Bachus & Schanker, Personal Injury Lawyers | Denver Office

Kyle Bachus

Kyle has also been recognized as an AV-rated attorney and “pre-eminent lawyer”, the highest rating assigned to individual attorneys by Martindale Hubbell, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious attorney rating service. Its ratings are assigned according to peer review and attest to a lawyer’s legal ability and professional ethics. According to Martindale Hubbell, an AV peer review rating is a certification that marks a significant accomplishment given by a lawyer’s peers ranking him or her at the highest level of professional excellence. From Kyle’s interview for the Masters of Personal Injury series on ReelLawyers.com. Kyle Bachus won his first argument in front of the state supreme court when he was only 17 years old. As a junior in high school, Kyle attended a Florida state legislation day for Florida high school students. As part of the day’s activities, he was selected to argue a predetermined topic in front of a panel of licensed lawyers sitting on a mock supreme court. He was provided with appropriate documentation, and tasked with researching and preparing his argument. Selected as one of the best presenters of the day statewide, he was both surprised and inspired. Once he decided on a career in law, there was no stopping him. The determination his opponents see in the courtroom today was nurtured in college, where he dedicated himself to excelling. Once he graduated with his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law, he began work the Monday after graduation in a plaintiff’s personal injury law firm, a natural fit for a man who had always identified with the underdog. Kyle moved to Colorado in 1994 and joined a Denver personal injury law firm. Two years later, Kyle and fellow lawyer Darin Schanker opened Bachus & Schanker, LLC with little more than a tiny, rented office and a lot of determination. Starting with less than $15,000, their business has grown into one of the largest, most well respected personal injury firms in the region. The partners are committed to understanding the circumstances confronting their clients, and ensuring that responsible parties are held accountable for damages they have caused.

Education: Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law

Services: Personal Injury Lawsuits , Wrongful Death Lawsuits , Sexual Assault Lawsuits

Darin Schanker

When Darin L. Schanker started his career as a trial attorney three decades ago, he had a very specific vision in mind. As a Colorado native, he knew that his knowledge and abilities had a purpose; to protect the community from those with profit-driven motives and vast resources. Now a nationally respected trial attorney, Darin has dedicated his professional life to growing Bachus & Schanker, LLC, with that vision in mind. NATIONAL TRIAL EXPERIENCE Professionally, Mr. Schanker is first and foremost a trial lawyer. His practice is nationwide, and he has tried as lead counsel many different types of injury cases in both federal and state courts all over the country. He has litigated and tried cases from Alaska to Florida; New York to California; and dozens of states in between, with a focus in his home state of Colorado. Such trials have included defective medical devices, pharma cases, medical malpractice, civil sex assault, negligent security, as well as injuries from car crashes. Darin has had the good fortune to achieve some nice results for worthy clients as lead trial counsel; these include the largest medical malpractice jury verdict ever in Colorado history, and the largest compensatory defective hip jury verdict ever in the country. EXPERT IN COLORADO LAW In addition to traditional personal injury litigation, Mr. Schanker also specializes in collective action and mass tort litigation. He has participated in nationally recognized complex litigation involving dangerous drugs and products. Some of these include: Biomet Hip Implants, Pinnacle Hip Implants, ASR Hip Implants, Taxotere, Hernia Mesh and IVC Filters. Mr. Schanker a the past president of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association (CTLA). In 2003, Darin Schanker was named the Outstanding Trial Attorney for the State of Colorado by the CTLA. Founded in 1953, the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association is the state’s largest specialty bar association and is comprised of Colorado attorneys who are committed to the protection and advancement of individual rights and the advancement of trial advocacy skills, high ethical standards and professionalism in the ongoing effort to preserve and improve the American system of jurisprudence.

Services: Personal Injury Lawyer , Wrongful Death Lawyer , Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

J. Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott is the managing attorney over the Mass Torts Department at Bachus & Schanker, LLC. Chris’s passion started when he pursued Law rather than Business. His first interaction with Bachus & Schanker, LLC was as a legal intern, when he provided pro-bono services through the Trial Lawyers Care Program in 2002. He helped represent first responders injured in the line of duty during the 9/11 attacks in New York. Chris worked on a case involving a firefighter, who sustained career-ending injuries that prevented him from supporting his family. He worked diligently with Bachus & Schanker, LLC’s legal team to win a multimillion-dollar settlement for the victim and his family. Chris and the team stay in touch with the client, whose New York City firefighter helmet is proudly displayed in the firm’s Wynkoop office. After graduating from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 2004, Chris worked as an Assistant State Attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit in Naples, FL. As a prosecutor, Mr. Elliott was lead counsel on a number of cases taken to trial. His experience prosecuting DUI cases has led to his dedication in helping victims of Drunk Driving obtain compensation for their injuries. In 2009, he formally joined Bachus & Schanker, LLC as an attorney. While he finds every case and every story to be different, his goal remains the same: to even the playing field for his clients so that justice can be served. By 2013, Chris has been named equity partner. Today, Mr. Elliott spends his time litigating both personal injury and mass tort pharmaceutical and medical device cases. While all cases are important to Chris, some have become personal victories. In November 2013, a woman approached him in great need of representation for her 15-year-old son who suffered injuries due to a poorly assembled zip line. The boy’s mother was in desperate need of covering medical expenses as the at fault party’s insurance company’s compensation was nowhere near what was needed. Chris knew the insurance company was not being forthright in compensating the young man’s injuries and decided to help. He ended up winning the case, and the young man and his family found closure and moved on with their lives. In 2014, the Denver Business Journal selected Chris as one of the Top 40 under 40 professionals for his business success and community contributions. He received similar recognition being named Top 100 Trial Lawyers from the National Trial Lawyers Association. Additionally, the American Society of Legal Advocates named Chris as one of its “top 100 litigation lawyers” in Colorado. Chris serves on the Bachus & Schanker, LLC Cares Foundation board, and donates his time and funds to support groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Dolls for Daughters and many other organizations the foundation supports.

Education: City University School of Law, J.D. 2004 , University of Florida, B.A. in History, 2001

Maaren Johnson

Bachus & Schanker, LLC Associate Attorney Maaren Johnson focuses her practice on personal injury and is one of our law firm’s Colorado Car Accident attorneys. She believes it is her responsibility to advocate on behalf of victims who have been injured through no fault of their own. Clients can rely on Ms. Johnson’s compassion and attention to detail to navigate the legal system after their Car Accident or personal injury accident. Ms. Johnson was raised in Seattle, Washington and Telluride, Colorado. She has always had a passion for research and writing and has been diligent in seeking opportunities to use her gifts to help others. She is an active volunteer in the community and is a member of the board for the Bachus & Schanker, LLC Cares Foundation. Ms. Johnson completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She earned her law degree from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, IL. While attending law school, Ms. Johnson worked as a law clerk for a Medical Malpractice and personal injury firm. She also had the opportunity to extern with a judge on the Cook County Circuit Court. Ms. Johnson is a member of the Colorado Bar Association and the Illinois Bar Association. Ms. Johnson is licensed to practice law in both Colorado and Illinois. After several years in Chicago, Ms. Johnson is happy to be back in the beautiful state of Colorado. When Ms. Johnson is not working for her clients, she can be found skiing and hiking in the mountains or enjoying a good book.

Education: University of Colorado, B.A., 2004 , John Marshall Law School, J.D., 2008

Services: Personal Injury Law

Dustin Bergman

Dustin Bergman knows a thing or two about fortitude and what it takes to fight for justice for his clients. Before law school, he hiked 1,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail and worked for his uncle’s logging company in northern Minnesota. These experiences and attending the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College helped him gain a caring mindset to represent and obtain justice for individuals and make his community a better place. Dustin came to Bachus & Schanker, LLC to learn from the best, be part of the state’s largest personal injury firm and to continue to grow and push the envelope in personal injury law. Previously, he practiced and gained critical trial experience with three other Denver firms, two as a shareholder, after moving to Colorado. Dustin holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he worked as a machinist in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering prototype machine shop. He received his juris doctor from the Appalachian School of Law, where he was a merit scholar, won numerous awards and became a national moot court champion. While in school, he volunteered many hours coaching an elementary school’s Lego robotics team. Dustin is a member of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, Colorado Bar Association, Trial Lawyers College and is licensed to practice in Colorado. When he is not serving his clients, he regularly gets out to fish, hike and partake in the many outdoor sports that Colorado has to offer.

Education: Georgia Institute of Technology, B.S., 2005 , Appalachian School of Law, J.D., 2009

Services: Personal Injury Lawyer , Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

Clayton Skeen

Clayton completed his undergraduate studies in Finance at Texas Tech University, receiving an award as the highest ranking graduate in his class. Following undergrad, Clayton pursued his legal education at Michigan State University College of Law. While in law school, Clayton was a member of the Student Bar Association, the Tax Law Society and Business Law Society, and served as the Business Editor of the Journal of Animal & Natural Resource Law. Prior to his time with Bachus & Schanker, LLC, Clayton’s experience includes negotiating with the Internal Revenue Service and creating structured settlements; working with estates, trusts, and wills; and working on federal compliance issues. Clayton came to Bachus & Schanker, LLC in April of 2016 to broaden his experience and continue helping people. Clayton is dedicated to helping those hurt at the hands of others, and has helped hundreds of clients reach satisfactory results in both pre-litigation and litigation stages. Clayton is invested in each of his cases, and will fight aggressively for the benefit and rights of his clients. In his spare time, Clayton enjoys all of the great outdoor activities that Colorado has to offer.

Education: Texas Tech University, Summa Cum Laude , Michigan State University College of Law, Magna Cum Laude

Services: Personal Injury Lawyer , Catastrophic Injury Attorney

Corey Holton

Corey Holton is a trial lawyer who is passionate about helping his clients achieve justice through the civil jury system. Corey grew up in Memphis, Tennessee where he spent summers working in his uncle’s law office. It was through these experiences that Corey realized that his passion was helping people take on insurance companies and big corporations ensuring that they were treated fairly. Corey earned his bachelor’s degree from Regis University in Denver. While at Regis, Corey interned for the Colorado Public Defender’s Denver Trial Office, which further reinforced his desire to practice law. After graduating from Regis, Corey moved to Washington State where he attended Gonzaga University School of Law. Corey’s studies in law school were focused on trial advocacy. Before college, and shortly after getting his driver’s license, Corey obtained his FAA pilot’s license. He has flown airplanes across the country. Outside of the office, Corey enjoys fly fishing, mountain biking, and Gonzaga basketball.

Education: Regis University , Gonzaga University School of Law

Certifications: Personal Injury Lawyer , Catastrophic Injury Lawyer