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Englewood, Colorado. CGH Injury Lawyers represents spinal cord injury victims across Arapahoe County from our Denver office.
Englewood, Arapahoe County

Englewood Spinal Cord Injury Lawyers Who Build Cases Sized to Lifetime Care

Craig Hospital sits in Englewood for a reason: spinal cord injuries are catastrophic and demand the highest level of care. CGH Injury Lawyers serves Englewood and all of Arapahoe County from our Denver office, builds your claim to the full lifetime cost, and files in the 18th Judicial District when an insurer refuses to be fair. No fee unless we win.

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Serving Englewood 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 spinal cord injury treated at Craig Hospital in Englewood is already among the most serious injuries a person can survive. The financial consequences stretch across decades, and the first settlement offer from an insurance company almost never reflects what a lifetime of care actually costs.

  • The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center's 2025 data sheet estimates lifetime care costs at age 25 range from about $3 million for paraplegia to more than $6.2 million for a high cervical injury, in 2024 dollars. Colorado families should expect the higher end of those ranges because of elevated healthcare costs and accessible housing expenses in the Denver metro.
  • Colorado follows a modified comparative fault rule under C.R.S. 13-21-111. You can still 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.
  • The statute of limitations for most spinal cord injury claims in Colorado is two years from the date of injury under C.R.S. 13-80-102. When the injury resulted from a motor vehicle crash, the deadline extends to three years under C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n). If a government entity or vehicle was involved, 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.

CGH Injury Lawyers serves Englewood and all of Arapahoe County from our Denver office. We work with life care planners, neurologists, spinal specialists, and economists to build a damages model that reflects 40 to 60 years of real cost, with no upfront fees and a free first consultation.

Englewood, Arapahoe County

We know Englewood: the rehabilitation center treating your injury, the roads where those injuries happen, and the courthouse where your case may be filed

Every Englewood spinal cord injury claim has a local shape. Here is the ground we work on.

Rehabilitation and Trauma Care

Craig Hospital, 3425 S. Clarkson Street, Englewood

Craig Hospital at 3425 S. Clarkson Street in Englewood is one of the world's leading rehabilitation centers for spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. It is the facility where Englewood-area spinal cord injury patients are transferred after acute stabilization. Craig Hospital records document the full picture of an injury, from the neurological level and ASIA grade at admission through the long-term rehabilitation course and equipment needs. Those records, read by our team alongside a certified life care planner, form the foundation of a damages claim that reflects decades of real cost. HCA HealthONE Swedish, also serving the south Denver and Arapahoe County corridor, handles acute-phase trauma stabilization for serious injuries on the surrounding road network.

High-Risk Corridors

US 285 / Hampden Avenue, US 85 / Santa Fe Drive, I-25, and South Broadway

Spinal cord injuries in Englewood most often arise from high-energy collisions on the city's most congested corridors. US 285 / Hampden Avenue was flagged by a multi-agency Mobility and Safety Study for documented crash frequency, including a fatal 2023 motorcycle crash west of South Broadway. The I-25 / Hampden interchange carries tens of thousands of vehicles daily and has been identified by CDOT as a high-attention exit for crash activity. US 85 / Santa Fe Drive carries heavy commercial truck traffic through Englewood from the industrial corridor to the south, where a loaded truck's mass translates directly into the force of a collision. Falls on the South Platte River Trail and Bear Creek Trail also produce serious spinal injuries for pedestrians and cyclists. A crash or fall that fractures a vertebra or damages the cord itself at highway speed or from an elevated height produces injury types that require the kind of lifetime planning a short settlement cannot cover.

Courthouse

18th Judicial District, Arapahoe County District Court

Spinal cord injury lawsuits arising in Englewood are filed in the 18th Judicial District of Colorado, Arapahoe County District Court. The court sits at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac Street, Centennial, CO 80112, or the Arapahoe County Courthouse, 1790 West Littleton Blvd, Littleton, CO 80120. Defense firms and insurers that handle Arapahoe County catastrophic-injury cases know this court. CGH Injury Lawyers files and tries cases in the 18th Judicial District directly from our Denver office.

The medical framework

Understanding injury levels and why they determine the value of your case

Where the injury occurs on the spinal cord decides what abilities are preserved, what functions are lost, and what care will cost over the next 30 to 60 years. Craig Hospital's clinical records are organized around this framework, and so is the damages model in your case.

  1. Cervical (C1-C8): tetraplegia

    Injuries in the neck region affect all four limbs. C1 through C4 injuries are the most severe: many require ventilator support and round-the-clock attendant care, with lifetime costs exceeding $6.2 million at age 25 by National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates (2025 data, in 2024 dollars). C5 through C8 injuries allow progressively more arm and hand function, but still require significant ongoing care. For Englewood-area high-speed collisions on I-25 or Hampden, cervical injuries are a frequent result of the direction of force at impact.

  2. Thoracic (T1-T12): paraplegia

    Thoracic injuries paralyze the legs while arm and hand function remains intact. Upper thoracic injuries affect trunk stability and sitting balance. Lower thoracic injuries preserve more trunk control, and many people live independently with home modifications and adaptive equipment. Lifetime costs for a lower thoracic injury at age 25 run about $3 million under the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center's 2025 estimates, in 2024 dollars, and rise with complications, Denver's housing market, and the cost of wheelchair modifications suited to Colorado winters.

  3. Lumbar and sacral (L1-S5): partial function

    Lumbar and sacral injuries often preserve some leg movement and ambulation with bracing. They frequently cause bowel and bladder dysfunction that requires lifelong management. Lifetime costs are lower than cervical or thoracic injuries, but supplies, medication, periodic surgeries, and equipment still represent a substantial financial burden over decades. A low-level injury still warrants a documented life care plan, because insurers will argue you are fine without one.

  4. Complete versus incomplete: the ASIA Impairment Scale

    The ASIA scale grades injuries from A to E. ASIA A is a complete injury with no motor or sensory function below the neurological level. ASIA B through D are incomplete, meaning some neural pathways remain intact. Incomplete injuries create a valuation problem: the extent of recovery may not be clear for 12 to 18 months after the injury. Insurers exploit that uncertainty with offers built on optimistic recovery projections that rarely hold. A sound life care plan accounts for both the chance of improvement and the reality that most people plateau far short of independence.

Compensation

What compensation can you recover after an Englewood spinal cord injury?

Colorado law allows injured people to recover two broad categories of damages: economic losses you can document with bills and records, and non-economic losses for the human cost of a catastrophic injury. A life care plan, built by certified planners working alongside neurologists and spinal specialists, translates the medical picture into a dollar figure that covers the next 40 to 60 years.

Economic damages (never capped in Colorado)

  • Craig Hospital rehabilitation costs, inpatient and outpatient
  • Power wheelchair, replaced roughly every five years
  • Attendant care for 12-hour daily coverage in the Denver metro, part of recurring yearly costs the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center puts between $55,900 and $244,879 depending on injury level, in 2024 dollars
  • Accessible vehicle modification, including all-wheel-drive upfits for Colorado driving
  • Home modification in the Denver-Englewood housing market
  • Medical supplies, medications, and ongoing specialist care
  • Lost wages, lost benefits, and reduced lifetime earning capacity

Non-economic damages and caps

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium for a spouse or family member

For claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado caps non-economic damages such as pain and suffering at $1,500,000 under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5. That cap is flat, with no scheduled annual increases. However, compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is not capped at all in Colorado, and economic damages are never capped. For a spinal cord injury case, the uncapped economic losses, including decades of Craig Hospital follow-up care and attendant services, often represent the largest portion of the recovery.

Fault and deadlines

Colorado comparative fault and filing deadlines for spinal cord injury claims

You can still recover in Colorado even if you were partly responsible for the crash or fall that caused your injury. Colorado uses a modified comparative fault rule under C.R.S. 13-21-111. You can recover damages as long as you were less than 50 percent at fault, and your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing.

Filing deadlines you need to know

  • Most spinal cord injury claims in Colorado must be filed within two years of the injury date under C.R.S. 13-80-102. When the injury resulted from a motor vehicle crash, the deadline is three years under C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n).
  • If a government vehicle or public entity was involved, the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act requires a written notice of claim within 182 days of discovering the injury, not 182 days from the crash itself (C.R.S. 24-10-109). Claims against a government entity that go past 182 days from discovery can be barred entirely.
  • CGIA caps on claims accruing on or after January 1, 2026, are $505,000 per person and $1,421,000 aggregate (C.R.S. 24-10-114). These caps are far below the lifetime costs of a serious spinal cord injury, which is why identifying every non-government defendant is critical in crashes involving public roads or vehicles.
  • Insurers routinely inflate the injured person's share of fault to reduce a payout. On high-speed corridors like I-25 and Hampden, they may argue you were speeding, changing lanes improperly, or not wearing a seatbelt. An attorney can challenge those claims with accident reconstruction data, crash reports, and expert testimony.

After the injury

What to do after a spinal cord injury in Englewood

The days and weeks following a catastrophic injury shape your legal claim. These steps protect your health, preserve the evidence an insurer will later challenge, and give your attorney the full picture of what happened.

  1. Get emergency care immediately and follow through at Craig Hospital

    Spinal cord injuries require immediate stabilization at a trauma center. Once acute care is complete, many patients are transferred to Craig Hospital at 3425 S. Clarkson Street in Englewood for intensive inpatient rehabilitation. Those records, from admission neurological assessment through discharge functional status, are the clinical foundation of your legal case. Follow every recommended treatment plan and keep records of each provider visit.

  2. Preserve evidence from the scene

    If possible, document the crash site or fall location before anything changes. On US 285 or I-25, CDOT and private surveillance systems overwrite footage within days. Witness memories fade. Police reports must be obtained promptly. If you cannot collect evidence yourself because of hospitalization, an attorney can send an investigator to the scene on your behalf.

  3. Do not give a recorded statement to any insurer

    The at-fault party's insurer will contact you or your family quickly after a catastrophic injury. Do not agree to a recorded statement. Do not sign any medical authorizations, releases, or settlement offers without attorney review. Early settlement offers on spinal cord injury cases are almost always far below the lifetime cost of the injury.

  4. Contact a spinal cord injury attorney before the CGIA notice deadline

    If a government entity, public vehicle, or public road defect contributed to your injury, the 182-day notice deadline under C.R.S. 24-10-109 begins running from the date you discovered the injury. Missing it can bar your claim against that defendant entirely. Do not wait to consult an attorney to determine whether a government notice deadline applies to your case.

  5. Begin the life care planning process

    A life care plan takes time to build properly. Certified planners need medical records, treating physician input, and functional assessments to project 40 to 60 years of need. Starting early, before the insurer frames the settlement discussion, gives your team control over the damages narrative. CGH Injury Lawyers coordinates the entire life care planning process as part of case development.

Why early settlements fall short

Insurance realities for Englewood spinal cord injury victims

In the weeks after a catastrophic injury, when a family is overwhelmed and still processing what happened at Craig Hospital, insurers send offers that sound significant. A $1 million settlement can feel life-changing. For someone with C5 tetraplegia facing estimated lifetime costs above $4.5 million under the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center's 2025 data sheet, in 2024 dollars, it falls short by more than $3.5 million. Once a settlement is accepted, it is final. There is no returning to court when the money runs out 15 years later and 25 more years of care remain.

Common insurer tactics in catastrophic injury cases

  • Offering a quick settlement before the ASIA grade and neurological level are confirmed and before a life care plan has been completed.
  • Arguing that an incomplete ASIA B or C injury means the injured person will recover significantly, and therefore future care costs are overstated.
  • Disputing the need for quality-of-life equipment like environmental control systems, custom power wheelchairs, and vehicle conversions, arguing a cheaper alternative is adequate.
  • Inflating the injured person's share of fault under C.R.S. 13-21-111 to reduce the payout. On Hampden or I-25, adjusters may argue you were following too closely, merging unsafely, or speeding.
  • Claiming that family members can provide attendant care at no cost, and therefore no damages for paid attendant care should be awarded.
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Your team

The team handling your Englewood spinal cord injury case

CGH Injury Lawyers is a eight-attorney Colorado firm founded in 2016, formerly Cheney Galluzzi & 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 Englewood spinal cord injury case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney working alongside life care planners, neurologists, spinal specialists, and forensic economists. We serve Englewood and all of Arapahoe County from our Denver office. CGH Injury Lawyers does not have an Englewood office. We come to you, coordinate with Craig Hospital and treating physicians directly, and file cases in Arapahoe County District Court when needed.

ABOTA member on the team Tim Tarr: Best Lawyers in America since 2023 Over 25 cases to verdict Works with life care planners 18th Judicial District coverage Bilingual EN / ES Free consultation No fee unless we win

Frequently asked questions

Englewood spinal cord injury, frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a spinal cord injury lawsuit after a crash in Englewood?

The deadline depends on what caused the injury. When a motor vehicle crash caused the spinal cord injury, Colorado gives you three years from the crash date under C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n). For most other causes, including falls on someone else's property or a product defect, the deadline is two years under C.R.S. 13-80-102. If a government vehicle or road defect contributed, a written notice of claim under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act must be filed within 182 days of discovering the injury under C.R.S. 24-10-109, which is a separate and earlier deadline. Missing any of these deadlines can permanently bar your claim, so do not wait to consult an attorney.

Can I recover if I was partly at fault for the crash that injured me?

Yes, in most cases. Colorado follows a modified comparative fault rule under C.R.S. 13-21-111. You can still recover damages as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and your award is reduced by that percentage. For example, if a jury finds you were 20 percent at fault and awards $2 million, you receive $1.6 million. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. Insurance adjusters routinely inflate the injured person's fault in catastrophic injury cases. An attorney can challenge their assessment with crash reconstruction data and expert testimony.

Is there a cap on what I can recover for a spinal cord injury in Colorado?

Colorado caps non-economic damages such as pain and suffering at $1,500,000 for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025, under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5. That cap is flat with no scheduled annual increases. However, compensation for physical impairment and disfigurement is not capped, and economic damages including medical expenses, attendant care, equipment, home modification, and lost wages are never capped. For a serious spinal cord injury case, the uncapped economic losses frequently exceed the non-economic cap by a substantial margin, which is why the life care plan matters so much.

What is a life care plan and why do I need one for my spinal cord injury case?

A life care plan is a document built by certified planners, typically nurses or rehabilitation specialists, that projects every future medical and non-medical need across the rest of the injured person's life. It covers power wheelchairs, attendant care hours, home and vehicle modifications, medication, surgeries, and supplies, all priced in current dollars and adjusted for medical inflation. In a legal case, the life care plan becomes the foundation for economic damages. Without one, the insurer's low offer looks reasonable. With one, the real lifetime cost is on the record and defensible at trial.

Should I accept the early settlement offer the insurance company sent after my Englewood injury?

Be very cautious. Early offers arrive before the full extent of the injury is known and almost always represent a fraction of actual lifetime costs. For a C5 tetraplegia case, the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center's 2025 data sheet estimates lifetime costs above $4.5 million at age 25, in 2024 dollars. A $1 million offer falls more than $3.5 million short. Once you accept a settlement and sign a release, it is final. There is no legal path back when the money is gone and 25 more years of care remain. Have an attorney value your claim against a complete life care plan before you consider any offer.

Does CGH have an office in Englewood?

CGH Injury Lawyers does not have an Englewood office. We represent Englewood and Arapahoe County clients from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. Englewood is a service-area city, not a separate office location. We come to you, coordinate directly with Craig Hospital, treating physicians, and Arapahoe County insurers, and file cases in the 18th Judicial District when needed. You do not need to travel to us for the work to get done.

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CGH Injury Lawyers, serving Englewood and Arapahoe County from 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. (303) 209-9395.