Golden Personal Injury Lawyers Who Watch the 182-Day Government Deadline

The Act starts from immunity and then waives it in listed situations. Those include the operation of a motor vehicle owned or leased by a public entity by a public employee in the course of employment, with an exception for certain emergency vehicles (C.R.S. 24-10-106(1)(a)).

They also include a dangerous condition of a public building (subsection (1)(c)) and a dangerous condition of a public highway, road, or street that physically interferes with the movement of traffic (subsection (1)(d)(I)).

The first deadline is short. Written notice must be filed within 182 days after discovery of the injury, and C.R.S. 24-10-109(1) makes compliance a jurisdictional prerequisite.

Recovery is limited too. C.R.S. 24-10-114 caps the total amount recoverable from public entities in a single occurrence, and subsection (4)(a) generally bars punitive damages against them.

Riders on Golden's canyon and foothill roads can read our Golden bicycle accident page.

• Have you handled cases like mine? Our practice covers motor vehicle crashes, premises injuries, dog bites, brain and spinal injuries, and wrongful death.
• What happens if we lose? On a contingency agreement, no attorney fee is owed. Ask how costs are treated in that situation, and get the answer in writing.
• How long will it take? An honest lawyer will say it depends on treatment and on the insurer, and will explain why.
• Is the firm prepared to try my case? Ours prepares every case as if it will go to a jury.
• Will I talk to a lawyer or only to staff? You should have access to the attorney responsible for your case.
• Do you offer help in Spanish? Yes, at every stage.

The how we handle your case page walks through each stage in more detail.

• Soft-tissue injuries are common after crashes and often invisible on imaging.
• Traumatic brain injuries at the milder end can be missed in an emergency room and noticed later by family.
• Chronic pain conditions are documented through months of treatment notes.
• Psychological injuries are diagnosed and treated by mental health providers, and their records are the proof.
• Pre-existing conditions are not the end of a claim. Records from before and after show what the incident changed.

Symptoms reported early and treated consistently are much harder to dispute. More on head injuries is on the Golden brain injury lawyer page.

That reduction becomes a bar once the injured person's negligence is equal to or greater than the negligence of the person being sued.

With more than one defendant, each is generally responsible for its own percentage (C.R.S. 13-21-111.5(1)). Defendants can also blame someone outside the case, such as an unknown driver, by giving notice within ninety days after the case is filed, or longer if the court allows.

Employer cases have their own rule. C.R.S. 13-21-111.5(1.5) says an employer's acknowledgment of vicarious liability does not bar the injured person's direct negligence claims against that employer, and allows discovery on them.

More on employer and fleet liability is on the Golden truck accident lawyer page.

1. Get evaluated. A serious injury may go to Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital on West 40th Avenue; a less obvious one still needs a doctor's visit soon after.

2. File a report with the Golden Police Department after a crash. C.R.S. 42-4-1606(1) makes reporting mandatory for drivers when anyone is hurt or property is damaged.

3. Photograph the scene and your injuries.

4. Ask witnesses for their contact information.

5. Start a simple log of symptoms, appointments, and missed shifts.

6. Hold off on recorded statements and early settlement offers.

See the insurance adjuster trap before you take that first call.

1. Case review

   , free and confidential, covering fault, injuries, insurance, and deadlines.

2. Investigation

   , including evidence that can be lost within days, such as video and vehicle data.

3. Medical record building

   while treatment runs its course.

4. Demand

   , sent when the extent of the injury is known.

5. Negotiation

   , where many claims end, on terms you approve.

6. Filing and trial

   in the Jefferson Combined Court when the insurer will not pay what the evidence supports. The trial team includes Kevin Cheney, Managing Partner, who holds membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates.

See our case results for past matters. Past results do not guarantee or predict similar outcomes in future cases. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts.

The online case review is another way to start, at no cost.