Jim is recognized by his peers, clients, and adversaries for the hard-hitting representation he delivers. Jim does not simply represent his clients—he fights for them with a singular focus and determination to achieve justice for their wrongs. Jim is an honored member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. As a nationally recognized trial lawyer, Jim is a frequent invited speaker throughout the United States, lecturing widely on legal and scientific issues related to medical malpractice and personal injury, scientific and evidentiary issues at trial, and trial tactics. Jim is a faculty member with the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, and has been invited to speak at the University of Colorado School of Medicine as well as insurance and defense industry seminars as a plaintiff malpractice representative.
Jim is well-versed in all manners of personal injury law and medical malpractice, but has a specific emphasis on birth injury cases, representing babies and children who suffer serious injuries resulting in cerebral palsy. Jim is a past co-chair of the American Association of Justice’s Birth Trauma Litigation Group, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the AAJ Birth Trauma Litigation Group.
As a third-generation Colorado native, Jim is a devoted skier, outdoor enthusiast, cyclist, and, of course, proud orange-wearing fan of the Denver Broncos. Jim’s dedication to his clients is surpassed only by his love for and dedication to his wife and two amazing children with whom he enjoys all that the state of Colorado and world has to offer.
Jim Puga’s Awards
America’s Top 100 Attorneys - Lifetime Achievement
Best Lawyers in America, Medical Malpractice, 2007-Present
Best Lawyers in America, Personal Injury, 2012-Present
Colorado Super Lawyers®, 2007-Present
5280 Magazine, Top Lawyers in Denver, Colorado, 2008-Present
AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell for over 15 years
The Lawyers of Distinction - Personal Injury Lawyers Top 10% in Nation
Admitted, United States Supreme Court
Briefed numerous cases to the Colorado Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Colorado Supreme Court
Argued before the Colorado Supreme Court
Appellate decisions in the state of Colorado, the Federal District Court for the District of Colorado and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals
Denver Kids, Inc.’s Friend of the Year
Martindale-Hubbell Top Rated Lawyers
National Association of Distinguished Counsel – Nation’s Top 1% Attorney
Jim Puga’s Memberships
American Board of Trial Advocates
CTLA (Colorado Trial Lawyers Association)
- CTLA Board of Directors
- CTLA Lobby Council
- CTLA Executive Council
- Lecturer for the State of Colorado to attorneys at continuing legal education seminars, sponsored by the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association in medical malpractice and trial advocacy
Colorado Hispanic Bar Association
The Melvin M. Belli Society
Faculty member with the National Institute of Trial Advocacy instructing in the area of trial skills
CBA (Colorado Bar Association)
DBA (Denver Bar Association)
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
AAJ (American Association for Justice, formerly American Trial Lawyers Association)
- AAJ Leaders Forum
- AAJ Birth Trauma Litigation Group
- AAJ Birth Trauma Litigation Group Board of Directors
- AAJ Birth Trauma Litigation Group Co-Chair
- Co-editor of the AAJ Birth Trauma Litigation Newsletter
- AAJ Medical Negligence Information Exchange Group
- Lecturer at the American Association of Justice’s annual convention on medical malpractice and scientific evidentiary issues in medical malpractice
Lecturer at the Western Trial Lawyers Association on matters of medical malpractice and scientific evidentiary issues in medical malpractice
Jim Puga’s Published Cases
- Pressey v. Children’s Hosp. Colo., 2017 COA 28
- Ferrer v. Okbamicael, 2017 CO 14M
- Ortiz v. United States, 786 F.3d 817 (10th Cir. 2015)
- Estate of Ford v. Eicher, 250 P.3d 262; 2011 Colo. LEXIS 233, March 21, 2011 (No. 09SC229)
- Rudnick v. Ferguson, 179 P.3d 26; 2007 Colo. App. LEXIS 194, February 8, 2007 (No. 05CA0077)
- Hartmann v. Nordin, 147 P.3d 43, Colo. November 13, 2006 (No. 06SA51)
- Weaver v. Blake, 454 F.3d 1087; 2006 U.S. App. LEXIS 17278, July 11, 2006 (No. 03-1398, 031439)
- Visser ex rel. Eder v. Mahan, 111 P.3d 575, Colo. App., March 24, 2005 (No. 04CA1361)
- Bradley v. Val-Mejias, 379 F. 3d 892; 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 15324; 59 Fed. R. Serv. 3d (Callagahan) 146, July 23, 2004 (No. 02-3421)
- Donelson v. Fritz, 70 P.3d 539, Colo. App. November 21, 2002 (No. 01CA0777)
- Midwest Mut. Ins. Co. v. Roland, 971 P.2d 295, 98 CJ C.A.R. 4626, Colo. App. September 3, 1998 (No. 97CA0523)
- Rosenthal v. Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc., 82 F.3d 426, 1996 U.S. App. LEXIS 21731
- Andrikopoulos v. Minnelusa Co., 911 P.2d 663, Colo. App., July 13, 1995 (No. 94CA0280, 94CA01232)
- Burlington Northern R. Co. v. Hood, 802 P.ed 458, Colo, December 10, 1990 (No. 89SC394)
Jim Puga’s Community Involvement
- Youth baseball and lacrosse coach
- Tutor for disadvantaged students
- Denver Kids, Inc.
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Jim Puga’s Practice Areas