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Broomfield, Colorado. CGH Injury Lawyers serves dog bite victims in Broomfield County from our Denver office.
Broomfield County, Colorado

Broomfield Dog Bite Lawyers Who Hold the Owner Responsible

For people seriously hurt by a dog in Broomfield, Colorado law can make the owner liable even if the dog had never bitten anyone before. We serve Broomfield from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St. No fee unless we win.

No fee unless we win
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Serving Broomfield 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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  • Colorado runs two tracks under C.R.S. 13-21-124. A serious bodily injury triggers strict liability for your economic losses, with no need to prove the Broomfield owner knew the dog was dangerous.
  • For a less serious bite, and for pain and suffering, you recover under negligence by showing the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)).
  • Most Broomfield dog bite claims are paid by the owner's homeowner or renter insurance, not out of the owner's pocket. The deadline to file is generally two years from the bite (C.R.S. 13-80-102).

If a dog seriously hurt you in Broomfield County, state law may make the owner responsible even if the dog had never bitten anyone before. Broomfield is a consolidated city and county with its own courthouse at 17 Descombes Drive, its own animal control function, and a distinct 17th Judicial District. CGH Injury Lawyers serves Broomfield victims from our Denver office. We handle the insurance claim, the negotiation, and trial in Broomfield Combined Courts when an insurer refuses to be fair. You pay nothing unless we recover for you.

The law that governs your case

Colorado's dog bite statute, C.R.S. 13-21-124, decoded for Broomfield

Colorado does not follow a pure "one bite" rule, and it is not a pure strict-liability state either. The dog bite statute sets up two separate tracks, and which one applies to your Broomfield case depends almost entirely on how badly you were hurt.

The core of the statute reads: a person who suffers serious bodily injury or death from being bitten by a dog while lawfully on public or private property may bring a civil action to recover economic damages against the dog owner, regardless of the viciousness or dangerous propensities of the dog or the owner's knowledge of them (C.R.S. 13-21-124(2)).

In plain English, two things have to be true for the strict-liability track: your injury has to meet Colorado's definition of serious bodily injury, and you have to have been lawfully on the property where the bite happened. Meet both and the Broomfield owner is liable for your economic losses, even if the dog had never shown a hint of aggression before.

Strict liability vs. negligence

The two-track liability system in Colorado

The single most important question in a Broomfield dog bite case is which track applies. One track is far easier to win than the other, and the dividing line is the severity of the injury.

Track 1: Strict liability

  • Applies when the bite causes serious bodily injury or death.
  • You do not have to prove the owner was careless or that the dog had bitten before.
  • The bite itself establishes liability for your economic damages.
  • A first-time bite still counts. The dog's clean history is irrelevant.
  • Recovery under this track is limited to economic damages (C.R.S. 13-21-124(2)).

Track 2: Negligence standard

  • Applies when the injury does not meet the serious bodily injury threshold.
  • You must prove the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous.
  • A prior bite or aggressive behavior is the kind of evidence that proves it.
  • This track is also how non-economic damages like pain and suffering are pursued, since the statute leaves other negligence theories intact (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)).
  • It is a harder case, which is exactly when experienced Broomfield-area counsel matters most.

What counts as "serious bodily injury"?

Colorado's dog bite statute borrows its definition of serious bodily injury from the criminal code (C.R.S. 18-1-901(3)(p)). In general terms, it covers injuries that carry a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of a body part, and certain fractures and burns. A facial scar that does not fade, nerve damage that leaves lasting weakness, or a broken bone from an attack are the kinds of injuries that tend to meet it.

Whether a specific injury crosses that line is a legal judgment, not something to assume on your own. We review your medical records against the statutory definition before we tell you which track your Broomfield case sits on.

Local Knowledge

Broomfield courts, hospitals, and roads we know

Broomfield is a consolidated city and county, which means your case has one local courthouse, one judicial district, and its own track through the Colorado court system. The hospitals that treat bite injuries here and the roads where attacks happen on walks are not the same as Denver. Here is the ground we work on.

Courthouse

Broomfield Combined Courts (17th Judicial District)

Personal injury cases in Broomfield County are filed in Broomfield Combined Courts, the District Court arm of the 17th Judicial District, located at 17 Descombes Dr., Broomfield, CO 80020. Because Broomfield is a consolidated city and county, it has its own separate judicial district, distinct from Jefferson, Adams, and Weld counties. That means a different set of judges, local rules, and opposing counsel than you would face in Denver or Jefferson County. We handle 17th Judicial District cases directly from our Denver office.

Trauma Care

Intermountain Health Good Samaritan Hospital

Broomfield's primary trauma resource is Intermountain Health Good Samaritan Hospital, a Level II Trauma Center designated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and verified by the American College of Surgeons. A Level II center provides comprehensive trauma care around the clock. If your bite was serious enough to send you to Good Samaritan's trauma team, those records document the full scope of your injury and become the foundation of your damages claim. UCHealth Emergency Care Broomfield Hospital also serves the area for emergency care, though trauma care at that facility routes to UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (Level I) in Aurora.

High-Risk Areas

Where Broomfield dog bites happen

Dog attacks in Broomfield are most likely to happen in the busy pedestrian corridors that come with the city's density: the foot-traffic zones around FlatIron Crossing (One West FlatIron Crossing Drive), the trail systems and residential neighborhoods near US 36, SH 121 (Wadsworth Blvd), and SH 128 (120th Ave), and the high-commuter areas surrounding the Interlocken Advanced Technology Park along the US 36 corridor. Parks and paths near major roads like US 287 (Federal Blvd / Wadsworth Bypass) also generate regular pedestrian and dog-owner contact. If your bite happened in any of these locations, location matters for showing you were lawfully present on the property.

Why CGH

Why Broomfield dog bite victims choose CGH Injury Lawyers

Trial-ready attorneys, bilingual help, and no fee unless we win. We serve Broomfield from our Denver office and handle 17th Judicial District cases directly. We do not publish dog bite settlement figures because every bite 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 Statute

C.R.S. 13-21-124

For a serious bite, the owner is strictly liable for your economic damages, even with no prior history. We know exactly which track your Broomfield case belongs on.

17th Judicial District

We file in Broomfield Combined Courts.

Broomfield is its own consolidated city and county with its own judicial district. Personal injury cases are filed at 17 Descombes Dr., not in Jefferson County or Adams County. We work this courthouse directly from our Denver office, which is roughly 20 miles away on US 36.

First-Time Bites

No "one bite" excuse.

Colorado rejects the one bite rule for serious injuries. A clean history does not protect the Broomfield owner.

Who Pays

The insurer, not your neighbor.

Most claims are paid by the owner's homeowner or renter liability coverage, not their personal savings.

Trial-Ready

8 attorneys, prepared for trial.

Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and has tried over 25 cases to verdict. Timothy G. Tarr has been recognized by Best Lawyers every year since 2023. When attorneys are genuinely ready to try a case in Broomfield Combined Courts, insurers respond differently to a demand.

Bilingual

Hablamos espanol.

Spanish-speaking staff and attorneys serve Broomfield'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 dog bite cases we cannot honestly stand behind. If your situation falls squarely within a statutory exemption, 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 Bite

What to do after a dog bite in Broomfield

Take care of your health first, report the bite, protect the evidence, then call before you talk to the insurer. Here is the path we walk with you.

  1. Get medical care

    For a serious attack, Intermountain Health Good Samaritan Hospital is the nearest Level II Trauma Center. UCHealth Emergency Care Broomfield Hospital also treats bite injuries. Even a wound that looks minor can carry infection risk and nerve damage. Get examined and keep every record.

  2. Report the bite

    Report the bite to the appropriate animal control authority for Broomfield County, even if the owner asks you not to. Reporting creates an official record and can feed the local dangerous-dog process. Confirm the specific reporting steps and any local deadline that apply in Broomfield before relying on them.

  3. Document the scene

    Photograph your injuries, the dog, and where the attack happened. If the bite occurred near FlatIron Crossing, on a trail near US 36 or Wadsworth Blvd, or in a residential neighborhood, note whether there were warning signs posted, who was present, and what the owner said immediately after. That information shapes how we prove lawful presence on the property.

  4. Call before insurance does

    The owner's insurer may call quickly. Do not give a recorded statement or accept any offer before speaking with us. Call (303) 209-9395. We serve Broomfield from our Denver office.

  5. We build your claim

    We confirm which liability track fits, locate the owner's homeowner or renter coverage, gather the animal control record and any history of the dog, and document the full injury, including scarring and psychological impact.

  6. Negotiate or litigate

    Most cases settle. When insurers refuse a fair offer, we file in Broomfield Combined Courts, 17th Judicial District, and try your case.

Compensation

What compensation can you recover after a Broomfield dog bite?

A dog bite is rarely just a medical bill. Colorado law recognizes two broad categories of damages, and which ones you can reach depends on the liability track your case sits on.

Economic damages

  • Emergency care, surgery, and follow-up treatment
  • Reconstructive and cosmetic surgery for scarring
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity
  • Future medical and rehabilitation costs
  • Out-of-pocket expenses tied to the attack

Non-economic damages

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress and PTSD, common after dog attacks
  • Permanent scarring and disfigurement
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

Here is a distinction many people miss. The strict-liability track in C.R.S. 13-21-124(2) recovers economic damages only. To recover non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, a victim pursues a negligence theory, which the statute expressly leaves available (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)). In a serious injury case, both paths are often pursued together. We structure the claim so that no category of harm you suffered is left on the table.

Colorado does not cap economic damages. Non-economic damages are subject to a general cap under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5 for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025; however, compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is not subject to that cap. Medical bills, lost wages, and future care costs are never capped.

Owner defenses

Defenses Broomfield dog owners use, and how we answer them

The statute lists specific situations where an owner is not liable (C.R.S. 13-21-124(5)). Insurers reach for these defenses early. Knowing what each one actually requires is how we keep a valid claim alive.

  1. "You were trespassing"

    The statute protects people lawfully on the property. Colorado defines that broadly to include anyone performing a legal duty, such as a mail carrier, and anyone there by the owner's express or implied invitation (C.R.S. 13-21-124(4)). An open gate or the absence of posted signs can support lawful presence. The statute also bars liability where the property is clearly posted with "no trespassing" or "beware of dog" signs, which is why the facts of where and how you entered matter so much. A bite on a public trail near US 36 or on a shared pedestrian path near FlatIron Crossing is clearly lawful presence.

  2. "You provoked the dog"

    An owner is not liable when the person knowingly provokes the dog (C.R.S. 13-21-124(5)(d)). Knowingly is the key word. Petting a dog, walking past it, or being startled is not provocation. We use witness statements and your own account to keep ordinary, reasonable behavior from being recast as provocation.

  3. "The dog was working"

    The statute carves out dogs used by peace officers or military personnel on duty, and dogs working as hunting, herding, farm, ranch, or predator-control animals on the owner's property (C.R.S. 13-21-124(5)). It also exempts bites against veterinary workers, groomers, handlers, and similar professionals acting in their duties. These exemptions are narrow and rarely fit an ordinary household pet biting a visitor in a Broomfield neighborhood.

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The hard part of these cases

Filing against the insurance, not your Broomfield neighbor

The most common reason people hesitate to pursue a dog bite claim is that the owner is a friend, a neighbor, or a relative. Understanding how the money actually moves usually puts that fear to rest.

  • In most cases you file a claim against the owner's homeowner or renter liability coverage, not against their personal savings or assets.
  • Most homeowner and renter policies in Colorado include liability coverage that responds to dog bite claims, though some insurers exclude certain breeds or cap the coverage. We confirm the policy terms before assuming anything.
  • The insurer pays the settlement or judgment up to the policy limits. The point of liability insurance is to protect both the injured person and the policyholder.
  • The insurance company will contest the claim whether the owner is a stranger or someone you love. Having counsel is how you make the insurer meet its obligation.
Questions

Broomfield dog bite, frequently asked questions

Does the dog have to have bitten someone before for me to have a case in Broomfield?

No. Colorado rejects the "one bite rule" for serious injuries. Under the strict-liability track in C.R.S. 13-21-124(2), the dog's history is irrelevant if your injury qualifies as serious bodily injury. The Broomfield owner is liable for your economic damages even if the dog had never bitten anyone before. For less serious injuries, the dog's history matters because you would proceed under a negligence theory where you have to prove the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous.

Where is a Broomfield dog bite lawsuit filed?

Personal injury cases arising in Broomfield County are filed in Broomfield Combined Courts, the District Court of the 17th Judicial District, located at 17 Descombes Dr., Broomfield, CO 80020. Broomfield is a consolidated city and county, so it has its own courthouse and judicial district separate from Jefferson, Adams, and Weld counties. Most dog bite claims settle before a lawsuit is ever filed, but where a case would be filed affects local rules, the jury pool, and the defense firms you face. We handle 17th Judicial District cases directly.

Can I recover pain and suffering for a dog bite in Broomfield?

Often, yes, but not through the strict-liability track alone. C.R.S. 13-21-124(2) limits the strict-liability claim to economic damages. To recover non-economic damages like pain and suffering, you pursue a negligence theory, which the statute expressly preserves (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)). In a serious injury case both paths are commonly pursued together. We structure the claim to reach every category of harm.

How long do I have to file a dog bite claim in Broomfield?

The deadline for most personal injury claims in Colorado, including dog bites, is generally two years from the date of injury (C.R.S. 13-80-102). If the victim is a child, the deadline is tolled and the clock generally does not start until the child turns 18. Even with that extra time, evidence should be preserved early, so it is best to consult an attorney soon after the bite. Do not wait to find out whether the deadline applies to your specific situation.

Who pays a Broomfield dog bite settlement?

In most cases the owner's homeowner or renter liability insurance pays, not the owner personally. Most Colorado policies include this coverage, though some insurers exclude certain breeds or cap the limits. We confirm the policy terms early so we know what coverage is available before negotiating.

What counts as serious bodily injury under Colorado's dog bite statute?

Colorado's dog bite statute uses the definition of serious bodily injury from C.R.S. 18-1-901(3)(p). It generally covers injuries that carry a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of a body part, and certain fractures and burns. Facial scarring, nerve damage, and broken bones from an attack are common examples. Whether a particular injury crosses that line is a legal judgment we make after reviewing your medical records from Good Samaritan Hospital or wherever you were treated in the Broomfield area.

The owner says I provoked the dog. Does that end my Broomfield case?

Not automatically. The statute bars liability only where the person knowingly provoked the dog (C.R.S. 13-21-124(5)(d)). Knowingly is the key word. Petting a dog, walking past it on a Broomfield trail near US 36 or Wadsworth Blvd, or reacting to being startled is not provocation. We use witness statements and your account to keep ordinary, reasonable conduct from being mischaracterized.

Does CGH have an office in Broomfield?

CGH Injury Lawyers has one office, at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We serve Broomfield County clients from that Denver office. Broomfield sits on the US 36 Denver-Boulder corridor, making it straightforward for us to appear in Broomfield Combined Courts and for Broomfield clients to meet us in Denver. We do not have a Broomfield address. If that matters to you, we want you to know it before you hire us.

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