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CGH Injury Lawyers represents bicycle accident victims across Boulder, Colorado.
Boulder, Colorado

When a Driver Hits You on a Boulder Bike, We Shift the Fault Back to the Driver

If a car struck you while you were cycling in Boulder, Colorado law was almost certainly on your side, even if an adjuster told you the crash was your fault. We serve Boulder from our Denver office and use the Safety Stop law and the 3-foot passing rule to recover every dollar your injury is worth. No fee unless we win.

No fee unless we win
Call (303) 209-9395 Get my free bicycle case review

It's More Than Money.

Get my free bicycle case review

100% confidential. No fee unless we win.

Serving Boulder 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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  • Under Colorado's Safety Stop law (C.R.S. 42-4-1412.5), Boulder cyclists may treat a stop sign as a yield sign and may proceed through a red light after stopping when it is safe. Doing so is following the law, not breaking it.
  • Drivers must give you at least three feet of clearance when passing (C.R.S. 42-4-1003). A violation is direct evidence of negligence in a crash case.
  • Colorado uses modified comparative fault. You can recover damages as long as you are less than 50 percent at fault (C.R.S. 13-21-111), and your own UM/UIM auto coverage may apply even though you were on a bike.

Boulder is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country, with protected lanes, the Boulder Creek Path, and thousands of CU Boulder students riding daily. It is also where insurers move fast to blame the rider. CGH Injury Lawyers serves Boulder from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., a straight shot down U.S. 36. Our attorneys serve on the CDOT Vulnerable Road User Safety Task Force, and we use the Safety Stop law, the 3-foot rule, and the e-bike statutes to shift fault back onto the driver and prepare your case for the 20th Judicial District in Boulder County when an insurer refuses to be fair. You pay nothing unless we recover for you.

The law that governs your case

The Colorado Safety Stop law, C.R.S. 42-4-1412.5, decoded for Boulder

Colorado's most misunderstood cycling law is the Safety Stop (C.R.S. 42-4-1412.5), sometimes called the Idaho Stop. It changes how bicycles interact with stop signs and red lights, and it is one of the strongest tools we have for defeating a bad-faith fault claim against a Boulder rider.

At stop signs

  • You may treat a stop sign as a yield sign.
  • You must slow down and check for traffic.
  • You must yield to vehicles and pedestrians with the right of way.
  • You are not required to come to a full foot-down stop when the intersection is clear.

At red lights

  • You must come to a complete stop.
  • After stopping, yield to all cross-traffic and pedestrians.
  • You may then proceed if it is safe to do so.
  • This addresses stale red lights that do not detect bicycles.

Why this matters in a Boulder crash case

Insurance adjusters often claim a cyclist ran a stop sign or blew a red light to shift fault after a collision. The Safety Stop law is your shield. If you slowed, checked for traffic, and yielded at a stop sign, you were complying with Colorado law. Our attorneys reconstruct the scene, obtain witness statements, and prove you used the discretion the statute grants. That work is critical under Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule, where being found 50 percent or more at fault bars any recovery.

The Safety Stop is not a free pass. Entering an intersection without slowing or checking is still reckless, still illegal, and can be used against you in a liability claim. Knowing where the line sits is exactly what separates a strong claim from a denied one.

Rights and duties

Rules of the road: cyclist rights and driver duties in Boulder

Colorado law gives cyclists the same rights as motor vehicles under Title 42, and it places specific duties on drivers to protect vulnerable road users. These rules decide who broke a legal duty when a crash happens in Boulder.

  1. The 3-foot passing rule (C.R.S. 42-4-1003)

    Drivers must leave at least three feet of clearance when passing a cyclist. If the lane is too narrow to do that while staying in the lane, the driver must change lanes or wait. A violation is direct evidence of negligence, and we use dashcam footage, witnesses, and accident reconstruction to prove it. This rule matters most on Boulder corridors like 28th Street and Canyon Boulevard, where a tight pass leaves a rider no room.

  2. Taking the lane

    Cyclists may occupy the center of a traffic lane when conditions make it the safe choice. Drivers who honk, tailgate, or try to squeeze past a cyclist who is legally in the lane may be liable for harassment or endangerment.

  3. Riding two abreast

    Colorado law permits cyclists to ride side by side unless it impedes the normal and reasonable movement of traffic. On wide roads and group rides through Boulder County, riding two abreast is legal and often safer, because it shortens the distance a driver must cover to pass.

  4. Required equipment

    Bicycles ridden between sunset and sunrise must have a front light and a rear reflector. Failure to use lights can reduce your recovery in a nighttime crash, though it rarely eliminates a driver's liability on its own.

E-bikes

E-bike laws in Boulder: Class 1, 2, and 3 explained

Electric bicycles are regulated separately from traditional bikes in Colorado. The state recognizes three classes based on motor assistance and top assisted speed, and where each class is allowed to ride affects a Boulder injury claim.

Class 1

Pedal-assist only. The motor helps while you pedal and stops assisting at 20 mph. Class 1 e-bikes are the most widely permitted, including on many trails.

Class 2

Throttle-assisted. The motor can move the bike without pedaling and stops assisting at 20 mph. Many trails restrict Class 2 e-bikes.

Class 3

Pedal-assist up to a higher 28 mph top assisted speed. Class 3 e-bikes face the most trail restrictions and are usually limited to roads and bike lanes.

Many Colorado trails, including sections of the Boulder Creek Path, restrict Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes. Riding a non-compliant e-bike on a restricted trail can bring fines and can complicate liability if you collide with a pedestrian or another cyclist. Local trail rules in Boulder are not identical statewide, so confirm the rule for the specific path where you ride.

If a car hits you while you ride an e-bike on a public road, your e-bike class generally does not affect your right to recover damages, as long as you were riding lawfully. If you were on a Class 3 e-bike on a trail that bans them, an insurer may argue you were trespassing or acting recklessly. We know how to answer that argument.

Local Knowledge

Boulder bike corridors. Boulder trauma care. Boulder County courts.

A Boulder bicycle case lives in Boulder: the corridors where these crashes happen, the agency that takes the report, the hospital that treated you, and the courthouse where your case may be filed. Here is the ground we work on.

High-Risk Corridors

28th Street and the Boulder Creek Path

28th Street carries U.S. 36 through Boulder, and its intersection with Arapahoe Avenue is among the city's highest-crash locations. The 28th Street and Canyon Boulevard intersection ranks among the most dangerous as well, and cyclists on the canyon corridor and at the Boulder Creek Path crossings ride with minimal buffer from vehicle traffic. State highways like Colorado 7, the Arapahoe Avenue extension, and Colorado 119, the Diagonal Highway to Longmont, add high-speed risk near the CU Boulder campus and the Pearl Street Mall.

Reporting

Boulder Police Department

The Boulder Police Department responds to crashes within city limits, while Colorado State Patrol handles crashes on U.S. 36 outside the city limits and on the CO-119 corridor. A police report creates an official record of the crash scene, so keep the report number and the responding officer's name. Boulder County tracks fatal and serious crashes through its Vision Zero program, with cyclist strikes among the leading factors.

Trauma Care

Foothills Hospital

After a serious Boulder bicycle crash, severely injured patients are often treated at Foothills Hospital, part of Boulder Community Health at 4747 Arapahoe Avenue, the first verified Level II Trauma Center in Boulder County. Those medical records document the full scope of your injuries, including head trauma, fractures, and internal injuries, and become the backbone of your damages claim.

Courthouse

Boulder County Combined Court

Personal injury cases that arise in Boulder County are filed in the Boulder County Combined Court, the 20th Judicial District, at 1777 6th St. in Boulder near the Pearl Street Mall, with an alternate location in Longmont at 1035 Kimbark St. Boulder civil procedure differs from Denver and the suburban courts, and the judges and opposing counsel either know your firm or they don't. We handle Boulder County cases directly.

Why CGH

Why Boulder cyclists choose CGH Injury Lawyers

Trial-ready attorneys, a seat on the state's vulnerable road user task force, bilingual help, and no fee unless we win. We do not publish bicycle settlement figures, because every injury is different and a number on a page tells you nothing about your case. What we offer is the work, not a headline.

The Statutes

Safety Stop and the 3-foot rule

We use C.R.S. 42-4-1412.5 and C.R.S. 42-4-1003 to show you rode lawfully and the driver did not. The statute is the lever that moves the fault.

Boulder, From Denver

A short drive down U.S. 36.

We serve Boulder from our office at 2701 Lawrence St. in Denver, a straight run on the Denver-Boulder Turnpike. You work directly with the attorney handling your case, not a call center.

Task Force

We help write the rules.

Our attorneys serve on the CDOT Vulnerable Road User Safety Task Force, working to improve cyclist protections in Colorado.

Partly At Fault

A mistake is not the end.

Under the modified comparative rule in C.R.S. 13-21-111, a careless driver can still owe you most of your damages.

Trial-Ready

Prepared for the 20th Judicial District.

Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has tried over 25 cases to verdict. When attorneys are genuinely ready to try a case in Boulder County, insurers respond differently to a demand.

Bilingual

Hablamos espanol.

Spanish-speaking staff and attorneys serve Boulder's Spanish-speaking community.

No Win, No Fee

Contingency only.

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

One honest thing we will tell you up front: we do not take bicycle cases we cannot honestly stand behind. If the facts and the evidence genuinely put you at 50 percent or more at fault under C.R.S. 13-21-111, we will say so in the free review rather than sign you up and let the case stall. When the law is on your side, we fight hard. When it is not, you deserve to hear that early, for free.

After the Crash

What to do after a bicycle accident in Boulder

The minutes and hours after a crash can make or break your case. Take care of your health first, report the crash, protect the evidence, then call before you talk to the insurer. Here is the path we walk with you.

  1. Call 911 and report

    Request both police and medical help. The Boulder Police Department responds within city limits, and Colorado State Patrol handles U.S. 36 outside the city and the CO-119 corridor. A Colorado Traffic Crash Report is critical evidence. Even if you feel fine, adrenaline can mask serious injuries.

  2. Do not negotiate or apologize

    Do not discuss fault with the driver or their insurer. Statements like "I'm sorry" or "I didn't see the car" can be twisted and used against you later.

  3. Preserve evidence

    Photograph the scene, your bike, your injuries, and the vehicle. Collect witness names and contacts. Keep your damaged helmet and gear; do not repair or discard it.

  4. Seek medical attention

    Foothills Hospital on Arapahoe Avenue treats serious trauma in Boulder. Delayed symptoms such as concussions, internal bleeding, and soft-tissue injuries are common. See a doctor within 24 to 48 hours even if you feel okay.

  5. Call before insurance does

    The driver's insurer may call quickly. Do not give a recorded statement or accept any offer before speaking with us. Call (303) 209-9395.

  6. Negotiate or litigate

    Most cases settle. When insurers refuse a fair offer, we file in the Boulder County Combined Court and try your case.

Compensation

What compensation can you recover after a Boulder bicycle accident?

A bicycle crash is rarely just a medical bill. Colorado law lets injured cyclists recover two broad categories of damages: economic losses you can document with bills and records, and non-economic losses for the human cost of a serious injury.

Economic damages

  • Emergency care, surgery, and follow-up treatment
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity
  • Future medical and rehabilitation costs
  • Property damage to your bike and gear
  • Out-of-pocket expenses tied to the crash

Non-economic damages

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress, anxiety, and PTSD
  • Permanent scarring and disfigurement
  • Loss of enjoyment of life, including cycling

Your own auto coverage may pay (UM/UIM)

Many cyclists do not know this: your own auto insurance policy may cover you while you ride your bike. If an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you, your uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage can pay for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. That matters most in hit-and-run cases and when the at-fault driver carries minimal limits. We help clients identify every available source, including homeowner's and umbrella policies, to reach a full recovery. When a bicycle crash takes a life, surviving family members can pursue a wrongful death claim under Colorado law.

Insurer defenses

Defenses insurers use against Boulder cyclists, and how we answer them

Insurers reach for the same handful of arguments to cut a cyclist's recovery. Knowing what each one actually requires under Colorado law is how we keep a valid claim alive.

  1. "You ran the stop sign"

    This is the defense insurers reach for first, and it usually ignores the Safety Stop law. Under C.R.S. 42-4-1412.5, a cyclist may treat a stop sign as a yield sign and proceed when the intersection is clear. If you slowed, checked, and yielded, you were following the law. We reconstruct the scene and gather witness statements to prove you used the discretion the statute grants.

  2. "You were not wearing a helmet"

    Colorado does not require adults to wear helmets while cycling, and going without one is not automatic negligence. An insurer may argue that not wearing a helmet added to your injuries, a theory called failure to mitigate damages. It can reduce recovery under the comparative negligence rule, but it does not bar your claim. We work with medical experts to show that a helmet would not have prevented harm the driver caused, such as spinal injuries, broken bones, or internal trauma.

  3. "The police report blames you"

    An officer arriving after the fact often makes a preliminary fault call from limited information. A police report is not the final word. We challenge an incorrect one with the 3-foot rule, dashcam and traffic camera footage, independent witnesses, and accident reconstruction that recreates the collision from physics, vehicle damage, and road conditions.

Winning a bicycle case takes more than pointing to a statute. It takes evidence that shows what happened and who broke their legal duty. We move fast because some of that evidence disappears within weeks. We request traffic camera footage immediately, interview independent witnesses while memories are fresh, and use accident reconstruction to show the driver had the time and the distance to give you three feet and stop.

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Who pays

Insurance coverage for Boulder bicycle accidents

Many cyclists are surprised that more than one policy may cover their injuries, not just the at-fault driver's policy. Finding every source is often the difference between a partial recovery and a full one.

  • The at-fault driver's liability coverage is the primary source. Colorado requires drivers to carry minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person for bodily injury, and a driver with higher limits gives you more to recover against.
  • Your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can apply even though you were on a bike. It adds compensation when the at-fault driver has no insurance, too little insurance, or flees the scene.
  • Health insurance and any MedPay coverage on an auto policy can pay early medical bills. Health insurers often hold subrogation rights, and we negotiate those liens so you keep more of your recovery.

Insurance companies, including your own, are businesses built to minimize payouts. Before you give a recorded statement, sign a medical authorization, or accept a fast settlement, talk to an attorney who can handle those conversations for you.

Questions

Boulder bicycle accident, frequently asked questions

Does the Safety Stop law mean I can blow through a Boulder stop sign?

No. Under C.R.S. 42-4-1412.5, you may treat a stop sign as a yield sign, which means you must still slow down, check for traffic, and yield to anyone with the right of way before proceeding. At a red light you must come to a complete stop first. Entering an intersection without slowing or checking is still illegal and can be used against you. Following the Safety Stop correctly is one of our strongest tools when an insurer claims you ran the sign.

A driver passed too close and hit me on 28th Street. Is that automatically their fault?

It is strong evidence of fault. Colorado's 3-foot passing rule (C.R.S. 42-4-1003) requires drivers to leave at least three feet of clearance when passing a cyclist. A violation is direct evidence of negligence in a civil injury case. On busy multi-lane corridors like 28th Street and Canyon Boulevard, a tight pass leaves a rider no room. We use dashcam footage, witnesses, and accident reconstruction to prove the driver came too close.

Can I still recover if I was not wearing a helmet?

Yes. Colorado does not require adults to wear helmets while cycling, and going without one is not automatic negligence. An insurer may argue that not wearing a helmet added to your injuries, which can reduce recovery under the comparative negligence rule, but it does not bar your claim. We use medical experts to show the driver's negligence caused the harm, including injuries a helmet would not have prevented.

Can my own car insurance cover a Boulder bicycle crash?

Often, yes. If you carry uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, it may pay your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering when an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you, even though you were on a bike. This matters most in hit-and-run cases and when the at-fault driver has minimal limits. Check your policy declarations page or contact your insurer to confirm your limits.

What if I was partly at fault for the crash?

Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111). You can recover damages as long as you are less than 50 percent at fault, and your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. Adjusters often inflate a cyclist's fault to cut payouts, and we use the Safety Stop law and the 3-foot rule to challenge that and push fault back onto the driver.

Where is a Boulder bicycle accident lawsuit filed?

Personal injury cases that arise in Boulder County are filed in the Boulder County Combined Court, the 20th Judicial District, at 1777 6th St. in Boulder near the Pearl Street Mall, with an alternate location in Longmont at 1035 Kimbark St. Most bicycle claims settle before a lawsuit is filed, but where a case would be filed affects the local rules, the jury pool, and which adjusters and defense firms you face. We handle Boulder County cases directly.

Are e-bikes treated differently after a Boulder crash?

Colorado recognizes three e-bike classes based on motor assistance and top assisted speed. If a car hits you while you ride an e-bike lawfully on a public road, your class generally does not affect your right to recover damages. The picture gets more complicated if you were on a Class 2 or Class 3 e-bike on a trail that restricts it, such as parts of the Boulder Creek Path, because an insurer may argue you were riding where you should not have been. We know how to answer that argument.

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A driver hit you on your bike in Boulder. We handle the fight.

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CGH Injury Lawyers · Serving Boulder from 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205