
What is Serious Bodily Injury?
Serious Bodily Injury is defined in Colorado statute as “bodily injury which, either at the time of the actual injury or at a later time, involved a substantial risk of death, a substantial risk of serious permanent disfigurement, a substantial risk of protracted loss or impairment of the function of any part or organ of the body, or breaks, fractures, or burns of the second or third degree.”
When there are accusations that Serious Bodily Injury occurred, we often turn to people in the medical profession, such as doctors, surgeons, dentists, or nurses to testify. They analyze the evidence in a Sexual Assault case and often testify in support of our defense. How, you might ask? Let's look at an example of how an expert witness can be the difference between a conviction and freedom:
[pullquote align=”center” textalign=”center” width=”60%”]Juries love expert witnesses, much like we all love good, old-fashioned superheroes.[/pullquote]How Expert Witnesses Save the Day
Let's say a Denver County man has been accused of rape involving Serious Bodily Injury by an angry, revengeful ex-girlfriend. She has bruises and a fractured rib to prove her story. We contact a well-respected doctor to examine the x-rays, and he discovers the fractures occurred before the time when the alleged sexual assault took place. The expert witness' professional opinion validates our defense to the jury. Juries love expert witnesses, much like we all love good, old-fashioned superheroes. This is because doctors, nurses, and other expert witnesses are professionals with years of study and experience. It is difficult to doubt the professional opinion of a well-respected physician. Because the District Attorney couldn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt the sexual assault and Serious Bodily Injury occurred, our client is free. The super witness saved the day and kept an innocent man from going to prison.
Why You Need an Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney
We have a network of medical professionals and other expert witnesses we often work with in criminal cases in Jefferson, Larimer, and Adams County. They can be expensive to retain, but when their involvement means the difference between freedom and prison, a price cannot be put on their knowledge. The criminal defense lawyers at our office have over 20 years of experience working with expert witnesses and creating a strong defense for our clients. Don't stand alone in front of a judge. Work with a strong team who can fight on your behalf.
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