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Westminster, Colorado. CGH Injury Lawyers represents burn injury victims in Westminster, Adams County, and Jefferson County.
Westminster, Adams and Jefferson Counties, Colorado

Westminster Burn Injury Lawyers Who Build Claims Around Your Future Care

A serious burn in Westminster can mean surgery, skin grafts, scar therapy, and months away from work, with care that may continue for years. An early insurance offer is unlikely to reflect that full picture. CGH Injury Lawyers documents those long-term costs in a Life Care Plan and pursues every responsible party. We serve Westminster, Adams County, and Jefferson County from our Denver office. No fee unless we win.

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Serving Westminster from our Denver Office CGH Injury Lawyers 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201 Denver, CO 80205 (303) 209-9395 Se habla español
5-star rated on Google ABOTA trial advocate on the team Life Care Plans for burn cases No fee unless we win
What you need to know first
  • The degree and location of a burn substantially affect the medical cost and the value of a claim. A third-degree burn requiring grafting is a different case, medically and legally, than a first-degree burn that heals without surgery. We work from your actual medical records, not an estimate.
  • Colorado caps non-economic damages, compensation for pain, suffering, and similar losses, at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025, under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5. Claims that accrued earlier fall under a lower cap set by earlier law. Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement, which includes permanent scarring, is not subject to this cap.
  • Colorado's filing deadline depends on how the burn happened. Most personal injury lawsuits, including premises liability claims, must generally be filed within two years of the injury, under C.R.S. 13-80-102. A burn caused by a motor vehicle crash generally carries a longer, three-year deadline under C.R.S. 13-80-101. Claims against a manufacturer for a defective product carry their own two-year deadline. Claims against a government entity carry a separate, much shorter notice requirement. Because the right deadline depends on who is responsible and how the burn happened, we confirm your specific timeline before anything is filed.
Who we represent

Westminster burn survivors and their families

Burn injuries in Westminster happen in rental housing, at work, in traffic, and when products fail. Each of those situations can point to a different party who may be responsible, and Colorado law gives you a way to pursue each one.

Apartment and rental fire victims

Nearly four in ten occupied homes in Westminster are rented, according to Census Bureau estimates for 2020 to 2024. If a landlord ignored failing wiring, left a hazardous water heater in place, or did not provide a smoke alarm required by the local fire or building code, a tenant who is burned may be able to bring a claim under Colorado's Premises Liability Act (C.R.S. 13-21-115). The landlord's responsibility can depend on how much control it kept over the unit or the area where the fire began.

Workplace and industrial burn workers

Workers' compensation generally pays for medical care after a workplace burn and replaces part of your wages within set limits. It leaves out pain and suffering, though it can provide a limited benefit for serious scarring. If a contractor, an equipment manufacturer, or a property owner other than your employer caused the burn, a separate third-party claim may let you pursue the losses workers' compensation does not reach.

Vehicle crash burn injuries

A collision on US 36, Federal Boulevard, or Wadsworth Parkway can cause burns through a fuel fire, an electrical fire, or contact with hot vehicle parts. When a negligent driver caused the crash, the burn becomes part of the injury claim against that driver, and a lawsuit over a motor vehicle crash generally must be filed within three years.

Defective product burn victims

A defective space heater, lithium-ion battery, gas appliance, or piece of industrial equipment can cause a serious burn. Under Colorado's strict product liability rules, you generally do not have to prove that the manufacturer was careless. The claim usually depends on showing that a defect made the product unreasonably dangerous and that the defect caused your burn. These claims generally carry a two-year filing deadline.

The law that governs your case

How Colorado law applies to a Westminster burn injury claim

A Westminster burn claim usually involves four areas of Colorado law. Deciding which of them fit your situation is one of the first steps in shaping the case.

Premises liability: C.R.S. 13-21-115

Colorado's Premises Liability Act ties the duty a landowner owes to why a person was on the property. Colorado courts have treated paying customers, and tenants in common areas, as invitees, the category owed the highest duty of care: reasonable care against dangers the landowner knew about or should have known about. When the hazard is inside a rental, the landlord's responsibility often depends on how much control it kept, such as repair duties and the right to enter.

  • Scalds from a water heater a landlord installed or was responsible for maintaining
  • Rental fires involving a smoke alarm that was missing or disabled
  • Burns caused by outdated or neglected electrical systems

Comparative negligence: C.R.S. 13-21-111

Colorado allows recovery in a negligence or premises liability case when your share of fault is under 50 percent, with your award reduced by that share. If a Westminster landlord ignored a broken smoke alarm and a pan was left on the stove, fault may be split, and you may still recover part of your damages. In a defective product case, your share of fault generally reduces the award without barring it. Insurers may try to raise your share of fault, and the evidence is how that gets tested.

Non-economic damages cap: C.R.S. 13-21-102.5

For personal injury claims that arose on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado caps pain, suffering, and other non-economic damages at $1.5 million, with inflation adjustments scheduled to begin in 2028. The cap does not limit compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(5)), and economic losses such as medical bills, lost wages, and Life Care Plan costs are not subject to it. Claims against government entities, medical negligence claims, and wrongful death claims follow separate limits. In a serious burn case, the categories outside the cap can make up much of the recovery, which is why a detailed Life Care Plan matters.

The filing deadline in Colorado

Colorado generally requires a burn injury lawsuit to be filed within two years (C.R.S. 13-80-102(1)(a)), and that period usually starts when you knew, or reasonably should have known, about the injury and its cause (C.R.S. 13-80-108(1)). A lawsuit against the driver after a motor vehicle crash generally has three years (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). A product claim against a manufacturer generally has two years (C.R.S. 13-80-106). If a government entity may be responsible, written notice is generally required within 182 days after the injury is discovered (C.R.S. 24-10-109(1)). Children can have extra time, depending on their age and whether a court has appointed a guardian or conservator. A missed deadline can end the claim, so confirm yours with an attorney.

Local knowledge

Westminster burn cases: nearby trauma care, two county courthouses, and US 36

Westminster spans Adams and Jefferson counties, and a burn case here depends on local facts: the hospital that treated you, which courthouse may hear a lawsuit, and the roads where a crash can start a fire. Here is the ground we work on.

Trauma Care

St. Anthony North Hospital, Level III Trauma Center

St. Anthony North Hospital, at 14300 Orchard Parkway, is a Level III trauma center on Colorado's list of designated trauma facilities, and HCA HealthONE Mountain Ridge in Thornton is a Level II trauma center on the same list. Severe burns can be treated at a burn center verified by the American Burn Association, such as UCHealth's Burn and Frostbite Center in Aurora or HCA HealthONE Swedish in Englewood. What each treating facility records becomes the base of your damages claim.

Courthouse

Adams County District Court or Jefferson Combined Court

Westminster sits in two counties: about 70,500 of its residents live in Adams County and about 45,700 in Jefferson County, according to Census Bureau estimates for July 2025. A personal injury lawsuit above the county court limit is commonly filed in Adams County District Court at 1100 Judicial Center Dr., Brighton, CO 80601 (17th Judicial District), or at Jefferson Combined Court, 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80401 (1st Judicial District), depending on factors such as where the injury happened and where the parties are located. CGH handles cases in both courts.

High-Risk Roads

US 36, Federal Boulevard, and Wadsworth Parkway

US 36 runs through Westminster, with express lanes that begin at Federal Boulevard, and Federal Boulevard is US 287. The Colorado Department of Transportation operates the traffic signals on Wadsworth Parkway, 120th Avenue, and Federal Boulevard in the city. Westminster's Transportation and Mobility Plan reported about 7,900 traffic crashes and 22 traffic deaths on the city's streets and highways from 2015 to 2017. A collision on these corridors can start a fuel or electrical fire, and identifying every negligent party is part of building your claim.

Local Hazards

Fireworks limits, open burning rules, and fire department care

Westminster has an estimated 116,182 residents, according to the Census Bureau's July 2025 figures. The Westminster Fire Department responds to more than 17,000 calls a year and provides fire response, advanced life support emergency care, and ambulance transport. The City states that fireworks that explode or fly through the air are illegal in Westminster and statewide, and when no added fire restrictions are in effect, permissible fireworks may be used only from midnight on July 3 to noon on July 5. Open burning of wood piles, vegetation, and yard waste is not permitted in the city.

Why CGH

Why Westminster burn survivors choose CGH Injury Lawyers

We do not publish burn injury settlement figures. What a burn claim may be worth depends on the burn's depth and size, where it appears on the body, your age and occupation, and how fault is divided, so a figure from another case tells you little about yours. Here is how we approach the work.

The Framework

Built on the medical record

We tie the medical classification of your burn to the legal strategy that fits it. The severity of the burn frames the Life Care Plan, and the Life Care Plan frames the settlement demand.

Life Care Plans

The years ahead, documented.

Insurers usually focus on the emergency room bill and the first surgery. A serious burn can also involve graft revisions years later, scar management, counseling, and lost earning capacity if scarring limits your work. We bring in medical economists, burn surgeons, and vocational consultants to value that future care in present-day terms and present that figure to each responsible party.

Two Counties

Adams County or Jefferson County, we handle both.

Depending on the facts, a Westminster lawsuit may be filed in Adams County District Court in Brighton or at Jefferson Combined Court in Golden. CGH handles cases in both courts.

Honest Case Review

We will be direct about your claim.

If the facts fall within a legal defense, or the evidence cannot support a viable claim, we will tell you in the free consultation. We do not accept every inquiry, and a clear answer at the start helps you plan your next move.

Trial-Ready

ABOTA advocate. 8 attorneys. Prepared to try your case.

Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has tried over 25 cases to verdict. Insurers can weigh a demand differently when they know the attorneys are ready to take the case to trial. CGH, formerly Cheney Galluzzi & Howard, was founded in 2016. A licensed Colorado attorney handles every Westminster burn case, fronts the case costs, and collects only if you recover.

Bilingual

Hablamos español.

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

After a burn injury

What to do after a burn injury in Westminster

See to your health first, then protect the evidence before it slips away. Here are the steps we take with each burn client in Westminster.

  1. Get emergency care immediately

    Call 911 for a serious burn. St. Anthony North Hospital is a state-designated Level III trauma center, HCA HealthONE Mountain Ridge in Thornton is a Level II trauma center, and patients with severe burns may be transferred to a verified burn center such as UCHealth's Burn and Frostbite Center in Aurora. A burn that seems minor can still become infected, so get examined and keep a record of every treatment.

  2. Preserve the scene and the cause

    Photograph what caused the burn, your injuries, and the surroundings. Hold on to any product or clothing involved. If a vehicle was part of it, do not allow it to be repaired or scrapped until it has been inspected.

  3. Report the incident

    Report what happened to the appropriate party: the landlord or property manager after a rental fire, your employer after a workplace burn, or law enforcement after a crash. A written report created at the time is hard to dispute later.

  4. Do not give a recorded statement to an insurer

    Adjusters may call within days of the incident. What you say can be recorded and used to reduce your claim. Speak with an attorney before you give any statement. Call (303) 209-9395.

  5. We investigate and build the Life Care Plan

    We preserve evidence, work with fire-origin investigators and burn-care physicians, collect maintenance and code records, and partner with medical economists to value future costs, such as graft revisions and lost earning capacity.

  6. Negotiate or file in Adams or Jefferson County

    Many claims resolve once an insurer sees a documented Life Care Plan and attorneys prepared for trial. If an insurer will not make a fair offer, we file suit, commonly in Adams County District Court or at Jefferson Combined Court depending on the facts, and prepare the case for trial.

Compensation

What compensation can a Westminster burn injury claim include?

Colorado law groups damages into two broad categories. Knowing where the caps apply, and where they do not, can determine whether a settlement covers only early medical bills or years of care.

Economic damages (not subject to the non-economic cap)

  • Emergency care, hospital stays, and intensive care
  • Debridement surgery and skin grafts, including later revisions
  • Long-term wound care, scar management, and pressure garments
  • Physical and occupational therapy to help prevent contractures
  • Counseling and mental health treatment
  • Lost wages during recovery and diminished earning capacity
  • Home modifications and assistive devices

Non-economic damages (capped, with exceptions)

  • Pain and suffering (subject to the cap in C.R.S. 13-21-102.5)
  • Permanent scarring and disfigurement (not limited by the cap under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(5))
  • Compensation for physical impairment (not limited by the cap)
  • Emotional distress and psychological harm
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium for a spouse or family member

Colorado caps non-economic damages at $1.5 million for personal injury claims that arose on or after January 1, 2025 (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5), with inflation adjustments scheduled to begin in 2028. Economic losses such as medical bills and lost wages are not subject to that cap, and compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is not limited by it (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(5)). A claim against a government entity is subject to its own limits on total recovery. Because the categories outside the cap can make up much of the recovery after a third- or fourth-degree burn, a Life Care Plan that documents future costs matters a great deal.

Defenses insurers raise

How insurers challenge Westminster burn claims, and how we respond

Insurers rely on a short list of arguments to reduce or deny burn claims. Knowing what Colorado law requires for each one helps a valid claim stay on track.

  1. "You were comparatively at fault"

    An adjuster may inflate your share of the blame to reduce the payout. In negligence and premises cases, Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111) allows recovery while your share of fault is less than 50 percent, reduced by that share. Fire-origin analysis, maintenance records, and testimony from qualified witnesses are how we push back.

  2. "We only owe the emergency bill"

    An early offer may address today's bills while ignoring the graft revision years from now, the scar care, the counseling, and the income you may lose. A Life Care Plan prepared with a medical economist documents those future costs. We complete that plan before the demand letter goes out.

  3. "The property was posted" or "You were not an invitee"

    Colorado's Premises Liability Act (C.R.S. 13-21-115) sets a landowner's duty based on why the injured person was on the property. Colorado courts have treated paying customers, and tenants in common areas, as invitees owed the highest duty. Inside a rented unit, a landlord's responsibility often depends on how much control it kept, so a sign posted after the fact, or a claim that a tenant had no reason to be in a shared space, may not resolve the issue.

  4. "Workers comp is your only remedy"

    For an on-the-job injury, workers' compensation is generally the only claim available against an insured employer. A contractor, equipment manufacturer, subcontractor, or property owner that is not your employer may still face a separate third-party claim, which can include losses such as pain and suffering that workers' compensation does not pay.

Who pays

Insurance in Westminster burn injury cases

The source of payment depends on how the burn happened. We look for every coverage source that may apply so no policy goes unused.

  • Apartment or rental home fire: the landlord's liability policy may respond, and a renters policy may apply in some situations. A landlord with several rental properties in Westminster may carry commercial coverage with higher limits than a typical homeowner policy.
  • Workplace burn: workers' compensation generally covers medical care and part of lost wages within set limits, includes a limited benefit for serious scarring, and does not pay for pain and suffering. A third-party claim against a manufacturer or contractor can proceed at the same time.
  • Vehicle crash fire: the at-fault driver's auto liability policy is usually the primary source. If that driver's coverage is not enough, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may add another layer.
  • Defective product: the manufacturer, distributor, and sometimes the retailer may each carry product liability coverage, so more than one policy may be available.
  • An insurer's goal is to pay as little as it can. Your attorney's role is to document the full loss and hold the insurer to its obligations, which is why representation early in the process can matter.
Questions

Westminster burn injury claims: frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a burn injury lawsuit in Westminster?

Colorado generally allows two years to file a burn injury lawsuit (C.R.S. 13-80-102(1)(a)), usually counted from when you knew, or reasonably should have known, about the injury and its cause. When a motor vehicle crash caused the burn, a lawsuit against the driver generally has three years (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). If a government entity may be responsible, written notice is generally required within 182 days after the injury is discovered under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (C.R.S. 24-10-109(1)), and missing that notice can bar the claim. A minor may have more time, depending on age and whether a court has appointed a guardian or conservator, while the 182-day government notice is generally not extended for children. Confirm your deadline with an attorney.

Where would a Westminster burn injury lawsuit be filed?

Because Westminster spans two counties, a personal injury lawsuit above the county court limit is commonly filed either in Adams County District Court at the Adams County Justice Center, 1100 Judicial Center Dr., Brighton, CO 80601 (17th Judicial District), or at Jefferson Combined Court, 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80401 (1st Judicial District). Which court hears the case can depend on factors such as where the injury happened and where the parties are located. CGH handles cases in both courts, without referring your case to another firm.

Does Colorado cap burn injury damages?

In part. For personal injury claims that arose on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado caps non-economic damages such as pain and suffering at $1.5 million (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5), with inflation adjustments scheduled to begin in 2028. That cap does not limit compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(5)), and it does not apply to economic losses such as medical bills and lost wages. A claim against a government entity is subject to its own limits on total recovery. With a serious burn, the uncapped categories can make up the bulk of the recovery.

Can I recover if I was partly to blame for the burn?

Often, yes. In negligence and premises liability cases, Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111) allows recovery when your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and the award is reduced by that share. At 50 percent or more, you recover nothing. In a defective product case, your share of fault generally reduces the award without barring it. Insurers may overstate an injured person's share of fault, and evidence is how that gets challenged.

Which hospitals treat serious burns near Westminster?

St. Anthony North Hospital, at 14300 Orchard Parkway, is a Level III trauma center on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's list of designated trauma facilities, and HCA HealthONE Mountain Ridge, at 9191 Grant St. in Thornton, is a Level II trauma center on the same list. For severe burns, as of September 2026 the American Burn Association lists two verified burn centers in Colorado: UCHealth's Burn and Frostbite Center on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora and HCA HealthONE Swedish in Englewood. Collect every record along the way, from the ambulance report through each follow-up visit, because those documents establish how serious the burn was.

Can I sue my landlord for a burn injury in a Westminster apartment?

In many situations, yes. Colorado's Premises Liability Act (C.R.S. 13-21-115) can make a landlord responsible for dangers it knew about or should have known about in areas it controls, such as shared hallways and parking lots. When the hazard was inside your unit, responsibility often depends on what control the landlord retained, including repair duties and the right to enter. When a burn traces back to a defective appliance the landlord supplied, wiring it let deteriorate, or a code-required smoke alarm it left missing or broken, the landlord may be held responsible. The main questions are usually what the landlord knew, what it did about it, and whether that failure caused the burn.

I was burned at work in Westminster. Can I sue the manufacturer of the equipment?

Possibly. Workers' compensation is generally the only claim available against an insured employer, so a negligence lawsuit against your own employer is usually not an option. When an equipment manufacturer, subcontractor, or property owner that is not your employer contributed to the burn, a separate third-party claim may be available. For defective equipment, Colorado's strict product liability rules generally do not require proof that the manufacturer was careless, though the manufacturer may raise defenses such as unforeseeable misuse. A third-party claim is not limited to what workers' compensation pays and can include pain and suffering.

Does CGH Injury Lawyers have an office in Westminster?

No. CGH Injury Lawyers serves Westminster, Adams County, and Jefferson County from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We handle cases in Adams County District Court and at Jefferson Combined Court and meet Westminster clients at our Denver office or another convenient location, including by phone or video. Call (303) 209-9395 to schedule a free consultation.

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It's More Than Money.

The cost of a serious burn can continue long after the hospital stay. We build a claim that reflects what comes next.

Free consultation. No fee unless we win. Serving Westminster, Adams County, and Jefferson County from our Denver office.

Tell us what happened

100% confidential. No fee unless we win.

Call (303) 209-9395 Get my free burn injury case review

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