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Golden, Jefferson County

Golden Sexual Assault Civil Lawyers for Survivors

A civil claim gives survivors of sexual assault and abuse in Golden and Jefferson County a way to seek compensation and hold negligent institutions accountable, on a track completely separate from any criminal prosecution. Most of these claims can be filed at any time under Colorado law, and reaching out costs nothing and obligates you to nothing.

No fee unless we win.

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Reaching out is confidential and free

There is no obligation when you reach out, and the first conversation itself creates no public record.

  • Confidentiality protected by Colorado’s rules of professional conduct, from the first conversation
  • Trauma-informed, bilingual team (English and Spanish)
  • Free, no-obligation first conversation, by phone, online, or in person

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ABOTA trial advocate on the team

Confidential, trauma-informed

No fee unless we win

The content on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always consult a licensed attorney for advice specific to your situation.

A confidential conversation, on your terms

If someone hurt you through sexual assault or sexual misconduct, deciding whether to talk to a lawyer can feel like one more decision you didn’t ask to make. At CGH Injury Lawyers, that first conversation is free and confidential, and Colorado’s rules of professional conduct require attorneys to protect a prospective client’s confidentiality even before any decision is made about formal representation. You control the pace, and nothing about reaching out obligates you to file anything.

We serve survivors in Golden and throughout Jefferson County from our Denver office, and we travel to meet clients where it’s easiest for them. Consultations are available by phone, online, or in person, in English and Spanish. Se habla español.

Get My Free Case Review Call (720) 669-8062

Justice beyond the criminal courts

Criminal case

Brought by the state. Whether to pursue criminal charges against the person who assaulted you is a decision made by the District Attorney’s office. It is not a decision you or your attorney control.

Civil case

Brought by the survivor. A civil case is one that you can choose to bring yourself, against the person who assaulted you and, in the situations described below, against an institution that enabled it to happen. It does not put anyone in prison, but it can hold the responsible parties financially accountable, on your own facts and your own timeline.

You may be able to pursue a civil claim whether or not a criminal case was ever filed, and whether or not it resulted in a conviction. The two proceedings run on separate tracks, with different standards of proof.

Criminal case Civil case
Who decides to pursue it The District Attorney’s office You, as the survivor
What’s at stake Potential imprisonment for the offender Financial compensation for you
Standard of proof Beyond a reasonable doubt Preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not)
Who it can be brought against The individual accused The individual, and in some cases an institution

Why a civil claim matters for Golden survivors

A criminal case, if one happens at all, is about the state’s interest in punishing a crime. A civil case is about you: your medical bills, your therapy, your lost income, and holding accountable everyone who let it happen. For survivors in Golden and Jefferson County, that often means looking beyond the individual to the school, employer, care facility, or organization that may share responsibility.

Colorado time limits

How much time do you have to file a civil sexual assault claim in Colorado?

Most Colorado injury claims come with a filing deadline. Under Colorado law, most personal injury claims that don’t involve a motor vehicle generally must be filed within two years, and motor vehicle claims within three. Survivors of sexual assault and sexual misconduct generally don’t face that clock.

Colorado removed the filing deadline for most of these claims

As of a January 2022 change to Colorado law, civil claims based on sexual assault or sexual misconduct may generally be filed at any time, with no statute of limitations applying. That change applies to claims arising on or after January 1, 2022, and also reaches back to cover earlier claims that had not already expired under the prior deadline as of that date.

That means it is not automatically “too late” to have a confidential conversation about what happened to you, whether it happened last month or many years ago. If you’re not sure whether a deadline has already passed in your specific situation, that’s exactly what a confidential conversation can find out. You don’t have to work that out on your own first.

Institutional accountability

Who can be held responsible beyond the individual abuser?

When sexual assault happens inside an institution, such as a school, a church, a care facility, a workplace, or a youth program, the person who assaulted you is often not the only party that bears responsibility. Colorado law recognizes several theories under which an institution itself can be held civilly liable, depending on the facts.

Institutions commonly held accountable in Jefferson County and statewide

Negligent hiring

The institution failed to properly screen or vet someone before placing them in a position of trust or authority.

Negligent supervision

The institution failed to reasonably supervise someone once concerns existed or should have existed.

Negligent retention

The institution kept someone in a position after it knew, or should have known, about a risk they posed.

Vicarious liability

The institution may be responsible for an employee’s or agent’s conduct committed within the scope of their role.

Colorado law also allows a direct negligence claim against an employer for its own hiring, supervision, or retention decisions, in addition to a vicarious-liability claim, even where the employer acknowledges it could be vicariously responsible for the employee’s conduct. Whether any of these theories applies to a specific situation depends entirely on the facts: what the institution knew, when it knew it, and what it did or didn’t do in response.

Golden, Jefferson County

Golden: the courthouse where civil claims are filed, and the institutions that may bear responsibility

We serve Jefferson County from our Denver office and travel to you, the same way we serve clients across the Denver metro. Civil cases connected to Golden and Jefferson County are generally handled through the Jefferson Combined Court, part of Colorado’s 1st Judicial District, on Jefferson County Parkway.

Survivors in the Golden area often first receive medical care at one of the community’s nearby trauma-designated hospitals: St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, a Level I trauma center, or Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, a Level III trauma center. Medical records from a visit like this can become important evidence later, even if you are not ready to talk to a lawyer yet.

Getting to and from Golden

We travel throughout the Golden area, including along the I-70 mountain corridor, US-6 (6th Avenue), and State Highway 93, to meet clients where it’s easiest for them.

Your privacy and safety

How we protect your privacy from the first conversation through trial

  • Your first conversation with us is free, and Colorado’s rules of professional conduct require us to keep it confidential, whether or not you ever decide to move forward.
  • In appropriate cases, Colorado courts may allow certain filings additional privacy protections, depending on the specific case and the presiding judge. Your attorney can discuss this with you directly.
  • We take a trauma-informed approach to every conversation. You decide what you’re ready to share, and when.

Compensation

What compensation can a civil sexual assault claim recover in Colorado?

Economic damages

  • Costs such as therapy and counseling, medical treatment, and lost income.

Non-economic damages

  • Compensation for pain, suffering, and the emotional impact of what happened.

How Colorado damage rules apply to sexual assault civil claims

As Colorado law currently stands, the cap on non-economic damages, compensation for pain, suffering, and similar losses, depends on when the assault occurred. Assaults on or after January 1, 2025 fall under a $1.5 million cap. Earlier assaults fall under a lower, inflation-adjusted cap that varies by date. Because Colorado has eliminated the filing deadline for civil sexual assault claims, we handle cases from years and decades ago, and we’ll tell you plainly which cap applies to yours. Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is not limited by this cap, no matter when the assault happened. Economic damages, such as medical bills, therapy, and lost income, are not limited by this particular cap, though other Colorado laws can separately limit certain types of claims, including claims against government entities.

What damages may be available in your specific case, and in what amount, depends entirely on the facts of your case and Colorado law. Reputable attorneys do not quote averages, and we won’t quote you one before we know your situation.

How it works

How CGH handles a civil sexual assault case for Golden survivors

  1. A confidential conversation

    We listen, and you decide what you want to share.

  2. Investigation

    We look into the facts, including any institutional history that may be relevant.

  3. Filing

    If you decide to move forward, we file your civil claim.

  4. Discovery and negotiation

    We build your case and pursue accountability, including with any institution or insurer involved.

  5. Resolution

    Through settlement or, if it comes to it, trial.

No fee unless we win. Your free consultation comes with no obligation to move forward.

Your team

The team handling your Golden sexual assault civil case

CGH Injury Lawyers was built on a simple idea: it’s more than money. We don’t just win cases, we lift people up.

As Colorado trial lawyers who prepare every case to be tried, not just settled, our attorneys include Managing Partner Kevin Cheney, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) with more than 25 cases tried, and Associate Timothy G. Tarr, recognized by Best Lawyers since 2023. As one client, Judy B., wrote in a review of the firm: “I felt I was accepted into their family.”

Client results may vary. Testimonials reflect individual experiences and do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Frequently asked questions

Golden sexual assault civil claims, frequently asked questions

Is there a deadline to file a civil sexual assault claim in Colorado?

Generally, no. Since a 2022 change to Colorado law, most civil sexual assault and sexual misconduct claims can be filed at any time, including many from before 2022 that had not already expired. Other injury claims still carry deadlines, so a confidential conversation is the fastest way to know where you stand.

Can I sue an institution as well as the person who assaulted me?

In some cases, yes. If an institution such as a school, employer, church, or care facility knew or should have known about a risk and failed to act, it may bear its own civil responsibility under theories like negligent hiring, supervision, or retention. Whether that applies depends on the specific facts.

What does it cost to hire a sexual assault attorney?

Your first consultation is free, with no obligation to move forward. CGH works on a contingency fee, which means there is no fee unless we win your case. You do not pay anything up front, and the consultation itself costs nothing whether or not you decide to file.

Will my case become public?

Civil court filings are generally part of the public record, though in appropriate cases, courts may allow certain privacy protections. This is very fact- and case-specific, and it’s a conversation we have directly with each client rather than something we can generalize here.

Does CGH have an office in Golden?

No. CGH Injury Lawyers is based in Denver and serves Golden and Jefferson County survivors entirely from that office, traveling to meet clients wherever that is easier for them. Consultations are available by phone, online, or in person, in both English and Spanish, with no local office required.

Other injury cases we handle in Golden

It’s More Than Money.

When you are ready, we are here. On your terms.

We don’t just win cases, we lift people up. As Colorado trial lawyers who prepare every case to be tried, not just settled, we treat every survivor’s case as more than a claim number.

Get My Free Case Review
Call (720) 669-8062

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Cheney Galluzzi & Howard, LLC, d/b/a CGH Injury Lawyers. Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case turns on its own facts, injuries, and available insurance coverage. This site is for general information and is not legal advice. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.