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Aurora, Colorado highway interchange. CGH Injury Lawyers represents victims of drunk-driver crashes in Aurora.
Aurora, Colorado

Aurora DUI Accident Lawyers Who Make the Drunk Driver Pay

A drunk driver hit you on I-225, Colfax, or E-470. You are dealing with injuries, medical bills, and an insurer looking for any reason to minimize your claim. CGH Injury Lawyers serves Aurora from our Denver office. No fee unless we win.

No fee unless we win
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It's More Than Money.

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Serving Aurora from our Denver Office CGH Injury Lawyers 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201 Denver, CO 80205 (303) 209-9395 Se habla espanol
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  • A drunk driver who caused your crash is negligent as a matter of Colorado law. The standard motor vehicle deadline applies: three years from the crash date to file suit (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)).
  • If a bar, restaurant, or licensed liquor vendor overserved the driver, a second claim under Colorado's Dram Shop Act (C.R.S. 44-3-801) may exist against that vendor, but that claim has a strict one-year deadline from the date of service.
  • Colorado's modified comparative fault rule means you can still recover even if you were partly at fault, as long as you were less than 50 percent responsible (C.R.S. 13-21-111).

Aurora is Colorado's third-largest city, home to 395,052 residents and some of the Front Range's most crash-prone corridors, including I-225 and East Colfax Avenue. When a drunk driver hits you here, two potential sources of liability are on the table: the driver and, in many cases, the vendor who overserved them. CGH Injury Lawyers serves Aurora victims from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St. We investigate both claims from day one, and you pay nothing unless we recover for you.

Who we represent

Aurora residents seriously hurt by a drunk driver

DUI crashes in Aurora are not fender-benders. The combination of highway speeds on I-225 and I-70, high-traffic surface streets like Colfax and Parker Road, and impaired reaction times produces some of the most severe injuries we see. We represent people dealing with these injuries after a drunk-driver crash in Aurora or Arapahoe County.

Injury types we see

  • Traumatic brain injury and concussion
  • Spinal cord injury and disc injuries
  • Broken bones and fractures
  • Internal bleeding and organ damage
  • Soft-tissue injuries and whiplash
  • Wrongful death of a family member

Who the claim can reach

  • The impaired driver and their liability insurer
  • A bar, restaurant, or licensed vendor that overserved the driver (dram shop claim, C.R.S. 44-3-801)
  • Your own UM/UIM coverage when the drunk driver is uninsured or underinsured
  • A vehicle owner whose car was loaned to the impaired driver
The law that governs your Aurora DUI case

Colorado law decoded for Aurora DUI accident victims

Two bodies of law govern most Aurora DUI injury cases. One is the standard motor vehicle negligence framework. The other is the Dram Shop Act, which can extend liability to the vendor who put the drunk driver back on the road. Knowing both is how you recover everything that is available.

Motor vehicle negligence: the foundation of your claim

A driver who gets behind the wheel while intoxicated has violated the duty of care owed to every other person on the road. That is negligence. To recover, your claim establishes four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. A DUI arrest or conviction is powerful evidence of breach, but it is not a requirement. We build the civil claim independently of the criminal case.

  • Filing deadline: three years from the crash date under C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n). This deadline applies to tort actions for bodily injury or property damage arising out of the use or operation of a motor vehicle.
  • Comparative fault: Colorado follows modified comparative negligence under C.R.S. 13-21-111. You can recover if your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and your award is reduced by your percentage. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. Insurance adjusters frequently try to inflate the victim's fault percentage to cut payouts.
  • Punitive damages: Colorado allows exemplary damages when the defendant acted with willful and wanton disregard for others (C.R.S. 13-21-102). Driving drunk is the kind of conduct that supports a punitive damages claim. The amount generally cannot exceed the actual damages awarded.

Colorado's Dram Shop Act: the second defendant

If a licensed bar, restaurant, or liquor vendor in Aurora willfully and knowingly served the drunk driver when that person was visibly intoxicated, or served them when they were under 21, the vendor may share liability for your injuries under C.R.S. 44-3-801.

  • The dram shop claim has a strict one-year deadline written directly into the statute: the lawsuit must be filed within one year after the alcohol was sold or served (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(a)(II)). This deadline is far shorter than the three-year motor vehicle deadline, and missing it forfeits the claim entirely.
  • The statute caps total dram shop liability at a statutory amount adjusted for inflation every two years by the Colorado Secretary of State. For claims accruing on or after January 1, 2026 and before January 1, 2028, that cap is $465,730, as certified under C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(c).
  • The dram shop claim runs alongside the driver's liability claim. Identifying a dram shop defendant early, before evidence disappears, is one of the most time-sensitive parts of a DUI injury case.
Aurora roads. Aurora courts. Aurora trauma care.

Local knowledge that shapes your DUI claim in Aurora

A DUI crash case in Aurora is shaped by local geography, the courts that hear it, and the trauma facilities that documented your injuries. Here is the ground we work on.

Aurora Crash Corridors

I-225, Colfax, Iliff, and E-470

Aurora's road network generates serious crash exposure. Interstate 225 is one of Aurora's most dangerous corridors. East Colfax Avenue (US-40) ranks among the highest accident-rate roads in the Denver metro, with more than seven documented deaths in a three-year period. Iliff Avenue between I-225 and Chambers Road recorded 57 crashes in a single year. The E-470 toll beltway moves high-speed traffic through Aurora from I-25 north to I-25 south. Interstate 70 crosses the city's northern edge, adding freight and commuter volume. Buckley Space Force Base and Denver International Airport generate sustained traffic on the eastern corridors. Our attorneys know which corridors produce which crash patterns and what that means for your evidence.

Trauma Care

UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and HCA HealthONE Aurora

UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital at the Anschutz Medical Campus is a CDPHE-designated and ACS-verified Level I Trauma Center, the highest designation available. Victims of the most severe DUI crashes in Aurora are often transported there. Children's Hospital Colorado on the Anschutz campus is a Level I Regional Pediatric Trauma Center. HCA HealthONE Aurora (Medical Center of Aurora) operates as a Level II Trauma Center for adults. The trauma records created at these facilities document the initial injury severity and become the foundation of your damages claim.

Where Your Case Is Filed

18th Judicial District, Arapahoe County Justice Center

Most Aurora DUI injury cases fall within the 18th Judicial District. The primary civil courthouse for Arapahoe County is the Arapahoe County Justice Center at 7325 S. Potomac Street, Centennial, CO 80112. A second courthouse serves the district at 1790 W. Littleton Blvd., Littleton, CO 80120. Aurora also has portions of its territory in Adams and Douglas counties, so the correct venue depends on exactly where the crash happened. Knowing the right courthouse, the local rules, and the defense firms that operate there affects how a case is prepared and how insurers respond to a demand.

Why CGH

Why Aurora DUI accident victims choose CGH Injury Lawyers

Serving Aurora from our Denver office, trial-ready attorneys, bilingual staff, and no fee unless we win. We do not take DUI injury cases we cannot honestly stand behind. If the facts do not support a dram shop claim, we will tell you in the free consultation rather than sign you up and let the case stall.

Dual Claim Strategy

Driver plus the bar.

We investigate the dram shop angle from day one. That one-year deadline under C.R.S. 44-3-801 closes fast. Evidence of overservice disappears even faster.

Denver Office, Aurora Coverage

Not a referral service.

We serve Aurora from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201. Your attorney handles the case directly. No handoff to a local associate you have never met.

Punitive Damages

Drunk driving is willful and wanton.

Colorado allows exemplary damages when conduct is willful and wanton (C.R.S. 13-21-102). We plead punitives when the facts support it.

ABOTA Trial Advocate

25+ cases tried to verdict.

Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Timothy G. Tarr has been recognized by Best Lawyers every year since 2023. Insurers who refuse to be fair know we will take them to the 18th Judicial District.

Honest Case Assessment

We say no when no is the right answer.

We turned away three Aurora DUI cases in the past year where the dram shop evidence did not exist and the driver had no meaningful insurance. We told each of those clients the truth in the free review instead of taking their case and running out the clock. When we do take your case, it is because we believe in it.

Bilingual

Hablamos espanol.

Spanish-speaking staff serve Aurora's large Spanish-speaking community. Every step of the case is explained in your language.

No Win, No Fee

Contingency only.

You pay nothing for legal fees out of pocket. We advance costs and collect only from a settlement or verdict in your favor.

After the crash

What to do after a DUI accident in Aurora

The hours after an Aurora DUI crash are the most important for your health and your claim. These steps protect both.

  1. Get to safety and call 911

    A police report is essential in a DUI crash. Officers document impairment signs, conduct field sobriety tests, and may arrest the driver. That report becomes critical evidence in your civil claim. Do not leave the scene before a report is made.

  2. Go to the hospital or emergency room

    UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital on the Anschutz Medical Campus is Aurora's Level I Trauma Center. Even if you feel functional at the scene, adrenaline masks injuries. Traumatic brain injury and internal bleeding can appear hours later. Get examined and keep every record.

  3. Document the scene and the driver

    Photograph both vehicles, the road surface, any skid marks, and visible injuries. Note the time, weather, lighting, and any signs of impairment you observed. Get the driver's license, insurance card, and vehicle registration. Identify any witnesses before they leave.

  4. Identify where the driver was drinking

    If you know or can find out where the driver consumed alcohol before the crash, write it down immediately. A bar or restaurant that overserved a visibly intoxicated patron may face liability under C.R.S. 44-3-801. That claim has a one-year deadline, and the vendor's records, security footage, and employee memories deteriorate quickly.

  5. Do not give a recorded statement to any insurer

    The drunk driver's insurer will contact you quickly. Anything you say becomes part of the claim record and can be used to minimize your recovery. Do not agree to a recorded statement or sign any release without attorney review. Call (303) 209-9395 first.

  6. Contact CGH Injury Lawyers

    The three-year motor vehicle deadline (C.R.S. 13-80-101) sounds long, but the one-year dram shop deadline does not. Evidence preservation starts now. A free case review costs you nothing.

Compensation

What compensation can you recover after an Aurora DUI crash?

Colorado law lets you recover two broad categories of damages, plus punitive damages when a drunk driver's conduct qualifies. In a DUI case, the cap structure matters for both the main negligence claim and a potential dram shop claim.

Economic damages (never capped)

  • Emergency care and hospitalization at UCHealth, HCA HealthONE Aurora, or other facilities
  • Surgery, rehabilitation, and physical therapy
  • Future medical care and life-care expenses
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity
  • Vehicle repair or replacement
  • Out-of-pocket expenses tied to the crash

Non-economic damages

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress and PTSD
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium for a spouse or family member

Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering are capped under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5. For claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025, the cap is $1.5 million flat, with inflation adjustments starting in 2028. Economic damages are never capped. Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is also not subject to the cap. Punitive damages require proof that the drunk driver acted with willful and wanton disregard for others (C.R.S. 13-21-102), and generally cannot exceed the actual damages awarded. DUI crashes are the most common fact pattern where courts find that standard met.

For a dram shop claim against an Aurora bar or restaurant, the total liability is capped at a statutory amount adjusted by the Colorado Secretary of State: $465,730 for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2026 and before January 1, 2028, under C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(c). This cap applies to the vendor's total liability in the action, separate from the driver's personal liability. Pursuing both defendants is how you reach the full picture of available recovery.

Common defenses

Defenses Aurora drunk drivers and insurers raise, and how we answer them

Even when a driver is charged or convicted, their insurer and any dram shop defendant will contest the civil case aggressively. Here are the defenses we encounter most often in Aurora DUI cases, and what the law actually says about them.

  1. "You were partly at fault too"

    Colorado's modified comparative fault rule under C.R.S. 13-21-111 means insurers try to assign fault to the victim to reduce the payout. You can recover as long as you are less than 50 percent at fault, but your award is reduced by your share. If the insurer says you were speeding or ran a yellow light, we gather the evidence to counter that assessment before the claim is resolved.

  2. "The driver was not visibly intoxicated when served" (dram shop defense)

    The Dram Shop Act under C.R.S. 44-3-801 requires showing the vendor willfully and knowingly served a visibly intoxicated person. Vendors immediately claim their staff saw no obvious impairment. We seek surveillance footage, staff records, receipts showing total drinks consumed, witness statements from other patrons, and the driver's blood alcohol results from the crash to build the overservice case.

  3. "You had a pre-existing condition"

    Insurers often argue that your injuries existed before the crash. Colorado's eggshell plaintiff doctrine means the drunk driver takes you as they find you: if the crash aggravated a pre-existing condition, you are still entitled to recover for that aggravation. We work with your treating physicians and, when needed, independent medical experts to separate pre-crash baseline from crash-caused harm.

  4. "The dram shop claim is time-barred"

    The one-year dram shop deadline in C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(a)(II) runs from the date of service, not the date you discovered the vendor's identity. Vendors and their insurers will raise any delay as grounds to dismiss. We open the investigation immediately on every DUI case so the one-year window does not close on a viable claim.

Insurance and coverage

How insurance works in an Aurora DUI accident case

Drunk drivers are often uninsured, underinsured, or their insurer tries to deny the claim. Understanding the coverage landscape before you talk to any adjuster is essential.

  • Colorado is not a no-fault state. You pursue your claim against the at-fault drunk driver's liability insurer, not your own carrier.
  • If the drunk driver has no insurance or has policy limits that fall short of your damages, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) becomes your primary financial source. UM/UIM claims in Colorado are subject to C.R.S. 13-80-107.5 under Pham v. State Farm, 2013 CO 17. We handle both the third-party and UM/UIM claims in parallel so no coverage is overlooked.
  • A dram shop defendant carries commercial general liability or liquor liability insurance separate from the driver's auto policy. Those are two separate pots of money, each governed by different policy terms and deadlines. We identify and pursue both.
  • Do not accept a quick settlement offer from any insurer before you know the full scope of your injuries. Settling before you reach maximum medical improvement typically leaves money on the table. We evaluate any offer against your documented damages before we advise you.
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Questions

Aurora DUI accident: frequently asked questions

How long do I have to sue the drunk driver who hit me in Aurora?

Three years from the date of the crash under C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n). That deadline covers tort actions for bodily injury or property damage arising out of the use or operation of a motor vehicle. However, if you also have a dram shop claim against a bar or restaurant that overserved the driver, that claim carries a separate one-year deadline from the date of service (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(a)(II)). The dram shop clock starts running on the date the alcohol was sold or served, not the day you hire an attorney (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(a)(II)). Do not wait.

Can I sue the bar or restaurant that served the drunk driver?

Possibly yes. Colorado's Dram Shop Act (C.R.S. 44-3-801) allows a civil claim against a licensed vendor that willfully and knowingly served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person, or to a person under 21, who then caused your injuries. The claim is separate from the case against the driver and requires its own evidence. Liability under that statute is capped at a statutory amount adjusted for inflation: $465,730 for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2026 and before January 1, 2028, as certified by the Colorado Secretary of State. The lawsuit must be filed within one year after the sale or service of alcohol.

Where are Aurora DUI injury cases filed?

Most Aurora DUI injury cases are filed in the 18th Judicial District. The primary civil courthouse for Arapahoe County is the Arapahoe County Justice Center at 7325 S. Potomac Street, Centennial, CO 80112. Aurora also has territory in Adams and Douglas counties, so the correct venue depends on where the crash occurred. We confirm the proper filing court as part of opening every case.

What if the drunk driver who hit me had no insurance?

If you carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, you may file a claim with your own carrier. Colorado UM/UIM claims are governed by C.R.S. 13-80-107.5 under Pham v. State Farm, 2013 CO 17. We also investigate whether the driver had a vehicle owner separate from the driver, whether a dram shop claim exists, and whether any other defendant contributed to your injuries. Uninsured drunk drivers are unfortunately common, and our job is to identify every available source of recovery.

Does the drunk driver's criminal case affect my civil claim?

A criminal conviction can strengthen your civil case, but you do not need a conviction to win a civil claim. The civil standard of proof is a preponderance of the evidence, which is lower than the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard in criminal court. A DUI arrest, blood alcohol test results, and officer observations are all usable in your civil case regardless of how the criminal matter resolves. We build the civil claim independently from day one rather than waiting for a criminal outcome.

Can I recover punitive damages from the drunk driver?

Possibly. Colorado law allows exemplary (punitive) damages when the defendant acted with willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others (C.R.S. 13-21-102). Driving drunk is the type of conduct Colorado courts have found to meet that standard. Punitive damages generally cannot exceed the amount of actual damages awarded. We evaluate the facts of your specific crash to determine whether a punitive claim is warranted and provable.

What if I was partly at fault for the Aurora crash?

You can still recover under Colorado's modified comparative fault rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111) as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent. Your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. Insurance adjusters in drunk driver cases frequently try to assign partial fault to the victim to reduce the payout. We challenge those fault assessments with evidence, not assumptions.

How does CGH serve Aurora if your office is in Denver?

We serve Aurora from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. Denver to Aurora is a short drive on I-225 or Colfax. We handle every step remotely when that is easier for you, and we come to you when the situation calls for it. There is no Aurora office and we will not pretend there is. What we do have is a trial team that files cases in the 18th Judicial District and knows the courts that hear Aurora matters. Call (303) 209-9395 to start.

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CGH Injury Lawyers · 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205 · Serving Aurora and Arapahoe County