J. Kyle Bachus Esq.

Early Passion for Advocacy and a Career Devoted to Plaintiff
Kyle’s drive to advocate began in high school when he was selected to argue before a panel of licensed lawyers sitting as a mock state supreme court. Recognized statewide as one of the strongest presenters of the program, he left that experience knowing he would become a lawyer and that his work would be on behalf of people who needed a voice.

He graduated from the University of Florida College of Law and began work the Monday after graduation in a plaintiff’s personal injury firm. From day one, his career was devoted to representing injured people, never institutions.

In the mid-1990s Kyle moved to Colorado and, in 1996, co-founded Bachus & Schanker, LLC with little more than a partner, determination, and a small, rented office. Over three decades the firm has grown into one of the region’s leading plaintiff injury firms, now with more than 30 lawyers handling serious cases across Colorado and the nation.

Within this firm, Kyle narrowed his own practice to the most serious matters: catastrophic injury and wrongful death.

A Personal Loss That Defined a Professional Mission
Kyle’s commitment to families facing sudden tragedy is also personal. His own mother was killed when she was run over by a concrete mixer truck. That loss gave him an unfiltered understanding of what families endure after a fatal incident: shock, grief, unanswered questions, and financial fear.

Later, he wrote the bestselling book Unthinkable: Real Answers for Families Confronting Catastrophic Injury or Death as both a resource for families and a legacy to his mother. He began writing it within months of her death so that other families facing sudden loss would have clear, practical guidance from someone who had lived through it himself. The book received positive critical attention, including a favorable review from Kirkus Reviews, and was featured by Forbes on its list of recommended “life hack” books for navigating major life crises. Unthinkable is now available in Spanish as well as in audiobook format so it is accessible to as many families as possible.

In his office is a wall filled with photographs of families. Not photographs of Kyle’s own family, but the families he has represented, each photograph including a loved one who was killed and the family they left behind.

Founder of the Firm’s Elite Litigation Group
Kyle created and leads the firm’s Elite Litigation Group—a dedicated team of experienced trial lawyers and in-house victims’ advocates who handle only catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.

His personal practice is concentrated on these matters of the highest stake. The group pairs trial lawyers with victims’ advocates so families receive both first-rate legal representation and continuous human support from inside the firm, meeting families where their needs are.

He was among the first Colorado lawyers to integrate dedicated victims’ advocates directly into civil wrongful death representation.

Helping More Colorado Families Through Wrongful Death Each Year
Kyle Bachus has devoted his practice exclusively to wrongful death and catastrophic injury for years. Each year, he and his Elite Litigation Group at Bachus & Schanker help more Colorado families through wrongful death cases than any other individual plaintiff lawyer in the state.

At any given time, his team is working directly with approximately 25 grieving families, guiding them through the legal, practical, and personal consequences of a fatal loss.

A Holistic Approach to Supporting Families
Kyle and his team take a truly holistic approach to representation.

They pursue the civil wrongful death case aggressively and precisely while also supporting the family as people. Through their Bachus & Schanker victims’ advocates, families receive clear communication, help coordinating resources, and day-to-day support that goes beyond court filings and legal strategy.

The goal is not only legal accountability but helping families navigate everything that follows a sudden death.

Protecting Families in Both Civil and Criminal Courts – Enforcing Colorado’s Victims’ Rights Act
When a death or serious injury also leads to criminal charges, Kyle’s team ensures families are protected in both systems at once.

They enforce families’ rights under Colorado’s constitutional Victims’ Rights Act (VRA) so families are informed, present, and heard throughout the criminal case, while the civil wrongful death action proceeds in parallel.

Victims’ advocates from the firm stand beside families through the criminal process, helping them understand what is happening and ensuring their rights under the Colorado Constitution are protected.

This coordinated civil-and-criminal advocacy is a defining part of the team’s holistic model.

Writing and Changing Colorado Law to Protect Families
The Made Whole Doctrine – C.R.S. § 10-1-135
Kyle authored the legislation that became Colorado’s “made whole” statute, C.R.S. § 10-1-135, and stood with the Governor when it was signed into law.

Before this statute, health insurance companies and disability insurers routinely attempted to take money back out of an injured person’s settlement or verdict to reimburse themselves for medical or disability payments, even when the injured person had not been fully compensated.

The made-whole rule changed that. Under Colorado law, those insurance payers generally cannot take reimbursement from a person’s recovery unless and until the person has first been fully compensated, or “made whole,” for their losses.

This statute protects families from having their recovery reduced by reimbursement claims from health insurers, disability insurers, or similar payers before they themselves have actually been made whole.

Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Law – C.R.S. § 10-4-609
Kyle was also instrumental in drafting and passing amendments to Colorado’s
uninsured/underinsured motorist statute, C.R.S. § 10-4-609, closing loopholes that had allowed insurers to limit or deny the very coverage people bought to protect themselves and their families.

The Colorado Supreme Court Decision in Fisher v. State Farm
As both trial and appellate counsel in Fisher v. State Farm, Kyle obtained a Colorado Supreme Court ruling that insurers cannot withhold undisputed uninsured/underinsured motorist benefits as leverage to force settlement.

When benefits are clearly owed under C.R.S. § 10-4-609, the insurer must pay them.

That protection for Colorado families exists because Kyle fought this case to the state’s highest court.

Teaching and Educating Lawyers Across Colorado
Since 2003, Kyle has co-chaired and taught the annual statewide seminar on subrogation and reimbursement, educating Colorado lawyers on the made-whole doctrine, insurance reimbursement rights, and related wrongful death and injury issues.

He is regularly consulted by other attorneys on the interaction between wrongful death law, insurance reimbursement and subrogation, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and parallel criminal proceedings under the VRA.

Lawyers throughout Colorado refer their most serious death cases to him because of this depth of focused, specialized experience.

Credentials, honors, and professional distinctions
AV Preeminent® rating, Martindale-Hubbell
Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
Colorado Super Lawyers (Personal Injury) – 20 consecutive years
Recognized annually among Colorado’s top plaintiff personal injury lawyers in major peer-review publications
Lawyers of Distinction – Personal Injury Law
Law Leaders – Personal Injury Attorney recognition
Best of the Best Attorneys – Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney
Lawdragon – Top 500 Leading Personal Injury Lawyers in America
The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 – Civil Plaintiff
Author of the bestselling book Unthinkable (also available in Spanish and audiobook)
Co-founder of Bachus & Schanker, LLC (1996)
Founder and leader of the firm’s Elite Litigation Group for wrongful death and catastrophic injury
Co-chair and longtime instructor of Colorado’s annual subrogation and reimbursement seminar (since 2003)
ColoradoBiz Media 2026 Colorado 500 Power List
Plaintiff-Only, Families-Only
Kyle has never once represented an insurance company or a large corporate defendant, not even a single time. He has no desire to do so. His entire career has been devoted to representing people and families, not insurers or billion-dollar corporations.

Every major case, credential, and legal reform associated with his name was earned standing opposite insurance companies and powerful defendants on behalf of injured people and grieving families.

If you are an insurance company or a corporate defendant, he is the lawyer you may face across the aisle.

If you are a member of a family, he is the lawyer who has spent 30 years on your side.

His Life’s Work
Kyle Bachus has spent three decades standing beside families after catastrophic injury or death, supporting them holistically, protecting their rights under Colorado law and the Colorado Constitution, changing the statutes that govern insurance and reimbursement, teaching other lawyers how to handle these cases correctly, and holding insurers and wrongdoers accountable.

He continues to actively represent families in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases today. If your family is facing this kind of loss, you can reach out to speak with him directly. He would be honored to meet with and work alongside families in need of this help.

It is his life’s work.

1992, Florida
1993, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
1994, Colorado and U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Law School: University of Florida, J.D., 1992
College: University of Florida, B.S., 1989

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors, 1999-present

Member, Auto Litigators Committee, 1996-present
Co-Chair, Auto Litigators Committee, 2005-present
Member, Medical Malpractice Committee, 2003-2006
Chair, Lawyers at the Polls Committee, 2003-2005
Member, Insurance Bad Faith Committee, 2003-2004
Member, Product Liability Committee, 2003-2004
Member, Public Relations Committee, 2003-2004
Chair, Seminar Committee, 2001-2002
Colorado Trial Lawyer Outstanding Trial Lawyer, 2001
Chair, Colorado Law Update Seminar, 2001
Co-Chair, Eagle Committee, 2000-2004
Co-Chair, New Lawyers Committee, 1998-2001
American Association for Justice (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America)

Board of Governors, 2004-present
Marketing & Client Service Committee, Vice Chair
Board of Governors, 2004-present
Marketing & Client Service, Vice Chair
National Finance Council, Committee Member
Marketing & Client Service Committee, Committee Member
Public Affairs Committee Member
Leaders Forum Member
Medical Malpractice Section Member
Nursing Home Litigation Section Member
Insurance Bad Faith Section Member
Colorado’s 5280 Magazine’s Super Lawyer, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Top 500 Lawyers All Categories Finalist, 2008
Litigation Counsel of America, Charter Fellow
Public Justice Foundation, Member
National Crime Victim Bar Association, Member
Injury Board, Member
The Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America, Member
Trial Lawyers Care, Inc., Member
Academy of Trial Advocacy, Member.

Membership in the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®, one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States.
Top One Percent by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys in Colorado by America’s Best Advocates.
Extraordinary Attorneys for Personal Injury – 2025 by Law Leaders.
Best of the Best: Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys in Colorado – 2025.
ColoradoBiz Media 2026 Colorado 500 Power List
National Trial Lawyers – Civil Plaintiff – Top 100

Additional recognitions include honors from Super Lawyers, Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs’ Lawyers, 5280 Magazine Top Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell AV ratings, Lead Counsel verification, American Association for Justice leadership, and A+ Better Business Bureau ratings across Colorado. Collectively, our attorneys have recovered over $1.5 billion for injury victims.

Author of ‘Unthinkable: Real Answers for Families Confronting Catastrophic Injury or Death”
With the launch of Unthinkable, Kyle immediately became a Best Selling Author as many others found the tools provided within a much needed resource.

Colorado Bar Association
Denver Bar Association
Florida Bar Association
Florida Justice Association
American Association of Justice

Bachus & Schanker Secures Landmark Colorado Supreme Court Victory in Medical Malpractice Case
Denver, Colorado – On October 20, 2025, Bachus & Schanker affirmed a landmark judgment in Banner Health v. Gresser (23SC959). The ruling secures a full jury award for Chance and Erin Gresser on behalf of their minor daughter, C.G., who suffered severe neurological injuries due to medical negligence during labor and postpartum care.

The jury initially awarded over $27 million in economic damages. While Colorado law generally caps medical malpractice damages at $1 million under the Health Care Availability Act (“HCAA”), the trial court found reasonable cause to exceed the cap and entered judgment for the full award, plus pre- and post-filing interest, an amount now totaling over $50 million.

UNTHINKABLE
REAL ANSWERS FOR FAMILIES CONFRONTING CATASTROPHIC INJURY OR DEATH
by J. Kyle Bachus ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 9, 2022

A well-written and thoughtful guide to managing a challenging process.

A debut manual focuses on coping with the aftermath of the negligent death or injury of a loved one.

Bachus combines personal and professional experiences in dealing with catastrophic injury and death to present a step-by-step guide to handling the legal, medical, financial, and emotional effects. The author is a personal injury attorney with more than two decades of experience representing victims and families in civil litigation, and he is also the son of a woman killed by a negligent driver. The book discusses the potential criminal and civil charges that may be brought, the rights and responsibilities of victims and their families, and the possible outcomes. Bachus explains autopsies, advance directives, estates and probate, and insurance. The volume’s final chapters address the emotional aspects of coping with death and injury, including grief, healing, and advocacy. Appendices provide information on each state’s relevant laws and offer templates for contacting police, prosecutors, and other officials. The manual is concise and informative, and the author does an excellent job of balancing the narrative between cut-and-dried facts and the nuances of his own experiences. (For instance, the discussion of the role of victims and families in the criminal justice system is punctuated by Bachus’ account of the driver who killed his mother being subject only to a minor fine because a box was left unchecked on the initial traffic citation.) Although it is clear that the author loved and still mourns his mother, the book’s overall tone is lawyerly and dispassionate rather than emotional. This allows the work to serve as a comprehensive resource rather than a call to arms, ensuring that victims and families are aware of their rights—not only in the courtroom, but also concerning communication, information, and reimbursements—and how to exercise them. The volume handles complex legal topics at an appropriate level that balances detail and readability (and emphasizes the importance of understanding how each state’s laws differ), making it useful to readers without a legal background.

A well-written and thoughtful guide to managing a challenging process.
Pub Date: Jan. 9, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5445-2795-6

Page Count: 248

Publisher: Lioncrest Publishing

Review Posted Online: April 13, 2022

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:
EDUCATION | GENERAL NONFICTION

$50 Million
Medical Malpractice

$38 Million
Hospital Negligence

$15 Million
Wrongful Death

$5.5 Million
Pedestrian Accident

$3.75 Million
Auto Accident Death

$21 Million
Defective Product

$14 Million
Car Crash

$4.7 Million
Truck Accident

$3 Million
Slip and Fall

$20 Million
Car Crash

$11.5 Million
Auto Accident

$4.6 Million
Slip and Fall

$2.1 Million
Auto Accident

$15 Million
Car Crash

$7 Million
Auto Accident

$3.75 Million
Insurance Bad Faith

$1.8 Million
Slip and Fall

Author of ‘Unthinkable: Real Answers for Families Confronting Catastrophic Injury or Death”

Bachus & Schanker Cares Foundation

Founded in 2009, the Bachus & Schanker Cares Foundation is committed to supporting our community and those affected by life changing tragedies.

We’ve contributed to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Kenzi’s Causes, Habitat for Humanity, Light the Night Walk, A Walk To Remember, and the Wall-Bop Golf Tournament.

The Bachus & Schanker Cares Foundation Supports these non-profits:
3HOPEFUL HEARTS
ALAMEDA INTERNATIONAL SR HIGH SCHOOL
ALMOST HOME INC
AMERICAN HEROES IN ACTION
AZTECA BOXING CLUB
BRANDON AND PAUL FOUNDATION
CANINE PARTNERS OF THE ROCKIES
CHILDSAFE COLORADO INC
CLOTHES TO KIDS OF DENVER
COLORADO COALITION AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT
DENVER CHILDRENS FOUNDATION
DENVER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
FORT COLLINS HIGH SCHOOL DIAMOND BASEBALL BOOSTERS
FORT COLLINS HS GRIDIRON BOOSTERS
FOSSIL RIDGE HS BOYS BASKETBALL BOOSTER
GATEWAY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES
GEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
HOPE ANIMAL – ASSISTED CRISIS RESPONSE
HOPE FOR HOOVES RESCUE AND ADOPTION
ILLUMINATE COLORADO, INC
JAMLAC
KARIS COMMUNITY
KENZI’S CAUSES
KRISTI VISOCKY MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
LAFAYETTE WARRIOR RUGBY CLUB
LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER OF COLORADO
MADD COLORADO
MARTYRED ANGELS FOUNDATION
NEUABILITY
PI SIGMA FOUNDATION
PINNACOL FOUNDATION
RALSTON HOUSE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER
SPECIAL OLYMPICS COLORADO
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION OF COLORADO
TEE IT UP FOR VETERANS, LLC
THE CENTER FOR FAMILY OUTREACH
THE FUNK FOUNDATION
THE LIMB PRESERVATION FOUNDATION
THE MATTHEWS HOUSE