Claims in Colorado Explained
Learn what benefits may be available after a workplace injury at Coors Brewing Company in Golden
As the largest single-site brewery in the world, the Coors Brewery in Golden has been an important part of Colorado’s economy and history for more than 150 years.
Today, Coors Brewing Company employees help produce, package, and distribute millions of barrels of beer each year, performing a wide range of physically demanding jobs that keep the operation running around the clock.
Whether you work in brewing, packaging, maintenance, warehousing, quality control, or transportation, a workplace injury can create immediate uncertainty about your health, income, and future. While Colorado’s workers’ compensation system is designed to provide benefits after a work-related injury or illness, the process doesn’t always go smoothly, and valid claims get denied every day.
In this article, we’ll explain how workers’ compensation works for Coors Brewery employees in Golden, the types of injuries and occupational illnesses that may qualify for benefits, and what steps to take if you’re having trouble getting the benefits you’re owed.
If you’ve been injured while working for Coors Brewing Company and need help with your claim, schedule a free consultation with the Golden workers’ compensation attorneys at Babcock Tucker.
We can review your situation, explain your rights, and help you pursue the full benefits available under Colorado law.
When can I get workers’ comp after an injury at Coors Brewery in Golden?
Most Coors Brewery employees are covered by Colorado’s workers’ compensation system, including both full-time and part-time employees.
Colorado workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, which means you typically do not have to prove that Coors Brewing Company did anything wrong. Benefits may still be available even if you made a mistake that contributed to the accident.
However, to qualify for benefits, you will need to show that your injury, illness, or occupational disease was caused by your job or work environment.
This is often relatively straightforward when a worker suffers a fracture, burn injury, or head injury in a specific workplace accident. But it can be more challenging when a claim involves hearing loss, repetitive motion injuries, or other conditions that develop gradually over time and may have multiple potential causes.
Please be aware that workers may also qualify for benefits when a pre-existing condition is made worse by their job duties. For example, if repetitive lifting, climbing, or physical labor aggravates an existing back, knee, or shoulder condition, workers may still be eligible for compensation.
What kinds of injuries and illnesses are covered under workers’ comp in Colorado?
Coors Brewery combines manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and industrial operations under one roof. As a result, employees face a variety of workplace hazards that can lead to both sudden injuries and long-term health conditions.
Common examples include:
- Back injuries caused by lifting heavy materials, moving products, and repetitive physical labor
- Shoulder injuries, including torn rotator cuffs and other damage caused by repetitive overhead work, lifting, and production-line tasks
- Amputations and severe hand injuries caused by moving machinery and mechanical equipment
- Brain injuries resulting from falls, falling objects, struck-by accidents, or vehicle collisions
- Spinal cord injuries caused by falls from ladders, elevated work platforms, loading docks, or other elevated surfaces
- Burns from steam systems, boilers, hot liquids, heated equipment, and chemical exposure
- Hearing loss and tinnitus caused by years of exposure to loud machinery, bottling lines, compressors, and production equipment
- Repetitive stress injuries such as tendonitis, chronic joint damage, and carpal tunnel syndrome from performing the same task frequently throughout a shift
- Slip-and-fall injuries, like broken bones and ankle injuries, caused by wet floors, spilled liquids, hoses, and fast-paced production environments
- Crush injuries involving forklifts, pallet jacks, conveyors, bottling equipment, packaging machinery, and other industrial equipment
- Respiratory illnesses linked to cleaning chemicals, sanitizers, grain dust, carbon dioxide exposure, and other airborne contaminants
The key to recovering benefits for any of these conditions is demonstrating that the injury or illness was caused by or significantly aggravated by your work.
Work-Related Injuries from Defective Tools & Equipment in Colorado
Are you seeking compensation for a work-related injury due to faulty tools, poorly maintained machines, or other defective equipment?
What workers’ comp benefits can Coors Brewery workers get after an injury on the job?
Many workers are surprised to learn that workers’ compensation provides more than just medical treatment. Depending on the circumstances, a successful claim may provide several different types of financial and medical benefits, including:
- Medical benefits covering authorized treatment, surgery, hospital care, physical therapy, medications, and other necessary care and supplies
- Temporary disability benefits that typically replace two-thirds of your average weekly wage while you’re unable to work. These wage-loss benefits are not subject to federal or Colorado income tax, so your benefit amount may be similar to your regular take-home pay.
- Mileage reimbursement for approved travel related to medical treatment
- Permanent disability benefits for workers who suffer serious or catastrophic injuries leading to lasting impairments or permanent restrictions
- Disfigurement benefits for significant scarring, burns, or other permanent visible injuries
- Death benefits for eligible family members after a fatal workplace accident or occupational disease
It’s also important to understand that the value of a workers’ compensation claim is not always set in stone.
Issues such as permanent impairment ratings, future medical needs, work restrictions, and settlement terms can significantly affect the amount ultimately recovered. Before accepting a settlement offer, workers should understand whether the proposed amount fairly reflects the value of their claim.
How long do I legally have to file workers’ comp in Colorado after an injury at Coors Brewing Company?
In Colorado, workers generally have up to 2 years from the date of an injury or the discovery of an occupational illness to file a formal claim by submitting form WC-15, “Worker’s Claim for Compensation,” to the Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation.
However, there are other steps you’ll need to take before that to help protect your right to benefits:
- Notify your employer about the injury or illness as soon as possible. Colorado generally requires workers to report their injuries within 10 days.
- Seek medical treatment promptly so your condition is properly documented and can be connected to your work duties.
- Use an employer-authorized medical provider for treatment so it will be covered by workers’ comp.
- Keep records of medical treatment, work restrictions, accident reports, and communications related to the claim.
- Speak with a Colorado workers’ comp attorney if your benefits are delayed, denied, or undervalued.
The sooner an injury is reported and documented, the easier it typically is to establish the connection between your condition and your work at Coors Brewery.
Injured at Coors Brewing Company in Golden? We can help.
When you’re dealing with a workplace injury, it helps to have someone on your side who understands Colorado’s workers’ compensation system as well as the local employers that drive the region’s economy.
At Babcock Tucker, our local Golden work injury attorneys have extensive experience helping injured workers pursue benefits from large companies and their insurance carriers throughout the Denver metro area.
Because we’re part of the local community, we understand the industries, workplaces, and challenges Colorado workers face every day. Whether your claim has been denied, your benefits have been cut off, or you’re simply unsure what your next step should be, we’re here to fight for you.
Contact Babcock Tucker today for a free consultation to learn how we can help protect your rights and pursue the full workers’ compensation benefits available to you.
