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Main Avenue in Durango, Colorado. CGH Injury Lawyers represents bicycle accident victims across La Plata County.

IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.

Durango Bicycle Accident Lawyers Who Fight for Every Dollar Your Crash Is Worth

A car that clips you on Main Avenue, a driver who cuts across the Animas River Trail crossing, a right-hook on Camino del Rio: the injuries are real and the insurer is already working to minimize what they pay. CGH Injury Lawyers represents injured cyclists in La Plata County from our Denver office. We fight the comparative fault argument, prove the Colorado rules of the road the driver violated, and file in the District Court, La Plata County when an insurer will not be fair. You pay nothing unless we win.

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Durango is one of Colorado's premier cycling cities. The Animas River Trail runs eight miles through the heart of the city. Fort Lewis College students commute by bike on Main Avenue and College Drive. Mountain bikers descend from Purgatory Resort and the surrounding San Juan National Forest. That culture of cycling coexists with US 550 and US 160 traffic volumes that are far heavier than the infrastructure was built to handle, and with tourist drivers who are unfamiliar with the road, the altitude, and the cyclists sharing the lane. When those realities collide, the injuries are serious and the insurer is quick to blame the rider. CGH Injury Lawyers represents injured cyclists in La Plata County from our Denver office. We use Colorado's cyclist-protection laws to shift fault back onto the driver, and we file in the District Court, La Plata County, 6th Judicial District when the insurer refuses to be fair.

  • Colorado's Safety Stop law (C.R.S. 42-4-1412.5) lets cyclists treat stop signs as yield signs and proceed through a red light after stopping when it is safe to do so. A cyclist who followed those rules was following the law, not breaking it, and an insurer who claims otherwise is wrong.
  • Drivers must leave at least three feet of clearance when passing a cyclist (C.R.S. 42-4-1003). On narrow sections of Camino del Rio and the College Avenue corridor, violations of that rule are a direct cause of serious crashes. A violation is direct evidence of negligence in a civil injury claim.
  • There is no CGH office in Durango. The firm's only physical office is at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We serve La Plata County cyclists from there, travel to Durango as cases require, and file directly in the District Court, La Plata County, 6th Judicial District at 1060 East Second Ave, Suite 106, Durango, CO 81301.

Colorado cycling law

The Colorado laws that protect Durango cyclists, and how insurers try to ignore them

Three Colorado statutes define the rights of cyclists on Durango roads and the duties of the drivers who must share those roads with them. Knowing these laws is the foundation of every bicycle injury claim we build.

  1. The Safety Stop law (C.R.S. 42-4-1412.5)

    At a stop sign, a cyclist may slow, check for cross-traffic, and proceed without coming to a full foot-down stop when the intersection is clear. At a red light, the cyclist must stop completely, yield to all traffic, and may then proceed when it is safe. This matters in Durango because insurance adjusters routinely claim that a cyclist ran a stop sign or blew a light to shift comparative fault after a collision. When a cyclist followed the Safety Stop correctly, that argument fails. Our attorneys reconstruct the intersection approach, obtain witness statements, and demonstrate that the rider used exactly the discretion the law authorizes. That work is critical under Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule, where being found 50 percent or more at fault bars any recovery at all (C.R.S. 13-21-111).

  2. The three-foot passing rule (C.R.S. 42-4-1003)

    When passing a cyclist, every driver in Colorado must leave at least three feet of lateral clearance. On Camino del Rio south of downtown, on Main Avenue where the lanes narrow near the College Avenue intersection, and on the approaches to the Animas River Trail crossings, that three-foot requirement is regularly violated. If the lane is too narrow to maintain three feet of clearance while staying in the lane, the driver is required to change lanes or wait. A driver who does not is negligent as a matter of law. We use dashcam footage, witness accounts, and accident reconstruction to prove the violation.

  3. Cyclists have the same rights as vehicles

    Colorado law under Title 42 gives bicycles the same rights and duties as motor vehicles on public roads. A cyclist lawfully riding in a travel lane on Main Avenue or Camino del Rio is entitled to that space. A driver who tailgates, honks, or forces a cyclist out of the lane is creating a dangerous condition. When that conduct leads to a crash, it is evidence of the driver's negligence. Cyclists may also ride two abreast when it does not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, and taking the center of a lane is legal when conditions make it the safe choice.

  4. Lighting requirements and the helmet defense

    Bicycles ridden between sunset and sunrise must have a front light and a rear reflector. Riding without lights in low-visibility conditions can reduce your recovery in a nighttime crash, though it rarely eliminates liability on its own. Colorado does not require adults to wear helmets while cycling. Not wearing one is not automatic negligence. An insurer may argue that a helmet would have reduced head injuries, a theory that can lower recovery under the comparative negligence rule, but it does not bar the claim. We work with medical experts to prove what the driver's conduct caused and to show which injuries a helmet would not have prevented.

Where Durango bicycle crashes happen

The Durango corridors and crossings behind most La Plata County bicycle injury claims

Cycling in Durango is woven into the daily life of the city, from Fort Lewis College commuters to Animas River Trail users to mountain bikers returning from Purgatory Resort. The conflicts between cyclists and motorists follow predictable patterns on specific roads. Knowing where crashes happen, and why, shapes how we build the liability case.

  1. Main Avenue and the College Avenue intersection

    Main Avenue carries US 550 through-traffic while also serving as the primary street-level route for cyclists connecting downtown Durango to Fort Lewis College and the neighborhoods north and south of the city center. The segment near the College Avenue intersection is where pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements were undertaken by CDOT and the City of Durango, including raised crosswalks, in response to documented crash history. Cyclists on this corridor face right-hook collisions from turning vehicles, dooring hazards from parallel-parked cars, and through-drivers who do not expect cyclists in travel lanes. The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad depot nearby draws heavy foot and vehicle traffic throughout the tourist season, compounding the conflict.

  2. Camino del Rio and the Animas River Trail crossings

    Camino del Rio carries US 550 traffic south from downtown Durango along the Animas River before the highway heads north toward Silverton. The Animas River Trail, an eight-mile multi-use path through the city, crosses vehicular traffic at several points along this corridor. At those crossings, drivers turning across the trail path without yielding to cyclists or pedestrians are a documented source of conflict. Cyclists using the trail for recreation or commuting may have the right of way at marked crossings, and a driver who fails to yield is negligent. We evaluate crossing geometry, signage, and sight lines to document the driver's duty and its violation.

  3. US 550 north: the Million Dollar Highway approach

    Road cyclists who climb north out of Durango on US 550 toward Coal Bank Pass and Purgatory Resort share lanes with a documented high-crash corridor that has no guardrails on significant stretches and lane widths as narrow as 23 feet. CDOT documented 53 crashes over a 15-mile section south of Ouray between 2020 and 2024, with 33 involving vehicles leaving the roadway. For cyclists, the hazard is the combination of impatient tourist traffic, narrow lanes, and steep drop-offs that leave no margin when a driver fails to maintain the three-foot clearance required by C.R.S. 42-4-1003. Crashes on this corridor tend to produce catastrophic injuries, and the damages analysis must account for permanent physical impairment, which is not subject to any cap under Colorado law.

  4. College Drive and the Fort Lewis College commute corridor

    Fort Lewis College sits on a mesa above downtown Durango and generates a steady flow of student cyclists descending into the city via College Drive and connecting to Main Avenue. Drivers who are not accustomed to cyclists descending at speed on these grades may not give adequate clearance or may underestimate a cyclist's speed. Intersection conflicts at the bottom of the descent where College Drive meets the Main Avenue corridor are a specific risk. We gather College Drive incident history and work with accident reconstruction experts when a crash on this corridor raises questions about relative speed and lane position.

After the crash

What to do immediately after a bicycle accident in Durango

The minutes after a bicycle crash in La Plata County shape everything that follows. These steps protect your health and preserve the evidence an insurer will try to use against you.

  1. Call 911 and stay at the scene

    Request both police and medical help. A Colorado State Patrol or Durango Police Department crash report is a critical piece of evidence, capturing road conditions, the position of the vehicles and bicycle, any witness statements at the scene, and the officer's initial observations about fault. Even if you feel okay, the report creates the official record. On the Animas River Trail or a multi-use path, call 911 and document the scene even if no police report is automatically generated.

  2. Get to CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital

    Serious bicycle crash injuries in La Plata County are typically treated at CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital (formerly Mercy Regional Medical Center), the designated Level III Trauma Center in Durango. Bicycle collisions frequently produce head injuries, spinal injuries, broken bones, and internal trauma that may not be fully apparent at the scene because adrenaline masks pain. Get examined promptly, follow through with every recommended imaging or specialist visit, and keep all records. Those records become the evidentiary backbone of your damages claim, including future care costs that a quick settlement offer will never cover.

  3. Document the scene and preserve your gear

    Photograph the road, the vehicle, your bicycle, your injuries, skid marks, lane markings, and any missing or inadequate signage. On Main Avenue or Camino del Rio, capture the lane width at the point of impact. Collect the driver's name, license plate, insurance information, and contact details for any witnesses. Do not repair or discard your bicycle or damaged gear before a settlement. They may be needed by an expert to demonstrate the force and angle of impact.

  4. Do not give a recorded statement

    The at-fault driver's insurer is not working for you. Do not agree to a recorded statement, discuss your injuries before a full medical evaluation, or sign any documents before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters handling bicycle crash claims in La Plata County are skilled at extracting statements that they later use to push a cyclist's comparative fault percentage toward the 50-percent bar that eliminates any recovery under C.R.S. 13-21-111.

  5. Check for a government notice deadline

    If a road condition maintained by the City of Durango or CDOT contributed to your crash, such as a deteriorated trail crossing, missing signage at a dangerous Animas River Trail intersection, or a drainage hazard on a public bike lane, a written notice of claim must be served on the government entity within 182 days of discovering the injury (C.R.S. 24-10-109(1)). That deadline runs long before the general two-year filing period for tort claims (C.R.S. 13-80-102) and missing it bars the government-entity portion of your claim entirely.

  6. Contact CGH Injury Lawyers

    The deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit for a bicycle crash caused by a motor vehicle is three years from the date of the crash under C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n). The general two-year tort deadline (C.R.S. 13-80-102) does not apply to injuries arising from the use or operation of a motor vehicle. Evidence fades and witnesses become harder to locate as time passes. We serve La Plata County cyclists from our Denver office, file in the District Court, La Plata County when needed, and offer a free consultation with no fee unless we win. Call (303) 209-9395 or use the form on this page.

Compensation

What can a Durango bicycle accident victim recover?

Colorado law lets injured cyclists pursue the full cost of a crash. Bicycle collisions with motor vehicles frequently produce catastrophic injuries, and the most important damage categories in those cases are the ones that are not capped.

Economic damages (never capped)

  • Medical expenses, emergency and ongoing
  • Future surgery, rehabilitation, and therapy
  • Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
  • Bicycle replacement or repair
  • Out-of-pocket expenses tied to the crash
  • Life-care costs for catastrophic or permanent injuries

Non-economic and physical-impairment 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)
  • Emotional distress and anxiety
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium for a spouse or partner
  • Physical impairment or disfigurement (not capped at all under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5)

For claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado caps non-economic damages such as pain and suffering at a flat $1.5 million under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5. Inflation-adjusted, lower caps apply to claims that accrued before that date. Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is not capped under any circumstances. In a serious bicycle crash involving spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injury, or the loss of a limb, the uncapped physical impairment category is where the largest portion of the recovery often lives. Economic damages such as medical bills, future care costs, and lost wages are never capped and are frequently the largest component of a bicycle crash claim. Punitive damages are also available when a defendant acted with willful and wanton disregard for the safety of a cyclist (C.R.S. 13-21-102).

Fault and comparative negligence

What if the insurer says the Durango bicycle crash was your fault?

Comparative fault is the primary tool insurers use to reduce or eliminate bicycle crash claims. Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence rule under C.R.S. 13-21-111. You can recover damages as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. If you are found 30 percent at fault, your recovery is reduced by 30 percent.

How insurers try to shift blame onto cyclists

After a bicycle crash in Durango, the at-fault driver's insurer will often claim the cyclist: ran a stop sign or red light (the Safety Stop law defeats this when it was followed correctly); was riding outside the bike lane or taking up too much of the road (taking the lane is legal when conditions require it); was not wearing a helmet (not wearing a helmet is not negligence under Colorado law and does not bar a claim); or was riding without lights at night (lights are required at night but their absence rarely eliminates driver liability). Each of these arguments is designed to push the cyclist's fault percentage toward the 50-percent bar that eliminates any recovery.

UM/UIM coverage: your own policy may pay

If an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you while you ride your bicycle in Durango, your own auto insurance policy's uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may pay for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. This matters in hit-and-run cases and when the at-fault driver has minimal coverage. Many cyclists do not know this coverage applies even though they were not in a vehicle. If a government entity such as the City of Durango or CDOT bears responsibility for a dangerous road or trail condition that contributed to your crash, the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (C.R.S. 24-10-114) caps recovery at $505,000 per person and $1,421,000 per occurrence for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2026. The 182-day notice requirement (C.R.S. 24-10-109(1)) applies and must be met to preserve that portion of the claim.

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Local knowledge

Durango courts. Durango trauma care. Durango cycling corridors.

A La Plata County bicycle accident claim is grounded in local facts: where the crash happened, how the road is built, which hospital treated you, and what courthouse handles the lawsuit. Here is the ground we work on for every Durango cyclist we represent.

Courthouse

District Court, La Plata County, 6th Judicial District

A Durango bicycle accident lawsuit that exceeds the county-court jurisdictional limit is filed in the District Court, La Plata County, part of Colorado's 6th Judicial District, at 1060 East Second Ave, Suite 106, Durango, CO 81301. La Plata County juries reflect a community that both cycles and drives on the same roads. Understanding how that jury pool evaluates comparative fault arguments, and presenting the cyclist protection laws clearly, is part of how we build every La Plata County bicycle case. We handle District Court cases directly from our Denver office and travel to Durango as the case demands. Your case is not handed off to local counsel.

Trauma Care

CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital, Level III Trauma Center

Bicycle crash injuries in La Plata County are typically treated at CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital (formerly Mercy Regional Medical Center) in Durango, the regional Level III Trauma Center for southwest Colorado. A bicycle collision with a motor vehicle on Main Avenue or Camino del Rio can produce traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, rib fractures, and internal bleeding that require the full resources of a trauma center. Emergency care at Mercy Hospital generates the CT scans, neurological consults, and surgical records that document the scope of your injuries. We know how to read those records and how to use them to establish both current and future damages in a bicycle injury claim.

Cycling Infrastructure

Animas River Trail, Main Avenue, Camino del Rio, and US 550 North

The Animas River Trail is an eight-mile paved multi-use path running through Durango along the Animas River, crossed by vehicular traffic at multiple points. Main Avenue through downtown carries US 550 traffic and generated enough bicycle and pedestrian crashes to prompt CDOT and the City of Durango to install raised crosswalks at the Camino del Rio and College Avenue intersection. Camino del Rio carries the US 550 corridor south toward the New Mexico border. US 550 north of downtown, the Million Dollar Highway, climbs through Coal Bank Pass toward Purgatory Resort with no guardrails on significant stretches and lanes as narrow as 23 feet, documented by CDOT with 53 crashes over a 15-mile section south of Ouray between 2020 and 2024. Fort Lewis College, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad depot, and Purgatory Resort all contribute year-round cycling traffic to these corridors.

How it works

How a Durango bicycle accident claim works with CGH

A La Plata County bicycle injury claim moves through six stages, from a free case evaluation to a trial in the District Court, La Plata County when an insurer refuses to be fair. Most cases resolve before a courtroom, but every bicycle case we handle is prepared as if it will be tried.

  1. Free case evaluation

    We review the facts of your Durango bicycle crash, explain your rights under the Safety Stop law, the three-foot passing rule, and Colorado's comparative negligence statute, and give you an honest assessment of what the claim is worth and what we can do with it. No cost, no obligation.

  2. Investigation

    We gather the La Plata County crash report, CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital medical records, witness statements, and any available surveillance or dashcam footage. For crashes at Animas River Trail crossings or on Camino del Rio and Main Avenue, we examine road and trail maintenance records, signage placement, and prior incident history at the same location to identify every responsible party.

  3. Demand letter

    We calculate your full damages across every category Colorado law allows, economic, non-economic, and physical impairment, and send a documented demand to the at-fault insurer. The demand reflects the full value of the claim and is supported by medical records, expert opinions, and evidence of the driver's violation of the cycling laws.

  4. Negotiation

    Most Durango bicycle accident cases settle during negotiation. We negotiate from a position of trial readiness. Insurers who know that a firm has tried cases in La Plata County District Court respond differently than they do to attorneys who settle everything. Our attorneys serve on the CDOT Vulnerable Road User Safety Task Force, which gives us standing in any discussion about cyclist rights and road standards.

  5. Filing suit in La Plata County District Court

    If the insurer refuses a fair offer, we file in the District Court, La Plata County, 6th Judicial District. We handle La Plata County cases directly, without referring your case to outside counsel. The attorneys who took your initial call are the attorneys who try your case.

  6. Trial

    Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has tried over 25 cases to verdict. When a La Plata County jury is what full recovery requires, we present your bicycle case with the same preparation we bring to every case in our firm. We are ready to do exactly that.

Your team

The team handling your Durango bicycle accident case

CGH Injury Lawyers is a eight-attorney Colorado firm founded in 2016, formerly Cheney Galluzzi and Howard. Our attorneys serve on the CDOT Vulnerable Road User Safety Task Force, working directly with state legislators and transportation officials on cyclist protections, including the Safety Stop law and the three-foot passing rule. 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 La Plata County bicycle accident case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney, not a paralegal. The firm serves Durango and La Plata County from its only office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. There is no Durango office.

ABOTA member on the team Tim Tarr: Best Lawyers in America since 2023 CDOT Vulnerable Road User Safety Task Force Over 25 cases to verdict Statewide Colorado coverage Bilingual EN / ES Free consultation No fee unless we win

Frequently asked questions

Durango bicycle accident questions, answered

How long do I have to file a bicycle accident lawsuit in Durango?

In most bicycle crash cases where a motor vehicle caused the collision, Colorado gives you three years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit under the motor-vehicle tort statute of limitations (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). The general two-year tort deadline (C.R.S. 13-80-102) does not apply to injuries arising from the use or operation of a motor vehicle. If the crash was caused or contributed to by a dangerous condition maintained by a government entity, such as the City of Durango or CDOT, you must also serve a written notice of claim on that entity within 182 days of discovering the injury (C.R.S. 24-10-109(1)). That government-notice deadline runs well before the three-year filing period, and missing it bars the government-entity claim entirely. Confirm your specific deadline with an attorney as soon as possible after the crash.

Does CGH Injury Lawyers have an office in Durango?

No. CGH Injury Lawyers has one physical office, at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We serve La Plata County and Durango cyclists from that office, file cases in the District Court, La Plata County, 6th Judicial District at 1060 East Second Ave, Suite 106, Durango, CO 81301, and travel to Durango as the case requires. We do not maintain a Durango address. You can reach us at (303) 209-9395.

Can I still recover damages if I was not wearing a helmet when I was hit?

Yes. Colorado does not require adults to wear helmets while cycling. Not wearing a helmet is not automatic negligence. An insurer may argue that a helmet would have reduced your head injuries, a theory known as failure to mitigate, and that argument can reduce recovery under Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111), but it does not bar your claim entirely. We work with medical experts to show what the driver's negligence caused and to demonstrate which of your injuries, such as spinal damage, rib fractures, or internal bleeding, a helmet would not have prevented.

What if the insurer says I was at fault for the Durango bicycle crash?

Colorado follows a modified comparative fault rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111). You can recover damages as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and your award is reduced by your percentage. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. Insurance adjusters frequently use Safety Stop arguments, helmet arguments, and lane-position arguments to push a cyclist's fault percentage toward that 50-percent bar. Our attorneys use Colorado's cycling statutes, crash reconstruction, and witness testimony to counter those arguments and protect the value of your claim.

Does Colorado cap what I can recover after a Durango bicycle accident?

Economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, bicycle replacement, and future care costs are never capped in Colorado. Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering are capped at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025, with inflation adjustments beginning in 2028 (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5). Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is not capped at all, which matters most in serious bicycle crashes involving permanent spine injury, brain injury, or limb loss. In those cases, the uncapped physical impairment category is frequently where the most significant recovery lives.

Can my own auto insurance cover a bicycle crash in Durango?

Often, yes. If you carry uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on your auto policy, that coverage may pay your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering when an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you while you are on your bicycle. This matters in hit-and-run cases and when the at-fault driver on a Durango road carries minimum limits. Many cyclists are surprised to learn this coverage applies even though they were not in a car at the time of the crash. We help clients identify every available source of recovery, including UM/UIM and, where applicable, homeowner or umbrella policies.

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IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.

You were hit while cycling in Durango. We handle everything else.

Free consultation. No fee unless we win. Serving La Plata County cyclists from our Denver office. Available in English and Spanish.

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CGH Injury Lawyers · Serving Durango and La Plata County from 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205