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Centennial, Colorado neighborhood street. CGH Injury Lawyers represents dog bite victims across Arapahoe County.

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Centennial Dog Bite Lawyers Who Hold the Owner Responsible

A dog attacked you or your child in Centennial, and now an Arapahoe County insurer is stalling or minimizing the injury. CGH Injury Lawyers represents dog bite victims throughout Arapahoe County from our Denver office, applies Colorado's strict-liability dog bite statute to put responsibility where it belongs, and tries cases in Arapahoe County District Court when an insurer refuses to be fair. You pay nothing unless we win.

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When a dog bites or attacks someone in Centennial, Colorado law does not require the victim to prove the dog was dangerous before. For a serious injury, the owner is liable for your economic losses the moment the bite happens, under a strict-liability rule that protects people on sidewalks, parks, neighbors' yards, and anywhere else they are lawfully present.

  • Colorado's dog bite statute (C.R.S. 13-21-124) runs two tracks. A serious bodily injury triggers strict liability for economic damages with no need to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous. A less serious bite, and all pain-and-suffering claims, go through a negligence theory that the statute expressly preserves (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)).
  • Whether a specific injury crosses the serious bodily injury threshold is a legal judgment, not something to assume on your own. The definition comes from C.R.S. 18-1-901(3)(p) and covers injuries carrying a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of a body part, and certain fractures and burns. A facial scar that does not fade or nerve damage that leaves lasting weakness are the kinds of injuries that routinely meet it.
  • The deadline to file most Colorado dog bite claims is two years from the date of injury (C.R.S. 13-80-102). For a child victim, Colorado law tolls that clock, and the deadline generally does not begin until the child turns 18. Even with extra time, evidence and witness memories do not wait.

CGH Injury Lawyers is a eight-attorney Colorado personal injury firm. We serve Centennial and all of Arapahoe County from our Denver office. We do not have a Centennial address and do not pretend otherwise. Every dog bite case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney, not a paralegal, from the first call through the final outcome. We advance all costs, charge no upfront fees, and collect only when we win.

Local Knowledge

The Centennial courthouse, trauma centers, and neighborhoods behind your dog bite claim

A Centennial dog bite case is tied to where the attack happened, the hospital that treated you, and the courthouse where a jury would decide your case if the insurer refuses to be fair. Here is the ground we work on for every Arapahoe County dog bite victim.

Courthouse

Arapahoe County District Court, 18th Judicial District

A Centennial dog bite lawsuit that exceeds the county-court jurisdictional limit is filed in Arapahoe County District Court at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112, in the Eighteenth Judicial District. The courthouse sits in Centennial itself. The jury pool, local court procedures, and the defense firms defending Arapahoe County dog bite cases all differ from other Colorado jurisdictions. We handle cases filed there directly from our Denver office, without referring your case out to local counsel.

Trauma Care

HCA HealthONE Swedish and AdventHealth Littleton

Serious dog bite injuries sustained in Centennial are frequently treated at HCA HealthONE Swedish (Swedish Medical Center), 501 E. Hampden Ave., Englewood, CO 80113, a state-designated Level I trauma and burn center minutes from I-25. AdventHealth Littleton (formerly Littleton Adventist Hospital), 7700 S. Broadway, Littleton, CO 80122, is an American College of Surgeons verified and state-designated Level II Trauma Center. Medical records from both facilities document your injuries in full, including wound depth, reconstructive procedures, and nerve damage, and become the backbone of your damages case.

Where Dog Bites Happen in Centennial

Residential neighborhoods, parks, and shared paths along SH 88 and SH 83

Centennial is one of the most populous cities in Colorado, with densely developed residential neighborhoods throughout the city and a growing network of shared-use paths and parks. Dog attacks in Centennial happen in front yards, along the paths that parallel Arapahoe Road (SH 88) and Parker Road (SH 83), in neighborhood parks near the Dry Creek and Cherry Creek corridors, and on sidewalks adjacent to the Denver Tech Center development zone where foot traffic is heavy year-round. The attack location matters legally, because the statute protects people who are lawfully on the property where the bite occurred, and we document the setting of every attack to establish that threshold at the outset of every case.

Colorado law

Colorado's dog bite statute, C.R.S. 13-21-124, and what it means for Centennial victims

Colorado's dog bite law is more nuanced than a simple strict-liability rule and more protective than the old "one bite" rule. Understanding which track your case sits on decides the strategy, the evidence we gather, and what damages are in reach.

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)).

Two conditions trigger the strict-liability track: the injury must meet Colorado's definition of serious bodily injury, and you must have been lawfully on the property where the bite occurred. Meet both, and the owner is liable for your economic losses, even if this is the first time the dog has ever bitten anyone. A first-time bite absolutely counts.

The statute also expressly preserves every other negligence theory that existed before it was enacted (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)). That preserved pathway is how dog bite victims pursue non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and the permanent psychological impact of an attack, regardless of the severity of the physical injury.

Strict liability vs. negligence

The two liability tracks in a Centennial dog bite case

The liability track your case belongs on is the first question we answer, because it determines what we need to prove, what evidence matters most, and which categories of damages are available to you.

Track 1: Strict liability for economic damages

  • 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 any history of aggression.
  • The bite itself, combined with the injury severity and your lawful presence, establishes the owner's liability.
  • A first-time bite is treated exactly the same as a bite by a dog with a documented history of attacks.
  • Recovery under this track is limited to economic damages. Medical bills, lost wages, future care costs, and out-of-pocket expenses are all economic damages (C.R.S. 13-21-124(2)).

Track 2: Negligence for all other harm

  • Used when the physical injury does not meet the serious bodily injury threshold.
  • Also used in serious injury cases to reach pain and suffering, PTSD, and emotional distress, which the strict-liability track does not cover.
  • Requires proof that the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)).
  • Prior bites, reports to animal control, or a dog with a known history of growling or lunging are the evidence that typically proves the knowledge element.
  • This is the harder track to win without counsel, which is exactly when the right attorney makes the difference.

What counts as serious bodily injury under the Colorado statute?

Colorado's dog bite statute borrows its definition of serious bodily injury from the criminal code at C.R.S. 18-1-901(3)(p). It 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. A facial laceration that leaves a permanent scar, nerve damage that produces lasting weakness or numbness, or a deep puncture wound requiring reconstructive surgery are examples of injuries that routinely satisfy the definition. Whether your specific injury crosses the threshold is a legal judgment we make after reviewing your medical records against the statute.

Owner defenses

Defenses Arapahoe County 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 and often. Knowing what each one actually requires is how we keep a strong Centennial claim alive.

  1. "You were trespassing on my property"

    The statute's protection applies to people lawfully on the property. Colorado defines lawful presence broadly: it includes anyone performing a legal duty, such as a mail carrier or delivery driver, and anyone there by the owner's express or implied invitation (C.R.S. 13-21-124(4)). An open gate, an unlocked yard, or the absence of warning signs can all support lawful presence. Dog bite victims bitten in Centennial's residential neighborhoods, on shared sidewalks, or in a neighbor's yard they were invited into are almost always lawfully present. The facts of where you were and how you got there are the deciding factors, and we gather that evidence at the start of every case.

  2. "You provoked the dog"

    An owner is not liable under the statute when the injured person knowingly provoked the dog (C.R.S. 13-21-124(5)(d)). The word knowingly is critical. Petting a dog, walking past it, bending down near it, or reacting when startled is not provocation. Insurers often frame any interaction as provocation to avoid paying a claim. We gather witness statements, surveillance footage where available, and your full account to make sure that ordinary, reasonable conduct around a dog is never recast as provocation that bars your recovery.

  3. "The dog was a working animal"

    The statute carves out narrow exemptions for dogs used by peace officers or military personnel acting in their official duties, and for dogs working as hunting, herding, farm, ranch, or predator-control animals on the owner's property (C.R.S. 13-21-124(5)). These exemptions also cover bites against veterinary workers, groomers, or handlers bitten in the course of their professional duties. The exemptions are deliberately narrow and rarely apply to an ordinary household pet that bites a visitor, a neighbor, or a child. We evaluate every defense claim against the actual text of the statute before any adjuster has a chance to use it against you.

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After the attack

What to do immediately after a dog bite in Centennial

The steps you take in the first hours after a dog attack shape the strength of your Centennial claim. These are the actions that protect your health and preserve the evidence an Arapahoe County insurer will later try to dispute.

  1. Get medical care

    Dog bites carry a serious infection risk. Go to an emergency room or urgent care clinic even if the wound looks manageable. Serious Centennial dog bite injuries are treated at HCA HealthONE Swedish in Englewood, a state-designated Level I trauma and burn center, or at AdventHealth Littleton, a state-designated Level II Trauma Center in Littleton. Nerve and tissue damage from a bite can become apparent only days later. Keep every medical record and every itemized bill from the first visit forward.

  2. Report the bite to Arapahoe County animal control

    Report the attack to Arapahoe County Animal Control even if the owner asks you not to. That report creates an official record of the incident, identifies the dog and its vaccination status, and can feed the local dangerous-dog process, which protects others in your neighborhood. The report also corroborates your account of what happened before the insurer has a chance to rewrite it.

  3. Document the scene, the dog, and the injuries

    Photograph your wounds immediately, before treatment changes their appearance. Photograph the location where the attack happened, including fencing, signage, gates, and the property layout. Note whether the property had warning signs posted. Get the dog owner's name, address, and insurance information, and identify any witnesses. Collect the names of neighbors if the attack happened in a residential area along one of Centennial's shared-use paths or side streets.

  4. Do not give the insurer a recorded statement

    The dog owner's homeowner or renter insurer may call you within days. Do not provide a recorded statement and do not accept any early payment offer before speaking with a lawyer. Recorded statements are designed to create inconsistencies that reduce your recovery. An early offer is almost never the full value of your claim.

  5. Call CGH before the deadline runs

    The deadline for most Colorado dog bite claims is two years from the date of injury (C.R.S. 13-80-102). If the victim is a child, the limitations clock is tolled and generally does not start until the child turns 18. Even with that extension, evidence degrades and witnesses move. Call us at (303) 209-9395 for a free case review. It costs you nothing.

Compensation

What you can recover after a Centennial dog bite, and how Colorado's fault rule applies

A dog bite produces losses that extend well beyond the emergency room bill. Colorado law recognizes two broad categories of recoverable damages, and the liability track your case sits on determines how we reach each one.

Economic damages (always recoverable)

  • Emergency treatment, wound care, and surgery
  • Reconstructive and cosmetic surgery for scarring and disfigurement
  • Lost wages during recovery and future lost earning capacity
  • Future medical care, physical therapy, and psychological treatment
  • Out-of-pocket expenses directly tied to the attack

Non-economic damages (via negligence track)

  • Pain and suffering
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder, which is common and documented after dog attacks
  • Emotional distress and anxiety, including fear of dogs that was not present before the attack
  • Permanent scarring and disfigurement as non-economic harm
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

How Colorado's comparative fault rule applies to dog bites

Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111). In a dog bite case, an owner may argue the victim partly caused the injury by approaching the dog, ignoring a warning sign, or behaving in a way that startled the animal. As long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent, you can still recover, though your damages award is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. If you are found 20 percent at fault, for example, your recovery is reduced by 20 percent, and you recover 80 percent. That threshold is why the statute's strict-liability protection matters so much: on the strict-liability track, the owner cannot claim the dog's unknown history reduces their responsibility.

Here is a distinction that affects many Centennial cases. The strict-liability track under C.R.S. 13-21-124(2) recovers economic damages only. Pain, suffering, and emotional distress require a negligence theory, which C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a) expressly keeps available. In a serious injury case, both paths are usually pursued together. We structure the claim so that every category of harm you actually suffered is presented to the insurer or, when necessary, to an Arapahoe County jury.

How it works

How a Centennial dog bite claim works with CGH Injury Lawyers

A Centennial dog bite claim moves through clear stages from a free case evaluation to trial if an insurer refuses to be fair. Most cases resolve before a courtroom, but every case at CGH is prepared as though it will be tried before an Arapahoe County jury.

  1. Free case evaluation

    We review the bite, the location, your injuries, and the dog's history. We tell you honestly which liability track fits your case and what your claim may be worth. This costs you nothing and creates no obligation.

  2. Investigation and evidence preservation

    We confirm the bite was reported to Arapahoe County Animal Control, identify the dog and its owner, gather the animal control record, and investigate whether the dog had a prior history. We also document the property layout, warning signs, and witness accounts to lock in the facts of where and how you were present when the attack occurred.

  3. Medical documentation

    We build the full medical record, including surgical notes, wound photographs, scar assessments, nerve damage findings, and psychological treatment records. Dog bite cases have a documented psychological dimension, including PTSD and lasting anxiety, and we make sure those non-economic harms are captured in the claim alongside the physical injuries.

  4. Insurance identification

    We locate the dog owner's homeowner or renter liability coverage and verify the policy terms, including any breed exclusions or coverage caps that affect how the claim must be structured. Most Centennial homeowner policies include dog-bite liability coverage, but not all, and the limits vary. We confirm the coverage before negotiating a number.

  5. Demand and negotiation

    We send a fully documented demand to the insurer and negotiate from a position of genuine trial readiness. Insurers settle for more when they believe the case will actually go to a jury. We do not accept the first offer, and we keep you informed at every stage of the negotiation.

  6. Filing suit in Arapahoe County District Court

    If the insurer refuses a fair offer, we file in Arapahoe County District Court at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112. We do not refer your case to outside litigation counsel. The same team that evaluated and investigated your case prepares it for trial and presents it before an Arapahoe County jury when that is what full recovery requires.

Your team

The attorneys handling your Centennial dog bite case

CGH Injury Lawyers is a eight-attorney Colorado personal injury firm founded in 2016, formerly Cheney Galluzzi and Howard. 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. Every Centennial dog bite case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney, not a paralegal, from the first call through the final outcome. CGH Injury Lawyers does not have a Centennial office. We serve Centennial and all of Arapahoe County from our office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205, file in Arapahoe County District Court, and meet clients on their schedule.

ABOTA member on the team Tim Tarr: Best Lawyers in America since 2023 Over 25 cases to verdict Arapahoe County District Court experience Statewide Colorado coverage Bilingual EN / ES Free consultation No fee unless we win

Frequently asked questions

Centennial dog bite lawyer, frequently asked questions

Does the dog have to have bitten someone before for me to recover in Centennial?

No. Colorado rejects the old one-bite rule for serious injuries. Under the strict-liability track in C.R.S. 13-21-124(2), the dog's prior history is irrelevant when your injury qualifies as serious bodily injury. The owner is liable for your economic damages even if the dog had never bitten anyone before and even if the owner had no reason to believe the dog was dangerous. For less serious injuries, the dog's history matters because you proceed under a negligence theory, where proving the owner's knowledge of the danger is required.

Where would my Centennial dog bite lawsuit be filed?

A Centennial dog bite lawsuit that exceeds the county-court jurisdictional limit is filed in Arapahoe County District Court at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112, in the Eighteenth Judicial District. The courthouse is in Centennial itself. Most dog bite claims settle before a lawsuit is filed, but venue affects local rules, the jury pool, and which adjusters and defense firms your case faces. CGH Injury Lawyers handles Arapahoe County District Court cases directly from our Denver office without referring your case to outside counsel.

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

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 such as pain and suffering, post-traumatic stress, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life, you pursue a negligence theory, which the statute expressly preserves (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)). In a serious injury case both tracks are commonly pursued together. We structure the claim to make sure no category of harm you actually suffered is left out.

How long do I have to file a dog bite claim after an attack in Centennial?

The deadline for most Colorado personal injury claims, including dog bites, is two years from the date of injury (C.R.S. 13-80-102). If the victim is a child, the limitations clock is tolled and generally does not start running until the child turns 18. Even with that additional time, evidence from the scene, animal control records, and witness recollections are preserved better when you act promptly. Call us soon after the attack so we can lock in the evidence that protects your claim.

The dog owner says I provoked their dog. Does that end my Centennial case?

Not automatically. The statute bars liability only where the person knowingly provoked the dog (C.R.S. 13-21-124(5)(d)). Petting a dog, walking past it, bending down to look at it, or even startling it by accident is not provocation under the law. Insurers routinely try to reframe any contact as provocation to avoid paying. We gather witness statements and your own account to document that your behavior was ordinary and reasonable, which is what it takes to keep the provocation defense from reducing or eliminating your recovery.

Does CGH Injury Lawyers have a Centennial office?

No. CGH Injury Lawyers has one physical office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We serve Centennial and all of Arapahoe County from that Denver office, file in Arapahoe County District Court at the Eighteenth Judicial District, and meet clients on their schedule. We do not maintain a Centennial address and do not pretend otherwise. Call us at (303) 209-9395 for a free case review.

Related Centennial pages and Colorado practice areas

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Read next: How Colorado's dog bite law works statewide

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