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Lakewood, Colorado skyline. CGH Injury Lawyers represents brain injury victims in Lakewood and Jefferson County.
Lakewood, Colorado

Lakewood Brain Injury Lawyers Who Prove What Scans Miss

A traumatic brain injury on West Colfax, Wadsworth, or US 6 can devastate a family. Insurance companies call it minor. We build the medical proof to show what it actually cost you. Serving Lakewood from our Denver office. No fee unless we win.

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

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Serving Lakewood 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 traumatic brain injury is graded on the Glasgow Coma Scale: mild (GCS 13 to 15), moderate (GCS 9 to 12), and severe (GCS 3 to 8). A mild grade does not mean a minor injury, and insurance companies exploit that word to offer far less than the case is worth.
  • Economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and lifetime care costs have no cap under Colorado law. Non-economic damages are capped at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025 under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5, with inflation adjustments starting in 2028. Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is not capped at all.
  • Colorado's filing deadline for motor vehicle injury claims is three years (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)), but TBI symptoms can surface or worsen weeks after the crash. Talk to an attorney early so evidence can be preserved before it disappears.

Lakewood is Colorado's fifth-most-populous city, with 155,984 residents and major commercial corridors on West Colfax Avenue, Wadsworth Boulevard, and US 6 generating some of the highest crash volumes in Jefferson County. When a crash on those roads causes a brain injury, CGH Injury Lawyers serves Lakewood victims from our Denver office, handling the medical proof, the Jefferson County court filing, and trial when an insurer refuses to value the injury honestly. You pay nothing unless we recover for you.

Who we represent

Who CGH represents after a Lakewood brain injury

Brain injuries in Lakewood happen in predictable patterns. The roads are specific, the crash types are specific, and the insurance defenses are specific. We represent people whose cases fit what we know how to prove.

We represent Lakewood TBI victims when

  • A crash on West Colfax Avenue, Wadsworth Boulevard, US 6, C-470, or Morrison Road caused a head impact.
  • A pedestrian or cyclist was struck by a vehicle on one of Lakewood's high-hazard corridors.
  • A rear-end, head-on, or T-bone crash caused whiplash and cognitive symptoms that the ER dismissed as minor.
  • A slip or fall at a Lakewood business, mall, or commercial property caused a head strike.
  • Symptoms appeared or worsened days or weeks after the incident.
  • The treating team at St. Anthony Hospital documented a TBI diagnosis, or symptoms continued after initial discharge.

What we always tell clients up front

  • We do not take cases we cannot honestly stand behind. If your facts fall outside what Colorado law supports, we say so in the free review rather than string you along.
  • Brain injury cases require neuropsychological testing, advanced imaging, and vocational expert testimony that builds over months. We explain that timeline before you hire us.
  • Settling before you reach maximum medical improvement risks leaving future complications unvalued. We tell you honestly where your case stands at each stage.
Colorado law

Colorado law that shapes your Lakewood brain injury case

A few Colorado rules decide how much time you have, how fault affects your award, and which damages have limits. These are the rules that actually govern a Jefferson County TBI claim.

Filing deadline (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n))

Colorado gives you three years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit for injuries arising out of the use or operation of a motor vehicle (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). Most non-vehicle injury claims must be filed within two years (C.R.S. 13-80-102(1)(a)). Claims against a government vehicle or agency require written notice within 182 days of discovering the injury under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (C.R.S. 24-10-109). Because TBI symptoms can emerge or worsen weeks after the accident, do not wait to consult an attorney.

Comparative fault (C.R.S. 13-21-111)

Colorado follows modified comparative negligence. You can recover as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. Insurers push fault onto injured people to cut payouts, which is exactly why early evidence preservation on Lakewood crash sites matters so much.

Damage caps

  • Colorado caps non-economic damages such as pain and suffering at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025 under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5, with inflation adjustments starting in 2028. Lower, inflation-adjusted caps apply to claims that accrued before January 1, 2025 based on when the claim accrued.
  • Two categories are not capped at all: economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and life-care plans, and compensatory damages for physical impairment or disfigurement. These two categories together usually make up the bulk of a serious TBI recovery.
  • If the at-fault driver acted with willful and wanton disregard, such as driving while impaired on West Colfax, you may also pursue punitive damages. Under C.R.S. 13-21-102(1)(a), punitive damages generally cannot exceed the amount of actual damages awarded.
  • TBI medical bills can climb into six figures quickly. If the at-fault driver is underinsured, your own underinsured motorist (UIM) policy can provide an additional layer of recovery. We confirm every available policy before negotiating.

How Colorado grades a traumatic brain injury

Medical teams classify a TBI using the Glasgow Coma Scale, a 15-point assessment of eye opening, verbal response, and motor response usually recorded within hours of the injury. Mild TBI is GCS 13 to 15. Moderate is GCS 9 to 12. Severe is GCS 3 to 8. The GCS score is a piece of evidence, not a ceiling on recovery. A mild TBI that stops a Lakewood accountant, teacher, or healthcare worker from performing essential job duties can warrant more compensation than a moderate TBI in someone who fully recovers.

Local knowledge

Lakewood roads, courts, and trauma care for TBI victims

A Lakewood brain injury case lives in Jefferson County: the trauma center that treated you, the court where your case will be filed, and the corridors where the crash happened. Here is the ground we work on.

Trauma Care

St. Anthony Hospital - Level I Trauma Center

St. Anthony Hospital at 11600 W 2nd Pl is a Level I Trauma Center designated by the State of Colorado Department of Health, making it the primary destination for the most critically injured Lakewood crash victims. The emergency and trauma records from St. Anthony, including the initial Glasgow Coma Scale assessment, the CT and MRI reports, and the acute-care notes, form the backbone of a TBI damages claim. We work with those records from the start of every case.

Courthouse

Jefferson Combined Court (1st Judicial District)

Personal injury cases arising in Lakewood are filed in the Jefferson Combined Court, 1st Judicial District, at 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80401. Jefferson County civil procedure has its own rules, scheduling norms, and jury pool. Trial readiness in the 1st Judicial District is what makes an insurer take a Lakewood TBI demand seriously. We file and try cases in that court.

High-Crash Corridors

West Colfax, Wadsworth, US 6, and C-470

West Colfax Avenue (US 40) from Sheridan Blvd to Teller St recorded 820 total crashes in a 1.5-mile segment over five years, including 283 injuries and 6 fatalities, with 98 pedestrian and cyclist crashes and 5 deaths, making it a documented high-priority pedestrian safety corridor. Wadsworth Boulevard (SH 121) has seen fatal pedestrian crashes including deaths at S Wadsworth and W Mansfield Pkwy and at S Wadsworth and W Eastman Pl. US 6 has a documented dangerous curve near the Sheridan exit with 8-plus crashes including one fatality. C-470 forms the southwestern beltway at Lakewood's western border. These are the roads where Lakewood brain injuries happen, and we know how to reconstruct what went wrong on them.

Winter Hazards

Black ice, snow, and freeze-thaw conditions

Lakewood's winter weather creates hazardous road conditions year after year. The freeze-thaw cycle produces black ice. The City of Lakewood documented dozens of crashes on the first day of the December 2021 snow event alone, and not all roads are plowed simultaneously. When a crash on an icy Lakewood road causes a brain injury, winter-condition evidence, including road treatment records and crash timing, is part of the liability picture we build.

Why CGH

Why Lakewood brain injury victims choose CGH Injury Lawyers

We serve Lakewood from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, directly. Trial-ready attorneys, bilingual staff, no upfront fees, and a commitment to building the medical proof insurance companies fear most.

The Jefferson County Court

1st Judicial District, Golden

Lakewood TBI cases are filed at Jefferson Combined Court, 100 Jefferson County Parkway. We practice there and understand the local rules, jury pool, and defense firms your case will face.

Invisible Injury Proof

We prove what the CT scan missed.

Standard imaging often misses microscopic axonal tears. We coordinate neuropsychological testing, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, and vocational expert testimony to document the injury an insurer claims does not exist. That is how we answer a clean-scan defense in Jefferson County court.

Explicit Honesty

We say no when the law says no.

If your Lakewood TBI facts do not support a strong claim, we tell you in the free review. We do not sign people up to string cases along.

Life-Care Plans

Decades of costs, not just today's bills.

Moderate and severe TBI cases require a certified life-care plan projecting every future medical cost. We retain the planners and vocational economists who produce the documents Jefferson County juries trust.

Trial-Ready

8 attorneys. Over 25 cases to verdict.

Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is an ABOTA member who has tried more than 25 cases to verdict. Timothy G. Tarr has been recognized by Best Lawyers every year since 2023. When Jefferson County insurers know a firm genuinely tries cases, settlement offers reflect that reality.

Bilingual

Hablamos espanol.

Spanish-speaking staff and attorneys serve Lakewood's Spanish-speaking community throughout the case.

No Win, No Fee

Contingency only.

You pay nothing out of pocket for legal fees. We advance costs and collect only if we recover for you.

After the crash

What to do after a brain injury in Lakewood

The steps you take in the hours and days after a Lakewood crash either protect your TBI claim or hand the insurer ammunition to deny it. Here is the path that preserves your options.

  1. Get emergency care at St. Anthony Hospital

    St. Anthony Hospital at 11600 W 2nd Pl is Lakewood's Level I Trauma Center and the first stop for serious crash injuries. The Glasgow Coma Scale score documented there, the imaging, and the acute-care notes become the foundation of your case. Do not skip the ER because you feel okay. TBI symptoms often appear or worsen hours later.

  2. Document the crash scene

    Photograph the vehicles, the road conditions, any skid marks, traffic signals, and signage at the scene. On Lakewood's high-crash corridors, road geometry and signal timing often share liability with the at-fault driver. Get the names and contact information of every witness before anyone leaves.

  3. Follow up with neurology

    Post-concussion symptoms including headaches, cognitive fog, irritability, and sleep problems can persist for months and worsen without treatment. Document every symptom with your treating team. Gaps in treatment become gaps in your damages claim.

  4. Call before the insurer does

    The at-fault driver's insurer may call within days seeking a recorded statement. Do not give one. A recorded statement made while you are still in the acute phase of a TBI can be used to minimize your claim. Call (303) 209-9395 first.

  5. We build the TBI proof package

    We coordinate neuropsychological testing, advanced imaging, treating-physician records, life-care planning, and vocational expert testimony. We assemble the before-and-after evidence from coworkers, family, and friends who knew you before the injury. This package is what makes a Jefferson County insurer take your case seriously.

  6. Negotiate from trial readiness, or try the case

    We send a documented demand and negotiate from a position of genuine trial readiness. When an insurer refuses to be fair, we file in Jefferson Combined Court and present your case to a Jefferson County jury.

Compensation

What compensation can a Lakewood TBI victim recover?

Colorado law recognizes two broad damage categories for brain injury claims, and what you can recover depends on the severity of the injury and the evidence we build together.

Economic damages (no cap)

  • Emergency care, hospitalization, and surgical costs
  • Neurological, physiatric, and psychiatric care
  • Physical, occupational, speech, and cognitive rehabilitation
  • Lost wages during recovery
  • Loss of future earning capacity
  • Life-care plan costs projected over decades
  • Home modifications and adaptive equipment
  • Attendant care and case management

Non-economic and family damages

  • Pain and suffering (capped at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025 under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5)
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Permanent impairment and disfigurement (not capped)
  • Loss of consortium for a spouse
  • The family's loss of companionship and support

The single most important distinction in a serious TBI case is that economic damages carry no cap. A life-care plan for a moderate or severe TBI can project seven figures in future medical costs, attendant care, and lost earning capacity alone. That uncapped economic number, not the pain-and-suffering cap, typically drives the largest recoveries. We build that economic case from the start.

Insurance defenses

Defenses Lakewood insurers use, and how we answer them

Insurers defend TBI claims aggressively because the potential values are high and the injuries are hard to see on imaging. Knowing the playbook is how we keep a valid Lakewood claim alive.

  1. "Your MRI is normal, so the injury is not real"

    Standard CT and MRI scans detect bleeding and fractures but regularly miss the microscopic axonal tears that cause persistent symptoms after a mild TBI. Insurers use a clean scan to argue the injury does not exist. We answer with Diffusion Tensor Imaging, neuropsychological testing, and the testimony of people who knew you before the crash.

  2. "You were partly at fault for the crash"

    Under C.R.S. 13-21-111, Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule, you recover as long as your fault is less than 50 percent, with your award reduced proportionally. Insurers inflate your fault percentage to minimize the payout. Accident reconstruction, road-condition records from CDOT and Lakewood public works, and witness statements are how we hold the fault allocation accurate.

  3. "Your symptoms are pre-existing"

    Insurers pull medical records looking for any prior headaches, anxiety, depression, or neck complaints to argue your TBI symptoms existed before the crash. We counter with neuropsychological baseline testing, pre-injury employment records, and before-and-after testimony from family and coworkers that documents the change.

  4. "You waited too long to seek treatment"

    Gaps in treatment are used to argue you were not really injured. We educate clients early: document every symptom, see your treating team consistently, and do not assume you are fine just because the ER discharged you. Consistent medical records are the spine of a TBI claim.

The insurance fight

How TBI insurance claims work in Lakewood

Most Lakewood brain injury claims involve at least one auto insurer, and sometimes two or more. Understanding who pays, and in what order, is how we make sure no available dollar gets left behind.

  • The at-fault driver's liability insurance is the primary source of recovery. When TBI costs reach six or seven figures, that policy is often exhausted quickly.
  • Your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage responds when the at-fault driver's policy is not enough to cover your damages. We locate and stack every available policy before making a settlement demand.
  • If the crash involved a commercial vehicle, a rideshare driver, or a government vehicle on a Lakewood road, additional or different insurance sources and different rules apply. Government vehicle claims require a written notice of claim filed within 182 days after you discover the injury, under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (C.R.S. 24-10-109).
  • Insurers move quickly to record your statement and make a low initial offer. Speaking with an attorney before responding to any insurer protects the full value of your claim.
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Questions

Lakewood brain injury, frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a brain injury lawsuit after a Lakewood car crash?

Colorado gives you three years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit for injuries arising out of the use or operation of a motor vehicle (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). Most non-vehicle injury claims, such as a slip and fall, must be filed within two years (C.R.S. 13-80-102(1)(a)). If the crash involved a government vehicle or a Lakewood city vehicle, a written notice of claim must be filed within 182 days of discovering the injury under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (C.R.S. 24-10-109). Because TBI symptoms can appear or worsen weeks after the accident, consult an attorney early.

Does Colorado cap brain injury damages?

Colorado caps non-economic damages such as pain and suffering at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025 under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5, with inflation adjustments starting in 2028. Two categories are not capped at all: economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and life-care plans, and compensatory damages for physical impairment or disfigurement. In serious TBI cases, the uncapped economic damages, including a life-care plan, usually far exceed the non-economic cap. Lower, inflation-adjusted caps apply to claims that accrued before January 1, 2025.

Can I have a brain injury if my MRI came back normal at St. Anthony Hospital?

Yes. Standard MRI and CT scans often miss the microscopic axonal injuries that cause persistent symptoms in mild TBI cases. Diffusion Tensor Imaging can map white-matter tracts and reveal tears that a routine MRI does not show. Neuropsychological testing provides objective data on memory, processing speed, and executive function that documents functional impairment despite normal initial scans. A normal MRI at the ER does not mean your TBI is not legally compensable.

What if I was partly at fault for the crash that caused my brain injury?

Colorado follows modified comparative negligence (C.R.S. 13-21-111). You can recover as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. Insurers work hard to push fault percentages toward 50 percent to cut or eliminate payouts. Accident reconstruction, road records, and early witness statements are how we keep the fault allocation honest.

Where is a Lakewood brain injury lawsuit filed?

Personal injury cases arising in Lakewood are filed in the Jefferson Combined Court, 1st Judicial District, at 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80401. Jefferson County has its own civil rules, scheduling norms, and jury pool, which differ meaningfully from Denver District Court. We practice in the 1st Judicial District and handle Lakewood TBI cases there directly.

What is the Glasgow Coma Scale and does it determine how much my case is worth?

The Glasgow Coma Scale is a 15-point assessment of eye opening, verbal response, and motor response that medical teams use to classify a TBI as mild (GCS 13 to 15), moderate (GCS 9 to 12), or severe (GCS 3 to 8). It is recorded soon after the injury and describes the first hours, not the rest of your life. Insurers use a mild GCS score to minimize settlement offers. What determines the value of a Lakewood TBI case is how the injury changes your ability to work and live, not the initial score in the emergency chart.

Does CGH Injury Lawyers have an office in Lakewood?

We serve Lakewood from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We do not have a separate Lakewood office. We handle the full case from Denver, including filing and appearing in Jefferson Combined Court in Golden when your case requires it. You can reach us at (303) 209-9395.

What is post-concussion syndrome and can I recover for it in Colorado?

Post-concussion syndrome is a set of symptoms that persist for months or longer after a mild TBI, including chronic headaches, mental fog, sleep problems, emotional volatility, and dizziness. Estimates place the rate of post-concussion syndrome at 15 to 30 percent of people who sustain a mild TBI. For Lakewood workers whose jobs depend on concentration, such as healthcare workers, teachers, or engineers at the Federal Center campus, post-concussion syndrome can impair the ability to perform essential job functions and support a claim for lost earning capacity. Yes, these damages are recoverable under Colorado law.

Keep reading

Related pages

Lakewood

Statewide TBI resource

How the injury happened

Denver TBI

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CGH Injury Lawyers · 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205 · Serving Lakewood, Jefferson County